Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a flexible system for providing wireless broadband access. The system can include a gateway that has a plurality of gateway premises equipment (“GPE”) units and a network fuser connected to the plurality of GPE units to coordinate the activities of the plurality of the GPE units. The network fuser can provide DSP configuration information and RF configuration information to the GPE units. The network fuser is also operable to connect to a high-speed network (e.g., a backhaul network) and to provision data from the high-speed network to each of the plurality of GPE units. The system can also include a plurality of customer premises equipment (“CPE”) units remote from the gateway.

Abstract: A method and medium tangibly embodying the method of constructing a lookup table of modes for encoding data for transmission in a wireless communication channel from a transmit unit to a receive unit by using at least one quality parameter of the data and its first-order and second-order statistical parameters to arrange the modes in the lookup table. The first-order and second-order statistical parameters can be determined from a simulation of the wireless communication channel or from field measurements of the wireless communication channel. The modes in the lookup table are ordered by a target value of a communication parameter such as PER, BER, data capacity, signal quality, spectral efficiency, throughput or another suitable communication parameter set to achieve a desired quality of service. The quality parameter selected is conveniently a short-term quality parameter such as signal-to-interference and noise ratio (SINR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or power level.

Abstract: A method for interference mitigation in a wireless communication system having multiple transmitters and receivers by introducing transmission time delays between the transmission of signals from the individual transmitters to ensure coherent reception of the signals at a specific point in the coverage area, such as at a center of distribution of the receivers. To further aid in interference mitigation the signals are assigned training patterns chosen to be distinguishable by the receiver and to optimize interference mitigation. The training patterns can be selected based on a feedback parameter, e.g., a measure of the quality of interference mitigation obtained from the receiver. The present method can be used in wireless communication systems which re-use frequencies including TDMA, CDMA, FDMA, OFDMA or other multiplex communication systems using a multiple access method or a combination of such methods.

Abstract: A wireless communications adapts its mode of operation between spatial multiplexing and non-spatial multiplexing in response to transmission-specific variables. An embodiment of a wireless communications system for transmitting information between a base transceiver station and a subscriber unit includes mode determination logic. The mode determination logic is in communication with the base transceiver station and the subscriber unit. The mode determination logic determines, in response to a received signal, if a subscriber datastream should be transmitted between the base transceiver station and the subscriber unit utilizing spatial multiplexing or non-spatial multiplexing. In an embodiment, the mode determination logic has an input for receiving a measure of a transmission characteristic related to the received signal.

Abstract: A wireless link between a first transmitter and a first receiver in a multiple access communications system is evaluated by receiving, at the first transmitter, information that is intended for a second receiver and that is transmitted in a second transmission mode that is different from the current transmission mode and obtaining an error measure for the information that is received at the first receiver and intended for the second receiver. The obtained error measure is then used to determine if the second transmission mode is an acceptable transmission mode. In an embodiment, if the second transmission mode is determined to be acceptable, then the current transmission mode of the first receiver can be replaced by the second transmission mode. In an embodiment, the current transmission mode is replaced by the second transmission mode only if the second transmission mode is a “higher” transmission mode than the current transmission.

