Abstract: A device for preparing a fluid food at a desired consumption temperature on demand, comprising two reservoirs of water, a container containing a formula, a data processor and a controller for dispensing water of the correct temperature from each of the reservoirs and the formula from the container into a vessel. Also provided is a method to prepare a fluid food at a desired consumption temperature on demand.

Abstract: A system and method for assembling a single data stream from multiple instances of that data stream is described. Data transmitted from a cellular telephone subscriber unit is received by a set of base transceiver stations. Each base transceiver station performs various error detection procedures on segments of the data referred to as frames. These error detection procedures may include CRC check sum verification, Yamamoto metric calculation, re-encoded signal error rate calculation, or a combination thereof. The results of these error detection procedures are placed into a frame quality metric. The frame, frame quality metric, a time stamp and an address are placed into a packet that is transmitted from each base transceiver station to a base station controller which matches packets attempting to transmit the same information using the time stamp and selects one frame from the packets for further processing based on the associated frame quality metric.

Abstract: A device for preparing a fluid food at a desired consumption temperature on demand, comprising two reservoirs of water, a container containing a formula, a data processor and a controller for dispensing water of the correct temperature from each of the reservoirs and the formula from the container into a vessel. Also provided is a method to prepare a fluid food at a desired consumption temperature on demand.

Abstract: A wireless packet data communications system that includes a number of modem pool transceivers (MPTs), one or more modem pool controllers (MPCs), and one or more servers. Each MPT receives and processes data packets to generate a modulated signal (e.g., a CDMA spread spectrum signal) suitable for transmission over a terrestrial communications link. Each MPC provides call related processing for one or more MPTs. The servers couple to the MPTs and MPCs via an Internet Protocol (IP) back-bone and provide management of the communications system. The IP back-bone further interconnects the MPTs with one or more data networks and includes a number of routers that route data packets between the data networks and the MPTs. Each MPT can couple to two or more routers for redundancy. Each MPT is operated as an element in an IP network and is associated with an IP address that identifies the MPT.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for allowing a base station or base station controller to adjust transmissions to fixed location subscribers in closed-loop communication systems. In a closed-loop communication system, a base station exchanges signals with both fixed location and mobile user stations. When a user or subscriber initially registers with the base station, the base station determines a status of this subscriber based on, for example, an electronic serial number transmitted to the base station. The base station compares the electronic serial number to a database (Home Location Register) which determines whether the user corresponds to a fixed station or a mobile station. If the user is a fixed station, then the base station lowers nominal and minimum power level thresholds. Based on the lowered thresholds, the base station thereafter transmits forward link signals to the fixed station at a lower power level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for controlling the data rates for communications to and from a base station and a plurality of remote users. The usage of the communications resource whether the forward link resource (from base station to remote users) or reverse link resource (from remote users to base station) is measured. The measured usage value is compared against at least one predetermined threshold value and the data rates of communications or a subset of communications on said communications resource is modified in accordance with said comparisons.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a cellular telephone system that supports performing an inter-system soft handoff is described. A subscriber unit generates a pilot strength measurement report when the pilot channel from a base station is detected. When a base station controller receiving the pilot strength measurement report determines that the base station is part of a second cellular telephone system, a inter-system soft handoff request is generated. An admission control subsystem receives the inter-system soft handoff and either grants or denies the request base on the traffic level with the second cellular telephone system. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the traffic level is determined based on link load messages received periodically by the admission control subsystem that are generated by an interface port coupled to an interconnect between the first cellular telephone system and the second cellular telephone system.

Abstract: A method of designing a network results in a network with an efficient addressing scheme which allows for filters to perform a simple logical operation. The process begins by arranging a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of bi-directional links in a tree topology. Each node is assigned a range of consecutive flow process addresses such that each packet carried in a first direction on one of the bi-directional links has an address within the range A<X<B and each packet carried in a second direction on the same bi-directional link has an address within the range {overscore (A<X<B)}.

Abstract: A method and system for processing telephone calls within a digital wireless telephone system is described. During the initiation of a telephone call from a wireless subscriber unit, it is determined whether the receiving subscriber unit is also part of a digital wireless telephone system that has compatible vocoding capability. If so, vocoded data from the digital wireless telephone system is converted into tones that are introduced into a wire based telephone system for routing to the appropriate receiving digital wireless telephone system. When these tones are received by the receiving digital wireless telephone system, the vocoded data is regenerated based on the tones and then transmitted to the receiving subscriber unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for allowing a base station or base station controller to adjust transmissions to fixed location subscribers in closed-loop communication systems. In a closed-loop communication system, a base station exchanges signals with both fixed location and mobile user stations. When a user or subscriber initially registers with the base station, the base station determines a status of this subscriber based on, for example, an electronic serial number transmitted to the base station. The base station compares the electronic serial number to a database (Home Location Register) which determines whether the user corresponds to a fixed station or a mobile station. If the user is a fixed station, then the base station lowers nominal and minimum power level thresholds. Based on the lowered thresholds, the base station thereafter transmits forward link signals to the fixed station at a lower power level.

