Abstract: A method for paging a mobile station where the mobile station (208-212) may be in a dormant state is described. The method begins by sending a first paging message (302) in a first zone (214) of a given area to a selected mobile station wherein the first paging message is sent at the beginning of a paging interval (300). A base station (202-206) then receives a response to the paging message when the mobile station is in the first zone. When the response to the first paging message is not received, a second paging message (306) is sent in a second zone (216) of the given area. The second paging message is sent at a first offset (308) from the sending of the first paging message wherein this first offset occurs less than one paging interval after the sending of the first page message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for that provides a re-entry procedure following a radio frequency outage in a wireless communication network is disclosed. The method includes providing (204) a entity identification for a base station (102-106) or a paging controller (108) to a mobile station (110) during initial entry of the mobile station to a wireless communication network. The method also includes storing (206) mobile station context information at an entity corresponding to the entity identification. After a radio frequency outage occurs after the initial entry of the mobile station into the network, a notification is sent (218) that indicates that the mobile station is re-entering the wireless communication network. Based on the notification that there has been a radio frequency outage, the mobile station context information is obtained (220) to assist the mobile station to re-enter the wireless communication network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for that provides a re-entry procedure following a radio frequency outage in a wireless communication network is disclosed. The method includes providing (204) a entity identification for a base station (102-106) or a paging controller (108) to a mobile station (110) during initial entry of the mobile station to a wireless communication network. The method also includes storing (206) mobile station context information at an entity corresponding to the entity identification. After a radio frequency outage occurs after the initial entry of the mobile station into the network, a notification is sent (218) that indicates that the mobile station is re-entering the wireless communication network. Based on the notification that there has been a radio frequency outage, the mobile station context information is obtained (220) to assist the mobile station to re-enter the wireless communication network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for that provides a re-entry procedure following a radio frequency outage in a wireless communication network is disclosed. The method includes providing (204) a entity identification for a base station (102-106) or a paging controller (108) to a mobile station (110) during initial entry of the mobile station to a wireless communication network. The method also includes storing (206) mobile station context information at an entity corresponding to the entity identification. After a radio frequency outage occurs after the initial entry of the mobile station into the network, a notification is sent (218) that indicates that the mobile station is re-entering the wireless communication network. Based on the notification that there has been a radio frequency outage, the mobile station context information is obtained (220) to assist the mobile station to re-enter the wireless communication network.

Abstract: A method is described for providing Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) transmission feedback to a higher layer protocol in a communication system. The method includes a step of detecting HARQ retransmissions in a first layer protocol. This can be used to determine a HARQ failure or an HARQ ACK after a delay of some retransmissions. A next step includes providing feedback information about the detecting step from the first layer protocol to a higher layer protocol. A next step includes instituting corrections at the higher layer protocol, in response to the information transferred from the first layer protocol. These corrections can include immediate retransmission of those bursts of a HARQ failure, or correcting timers to match the delay of eventually ACK'ed data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for that provides a re-entry procedure following a radio frequency outage in a wireless communication network is disclosed. The method includes providing (204) a entity identification for a base station (102-106) or a paging controller (108) to a mobile station (110) during initial entry of the mobile station to a wireless communication network. The method also includes storing (206) mobile station context information at an entity corresponding to the entity identification. After a radio frequency outage occurs after the initial entry of the mobile station into the network, a notification is sent (218) that indicates that the mobile station is re-entering the wireless communication network. Based on the notification that there has been a radio frequency outage, the mobile station context information is obtained (220) to assist the mobile station to re-enter the wireless communication network.

Abstract: A technique for operating a wireless communication device includes assigning re-transmission identifiers, such as hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) channel identifications, automatic repeat request (ARQ) channel identifications, and ARQ Identifier Sequence Numbers, to at least a first re-transmission identifier group and a second re-transmission identifier group, wherein each re-transmission identifier group is associated with a different quality of service parameter. The technique identifies whether a committed quality of service is met for a connection based on whether a communication on the connection is associated with the first re-transmission identifier group or the second re-transmission identifier group.

