Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for emulating testing-plan channel conditions in wireless networks. One embodiment takes the form of a process that includes identifying a data-rate threshold and one or more testing-plan channel conditions. The process also includes identifying testing-scenario channel conditions corresponding to the testing-plan channel conditions. The process also includes selecting an attenuation offset based on a comparison of the one or more identified testing-scenario channel conditions to the one or more identified testing-plan channel conditions. The process also includes measuring a data rate with a testing-scenario attenuation level set equal to the selected attenuation offset. The process also includes storing testing-plan-compliance data associated with the measured data rate and the data-rate threshold.

Abstract: A propagation prediction model having adjustable parameters is optimized in a mobile communications network, by subdividing a service area into a plurality of map tiles, predicting a tile reliability from the model for each map tile, averaging the predicted tile reliability from all the map tiles to obtain a predicted average service area reliability, measuring a service area reliability for all the map tiles to obtain a measured service area reliability, comparing the predicted average service area reliability with the predicted average service area reliability, and adjusting the parameters of the model when the measured service area reliability differs from the predicted average service area reliability by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for emulating testing-plan channel conditions in wireless networks. One embodiment takes the form of a process that includes identifying a data-rate threshold and one or more testing-plan channel conditions. The process also includes identifying testing-scenario channel conditions corresponding to the testing-plan channel conditions. The process also includes selecting an attenuation offset based on a comparison of the one or more identified testing-scenario channel conditions to the one or more identified testing-plan channel conditions. The process also includes measuring a data rate with a testing-scenario attenuation level set equal to the selected attenuation offset. The process also includes storing testing-plan-compliance data associated with the measured data rate and the data-rate threshold.

Abstract: A propagation prediction model having adjustable parameters is optimized in a mobile communications network, by subdividing a service area into a plurality of map tiles, predicting a tile reliability from the model for each map tile, averaging the predicted tile reliability from all the map tiles to obtain a predicted average service area reliability, measuring a service area reliability for all the map tiles to obtain a measured service area reliability, comparing the predicted average service area reliability with the predicted average service area reliability, and adjusting the parameters of the model when the measured service area reliability differs from the predicted average service area reliability by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A method and system for estimating the number of transceivers in a service area (100) are disclosed. A calibration area (102) is selected from the service area, and a defined number of transceivers are placed in the calibration area. Input parameters are determined for the defined number of transceivers, which are refined so as to ensure that the input parameters satisfy a customer-specified requirement. The measured input parameters for the refined number of transceivers are used to calibrate a Radio Frequency (RF) coverage prediction tool for the calibration area. The calibrated RF coverage prediction tool is further used to estimate the number of transceivers in the service area.

Abstract: A method and system for estimating the number of transceivers in a service area (100) are disclosed. A calibration area (102) is selected from the service area, and a defined number of transceivers are placed in the calibration area. Input parameters are determined for the defined number of transceivers, which are refined so as to ensure that the input parameters satisfy a customer-specified requirement. The measured input parameters for the refined number of transceivers are used to calibrate a Radio Frequency (RF) coverage prediction tool for the calibration area. The calibrated RF coverage prediction tool is further used to estimate the number of transceivers in the service area.

Abstract: A battery saving interval utilized for communicating with a portable subscriber unit (122) in a radio communication system is dynamically adjusted. An occurrence of a predetermined triggering event associated with the portable subscriber unit is observed (504), and the battery saving interval utilized for communicating with the portable subscriber unit is adjusted (506) in response to the predetermined triggering event, while battery saving intervals of other portable subscriber units in the system are left unchanged.

Abstract: Traffic in a radio communication system (FIG. 1) is adaptively balanced (300) to control congestion. A congestion model is maintained (302) with congestion dependencies including first and second types of congestion along with corresponding likelihood functions that indicate a likelihood that the first type of congestion will lead to the second type of congestion. An early warning of an impending congestion is detected (304) from an incoming traffic mix which exceeds an output traffic capability, given a current output allocation and configuration. The congestion model is accessed (306), in response to detecting the impending congestion, to identify and determine a priority for possible sources of the impending congestion. Action is then taken (308, 314, 318) to relieve the impending congestion by doing at least one of (a) increasing output resources and (b) decreasing traffic rates from the possible sources, prioritized in accordance with the congestion model.