Abstract: A method and communication system for selecting a mode for encoding data for transmission in a wireless communication channel between a transmit unit and a receive unit. The data is initially transmitted in an initial mode and the selection of the subsequent mode is based on a selection of first-order and second-order statistical parameters of short-term and long-term quality parameters. Suitable short-term quality parameters include signal-to-interference and noise ratio (SINR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), power level and suitable long-term quality parameters include error rates such as bit error rate (BER) and packet error rate (PER). The method of the invention can be employed in Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), Multiple Input Single Output (MISO), Single Input Single Output (SISO) and Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO) communication systems to make subsequent mode selection faster and more efficient.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for implementing spatial multiplexing in conjunction with the one or more multiple access protocols during the broadcast of information in a wireless network. A subscriber unit for use in a cellular system is disclosed. The subscriber unit includes a plurality of spatially separate antennas and a transmitter for transmitting a plurality of substreams of a datastream on an assigned channel or slot of a multiple access protocol. The transmitter is arranged to apply each substream to an associated one of the spatially separate antennas.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for implementing spatial multiplexing in conjunction with the one or more multiple access protocols during the broadcast of information in a wireless network. A subscriber unit for use in a cellular system is disclosed. The subscriber unit includes: spatially separate receivers, a spatial processor, and a combiner. The spatially separate receivers receive the assigned channel composite signals resulting from the spatially separate transmission of the subscriber downlink datastream(s). The spatial processor is configurable in response to a control signal transmitted by the base station to separate the composite signals into estimated substreams based on information obtained during the transmission of known data patterns from at least one of the base stations. The spatial processor signals the base stations when a change of a spatial transmission configuration is required.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for implementing spatial multiplexing in conjunction with the one or more multiple access protocols during the broadcast of information in a wireless network. A subscriber unit for use in a cellular system is disclosed. The subscriber unit includes a plurality of spatially separate antennas and a transmitter for transmitting a plurality of substreams of a datastream on an assigned channel or slot of a multiple access protocol. The transmitter is arranged to apply each substream to an associated one of the spatially separate antennas.

Abstract: A first embodiment of the present invention is a method for displaying the quality of a wireless data transmission. The method involves receiving the wireless data transmission wherein the wireless data transmission comprises multiple streams of data, determining the quality of the wireless data transmission based on a quality parameter of the wireless data transmission and displaying the quality of the wireless data transmission. A second embodiment of the present invention includes an apparatus for indicating the quality of a wireless data transmission. The apparatus includes means for receiving the wireless data transmission wherein the wireless data transmission comprises multiple streams of data, means for determining the quality of the wireless data transmission based on a quality parameter of the wireless data transmission and means for displaying the quality of the wireless data transmission. A third embodiment of the present invention includes a wireless communication system.

Abstract: A wireless link between a first transmitter and a first receiver in a multiple access communications system is evaluated by receiving, at the first transmitter, information that is intended for a second receiver and that is transmitted in a second transmission mode that is different from the current transmission mode and obtaining an error measure for the information that is received at the first receiver and intended for the second receiver. The obtained error measure is then used to determine if the second transmission mode is an acceptable transmission mode. In an embodiment, if the second transmission mode is determined to be acceptable, then the current transmission mode of the first receiver can be replaced by the second transmission mode. In an embodiment, the current transmission mode is replaced by the second transmission mode only if the second transmission mode is a “higher” transmission mode than the current transmission.

Abstract: A method and medium tangibly embodying the method of constructing a lookup table of modes for encoding data for transmission in a wireless communication channel from a transmit unit to a receive unit by using at least one quality parameter of the data and its first-order and second-order statistical parameters to arrange the modes in the lookup table. The first-order and second-order statistical parameters can be determined from a simulation of the wireless communication channel or from field measurements of the wireless communication channel. The modes in the lookup table are ordered by a target value of a communication parameter such as PER, BER, data capacity, signal quality, spectral efficiency, throughput or another suitable communication parameter set to achieve a desired quality of service. The quality parameter selected is conveniently a short-term quality parameter such as signal-to-interference and noise ratio (SINR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or power level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for wireless transmission of a digital bit stream. The present method employs diversity techniques to minimize multipath fading. Digital bits are converted into symbols and the symbols are provided to a number of diversity branches. Each diversity branch has its own antenna. The symbols sent to each diversity branch may be multiplied by a different phase factor or amplitude factor. The phase factors and amplitude factors may be randomly selected. Also, wireless channels can be monitored for channel quality. In this case, the channel quality measurements are used to select the phase factors and the amplitude factors. Also, the symbols can be grouped into frames before transmission. In this case, the frames can be multiplied by matrices comprising phase factors and amplitude factors. Also in this case, the frames can undergo cyclic shifting, which provides an additional measure of diversity.