Abstract: A method, information processing system, and wireless communication system schedules transmission of data packets in a wireless communication network. At least one selected data packet to be retransmitted to at least one respective receiver (108) is identified. At least one respective selected data packet is scheduled for retransmission (620) in a set of available transmission slots to at least one respective receiver (108). The scheduling is performed prior to determining a failure of a previous communication of the selected data packet and in response to the identifying.

Abstract: A method for paging a mobile station where the mobile station (208-212) may be in a dormant state is described. The method begins by sending a first paging message (302) in a first zone (214) of a given area to a selected mobile station wherein the first paging message is sent at the beginning of a paging interval (300). A base station (202-206) then receives a response to the paging message when the mobile station is in the first zone. When the response to the first paging message is not received, a second paging message (306) is sent in a second zone (216) of the given area. The second paging message is sent at a first offset (308) from the sending of the first paging message wherein this first offset occurs less than one paging interval after the sending of the first page message.

Abstract: A data packet transmission monitor (15) monitors the transmission of data packets in a given wireless communication system to determine (20) a predetermined condition. In response to determining the predetermined condition, the transceiver (14) for the base station (13) automatically sends (21) a signal to one or more wireless communication units (10) to cause the units (10) to make neighbor cell measurements. Optionally, the base station (13) sends such a signal when no data packets are to be sent by the base station (13). In another embodiment, the data packet transmission monitor (15) tracks (50) the transmission of data packets and determines (51) whether the transmissions allow for a certain number of neighbor cell measurements. If a certain number of neighbor cell measurements are not allowed, a signal is automatically sent (21) to the wireless communication unit (10) to make one or more neighbor cell measurements.

Abstract: An Integrated Digital Enhanced Network system (1) includes a base radio (104) interconnected to a plurality of transcoders (4) located at central offices (2). The base radio (104) time division multiplexes voice packets from the plurality of transcoders (4) into a time division multiplexed signal frame (20). Each signal frame (20) includes a plurality of sequential frames (204). Each sequential frame (204) includes a predetermined number of slots (202) based upon a channel interleave. Each of the slots (202) includes a slot descriptor block (2024), and a plurality of subslots (e.g., 2026, 2028). The slot descriptor block (2024) alternatively contains overhead information for the plurality of subslots (e.g., 2026, 2028). The subscriber device (30) demultiplexes each sequential frame (204) and receives a specific slot (202) and a specific subslot of the specific slot based upon an assigned slot offset.

Abstract: A method is described for providing Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) transmission feedback to a higher layer protocol in a communication system. The method includes a step of detecting HARQ retransmissions in a first layer protocol. This can be used to determine a HARQ failure or an HARQ ACK after a delay of some retransmissions. A next step includes providing feedback information about the detecting step from the first layer protocol to a higher layer protocol. A next step includes instituting corrections at the higher layer protocol, in response to the information transferred from the first layer protocol. These corrections can include immediate retransmission of those bursts of a HARQ failure, or correcting timers to match the delay of eventually ACK'ed data.

Abstract: An Integrated Digital Enhanced Network system (1) includes a base radio (104) interconnected to a plurality of transcoders (4) located at central offices (2). The base radio (104) time division multiplexes voice packets from the plurality of transcoders (4) into a time division multiplexed signal frame (20). Each signal frame (20) includes a plurality of sequential frames (204). Each sequential frame (204) includes a predetermined number of slots (202) based upon a channel interleave. Each of the slots (202) includes a slot descriptor block (2024), and a plurality of subslots (e.g., 2026, 2028). The slot descriptor block (2024) alternatively contains overhead information for the plurality of subslots (e.g., 2026, 2028). The subscriber device (30) demultiplexes each sequential frame (204) and receives a specific slot (202) and a specific subslot of the specific slot based upon an assigned slot offset.

