Abstract: A method and apparatus for extending a virtual channel of a communication area to a user equipment is disclosed. A message including a virtual channel identity and an area identity from the user equipment is received at a call controller. The call controller determines that the virtual channel identity is associated with a communication area and the area identity is associated with an area outside the communication area. The call controller then determines whether a virtual channel extension feature is enabled on the user equipment, and if so, receives data from the user equipment and then distributes the data on the virtual channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling interoperability between a broadband network and a narrowband network includes an interworking server maintaining at least one virtual narrowband site, each comprising a plurality of virtual narrowband channels known by a controlling server within the narrowband network, wherein each virtual narrowband channel, when assigned by the controlling server, represents a corresponding set of broadband resources. A first broadband device coupled to the broadband network is associated with a first virtual narrowband site. The interworking server further exchanges signaling with the controlling server to enable communications by the first broadband device using a set of broadband resources corresponding to a first virtual narrowband channel of the first virtual narrowband site, wherein the first virtual narrowband channel is assigned by the controlling server for use by a virtual narrowband device which represents the first broadband device.

Abstract: Methods for reducing set-up time for communications among multiple user equipment (UE) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system are described. In accordance with one method, an LTE subsystem that includes a eNodeB and a Mobility Management Entity (MME): receives a request for an LTE connection from a first UE associated with a virtual channel, and responsive to contents in the request for the LTE connection, generates on behalf of the first UE, a request to transmit media on the virtual channel, which the LTE system sends to an application server to trigger an establishment of a call to deliver a media transmission from the first UE to at least one other UE associated with the virtual channel.

Abstract: A method for updating a message template based on receiving a plurality of common deltas. At a first device, the method detects a first compressed message that includes a first delta and that references a first message template and stores an indication of having received the first delta. The first delta is combinable with the first message template to reconstruct a decompressed message. The first device receives at least one subsequent compressed message that includes the first delta and that references the first message template, and stores an indication of each subsequent time the first delta is received. Based on the stored indications, the first device determines that the first delta was received in accordance with at least one predetermined threshold factor, and in response thereto, initiating a procedure to generate a superseding message template, which updates the first message template by including the first delta.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for dynamically switching mobile stations between point-to-point (PTP) and point-to-multipoint (PTM) operating modes. For example, a particular mobile station can determine whether reception of information over a downlink PTM bearer is inadequate or adequate. Upon determining that the reception of the information over the downlink PTM bearer is inadequate, the particular mobile station can generate and transmit a complaint message to a controller. It can then be determined whether the particular mobile station is to switch between the PTP operating mode and the PTM operating mode. A signal can be processed at the particular mobile station. When the signal is to switch to the PTP operating mode, the particular mobile station can switch from the PTM operating mode to the PTP operating mode and start receiving downlink transmissions over a PTP bearer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for distributing content to a plurality of mobile stations using a downlink point-to-multipoint (PTM) bearers and downlink point-to-point (PTP) bearers. A controller can process events, to determine whether a current modulation-and-coding scheme (MCS) level applied to downlink transmissions over the downlink PTM bearer is to be changed or maintained, and to communicate a change message whenever the current MCS level is to be changed. An actuator can adjust, in response to receiving a change message, a MCS level that is applied to downlink transmissions over the downlink PTM bearer.

Abstract: Methods for increasing encryption synchronization availability include collecting encryption synchronization data from a first superframe received at a gateway. The encryption synchronization data is for decrypting media in a second superframe also received at the gateway. The encryption synchronization data from the first superframe is used to form a composite encryption synchronization codeword for decrypting media in a third superframe formed by the gateway, wherein the third superframe includes the composite encryption synchronization codeword and at least a portion of the media from the second superframe. The third superframe is sent to a receiving device so that media in the third superframe can be decrypted by the receiving device using the composite encryption synchronization codeword that is included in the same superframe as the media that is being decrypted.

Abstract: A PTT bridging gateway between a first PTT system and a second disparate PTT system: receives an invitation to a first client to join a first group call for a first group comprising multiple member clients on the first PTT system, wherein the first client is one of the member clients of the first group; determines that the first client is mapped to a second group comprising multiple member clients on the second PTT system; and initiates a second group call to the multiple member clients on the second PTT system.

Abstract: A method and device enable establishing an inter-radio frequency subsystem interface (ISSI) unit-to-unit call between a calling unit of a calling home radio frequency subsystem (RFSS), and a called unit of a called home RFSS, through a hosted ISSI function (HIF). The method includes processing, at the HIF, a first invite message received from the calling home RFSS, wherein the first invite message includes a first request uniform resource identifier (URI) that designates an alias system unit identification (SU-ID). In response to the first invite message, transmitting, from the HIF to the called home RFSS, a second invite message, including a second request URI that designates a real SU-ID, wherein the HIF acts as the calling home RFSS. The unit-to-unit call is thus established between the calling unit and the called unit through the calling home RFSS, the HIF, and the called home RFSS.

Abstract: A hosted inter-radio frequency subsystem interface (HIF) maintains a list of affiliated radio frequency subsystems (RFSSs), the list identifies at least one serving RFSS. An affiliation request is transmitted from the HIF to the home RFSS, which is a home RFSS of the group. The HIF receives from the serving RFSS a request to initiate an inter-RFSS group call to the group using HIF addressing. The HIF transmits a request to the home RFSS to initiate the inter-RFSS group call using serving RFSS addressing. A data packet from the home RFSS or the serving RFSS is received at the HIF. Upon receipt, the HIF transmits a copy of the data packet to the serving RFSS if the data packet was received from the home RFSS; otherwise, the HIF transmits a copy of the data packet to the home RFSS if the data packet was received from the serving RFSS.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for providing fast secure handoff in a wireless mesh network. The method comprises configuring multiple first level key holders (R0KHs) within a radio access network to which supplicants within the multi-hop wireless mesh network are capable of establishing a security association, configuring a common mobility domain identifier within the first level key holders of a mobility domain, and propagating identity of a first level key holder and the mobility domain identifier through the wireless mesh network to enable the supplicants within the mobility domain to perform fast secure handoff.

