Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the order of transmission of packets of information in a communication system includes a priority assignment processor (330) which receives transmission delay information from a delay analyzer (315) and soft handoff state information from a control processor (320). This information is used to determine a priority level for packets of information. The priority level is used by a network arbiter (350) to determine when the associated packet should be transferred relative to other packets of information.

Abstract: Vocoder bypass is provided using in-band signaling. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, three signaling channels are arranged for transmission within the compressed speech. Each of the signaling channels are communicated at a preferred rate to permit fast, reliable detection of conditions indicating vocoder bypass mode of operation, to negotiate suitable vocoder type if necessary, and to synchronize and communicate compressed speech in a vocoder bypass mode of operation.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a power control setpoint threshold (216) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving at a receiver, a communication signal from a mobile communication unit to form a received communication signal, generating a first signal quality indicator (193) based on the received communication signal, generating a second signal quality indicator (194) based on the received communication signal, and generating an estimated signal-to-noise ratio (98). The method further includes setting a predetermined reference region (605) centered around a second signal quality indicator reference (206) where the second signal quality indicator reference (206) is related to the first signal quality indicator (193), and adjusting the power control setpoint threshold (216) based on a comparison between the second quality indicator (194) and the predetermined reference region (605).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for performing a multi-party communication in a communication system (100). The communication system (100) includes a first base unit (203) in communication with a first mobile unit (201) and a second base unit (204) in communication with a second mobile unit (202). The first base unit (203) and the second base unit (204) each include a decoder (213, 214), an encoder (223, 274) and a logic unit (233, 224). A communication is initiated between the first mobile unit (201) and the second mobile unit (202). The decoder (213) and the encoder 223 are bypassed in the first base unit (203) by the speech packets. A need is determined to include a third communication unit (239) in the communication. The third communication unit (239) is added to the communication, and the first mobile unit (201) and the second mobile unit (202) continue to transfer speech packets therebetween by bypassing the decoder (213) and the encoder (223) in the first base unit (203).

Abstract: Vocoder bypass is provided using a combination of out-of-band and in-band signaling. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, two signaling channels are arranged for transmission within the compressed speech. Each of the signaling channels are communicated at a preferred rate to permit fast, reliable detection of conditions indicating vocoder bypass mode of operation and to synchronize and communicate compressed speech in a vocoder bypass mode of operation.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling speech encoding in a communication system utilizes feedback information such as packet modification control data (154) sent from a communication link output controller, such as a network arbitor (142). The network arbitor (142) sends the packet modification control data (154) to a selected vocoder (146) to change the filter states of the selected vocoder (146) when the network arbitor (142) modifies an output speech packet communicated of a communication link (20), to facilitate improved convergence of a speech encoder and a speech decoder, such as a mobile subscriber unit.

Abstract: A method and system for time aligning a frame (60) in a communication network (10) involves the steps of; i) determining if a frame needs to be advanced at a BTS (14), and ii) sending a shortened synchronization pattern from the BSC (12). The BTS (14) then determines if a short or long synchronization pattern has been sent by determining (256) if the received data stream matches a long synchronization pattern and setting a first flag when they do match. If the received data stream does not match the long synchronization pattern and the first flag is set (264), the data stream is compared (266) to the short synchronization pattern. When they match a second flag is set (268).

Abstract: A method and system for controlling an encoding rate in a communication system utilizes feedforward rate information (48) and/or rate desirability information (50) sent from each of a plurality of variable rate vocoders (34) to a communication link output controller (24), such as a network arbitor. The communication link output controller (24) then sends a feedback control signal (32) to a selected variable rate vocoder to change the encoding rate of the selected variable rate vocoder to facilitate re-encoding of the speech packet when a bottleneck is detected. In another embodiment, the network arbitor (134) may additionally and independently modify speech packet data when it determines that a bottleneck may occur. The network arbitor (134) also communicates a packet modification control signal (132) for the variable rate vocoder that generated the dropped packet so that the corresponding variable rate vocoder can adjust its filter states to maintain convergence.