Abstract: A wireless communication system (20) allows communications between a mobile station (22) and a wireless network (24) over combined physical traffic channels (44, 46). In a disclosed example, a mobile station (22) has multiple wireless access terminals (40, 42) for transmitting different portions of a communication over multiple physical traffic channels (44, 46). In a disclosed example, each wireless access terminal (40, 42) utilizes one of the channels (44, 46). A known multilink PPP protocol facilitates splitting a communication into portions to be communicated over the combined physical traffic channels (44, 46) and then recombined at the mobile station (22) or an appropriate portion of the network (24). With a disclosed example, the achievable throughput using combined physical traffic channels (44, 46) approaches the aggregate or sum of the individual channel throughput capacities.

Abstract: Data communication includes an estimate of packet error rate that is useful, for example, when there is insufficient data transmission to provide a direct measurement of packet error rate. At least one pilot channel output provides a basis to determine an estimated packet error rate. One example includes using a pilot channel ratio of an energy-per-chip to a noise spectrum density. Another example includes using a pilot symbol error rate from the pilot channel as the basis for determining the traffic channel packet error rate.

Abstract: Outer loop power control for a traffic channel includes using at least one output from another channel to determine an appropriate control threshold such as a signal-to-noise ratio when selected channel conditions exist. One example traffic channel condition comprises having insufficient data transmission to provide a direct measurement of packet error rate. Another example traffic channel condition used to determine when to use the other channel output is a transmission mode on the traffic channel. An example output used for setting the control threshold is a chip energy to noise ratio of a pilot channel associated with the traffic channel.

Abstract: A method for determining rise over thermal for a base station in a wireless communications system is provided. The method comprises receiving a first and second diversity signal, measuring the signal strength of the first and second diversity signals, and estimating the noise floor for the first and second diversity signals. The signal strength rise is determined for the first and second diversity signals based on the measured signal strength and estimated noise floor of the first and second diversity signals respectively. The rise over thermal is then determined based on the determined signal strength rise of the first and second diversity signals.

Abstract: A method for reducing multiple dominant pilots in a CDMA transmission system comprises linking a transceiver element with a nearby base station for transporting signals between the transceiver element and the nearby base station. Transmitting from the transceiver element forward link signals of a nearby sector associated with the nearby base station. An apparatus is also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for estimating mobile station location in a wireless communication system. At initiation of a call or a page response, a mobile station of the system sends an access request signal to a primary base station. The primary base station responds with an access acknowledgment which may be intentionally delayed such that the mobile station increases its transmit power level. The primary base station then transmits a channel assignment message to the mobile station. The mobile station responds by transmitting a location signal in the form of a known user-specific traffic preamble at the higher transmit power level. The primary base station intentionally delays sending an acknowledgment of the preamble, such that the mobile station transmits the preamble for a longer period of time than it would otherwise.

Abstract: Separate power control for the forward voice channel and forward data channel is provided without using additional bandwidth or decreasing the amount of pilot signal provided from the mobile to the base station. Alternating voice and data power control commands or information are transmitted in the pilot channel by a mobile to a base station. In one embodiment, the power control portion of a first pilot channel segment is used to provide power control for the forward voice channel and then in the following pilot channel segment, the power control portion is used to provide power control for the forward data channel. In other embodiments, other than a 50/50 mix between voice and data power control is provided in the mobile's pilot channel. For example, forward voice channel power control commands may be transmitted two or more times for each transmission of forward data channel power control commands.

Abstract: A wireless data network distinguishes among different users connected to the network and associates each user with a service class that offers a selected level of service. The base station in the network queries the user for its unique user identification code and accesses a database linking user identification codes with their corresponding services classes. The network then controls the service level given to that user based on the service class associated with the user identification code. The user identification code can be sent to the network via existing fields in current standards.

Abstract: A resource allocation algorithm identifies a resource hogger in a wireless communication system data sharing arrangement and control shared resource overuse by the resource hogger. In one embodiment, the base station for a given sector in the system tracks the time-slot usage of each active user in the sector. If the usage for any user reaches a predetermined hogger threshold, normal target QoS enforcement is suspended for that user to allow more time slots to be allocated to the other, non-hogger users. When the resource hogger user's usage falls below the threshold, target QoS enforcement is returned to that user. Temporarily suspending target QoS enforcement for resource hoggers and allocating the remaining resources to other users prevents resource hoggers from deteriorating performance of the entire system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for estimating mobile station location in a wireless communication system. At initiation of a call or a page response, a mobile station of the system sends an access request signal to a primary base station. The primary base station responds with an access acknowledgment which may be intentionally delayed such that the mobile station increases its transmit power level. The primary base station then transmits a channel assignment message to the mobile station. The mobile station responds by transmitting a location signal in the form of a known user-specific traffic preamble at the higher transmit power level. The primary base station intentionally delays sending an acknowledgment of the preamble, such that the mobile station transmits the preamble for a longer period of time than it would otherwise.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for estimating mobile station location in a wireless communication system. At initiation of a call or a page response, a mobile station of the system sends an access request signal to a primary base station. The primary base station responds with an access acknowledgment which may be intentionally delayed such that the mo bile station increases its transmit power level. The primary base station then transmits a channel assignment message to the mobile station. The mobile station responds by transmitting a location signal in the form of a known user-specific traffic preamble at the higher transmit power level. The primary base station intentionally delays sending an acknowledgment of the preamble, such that the mobile station transmits the preamble for a longer period of time than it would otherwise.

