Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems are provided facilitating security within a network managed by a central coordinator. In some embodiments, the exchange of security keys is performed within one or more time slots that are defined by the central coordinator and known to stations exchanging these security keys. Furthermore, security, e.g., association may be initiated by one user action.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems are provided wherein connections are requested with a connection specification that is based on whether the request is between a higher layer entity and a lower layer entity, between two stations, or between a station and a central coordinator. The connection specification may include QOS parameters and MAC parameters.

Abstract: There is provided a powerline network that includes a number of stations including a central coordinator for coordinating transmissions of each of the stations. The central coordinator is configurable to transmit a beacon at an interval based on a phase of a powerline cycle. The interval of the beacon can be substantially equal to two periods of the powerline cycle. The interval of the beacon includes a reserved region including a persistent allocation region and a non-persistent allocation region. The beacon also includes a broadcast message including a persistent schedule and a non-persistent schedule. The persistent schedule is valid for a current beacon period and a number of subsequent beacon periods as indicated by the beacon, while the non-persistent schedule is valid for a single beacon period. The persistent allocation region and the non-persistent allocation region are determined based on the persistent schedule and the non-persistent schedule, respectively.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention provide methods, devices, and systems that automatically provide quality of service to one or more packets, typically by determining whether packets are connection-worthy and accordingly providing connection specifications.

Abstract: There is provided a powerline network that includes a number of stations including a central coordinator for coordinating transmissions of each of the stations. The central coordinator includes a system clock and a network timer and is configurable to transmit a number of network timer values. Each of the network timer values can be transmitted by the central coordinator in one of a number of beacons. Each of the other stations is configurable to utilize the network timer values and a corresponding number of local timer values to estimate a frequency error between the system clock and a local clock and an offset between the network timer and a local timer. Each of the other stations is further configurable to utilize the frequency error and the offset to synchronize the local timer to the network timer.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention provide a mechanism to synchronize centralized networks. Each centralized network includes a central coordinator controlling and managing network activities. The embodiments provide a way of allocating beacon slots, such that one of the beacon slots is synchronized to the alternating current line cycle and thus functions as a master timing sequence. In some embodiments, methods, devices, and systems are provided for detecting transmissions of non-coordinating networks.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention provide methods, devices, and systems enabling a central coordinator to manage hidden stations via a proxy central coordinator.

Abstract: There is provided a powerline network that includes a number of stations including a central coordinator for coordinating transmissions of each of the stations. Each of the stations is configurable to generate one or more tone maps for communicating with each of the other stations in the powerline network. Each tone map includes a set of tones to be used on a communication link between two of the stations. Each tone map further includes a unique set of modulation methods for each tone. Each of the stations is further configurable to generate a default tone map for communicating with each of the other stations, where the default tone map is valid for all portions of a powerline cycle. Each of the stations is further configurable to monitor its bandwidth needs and to request additional bandwidth from the central coordinator.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system for communicating between stations in a network are presented. The method includes providing repeated beacon transmissions from a coordinator station for coordinating transmissions among a plurality of the stations; transmitting from a first station to a second station during a time slot assigned to the first station by at least one of the beacon transmissions; and transmitting from the first station information that grants permission to the second station to transmit during at least a portion of a time slot assigned to the first station.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system for communicating between stations in a network is presented. The method includes providing repeated beacon transmissions from a coordinator station for coordinating transmissions among the stations; transmitting a signal from a first station and receiving the signal at a second station; and performing one or both of: generating the signal based on a local clock at the first station and time adjustment information in a beacon transmission received by the first station, and sampling the signal at sample times based on a local clock at the second station and time adjustment information in a beacon transmission received by the second station.

Abstract: A simple and flexible over-air protocol for use with a mobile telephone system, having hand-held telephones in a microcell or other type of cellular communication system. A method in which user stations communicate with one or more base stations to place and receive telephone calls, in which the user stations are provided a secure voice or data link and have the ability to handoff calls between base stations while such calls are in progress. Each base station has a set of “air channels” to which it transmits in sequence. The air channels supported by each base station are called that base station's “polling loop”. A user station receives general polling information on an unoccupied air channel, transmits responsive information to the base station, and awaits acknowledgment from the base station. Each base station may therefore simultaneously maintain communication with as many user stations as there are air channels in its polling loop.

Abstract: A simple and flexible over-air protocol for use with a mobile telephone system, having hand-held telephones in a microcell or other type of cellular communication system. A method in which user stations communicate with one or more base stations to place and receive telephone calls, in which the user stations are provided a secure voice or data link and have the ability to handoff calls between base stations while such calls are in progress. Each base station has a set of “air channels” to which it transmits in sequence. The air channels supported by each base station are called that base station's “polling loop”. A user station receives general polling information on an unoccupied air channel, transmits responsive information to the base station, and awaits acknowledgment from the base station Each base station may therefore simultaneously maintain communication with as many user stations as there are air channels in its polling loop.

