Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining the quality of service of a network are disclosed. A disclosed methodology for determining quality of service for a network includes determining at least two metrics reflective of network parameters in at least two different protocol layers of the communication network. The metrics are then compared with respective threshold values, and quality of service for the network is determined based on the comparison of the metrics with the respective threshold values. Corresponding apparatus executing the methodology are also disclosed.

Abstract: Information is coded and segmented into a plurality of sub-packets. Each sub-packet contains identification information and a one-bit information status flag indicating whether the information is ‘new’ information or ‘continue’ information. The information to be transmitted is then applied to a scheduling algorithm that determines when the information is to be transmitted, how much information is to be transmitted and how many attempts at a successful transmission of the information is allowed. In this manner, the transmission of information can be performed in an asynchronous manner.

Abstract: Techniques for using at least one of omni-directional and directional antennas for communication are described. A station may be equipped antenna elements selectable for use as an omni-directional antenna or one or more directional antennas. The station may select the omni-directional antenna or a directional antenna for use for communication based on various factors such as, e.g., whether the location or direction of a target station for communication is known, whether control frames or data frames are being exchanged, etc.

Abstract: Techniques for using at least one of omni-directional and directional antennas for communication are described. A station may be equipped antenna elements selectable for use as an omni-directional antenna or one or more directional antennas. The station may select the omni-directional antenna or a directional antenna for use for communication based on various factors such as, e.g., whether the location or direction of a target station for communication is known, whether control frames or data frames are being exchanged, etc.

Abstract: Processes to achieve low power discovery and wake-up in the presence of desired 802.11 coverage are disclosed. In one aspect, probabilistic scanning for 802.11 SSID triggers is provided. In another aspect, the 802.11 Access Point (AP) is equipped with a Bluetooth inquiring device, which initiates the wake-up process with a special inquiry access code (IAC). The special IAC can comprise the AP's 802.11 channel. Additional optional sensors (GPS, Gyroscope, odometer, etc) are provided such that probabilistic scanning reduces power consumption and improves the likelihood that an 802.11 channel scan will find a desired SSID. A Bluetooth inquiry allows a discovery process to either wake-up immediately, or ascertain the need for host wake-up by exchanging further information with the AP. Probabilistic scanning allows the use of sensors and historical or pre-loaded information to improve the probability that 802.11 scanning is not required on individual channels, further driving down power needs.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing a handoff of an access terminal from a macro node to a femto node are disclosed. To direct handoff of the access terminal, an identity of the femto node is determined A femto node provided may be indentified by at least a difference between the offset of a first pilot signal and the offset of a second pilot signal.

Abstract: A system and method of reducing interference on a communication channel between an access terminal and a serving cell or node are disclosed. A cooperation request may be sent to an interfering cell or node to reduce and/or mitigate interference on the communication channel caused by the interfering cell or node. The interfering cell or node may perform beamforming, may intermittently transmit its wireless signal, or may move at least one antenna to mitigate and/or reduce interference on the communication channel.

Abstract: Downlink codes may be chosen autonomously for femtocells in a wireless communication environment. Downlink transmissions are received from Home NodeBs that are neighbors of the femtocell and macrocell base stations near the femtocell. The downlink transmissions are evaluated to recognize a first set of detected downlink codes that each have a pilot energy above a predetermined detection threshold. An optimal downlink code is selected for use in connection with serving user equipment of the femtocell. The optimal downlink code is based upon the first set of detected downlink codes and selected as a downlink code from a set of downlink codes reserved for the femtocell. The optimal downlink code may be an available downlink code with a smallest amount of detected energy or a randomly selected downlink code from the available downlink codes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for system selection in a multimode wireless device are disclosed. The method and apparatus afford selection of a wireless communication system access technology from a number of wireless system access technologies supported by a wireless device. Selection is accomplished by storing identification information concerning access technologies pertaining to a first group of wireless system access technologies, such as 3GPP2, in a search database, which concerns the priority of access technologies pertaining to another group of access technologies, such as 3GPP. Selection of a preferred wireless communication system access technology from one of the wireless access technology groups is then based on the identification information stored in the search database.

Abstract: A venue-cast system and method for providing and receiving venue level transmissions and services, including discovery of a venue specific transmission by receiving an overhead signal from a non-venue network, extracting information for receiving the venue specific transmission from the overhead signal, and tuning to receive the venue specific transmission based on the extracted information. The venue level transmission may be provided and received in a manner that does not prevent an access terminal from receiving a local area or wide area transmission.

Abstract: Ambiguity (e.g., confusion) associated with access point identifiers may be resolved by querying candidate target access points and/or by using historical records indicative of one or more access points that the access point has previously accessed. For example, messages may be sent to access points that are assigned the same identifier to cause the access points to monitor for a signal from an access terminal that received the identifier from a target access point. The target access point may then be identified based on any responses that indicate that a signal was received from the access terminal. In some aspects the access points subject to being queried may be selected using a tiered priority. In addition, it may be determined based on prior handoffs of a given access terminal that when that access terminal reports a given identifier, the access terminal usually ends up being handed-off to a particular access point.

