Abstract: The present invention is a communication system having a plurality of forward channel communications and a plurality of corresponding reverse channel communications in a region for communications with cellular users. Each region includes a plurality of zone managers. Each zone manager includes a broadcaster having a broadcaster transmitter for broadcasting a plurality of forward channel communications using broadband broadcaster signals to form a plurality of broadcaster forward channels. Each zone manager includes an aggregator for processing reverse channel communications. Each zone manager communicates with a collector group for receiving reverse channel communications from users and forwarding reverse channel communications to the aggregator. Each of the users includes a user receiver for receiving a different forward channel from said broadcaster and includes user transmitter means for broadcasting user reverse channel communications in a different user reverse channel.

Abstract: A communication system having a plurality of forward channel communications and a plurality of corresponding reverse channel communications from and to a plurality of mobile users. A plurality of collectors are distributed at macro-diverse locations for receiving reverse channel signals from the users. Each of the collectors includes micro-diversity receivers for receiving the reverse channel signals from users. The collectors process and forward the reverse channel signals to aggregators. The aggregators combine the reverse channel signals to yield a combined signal with fewer bit errors than occur in the absence of combining.

Abstract: A communication system having a plurality of forward channel communications and a plurality of corresponding reverse channel communications from and to a plurality of mobile users. A plurality of collectors are distributed at macro-diverse locations for receiving reverse channel signals from the users which are processed to yield one or more sequences of data bits as a burst and corresponding initial confidence metrics for each bit. The collectors forward these reverse channel signals including the data bits and corresponding processed confidence metrics to aggregators. The system includes bandwidth control for minimizing backhaul bandwidth from collector to aggregator while maximizing signal quality.

Abstract: The present invention is a communication system having a plurality of forward channel communications and a plurality of corresponding reverse channel communications in a region for communications with cellular users. Each region includes a plurality of zone managers. Each zone manager includes a broadcaster having a broadcaster transmitter for broadcasting a plurality of forward channel communications using broadband broadcaster signals to form a plurality of broadcaster forward channels. Each zone manager includes an aggregator for processing reverse channel communications. Each zone manager communicates with a collector group for receiving reverse channel communications from users and forwarding reverse channel communications to the aggregator. Each of the users includes a user receiver for receiving a different forward channel from said broadcaster and includes user transmitter means for broadcasting user reverse channel communications in a different user reverse channel.

Abstract: A communication system having a plurality of forward channel communications and a plurality of corresponding reverse channel communications from and to a plurality of mobile users. A plurality of collectors are distributed at macro-diverse locations for receiving reverse channel signals from the users which are processed to yield one or more sequences of data bits as a burst and corresponding one or more initial confidence metrics for each bit. The initial confidence metrics have an initial range, a.sub.in, represented by an initial number of bits, .gamma..sub.in, and are processed to form processed confidence metrics having a processed range, a.sub.p, represented by a processed number of bits, .gamma..sub.p. The collectors forward these reverse channel signals including the data bits and corresponding processed confidence metrics to aggregators. The aggregators combine the multiple collector signals for the same user received from the macro-diverse collectors.