Abstract: A method and system determines whether the receiving subscriber unit is also part of a digital wireless telephone system that has compatible vocoding capability. If so, vocoded data is converted into tones that are introduced into a wire-based telephone system for routing to the appropriate receiving digital wireless telephone system. When these tones are received by the receiving digital wireless telephone system, the vocoded data is regenerated based on the tones and then transmitted to the receiving subscriber unit. If the originating and receiving wireless subscriber units are part of the same digital wireless telephone system, the steps of conversion to tones and introduction into the wire-based telephone system may be omitted, and the vocoded data is passed between the two digital wireless telephone systems via an all-digital connection such as an ATM packet network or a wire-based telephone connection where the integrity of digital information is assured.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for allowing a base station or base station controller to adjust transmissions to fixed location subscribers in closed-loop communication systems. In a closed-loop communication system, a base station exchanges signals with both fixed location and mobile user stations. When a user or subscriber initially registers with the base station, the base station determines a status of this subscriber based on, for example, an electronic serial number transmitted to the base station. The base station compares the electronic serial number to a database (Home Location Register) which determines whether the user corresponds to a fixed station or a mobile station. If the user is a fixed station, then the base station lowers nominal and minimum power level thresholds. Based on the lowered thresholds, the base station thereafter transmits forward link signals to the fixed station at a lower power level.

Abstract: A system and method for assembling a single data stream from multiple instances of that data stream is described. Data transmitted from a cellular telephone subscriber unit is received by a set of base transceiver stations. Each base transceiver station performs various error detection procedures on segments of the data referred to as frames. These error detection procedures may include CRC check sum verification, Yamamoto metric calculation, re-encoded signal error rate calculation, or a combination thereof. The results of these error detection procedures are placed into a frame quality metric. The frame, frame quality metric, a time stamp and an address are placed into a packet that is transmitted from each base transceiver station to a base station controller which matches packets attempting to transmit the same information using the time stamp and selects one frame from the packets for further processing based on the associated frame quality metric.

Abstract: A novel and improved system and method for assembling a single data stream from multiple instances of that data stream is described. Data transmitted from a cellular telephone subscriber unit is received by a set of base transceiver stations. Each base transceiver station performs various error detection procedures on segments of the data referred to as frames. These error detection procedures may include CRC check sum verification, Yamamoto metric calculation, re-encoded signal error rate calculation, or a combination thereof. The results of these error detection procedures are placed into a frame quality metric. The frame, frame quality metric, a time stamp and an address are placed into a packet that is transmitted from each base transceiver station to a base station controller which matches packets attempting to transmit the same information using the time stamp and selects one frame from the packets for further processing based on the associated frame quality metric.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for allowing a base station or base station controller to adjust transmissions to fixed location subscribers in closed-loop communication systems. In a closed-loop communication system, a base station exchanges signals with both fixed location and mobile user stations. When a user or subscriber initially registers with the base station, the base station determines a status of this subscriber based on, for example, an electronic serial number transmitted to the base station. The base station compares the electronic serial number to a database (Home Location Register) which determines whether the user corresponds to a fixed station or a mobile station. If the user is a fixed station, then the base station lowers nominal and minimum power level thresholds. Based on the lowered thresholds, the base station thereafter transmits forward link signals to the fixed station at a lower power level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a cellular telephone system that supports performing an inter-system soft handoff is described. A subscriber unit generates a pilot strength measurement report when the pilot channel from a base station is detected. When a base station controller receiving the pilot strength measurement report determines that the base station is part of a second cellular telephone system, a inter-system soft handoff request is generated. An admission control subsystem receives the inter-system soft handoff and either grants or denies the request base on the traffic level with the second cellular telephone system. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the traffic level is determined based on link load messages received periodically by the admission control subsystem that are generated by an interface port coupled to an interconnect between the first cellular telephone system and the second cellular telephone system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an inter-system soft handoff is described. In accordance with the present invention, when a subscriber unit crosses from a first cellular system to a second cellular system, a base station controller determines if sufficient network resources are available to conduct a inter-system soft handoff. If so, the base station controller generates a set of signaling messages that cause call processing resource to be allocated and for the call to be processed at the second cellular system. The base station controller then perform data-selection and data-broadcast for the call by transmitting data to the subscriber unit by way of the second cellular system as well as via one or more base stations to which the base station controller is directly coupled.

Abstract: In a communications network, a network user communicates using a remote unit with another user via at least one base station. The network is comprised of first and second mobile switching control stations respectively controlling communications through a first set of base stations including a first base station and through a second set of base stations including a second base station. To direct communications between the remote unit and the first and second base stations the first base station measures a round trip delay of an active communication signal between the first base station and the remote unit. The remote unit measures a first phase offset of a pilot signal received from a first candidate base station and reports it to the first mobile switching center via the first base station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus providing centralized power control in a multiple base station communication configuration. Each base station in a system operates to control both over the forward link power it transmits and the reverse link power from the remote units. A radio link manger provides a common threshold for determining the proper power level of the reverse link signal at each base station. The radio link manager also provides a ratio of the forward link signal strength to a pilot signal strength to control forward link power control. The radio link manager provides the threshold and the ratio uniformly to all base stations thus providing a uniform operating point for all base stations in a system and thus increasing capacity. The same centralized power control is easily expanded to provide a mechanism for intersystem soft handoff.

Abstract: An integrated search processor used in a modem for a spread spectrum communications system buffers receive samples and utilizes a time sliced transform processor operating on successive offsets from the buffer. The search processor autonomously steps through a search as configured by a microprocessor specified search parameter set, which can include the group of antennas to search over, the starting offset and width of the search window to search over, and the number of Walsh symbols to accumulate results at each offset. The search processor calculates the correlation energy at each offset, and presents a summary report of the best paths found in the search to use for demodulation element reassignment. The search is done in a linear fashion independent of the probability that a signal being searched for was transmitted at any given time.