Abstract: A simple and flexible over-air protocol for use with a mobile telephone system, having hand-held telephones in a microcell or other type of cellular communication system. A method in which user stations communicate with one or more base stations to place and receive telephone calls, in which the user stations are provided a secure voice or data link and have the ability to handoff calls between base stations while such calls are in progress. Each base station has a set of “air channels” to which it transmits in sequence. The air channels supported by each base station are called that base station's “polling loop”. A user station receives general polling information on an unoccupied air channel, transmits responsive information to the base station, and awaits acknowledgment from the base station. Each base station may therefore simultaneously maintain communication with as many user stations as there are air channels in its polling loop.

Abstract: A mobile communication system having a layered architecture communicates user and signaling data among components of the communication system in the form of information elements which are encapsulated within packets and which may be passed across one or more system interfaces. The mobile communication system may comprises mobile user stations, base stations, and base station controllers and operates as a transparent data pipeline between application end users, such as a telephone service, connected at base station controllers and mobile user stations. Each system interface functions as a communication channel between system components, providing the lower layers of a layered communication system architecture. In a particular embodiment, the interface between the base station and the user stations is a TDMA interface, and the interface between a base radio transceiver and a line card processor comprises a dual-port RAM which is used as a shared resource across the interface.

Abstract: A virtual FDD base station comprises two base station sub-units each of which comprise a base station transmitter and a base station receiver. The first base station sub-unit transmits base-to-user messages to user stations only during a first half of a repeating time frame, and receives user-to-base messages from the user stations only during a second half of the time frame. The second base station sub-unit is preferably collocated with the first base station sub-unit and synchronized thereto, and transmits base-to-user messages to user stations only during half of the time frame, while receiving user-to-base messages from the user stations only during the other half of the time frame. Duplex communication channels are preferably defined by correlating a base transmit time slot with a user transmit time slot, which are separated by a sufficient amount of time to allow transmit/receive switching by a user station.

Abstract: An approach for providing communications between mobile stations involves establishing a direct, digital communication link between mobile stations. A first mobile station determines a portion of a radio frequency (RF) band to carry communications between the first mobile station and a second mobile station. The first mobile station sends a request signal on the portion of the RF band to the second mobile station to request communications between the first mobile station and the second mobile station. The second mobile station transmits, in response to receiving the request signal, an acknowledge signal on the portion of the RF band directly to the first mobile station to acknowledge the request signal. The first mobile station establishes, in response to the acknowledge signal, a direct communications link between the first mobile station and the second mobile station.

Abstract: A simple and flexible over-the-air communication system is provided in which user stations communicate with one or more base stations to place and receive telephone calls, in which the user stations are provided a secure voice or data link and have the ability to handoff calls between base stations while such calls are in progress. A user station receives general polling information on an unoccupied air channel, transmits responsive information to the base station and awaits acknowledgment from the base station. Each base station may therefore simultaneously maintain communication with as many user stations as there are air channels in its polling loop.

Abstract: A mobile communication system having a layered architecture communicates user and signaling data among components of the communication system in the form of information elements which are encapsulated within packets and which may be passed across one or more system interfaces. The mobile communication system comprises mobile user stations, base stations, and base station controllers and operates as a transparent data pipeline between application end users, such as a telephone service, connected at base station controllers and mobile user stations. In a particular embodiment, the interface between the base station and the user stations is a TDMA interface, and signaling traffic between the base station and each of the user stations is conducted in either a fast control traffic mode or a slow control traffic mode.

Abstract: A simple and flexible over-air protocol for use with a mobile telephone system, having hand-held telephones in a microcell or other type of cellular communication system. A method in which user stations communicate with one or more base stations to place and receive telephone calls, in which the user stations are provided a secure voice or data link and have the ability to handoff calls between base stations while such calls are in progress. Each base station has a set of "air channels" to which it transmits in sequence. The air channels supported by each base station are called that base station's "polling loop". A user station receives general polling information on an unoccupied air channel, transmits responsive information to the base station, and awaits acknowledgment from the base station. Each base station may therefore simultaneously maintain communication with as many user stations as there are air channels in its polling loop.

Abstract: A virtual FDD base station comprises two base station sub-units each of which comprise a base station transmitter and a base station receiver. The first base station sub-unit transmits base-to-user messages to user stations only during a first half of a repeating time frame, and receives user-to-base messages from the user stations only during a second half of the time frame. The second base station sub-unit is preferably collocated with the first base station sub-unit and synchronized thereto, and transmits base-to-user messages to user stations only during half of the time frame, while receiving user-to-base messages from the user stations only during the other half of the time frame. Duplex communication channels are preferably defined by correlating a base transmit time slot with a user transmit time slot, which are separated by a sufficient amount of time to allow transmit/receive switching by a user station.