Abstract: Femtocells in a self-organizing network (SON) sniff their wireless fidelity (WiFi) environments to identify WiFi footprints of the femtocells. The WiFi footprints of each femtocell are sent to a femtocell gateway. The femtocell gateway receives WiFi footprint data from a plurality of femtocells and determines if there is a common WiFi footprint between the femtocells. The femtocells with exclusive WiFi footprints are allocated the same network parameters. The femtocells with common WiFi footprint are allocated different network parameters.

Abstract: Cellular processors are cascaded to provide different configurations, which result in higher-capacity base stations, increased numbers of simultaneous users over one frequency band, and/or aggregation of several carriers while still using only one radio frequency (RF) chipset. The processors are aligned in both time and frequency, with each processor having a data port that allows data exchange with the other processors. The data alignment and exchange allow the processors, in the aggregate, to act as a single unit, resulting in a scalable architecture that can accommodate different system configurations.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for processing a series of MAC-hs protocol data units (PDUs) in an HSDPA-compatible (high-speed downlink packet access) receiver in a 3G wireless communication network, the method including: (a) receiving a MAC-hs PDU having: (i) a queue identification (QID), (ii) a transmission sequence number (TSN), and (iii) one or more MAC-d PDUs, (b) then disassembling the MAC-hs PDU (c) then distributing the one or more MAC-d PDU to a reordering queue indicated by the QID, and (d) then performing reordering processing for the corresponding reordering queue based on the TSN. Steps (a) and (b) are performed in a physical layer of the receiver. Steps (c) and (d) are performed in a data-link layer of the receiver.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed to restrict access services to a communication device. The services may be restricted based upon hardware characteristics, geographic characteristics, user specifications of the communication device and/or specified rules. The method and apparatus may restrict its service to only specific applications suitable for the environment and the time. Upon a request for a service that is now restricted, the method and apparatus may notify an end user that the service was requested. Further, the method and apparatus may notify an originator of the request that the service is not available and may ask for a short message to be delivered to the end user.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus to facilitate the synchronization of oscillators between members of a Heterogeneous Network (HetNet) to form a self-synchronizing network (SSN). The network members are configured to broadcast information indicative of the reliability of their oscillator. Network members attempt to look for reliable sources such as those originating from a macrocell base station or GPS. If such a source is found, the member cell updates it clock accuracy confidence level number (CACL) to indicate this. Network members also share information regarding the frequency offsets between one another. Every cell member then applies a weighted average function to determine how to update its own oscillator and CACL value accordingly. Cell members can also update their functionality, such as RF power level, in response to varying degrees of CACL values. This operation results in a convergence of all cell members to the most accurate oscillator offset value.

Abstract: User equipment (UE) in a cellular communication system is capable of both high data rate uses such as streaming video and low data rate uses such as voice. UE in accordance with the disclosure camps on to a cell with a narrow bandwidth downlink when its data rate requirements are low, rather than a cell with a wide bandwidth download. Since the computational burden of processing the narrow bandwidth downlink signals is less than that for processing the wide bandwidth downlink signals, a power reduction in the UE is realized from the reduced computational load. A normal handover between cells with wide and narrow bandwidth downlinks can be used. Alternatively, a single cell can dynamically change its downlink bandwidth resulting in a reduced computational load and reduced power consumption in the UE.

Abstract: Provided is coordinating user equipment handover in a heterogeneous network cell that includes a plurality of overlaying cell layers. An access controller of a network core receives a first parameter relating to signal quality for the user equipment with a serving cell of a cell layer of the plurality of overlaying cell layers, and receives a second parameter based upon a velocity estimation of user equipment within the heterogeneous network cell. When the first parameter indicates a cell boundary, the access controller forms a handoff decision to a cell base station of a cell layer of the plurality of overlaying cell layers based upon the second parameter, and initiates a handoff to the cell base station based upon the handoff decision.

Abstract: Cellular processors are cascaded to provide different configurations, which result in higher-capacity base stations, increased numbers of simultaneous users over one frequency band, and/or aggregation of several carriers while still using only one radio frequency (RF) chipset. The processors are aligned in both time and frequency, with each processor having a data port that allows data exchange with the other processors. The data alignment and exchange allow the processors, in the aggregate, to act as a single unit, resulting in a scalable architecture that can accommodate different system configurations.

Abstract: A femtocell for conserving power, which includes a transmitter module configured to be inactive for periods of call inactivity and data inactivity within a corresponding femtocell geographic coverage area, and includes a monitoring device configured to monitor the femtocell geographic coverage area, and further includes a controller module configured to cause a call handover to the femtocell when a cellular handset device is functioning and is located within the femtocell geographic coverage area. The femtocell also being configured to communicate with one or more macrocell base stations, each having a corresponding macrocell, which are configured to facilitate communication between the cellular handset device and a wireless network.