Abstract: A method for interference mitigation in a wireless communication system having multiple transmitters and receivers by introducing transmission time delays between the transmission of signals from the individual transmitters to ensure coherent reception of the signals at a specific point in the coverage area, such as at a center of distribution of the receivers. To further aid in interference mitigation the signals are assigned training patterns chosen to be distinguishable by the receiver and to optimize interference mitigation. The training patterns can be selected based on a feedback parameter, e.g., a measure of the quality of interference mitigation obtained from the receiver. The present method can be used in wireless communication systems which re-use frequencies including TDMA, CDMA, FDMA, OFDMA or other multiplex communication systems using a multiple access method or a combination of such methods.

Abstract: A method for interference mitigation in a wireless communication system having multiple transmitters and receivers by introducing transmission time delays between the transmission of signals from the individual transmitters to ensure coherent reception of the signals at a specific point in the coverage area, such as at a center of distribution of the receivers. To further aid in interference mitigation the signals are assigned training patterns chosen to be distinguishable by the receiver and to optimize interference mitigation. The training patterns can be selected based on a feedback parameter, e.g., a measure of the quality of interference mitigation obtained from the receiver. The present method can be used in wireless communication systems which re-use frequencies including TDMA, CDMA, FDMA, OFDMA or other multiplex communication systems using a multiple access method or a combination of such methods.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling a communication parameter in a channel through which data is transmitted between a transmit unit with M transmit antennas and a receive unit with N receive antennas by selecting from among proposed mapping schemes an applied mapping scheme according to which the data is converted into symbols and assigned to transmit signals TSp, p=1 . . . M, which are transmitted from the M transmit antennas. The selection of the mapping scheme is based on a metric; in one embodiment the metric is a minimum Euclidean distance dmin,rx of the symbols when received, in another embodiment the metric is a probability of error P(e) in the symbol when received. The method can be employed in communication systems using multi-antenna transmit and receive units of various types including wireless systems, e.g., cellular communication systems, using multiple access techniques such as TDMA, FDMA, CDMA and OFDMA.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for implementing spatial multiplexing in conjunction with the one or more multiple access protocols during the broadcast of information in a wireless network. A wireless cellular network for transmitting subscriber datastream(s) to corresponding ones among a plurality of subscriber units located within the cellular network is disclosed. The wireless cellular network includes base stations and a logic. The base stations each include spatially separate transmitters for transmitting, in response to control signals, selected substreams of each subscriber datastream on an assigned channel of a multiple access protocol. The logic communicates with each of the base stations. The logic assigns an available channel on which to transmit each subscriber datastream. The logic routes at least a substream of each datastream to at least a selected one of the base stations.

Abstract: The invention provides a wall structure of precast concrete sections (2) having face surfaces (10) which resemble natural ledgestone, ashlar, rock face, or other stone textures surfaces and shapes. The sections are provided with grooves (14) at the upper (4) and lower (8) surfaces. The grooves accept overflow of mortar or adhesive which coats the surface to which the sections are to be bonded. Thus, the excess mortar is substantially hidden within the grooves where it acts as additional bonding between the layers of sections. At their lateral surfaces (6), the sections are angled to further resemble the appearance of natural stone upon installation. Methods of installation are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling a communication parameter in a channel through which data is transmitted between a transmit unit with M transmit antennas and a receive unit with N receive antennas by selecting from among proposed mapping schemes an applied mapping scheme according to which the data is converted into symbols and assigned to transmit signals TSp, p=1 . . . M, which are transmitted from the M transmit antennas. The selection of the mapping scheme is based on a metric; in one embodiment the metric is a minimum Euclidean distance dmin,rx of the symbols when received, in another embodiment the metric is a probability of error P(e) in the symbol when received. The method can be employed in communication systems using multi-antenna transmit and receive units of various types including wireless systems, e.g., cellular communication systems, using multiple access techniques such as TDMA, FDMA, CDMA and OFDMA.