Abstract: Methods for managing resource utilization in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system are described. In one method, an application server: receives signaling indicating resource utilization in the LTE system; determines, based on this signaling, a set of control parameters for a user equipment (UE) receiving service from the LTE system; and sends the set of control parameters to the UE, wherein the set of control parameters indicates behavior for the UE toward at least one of maintaining LTE system resources or modifying standard handover procedures. The signaling indicating resource utilization in the LTE system is sent from UE, the LTE system, or both.

Abstract: An infrastructure device in a 3GPP compliant system performs a method transporting a plurality of media streams over a shared MBMS bearer. The 3GPP compliant system includes a RAN partitioned into a plurality MBMS services areas, wherein each MBMS service area has at least one already existing shared MBMS bearers for transporting the media streams. The infrastructure device: receives a first request to transmit a first media stream to a first communication group; identifies a shared MBMS bearer in a first 3GPP MBMS service area that is already transporting a second media stream to a second communication group; and determines whether the shared MBMS bearer has sufficient capacity to transport both the first media stream and the second media stream simultaneously. When the shared MBMS bearer has sufficient capacity, the infrastructure device simultaneously sends both the first media stream and the second media stream on the shared MBMS bearer.

Abstract: A method for updating a message template based on receiving a plurality of common deltas. At a first device, the method detects a first compressed message that includes a first delta and that references a first message template and stores an indication of having received the first delta. The first delta is combinable with the first message template to reconstruct a decompressed message. The first device receives at least one subsequent compressed message that includes the first delta and that references the first message template, and stores an indication of each subsequent time the first delta is received. Based on the stored indications, the first device determines that the first delta was received in accordance with at least one predetermined threshold factor, and in response thereto, initiating a procedure to generate a superseding message template, which updates the first message template by including the first delta.

Abstract: An infrastructure device in a 3GPP compliant system performs a method to allocate MBMS bearers. The 3GPP compliant system includes a RAN partitioned into a plurality MBMS services areas, wherein each MBMS service area has a plurality of pre-established MBMS bearers for transporting media streams. The infrastructure device: receives a request to transmit a media stream to a communication group; selects a set of the MBMS service areas for transporting the media stream; determines an available MBMS bearer in each selected MBMS service area to assign to transport the media stream; and identifies the assigned MBMS bearers to members of the communication group. In addition, a UE performs a method for MBMS service area location update in the 3GPP compliant system. Accordingly, the UE: determines a 3GPP MBMS service area in which the UE is currently located; and identifies the 3GPP MBMS service area to an infrastructure device.

Abstract: A 3GPP compliant system includes a radio access network (RAN) partitioned into a plurality MBMS services areas, wherein each MBMS service area has a plurality of MBMS bearers established a priori for transporting media streams. An infrastructure device: receives a request to transmit a media stream to a communication group, wherein the request to transmit is received after the MBMS bearers were established; determines a MBMS bearer in a MBMS service area to assign to transport the media stream; generates a MBMS connect message that binds the communication group to the assigned MBMS bearer, wherein the MBMS connect message includes an identifier for the communication group and an identifier for the assigned MBMS bearer; and sends the MBMS connect message to members of the communication group.

Abstract: A method and system for selecting a target cell for handover of user equipment in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system are described. In accordance with the method, a serving cell: determines virtual channels supported by each of a plurality of neighboring cells; determines a set of virtual channels of interest to a UE; selects a subset of the neighboring cells, which supports at least one virtual channel in the set of virtual channels of interest to the UE; modifies handover behavior, and uses results of the modified handover behavior to select one of the neighboring cells, from the subset, as a target cell for handover of the UE.

Abstract: A method for reducing set-up signaling in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system is performed by an LTE subsystem. The method includes the LTE subsystem: receiving from a first user equipment (UE) a first message as part of a connection procedure to connect the first UE to the LTE system, the first message having contents that include an identifier for identifying a virtual channel on which the first UE intends to transmit media; determining a status of the virtual channel; and based on the status of the virtual channel, determining whether to send to the first UE a response to the first message that allows the connection procedure to proceed or to send to the first UE a response that terminates the connection procedure.

Abstract: A mobile device registers with an infrastructure device coupled to a first communication network and then sends a request to activate PTT service in the first communication network. A communication server is adapted to receive the request to activate the PTT service, and to, thereby, activate the PTT service for the mobile device in the first communication network. Responsive to receiving the request to activate the PTT service, the communication server makes a determination to register the mobile device with a second communication network, generates a service registration message, on behalf of the mobile device, to register the mobile device with the second communication network, and sends the service registration message to the second communication network.

Abstract: A UE connected to a serving cell: determines a set of virtual channels of interest to the UE; determines that the UE is in one of a plurality of ACTIVE states; detects occurrence of an event effecting service availability for the UE; and determines behavior of the UE based on the ACTIVE state of the UE and the occurrence of the event. A UE in an IDLE state: determines a set of virtual channels of interest to the UE; determines a list of cells, wherein each cell in the list supports at least one of the virtual channels; determines a candidate subset of the list of cells, wherein inclusion of a cell in the candidate subset is based on whether or not the UE is receiving on a downlink path of one of the virtual channels; and selects one of the cells in the candidate subset as a target cell.