Abstract: In the method, an average user throughout over all active users is computed, and each user's user perceived throughput is compared against the computed average throughout. Based on the comparison, the scheduling of the plurality of users is prioritized. In an embodiment, a priority adjustment factor is applied to each user to prioritize the scheduling of users to receive a data transmission. The priority adjustment factor is determined based in part on an update function. The update function is proportional to a calculated difference between each user's user perceived throughput and the average user throughput. Based on the sign of the update function, the priority adjustment factor is either incremented or decremented, and hence, prioritization of users is ordered. The output of the scheduler is user identifying information that informs the base station to transmit data in a current time slot to the identified user determined as the highest priority user by the scheduling method.

Abstract: In the method, scheduling of a plurality of users for receiving transmitted data is prioritized within a communications system. A next data transmission among the plurality of users is allocated based on the prioritized scheduling.

Abstract: The method and apparatus adaptively adjust a timer based at least on the frequency of transmitted/received packets and the traffic arrival pattern in a data session in the communication system. The expiration of the timer indicates to suspend the data session in the communication system.

Abstract: A technique for de-assigning signals from the fingers of a rake receiver is disclosed. In general, embodiments of the present invention place more stringent standards on signals that have been newly assigned to a finger and may be spurious and place less stringent standards on mature signals that have proved themselves over time but may be experiencing only a temporary signal quality shortfall. Illustrative embodiments of the present invention accomplish this goal using one or more of four techniques. The first technique de-assigns a signal from a finger when a measure of signal quality of the signal crosses a threshold, while changing the threshold as a function of the duration that the signal has been assigned to the finger.

Abstract: The present invention is a more accurate system for estimating the location of a mobile-telephone without significantly increasing the interference level for other mobile-telephones in the same or neighboring cells. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a plurality of location terminals deployed throughout a cell to increase the chances of detecting line-of-sight signals and the signal-to-noise ratio at the location terminals. In this embodiment, a wireless communication network transmits receive information to the plurality of location terminals instructing each of the location terminals to receive a signal from a particular mobile-telephone. Specifically, the location terminal is instructed to monitor a specific communication channel during a specific time interval.

Abstract: A high priority and/or emergency overload access control system treats a wireless unit as a higher priority wireless unit when the wireless unit is attempting to access a wireless communications system with a high priority call, such as an emergency call. For example, the overload access control system can recognize if the wireless unit is attempting to initiate a call to an emergency number. If so, the wireless unit can perform a persistence test as an emergency class (e.g. overload class 10-15) wireless unit in attempting to access the wireless communications system. Thus, the wireless unit will experience an increased probability of passing the persistence test and thereby reducing the persistence delay in attempting to access the wireless communications system with the emergency call.

Abstract: A method for reducing multiple dominant pilots in a CDMA transmission system comprises linking a transceiver element with a nearby base station for transporting signals between the transceiver element and the nearby base station. Transmitting from the transceiver element forward link signals of a nearby sector associated with the nearby base station. An apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A technique for de-assigning signals from the fingers of a rake receiver is disclosed. In general, embodiments of the present invention place more stringent standards on signals that have been newly assigned to a finger and may be spurious and place less stringent standards on mature signals that have proved themselves over time but may be experiencing only a temporary signal quality shortfall. Illustrative embodiments of the present invention accomplish this goal using one or more of four techniques. The first technique de-assigns a signal from a finger when a measure of signal quality of the signal crosses a threshold, while changing the threshold as a function of the duration that the signal has been assigned to the finger.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for estimating mobile station location in a wireless communication system. At initiation of a call or a page response, a mobile station of the system sends an access request signal to a primary base station. The primary base station responds with an access acknowledgment which may be intentionally delayed such that the mobile station increases its transmit power level. The primary base station then transmits a channel assignment message to the mobile station. The mobile station responds by transmitting a location signal in the form of a known user-specific traffic preamble at the higher transmit power level. The primary base station intentionally delays sending an acknowledgment of the preamble, such that the mobile station transmits the preamble for a longer period of time than it would otherwise.