Abstract: A method of assigning an optimal system control parameter in a wireless communication system (10) having one or more transceivers (11a)-(11g) includes applying a reference frame (14) having a plurality of regions (16)-(20) to the coverage area of the communication system (10). The reference frame (14) is independent of the locations of the one or more transceivers (11a)-(11g) and each of the plurality of regions (16)-(20) corresponds to a location estimate. A code is assigned to each of the plurality of regions (16)-(20), the code corresponding to a system control parameter optimized for that region. A mobile station (12) is assigned the code corresponding to where the mobile station (12) is located.

Abstract: An overlay communication system (120) aides determining a route between nodes (101-103) in an underlay communication system (110). In particular, when a first node (102) wishes to discover a route to a second node (103), the first node notifies the overlay communication system, which notifies all nodes in the underlay communication system of the desire. Both the first and the second nodes begin flooding the underlay system simultaneously. When a node in the underlay system hears both the flood messages from the first and the second node, the overlay communication system is notified and stops all flooding. The route information is then provided to the first and the second nodes via the overlay communication system.

Abstract: Remote units within a first communication system (121) utilizes frequencies (channels) from a second communication system (120) when placing a call. When a first remote unit (106) wants to call a second remote unit (107) using the channels, the first remote unit sends a base station (103) a list of top N traffic channel blocks from the second communication system along with the identity of the second remote unit. The base station then pages the second remote unit using a signaling channel reserved by second system. The second remote unit responds to the page with its list of best traffic channel blocks/chunks. The base station then picks the best overlap of idle channels from the list received by the remote units, and sends the list to the remote units instructing them use those traffic channels. Once the remote units receive the available channels, they can begin their call.

Abstract: A method of dividing a first piconet into two or more piconets is implemented by a master wireless device. The master wireless device selects a master for a second piconet from among the slave wireless devices within the first piconet. The selection can be based upon each operational link between a base site and candidates for master of the second piconet as well as each operational link between the candidates for master of the second piconet and candidates for active slaves of the second piconet. The master wireless device thereafter informs each slave of the first piconet of the selection of the master of the second piconet. The master wireless device can further assign one or more of the slaves of the first piconet to enlist as a slave in the second piconet, or alternatively, each slave of the first piconet can enlist as a slave in either the first piconet or the second piconet.

Abstract: Mitigation of battery consumption will occur by prioritizing those units utilized for relay purposes. The prioritization scheme favors actively transmitting units over inactive units. In yet another embodiment, those units using real-time services are prioritized over active units using non-real time services.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handoff to a rescue channel is introduced without the need to send and receive handoff control messages. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, coordination of the rescue procedure at the infrastructure and mobile station is provided first by disabling the mobile transmitter followed by subsequent detection of signal loss and frame erasures at the serving cells, then by enabling the mobile transmitter followed by subsequent detection of signal by a rescue cell, and finally by enabling the rescue cell channel transmitter followed by subsequent detection and reception of signal and frames by the mobile.

Abstract: A registration from a subscriber is delivered to the cellular network via an ad hoc network. Based on registration information, several return paths are prepared for delivery of a page from the cellular network to the subscriber regardless of the initial or final coverage state of the subscriber and regardless of the final coverage or operational state of its assigned relays.

Abstract: Mitigation of battery consumption will occur by prioritizing those units utilized for relay purposes. The prioritization scheme favors actively transmitting units over inactive units. In yet another embodiment, those units using real-time services are prioritized over active units using non-real time services.

Abstract: A method of selecting one or more active slave wireless devices from a plurality of active/parked slave wireless devices is implemented by a master wireless device. The master wireless device initially assigns sequential weights to each active/parked slave wireless device, and subsequently designates one or more of the active/parked slave wireless devices as active slave wireless device(s) based partially or entirely on the assigned sequential weights. The assignment of sequential weights can be accomplished by assigning each active/parked slave wireless device to one of a plurality of ranked groups collectively representative of various traffic types between a base site and the active/parked slave wireless devices. Each active/parked slave wireless device is then sorted within its respective group.

Abstract: A method of establishing a cooperative ad hoc network of phone extensions is implemented by the cellular devices within the ad hoc network. First, a first cellular device receiving an incoming call or placing an outgoing call is designated as the master of the ad hoc network and the remaining cellular devices are designated as slaves of the ad hoc network. Second, each cellular device is activated to enable multi-party connectivity by the first cellular device.

Abstract: A method of communicating in and around a localized wireless coverage area according to the present invention provides cellular coverage to a neighborhood cell (18) in which service might otherwise not be possible or in which a high percentage of calls would otherwise end up being dropped. Specifically, a neighborhood cell (18) is defined by either one or more fixed last hop nodes (20) or mobile last hop nodes (120). If a source mobile subscriber unit (12) communicates with a destination unit through wide area wireless network coverage, the source mobile subscriber unit (12) is handed over to ad hoc wireless network coverage either automatically or upon the occurrence of a high frame error rate when it enters the neighborhood cell (18) to maintain communication with the destination unit.