Abstract: Ambiguity (e.g., confusion) associated with access point identifiers may be resolved by querying candidate target access points and/or by using historical records indicative of one or more access points that the access point has previously accessed. For example, messages may be sent to access points that are assigned the same identifier to cause the access points to monitor for a signal from an access terminal that received the identifier from a target access point. The target access point may then be identified based on any responses that indicate that a signal was received from the access terminal In some aspects the access points subject to being queried may be selected using a tiered priority. In addition, it may be determined based on prior handoffs of a given access terminal that when that access terminal reports a given identifier, the access terminal usually ends up being handed-off to a particular access point.

Abstract: An ad hoc network with distributed hierarchical scheduling is disclosed. In one aspect, stations in a network mesh detect interfering neighbor stations and form interference lists. Stations transmit their interference lists. Scheduling stations schedule allocations for child stations in response to interference lists, received remote allocations, or a combination thereof. Coordination messages are transmitted including frame structure, allocations, and interference lists, among others. In another aspect, an ad hoc mesh network may be organized into a tree topology. In an example wireless backhaul network, this matches traffic flow. Distributed, hierarchical scheduling is provided where parents schedule communication with children while respecting already scheduled transmissions to/from interferers and to/from interferers of their respective children.

Abstract: A femtocell base station includes a transmitter that transmits downlink signals to a mobile station, a receiver that receives uplink signals from the mobile station, a standard transmit pulse-shaping filter, and a narrower transmit pulse-shaping filter that limits the bandwidth of the downlink signals to a greater extent than the standard transmit pulse-shaping filter. The femtocell base station also includes a standard receive pulse-shaping filter and a narrower receive pulse-shaping filter. The femtocell base station is configured to switch between the standard transmit pulse-shaping filter and the narrower transmit pulse-shaping filter, and to switch between the standard receive pulse-shaping filter and the narrower receive pulse-shaping filter. A mobile station may switch from a standard transmit pulse-shaping filter to a narrower transmit pulse-shaping filter to limit uplink interference.

Abstract: An access point generates beacons at different power levels at different times to provide an acceptable tradeoff between coverage area associated with the beacons and outage experienced at nearby access terminals. For example, a femto access point may transmit beacons at a relatively low power for a relatively long period of time to reduce interference at nearby access terminals that are being served by a macro access point. The femto access point may then transmit beacons at a relatively high power for a relatively short period of time to enable nearby access terminals to receive the beacons. Also, a given transmit chain may be used to provide frequency hopping of high and low power beacons.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing a handoff of an access terminal from a macro node to a femto node are disclosed. In one embodiment, the femto node is configured to transmit a predetermined signal for determining signal quality and an identifier that uniquely identifies the femto node to the access terminal. The access terminal is configured to transmit the identifier to the macro node. The femto node is identified as a hand in target based on the transmitted identifier and the macro node is configured to hand in the access terminal to the femto node.

Abstract: Systems and methods of uniquely identifying communication nodes in a wireless communication system are described herein. One embodiment of the disclosure provides a wireless apparatus comprising a transceiver configured to receive a first identifier during at least one time slot. The first identifier identifies a first communication node. The apparatus further comprises a processing circuit configured to determine if the first identifier is received during a first time slot that is different from at least one pre-assigned time slot.

Abstract: Mobile user equipment (MUE) can be enabled to search for and camp on a preferred node, such as a home base node (HBN), in a battery-efficient manner even when currently camped on another node, such as a macro base node (MBN). When the MBN provides good channel quality, slow rate background intra- and inter-frequency searches can discover the preferred HBN that would otherwise not be discovered or would consume excessive power with continual searching. When channel quality is fair, slow rate background inter-frequency searches can result in timely switching to the preferred HBN. Location hints that indicate proximity of the preferred HBN can be used to trigger slow rate background searches. Neighboring cell searching of neighbor cell listing (NCL) when in channel quality is fair or poor are maintained to prepare for call reselections to available node.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies are described herein that facilitate improved cell search and selection in a wireless communication system. For example, a terminal as described herein can utilize one or more Closed Subscriber Group (CSG)-specific offset and/or hysteresis parameters as described herein to increase the amount of time on which the terminal is allowed to camp on a desirable cell. Additionally, specialized reselection timing can be employed as described herein to increase a delay associated with selecting a Home Node B (HNB) or Home Evolved Node B (HeNB) cell, thereby reducing power consumption associated with rapid cell reselection operations in a densely populated network environment. Further, a two-step reselection process can be performed as described herein in the context of selecting a frequency for cell reselection, thereby mitigating the effects of rapid reselection between cells and/or frequencies due to CSG cell prioritization.

Abstract: Systems and methods for avoiding interference signals sent by a femto node in a wireless communication system are described herein. In one embodiment, the method comprises establishing a communication link between a first transceiver and a base station. The base station is configured to provide wireless communication coverage within a first area. The method further comprises detecting by the first transceiver a femto signal generated by the femto node. The femto node is configured to provide wireless communication coverage within a second area to at least a second transceiver. The second transceiver is different from the first transceiver. The second area is smaller than the first area. The method further comprises identifying information indicative of a signal strength of the femto signal.