Abstract: A radiotelephone method includes detecting other mobile stations and identifying possible relay candidates among the other mobile stations. The method then includes communicating information about the candidates to a base station. Communication with a second mobile station is requested of the base station at a first mobile station. If the first mobile station and the second mobile station are physically close, the base station instructs the first mobile station and the second mobile station to establish direct communication.

Abstract: A method of allocating timeslots between uplink and downlink communication in a cellular communication system (10) is described. The method comprises: for consecutive time division multiplex access, TDMA, frames comprising the timeslots, allocating a first selection of the timeslots to uplink communication in each of a plurality of cells (101,201) and allocating a second selection of the timeslots to downlink communiction in each of the plurality of cells (101,201); and, when the number of timeslots of each frame to be allocated to uplink communication rather than downlink is different for different cells (101,201), varying the allocation of at least some of the uplink and downlink timeslots in a random or pseudo-random sequence in each cell (101, 201).

Abstract: An ad hoc telecommunications network comprises a plurality of mobile devices, cached data being distributed amongst the devices. A manager device is elected for example based on highest compared received signal strength amongst the devices to manage the distributed data. The manager election can by dynamically up-dated to compensate for changes in the network parameter for example devices entering or leaving the network, or physical relocation of the devices within the network. In addition, the ad hoc network can communicate with a fixed infrastructure, the fixed infrastructure maintaining a table identifying a gateway device for direct communication with the fixed infrastructure, allowing communication with a mobile device within the ad hoc network. Yet further the ad hoc network can provide a communications route between two remote fixed infrastructures.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for selecting carriers to be measured by a subscriber unit (301,303, 501). The subscriber unit (301, 303, 501) is served by a communication system and is operable to measure carriers in a frequency band, which typically belongs to a different communication system. The apparatus comprises a performance processor (329) for determining a measuring performance characteristic of the subscriber unit (301, 303, 501) related to the measurement performance of the subscriber unit (301, 303, 501) when measuring in the frequency band. The apparatus furthermore comprises a carrier subset selector (331) for selecting a subset of carriers in the frequency band to be measured by the subscriber unit. The subset of carriers is selected dependent on the measuring performance characteristic. The invention is applicable to dual 2nd and 3rd generation cellular communication systems such as GSM/UMTS.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for selecting carriers to be measured by a subscriber unit (301,303, 501). The subscriber unit (301, 303, 501) is served by a communication system and is operable to measure carriers in a frequency band, which typically belongs to a different communication system. The appratus comprises a performance processor (329) for determining a measuring performance characteristic of the subscriber unit (301, 303, 501) related to the measurement performance of the subscriber unit (301, 303, 501) when measuring in the frequency band. The apparatus furthermore comprises a carrier subset selector (331) for selecting a subset of carriers in the frequency band to be measured by the subscriber unit. The subset of carriers is selected dependent on the measuring performance characteristic. The invention is applicable to dual 2nd and 3rd generation cellular communication systems such as GSM/UMTS.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for allocating timeslots subscriber units in a time division duplex communication system (300). The communication system (300) has a number of frame synchronised base stations (301). The apparatus (301) comprises a switching point processor (323) which determines a switching point (223) between uplink and downlink timeslots in a time frame. It further comprises a power level processor 321 which determines power levels associated with communication from aplurality of subscriber units (307, 309, 311) to be allocated time slots. In addition the apparatus (301) comprises a time slots scheduler which allocates time slots in the time frame to the subscriber units (307, 309, 311) in response to the associated power levels. The invention is applicable to 3rd generation cellular communication systems such as the Time Division Duplex mode of UMTS.

Abstract: A method of allocating timeslots between uplink and downlink communication in a cellular communication system (10) is described. The method comprises: for consecutive time division multiplex access, TDMA, frames comprising the timeslots, allocating a first selection of the timeslots to uplink communication in each of a plurality of cells (101,201) and allocating a second selection of the timeslots to downlink communiction in each of the plurality of cells (101,201); and, when the number of timeslots of each frame to be allocated to uplink communication rather than downlink is different for different cells (101,201), varying the allocation of at least some of the uplink and downlink timeslots in a random or pseudo-random sequence in each cell (101, 201).

Abstract: A radiotelephone method includes detecting other mobile stations and identifying possible relay candidates among the other mobile stations. The method then includes communicating information about the candidates to a base station. Communication with a second mobile station is requested of the base station at a first mobile station. If the first mobile station and the second mobile station are physically close, the base station instructs the first mobile station and the second mobile station to establish direct communication.

Abstract: An ad hoc telecommunications network comprises a plurality of mobile devices, cached data being distributed amongst the devices. A manager device is elected for example based on highest compared received signal strength amongst the devices to manage the distributed data. The manager election can by dynamically up-dated to compensate for changes in the network parameter for example devices entering or leaving the network, or physical relocation of the devices within the network. In addition, the ad hoc network can communicate with a fixed infrastructure, the fixed infrastructure maintaining a table identifying a gateway device for direct communication with the fixed infrastructure, allowing communication with a mobile device within the ad hoc network. Yet further the ad hoc network can provide a communications route between two remote fixed infrastructures.