Abstract: An apparatus and method thereof for selectively transmitting a traffic channel signal or a beacon signal, the apparatus comprising in combination: a base band processor for providing a base band signal that selectively comprises one of traffic information and beacon information; a local oscillator (LO) source for providing a LO signal that is selected from one of a traffic LO signal and a beacon LO signal; a modulator, coupled to the LO signal, for converting the base band signal to a radio frequency (RF) signal; and an amplifier for amplifying the RF signal to provide a transmit signal that selectively corresponds to one of the traffic channel signal and the beacon signal.

Abstract: A power amplifier circuit (10) utilizes a step-wise variable voltage source (22) to improve amplifier (14) operating efficiency. In one preferred embodiment, an input signal to the step-wise variable voltage source is obtained by observing an operating characteristic of the amplifier. In an alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention, a characteristic of the input signal driving the amplifier stage is used to form an input signal to the step-wise variable input voltage source.

Abstract: A communication system employs a method and apparatus for exchanging communicated signals between a communication unit (e.g., 17) and a central site (205). A remote base site (65) or the central site (205) determines whether a signal must be exchanged between the communication unit (17) and the central site (205). When a signal is to be exchanged, the remote base site (65) allocates a first radio frequency communication resource (75) for use in exchanging the signal between the communication unit (17) and the remote base site (65) and a second radio frequency communication resource (74) for use in exchanging the signal between the remote base site (65) and the central site (205).

Abstract: A method for improved frequency assignment includes recording communications events (130), for example handoff statistics, for subscriber units handing to and away from a base station (931). The handoff statistics include the IDs of the other base stations (932-937) involved in the handoff, preferably along with the date and time of the handoff. The statistics of the handoff count are applied based on the number of occurrences within a time period (140), and are used to accept or reject the potential frequency assignments obtained from an assignment process. In one embodiment of this process, using a Q estimate, obtained from residual powers recorded on each frequency (430-435), a candidate frequency is chosen based on the lowest Q value (440). This candidate is tested against the handoff statistics, and if rejected, a frequency with the next lowest Q level is tested (450-470). This process is repeated until a frequency is assigned.