Abstract: Embodiments of this disclosure include methods in which a core network controller determines which femtocell base station to handover a cellular device to. Methods include comparing a cell parameter difference provided by a base station with a cell parameter difference provided by the cellular device. The cell parameter difference provided by the base station is the cell parameter difference between the base station and each neighboring base station. The cell parameter difference provided by the cellular device is the cell parameter difference between the base station through which the cellular device is currently associated with to the core network and each neighboring base station. The core network controller compares the cell parameter difference provided by the cellular device with the cell parameter difference provided by the base station. The core network hands the cellular device to the base station when the cell parameter difference provided by each are substantially equivalent.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for blind transport format detection using Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) detection. According to one aspect of the invention, the transport format that was used to transmit information is determined by identifying a transition between a Discontinuous Transmission segment and a data segment included in the transmitted information; and determining the transport format based on a location of the transition of the Discontinuous Transmission segment. A cyclic redundancy check can optionally be performed for a plurality of possible transport formats, and then the step of identifying a transition can be limited to those transport formats having a valid cyclic redundancy check.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for processing a transport block having a MAC-hs protocol data unit (PDU) and a corresponding checksum in an HSDPA-compatible (high-speed downlink packet access) receiver in a 3GPP wireless communication network, the method including: (a) recovering the transport block, (b) performing, substantially in parallel: (i) a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) on the transport block to determine whether the transport block passes or fails, and (ii) MAC (media access control) disassembly to generate a modified MAC-hs PDU, and (c) determining whether to perform reordering-queue distribution and reordering on the modified MAC-hs PDU based on whether the transport block passes or fails. By performing the CRC check and disassembly substantially in parallel, processing efficiencies may be gained.

Abstract: Passive location determining of a 3G handset is provided. The method may include the following steps: sending a sequence of 3G ‘Pings’ directed at a specified handset over a 3G network; determining the specified handset user identifier and the sewing base station of the specified handset based on reoccurrences of user identifiers responsive of the ping requests, captured from the forward access channel (FACH) of each base station; decoding the FACH of the serving base station responsive to an additional ping, yielding parameters required for receiving uplink dedicated channel (UL DCH); estimating, in each location associated with a base station, a time difference between fastest possible and actual arrival of a signal over the UL DCH sent by the specified handset, wherein the estimating is synchronized to the serving base station; and calculating the location of the specified handset, based on the estimated time differences associated with the locations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for blind transport format detection using Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) detection. According to one aspect of the invention, the transport format that was used to transmit information is determined by identifying a transition between a Discontinuous Transmission segment and a data segment included in the transmitted information; and determining the transport format based on a location of the transition of the Discontinuous Transmission segment. A cyclic redundancy check can optionally be performed for a plurality of possible transport formats, and then the step of identifying a transition can be to limited to those transport formats having a valid cyclic redundancy check.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for blind transport format detection using Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) detection. According to one aspect of the invention, the transport format that was used to transmit information is determined by identifying a transition between a Discontinuous Transmission segment and a data segment included in the transmitted information; and determining the transport format based on a location of the transition of the Discontinuous Transmission segment. A cyclic redundancy check can optionally be performed for a plurality of possible transport formats, and then the step of identifying a transition can be limited to those transport formats having a valid cyclic redundancy check.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed to restrict access services to a communication device. The services may be restricted based upon hardware characteristics, geographic characteristics, user specifications of the communication device and/or specified rules. The method and apparatus may restrict its service to only specific applications suitable for the environment and the time. Upon a request for a service that is now restricted, the method and apparatus may notify an end user that the service was requested. Further, the method and apparatus may notify an originator of the request that the service is not available and may ask for a short message to be delivered to the end user.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for determining whether an encoded message in a shared channel is not intended for a communications device. The method includes: (a) decoding the message to recover a multi-bit codeword; (b) determining whether the codeword is valid or invalid, wherein, if the codeword is determined to be invalid, then the encoded message is not intended for the communications device; and (c) if the codeword is determined to be valid, then performing one or more other steps of the method to determine whether the encoded message in the shared channel is not intended for the communications device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for processing a series of MAC-hs protocol data units (PDUs) in an HSDPA-compatible (high-speed downlink packet access) receiver in a 3G wireless communication network, the method including: (a) receiving a MAC-hs PDU having: (i) a queue identification (QID), (ii) a transmission sequence number (TSN), and (iii) one or more MAC-d PDUs, (b) then disassembling the MAC-hs PDU (c) then distributing the one or more MAC-d PDU to a reordering queue indicated by the QID, and (d) then performing reordering processing for the corresponding reordering queue based on the TSN. Steps (a) and (b) are performed in a physical layer of the receiver. Steps (c) and (d) are performed in a data-link layer of the receiver.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a transmitter (a) caches one or more MAC-d PDUs received from a network layer, (b) selects a subset of the MAC-d PDUs for combination into a MAC-e PDU, (c) generates the MAC-e PDU from the subset of selected MAC-d PDUs, (d) caches a data structure to allow re-generation of the MAC-e PDU, wherein the re-generation does not rely on any cached copy of the MAC-e PDU, (e) transmits the MAC-e PDU for receipt by a receiver; and (f) determines whether an ACK was received, wherein if an ACK was not received, then the MAC-e PDU is re-generated using the cached data structure and the subset of selected MAC-d PDUs, and steps (e) and (f) are repeated, and if an ACK was received, then the memories used to cache the data structure and the first subset of MAC-d PDUs are freed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for determining whether an encoded message in a shared channel is not intended for a communications device. The method includes: (a) decoding the message to recover a multi-bit codeword; (b) determining whether the codeword is valid or invalid, wherein, if the codeword is determined to be invalid, then the encoded message is not intended for the communications device; and (c) if the codeword is determined to be valid, then performing one or more other steps of the method to determine whether the encoded message in the shared channel is not intended for the communications device.