Abstract: A method and the corresponding messaging system of selecting a transmitter for directed message delivery set is a messaging system including a plurality of transmitters arranged and constructed to operate in a simulcast or non-simulcast mode, the method including directing a first and a second transmitter to transmit in the simulcast mode, respectively, a first signal including a reference parameter and a first identification signal and a second signal including the reference parameter and a second identification signal, the first identification signal and the second identification signal distinguished from the reference parameter by, respectively, a first and a second predetermined amount, and receiving an acknowledgment signal that includes a indication of the first identification signal relative to the second identification signal or both relative to a threshold as determined at a messaging unit location, the indication corresponding to a preferred transmitter, selected from the first and the second transm

Abstract: A communication system (100) for dynamically selecting transmitters (115) for message transmission includes the transmitters (115) for sending transmission signals and a portable messaging unit (105) for receiving the transmission signals, calculating signal strengths of the transmission signals, and transmitting a signal indicative of the signal strengths. A controller (110) receives the signal and determines therefrom carrier-to-interference (C/I) values indicative of relative strengths of the transmission signals received by the portable messaging unit (105). Prior to message delivery, the controller (110) determines a selected transmitter (115) for transmitting a message to the portable messaging unit (105). The selected transmitter (115) is associated with a lowest C/I value that is chosen from the C/I values and that exceeds a C/I threshold value.

Abstract: A non-real time messaging system (200) for targeting messages to a subscriber unit (222) comprises a synchronized profile of where a subscriber unit should be located (a predetermined base transmission area for transmission of messages to the subscriber unit) maintained between a controller (212) and the subscriber unit. The subscriber unit detects when the subscriber unit is not within the receiving range of a predetermined base transmission area, informs the controller and the controller directs subsequent transmissions to an area identified by the subscriber unit and otherwise transmits subsequent messages to the predetermined base transmission area. The system further includes a plurality of base receivers (217) coupled to the controller for receiving transmissions from the subscriber units and allowing the controller to detect when the subscriber unit is not within the receiving range of a predetermined base transmission area.

Abstract: Time sharing of a radio communication channel among a plurality of interfering cells (302) is provided. The radio communication channel transmits information in a plurality of time slots (502). The radio communication channel is partitioned (704) into a plurality of virtual channels (V1, V2). A virtual channel is used for communicating simultaneously with corresponding ones of the plurality of interfering cells which are assigned to the virtual channel. No more than one of the plurality of virtual channels operates during any one of the plurality of time slots, and the time sharing of the radio communication channel is optimized (708, 710) by activating selected ones of the plurality of virtual channels, based upon a traffic load applicable to the corresponding ones of the plurality of interfering cells.

Abstract: A controller (152) in a frequency hopped spread spectrum system (100) operating to assign a best available frequency hopping sequence among a plurality of sequences to at least one of a plurality of subscriber units (156) having predefined transmission intervals (12) and predefined transition intervals (14) comprises a power detector (50) that estimates a combination of a noise level and an interference level by measuring signal strength during a series of transition intervals for at least one sequence of channels among the plurality of sequences and a processor that computes an average noise and interference level for the at least one sequence of channels and ranks the at least one sequence of channels in accordance with the average noise and interference level computed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a radio communication system that employs frequency reuse is used for optimizing transmission of messages to a selective call transceiver (116). The radio communication system transmits a first message (202) to the selective call transceiver (116) instructing it to listen to a second message destined for another selective call transceiver (116), to measure a signal quality level of the second message, and to transmit a response signal representative of measured signal quality. After transmitting the second message (204) to the other selective call transceiver (116), the radio communication system receives the response signal (206) from the selective call transceiver (116). In response, the radio communication system transmits a third message (212) to the selective call transceiver (116) utilizing a frequency reuse plan in accordance with the signal quality level.

Abstract: A communication system, including base transmitters (113) and base receivers (115) for transmitting and receiving messages to and from selective call transceivers (116), is used for selecting an optimal base transmitter (113) for transmitting messages to a selective call transceiver (116) that cannot identify its location within the communication system. The communication system selects an optimal base transmitter (113) having a highest of a plurality of probabilities for successfully transmitting a selective call message to the selective call transceiver (116) as a function of overlap between transmission coverage areas of the plurality of base transmitters (113) and a reception coverage area of the at least one base receiver (115) that received a negative acknowledge message from the selective call transceiver (116).

Abstract: A method and apparatus is used for transmitting an outbound message (408) in a two-way messaging system having a plurality of cells employing frequency reuse. The controller (112) of the two-way messaging system divides ones of the plurality of cells into a plurality of rings based on radio frequency propagation and interference environment. The controller (112) then sends to a portable selective call transceiver (122) a notification of the outbound message (408). In response, the controller (112) receives information sufficient to determine an identity of one of the plurality of rings in which the portable selective call transceiver (122) has determined itself to be located, and transmits the outbound message (408) to the portable selective call transceiver (122), utilizing a frequency reuse plan in accordance with the identity.