Abstract: A radio communication system assigns use of a radio frequency communication resource comprising multiple communication channels in a way that minimizes the likelihood that a weakly received signal will be interfered with by a strongly received signal in an adjacent communication channel. The communication system determines a signal strength of a signal received from a user of the communication resource and, based on the signal strength determination, assigns the user one or more of the communication channels that are then available.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the need for an apparatus and method for providing a communication service to a communication unit (112) with acceptable audio quality, when a serving site (109) does not have sufficient resources. To obtain the required communication resources, base sites (106-108) whose wireless coverage areas overlap the serving base site are considered. Before selecting an alternate base site to provide the communication service, the present invention, in contrast to the prior art, determines whether the alternate base site is capable of providing the communication service to the communication unit with an acceptable level of quality. If it is, the alternate base site is selected to provide the communication service to the communication unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for performing neighbor site measurements that address the need to reduce data transfer delays while performing such measurements. In the present invention, the signal quality of the serving site (108) of a communication unit (102) is used to determine the neighbor site measurement characteristics for the communication unit (102). Serving site signal quality is used as an indicator of the critical or non-critical need for neighbor site measurements. Thus, data transfer delays can be reduced by delaying serving site communication only when the serving site signal quality indicates a critical need for neighbor site measurements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for improving the communication coverage in a multi-cell communication system (100) which employs neighbor cell lists. A cell site (114) provides a communication unit (128) within its cell (112) with communication and a neighbor cell list. The neighbor cell list (200) informs the communication unit of other cells which are possible hand-off targets. When the fixed network equipment (FNE) detects that a particular communication unit (128) has entered another cell and/or needs to hand-off its communication to another cell site but has been denied, the cell site (114) sends the communication unit the neighbor cell list related to the new cell. With a new neighbor cell list (300), the communication unit (128) can now attempt to maintain its communication by handing-off to cells unknown before. In this manner the effective communication coverage of the system is improved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for improving the communication coverage in a multi-cell communication system (100) which employs neighbor cell lists. A cell site (114) provides a communication unit (128) within its cell (112) with communication and a neighbor cell list. The neighbor cell list (200) informs the communication unit of other cells which are possible hand-off targets. When the fixed network equipment (FNE) detects that a particular communication unit (128) has entered another cell and/or needs to hand-off its communication to another cell site but has been denied, the cell site (114) sends the communication unit the neighbor cell list related to the new cell. With a new neighbor cell list (300), the communication unit (128) can now attempt to maintain its communication by handing-off to cells unknown before. In this manner the effective communication coverage of the system is improved.

Abstract: At least one outbound channel quality metric (OCQM) is determined by a communication unit (220) based on a first number of samples per unit of time (301). When the at least one OCQM is favorable, subsequent OCQMs for that channel are determined based on a decreased number of samples per unit of time (305). When the at least one OCQM is unfavorable, subsequent OCQMs are determined based on an increased number of samples per unit of time (306). In an alternate embodiment, the number of samples per unit of time used to determine OCQMs is based on an apparent speed of the communication unit. In yet another embodiment, the number of sample per unit of time is based in part upon a difference between a serving site OCQM and a neighboring site OCQM. In this manner, current drain on a communication unit's battery is substantially reduced, thereby extending battery life.

Abstract: A communication system (100) employs a method and apparatus for mitigating distortion effects and enhancing signal usability determinations in a receiver (102). The receiver receives a discrete information signal that includes a stream of information symbols. Each information symbol (124) of the stream includes two components: a desired component and an undesired component that includes interference and distortion. The receiver determines an estimate (126) of the desired component of an information symbol and an estimate (130) of the undesired component of the information symbol based on the information symbol itself and its desired component estimate. The undesired component estimate is then scaled by a scaling factor (132) that is derived based on the desired component estimate. An enhanced determination of signal usability (136) for the received symbol is finally determined based on the scaled undesired component estimate (134).