Abstract: A method of automatically prioritizing cells in a neighbor list of a communications system. The priority is defined as the number of times a cell in the neighbor list has been added to the active set. Cells that have been added to the active set more often are given a higher priority. Such higher priority cells are considered first for addition to the monitored set because they are more likely to successfully move from the monitored set to the active set.

Abstract: A method for supporting rescue channels in a communications system. The rescue channel feature supports the use of pre-allocated radio resources at neighboring BSs 104, 106 in order to attempt to recover a voice call in danger of being dropped. The MS 114 disables its transmitter upon detection of a loss of forward frames from the network. Once the source BS 102 detects a loss of transmission from the MS 114, it may attempt to re-establish communication with the MS 114 by performing soft handoff additions to rescue cells at neighboring BSs. The neighboring BSs are the MS's neighbor list, last reported Extended Pilot Strength Measurement Message (EPSMM), and possibly other factors.

Abstract: A method of assigning an optimal system control parameter in a wireless communication system (10) having one or more transceivers (11a)-(11g) includes applying a reference frame (14) having a plurality of regions (16)-(20) to the coverage area of the communication system (10). The reference frame (14) is independent of the locations of the one or more transceivers (11a)-(11g) and each of the plurality of regions (16)-(20) corresponds to a location estimate. A code is assigned to each of the plurality of regions (16)-(20), the code corresponding to a system control parameter optimized for that region. A mobile station (12) is assigned the code corresponding to where the mobile station (12) is located.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handoff to a rescue channel is introduced without the need to send and receive handoff control messages. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, coordination of the rescue procedure at the infrastructure and mobile station is provided first by disabling the mobile transmitter followed by subsequent detection of signal loss and frame erasures at the serving cells, then by enabling the mobile transmitter followed by subsequent detection of signal by a rescue cell, and finally by enabling the rescue cell channel transmitter followed by subsequent detection and reception of signal and frames by the mobile.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handoff to a rescue channel is introduced without the need to send and receive handoff control messages. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, coordination of the rescue procedure at the infrastructure and mobile station is provided first by disabling the mobile transmitter followed by subsequent detection of signal loss and frame erasures at the serving cells, then by enabling the mobile transmitter followed by subsequent detection of signal by a rescue cell, and finally by enabling the rescue cell channel transmitter followed by subsequent detection and reception of signal and frames by the mobile.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for passing network device operations between a source and a target network device which are associated with a mobile communication unit in a radio communication system is provided. This passing of network device operations is accomplished by converting a first form of information to a second form in the source network device. Subsequently, the source and the target network device are notified that operations associated with the mobile communication unit will be passed at a particular time. At that particular time the information converting is bypassed such that the first form of information is provided to the target network device. In addition, the target network device begins to monitor incoming information for the first form of incoming information. In response to a presence of the first form of incoming information at the target network device, the first form of information is converted into the second form in the target network device.

Abstract: A method improves the decoding rate and reliability of adjacent cell base stations by expediting the decode process if the signal quality of a traffic channel is within a predetermined range. In particular, adjacent control channels are monitored and decoded at a rapid rate by ignoring the speech traffic channel information. The speech is interrupted (526) and the channel information is decoded (526) when, for example, the bit error rate or frame error rate of the traffic channel (TCH) is deteriorating while another channel has a better signal. The scheduling of speech channel interruptions (522) may also occur when insufficient neighbor cell information is available at the beginning of a call or immediately after handover. The lost speech signal could be recovered (536) using conventional speech extrapolation techniques.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining whether to handoff in a wireless communication system (100). The system (100) collects first environmental variables related to a first mobile station (105) within the wireless communication system (100). The system (100) determines when a communication between a base station (101) and the first mobile station (105) is improperly terminated. The system (100) analyzes, when the communication is improperly terminated, the first environmental variables to generate environmental conditions rules. The system (100) then applies the environmental conditions rules to a second mobile station (106) which subsequently communicates with the base station (101) and which has second environment variables substantially similar to the first environmental variables.

Abstract: A radiotelephone service planning system (10) and method determines best servers in communication systems by determining a interference based communication threshold using interference information (46), such as frame error rate data, in addition to pathloss information (38) between a communication unit (22) and the plurality of other communication units (24a-24c). The radiotelephone service planning system (10) and method generates an image indicating the most probable best server of the other communication units (24a-24c) for the communication unit (22) based on the interference based communication threshold information. Also, the system utilizes variable signal threshold data (32) for a communication unit to allow flexibility in determining a best server site in view of varying threshold limits.