Abstract: A base station (500) can determine (201) which resource blocks a second base station (503) will utilize to transmit control signaling as corresponds to that second base station. The base station can then prevent (202) itself from transmitting control signaling (which control signaling corresponds to a plurality of wireless carrier resources as correspond to the base station) using resource blocks that will coincide with the resource blocks the second base station will utilize to transmit its control signaling. These teachings also provide for having the base station then transmit (203) a signal that comprises an indication that the control signaling as corresponds to the plurality of wireless carrier resources will be transmitted using the alternative resource blocks as compared to at least one ordinarily expected resource block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handing over a mobile station (106) from a serving base station (104a) to a target base station (104b) within a wireless communication system (100) is described. A session is established between the mobile station and the serving base station and it is determined that the mobile station is to be handed over from the serving base station to the target base station. The target base station notifies the serving base station of identifying data of the target base station and added to the identifying data is a message to be sent to mobile station regarding the handover of the mobile station. The serving base station sends the message including the identifying data to the mobile station and the mobile station is handed over from the serving base station to the target base station using the identifying data of the target base station.

Abstract: A scheduler associated with a base station of a wireless communication network dynamically compensates for uplink bandwidth that has been re-assigned (stolen) by a mobile station (MS) to transmit a control message. The scheduler allocates a preset amount of bandwidth to the MS for data transmission. The scheduler detects bandwidth stealing activity and evaluates when bandwidth stealing is justified on he part of the MS. The scheduler provides additional bandwidth to appropriately compensate for the stolen bandwidth when bandwidth stealing is justified, in order to maintain the quality of service of the data traffic connection.

Abstract: A base station (500) can determine (201) which resource blocks a second base station (503) will utilize to transmit control signaling as corresponds to that second base station. The base station can then prevent (202) itself from transmitting control signaling (which control signaling corresponds to a plurality of wireless carrier resources as correspond to the base station) using resource blocks that will coincide with the resource blocks the second base station will utilize to transmit its control signaling. These teachings also provide for having the base station then transmit (203) a signal that comprises an indication that the control signaling as corresponds to the plurality of wireless carrier resources will be transmitted using the alternative resource blocks as compared to at least one ordinarily expected resource block.

Abstract: A system and method for fast acquisition of a communication link in a wireless broadband communication system between a mobile station and a base station includes a scheduler (100) that is informed (102) of the processing capabilities of the mobile station, preferably in an optional message field. The scheduler determines (104) a time that the mobile station can respond to a downlink message, in the same frame or in a subsequent frame, using the processing capabilities. The scheduler allocates (106) uplink bandwidth for the mobile station to respond to the downlink message at the determined time. In this way, upon sending (108) a message from the base station to the mobile station, the mobile station can immediately respond (112) at the allocated time without having to perform an explicit bandwidth request. As a result, link entry and/or handover times are reduced.

Abstract: For a packet, a communication device determines (12) a length of a packet length field based on one or more of the following: a size of a transmit region allocated for a remote unit, a size of a transmit region allocated for a remote unit and not to be used for at least one other packet, and/or whether the packet length of the packet is indicated by a history of packet lengths of previously transmitted packets. The communication device may also or alternatively determine (22) a length of a connection identifier field based on a number of connection identifiers previously established. The communication device then transmits (13, 23) the packet, which includes the field(s) of determined length. By determining the lengths of these fields in this manner, the fields may be made shorter and their use may potentially reduce signaling overhead as compared to using the present-day fixed-length fields.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is described for authentication while exchanging data in a communication system includes deriving (100) an authentication signature from a shared secret, data in an existing data packet, and/or a sender identification. A next step (102) includes appending the authentication signature in an authentication field to the existing data packet. A next step (104) includes sending the data packet with the appended authentication field. A next step (106) includes receiving the data packet by a base station. A next step (108) includes verifying that the authentication field was produced by a sender possessing the shared secret. A next step (110) includes returning an acknowledgement message.

Abstract: A scheduler associated with a base station of a wireless communication network dynamically compensates for uplink bandwidth that has been re-assigned (stolen) by a mobile station (MS) to transmit a control message. The scheduler allocates a preset amount of bandwidth to the MS for data transmission. The scheduler detects bandwidth stealing activity and evaluates when bandwidth stealing is justified on he part of the MS. The scheduler provides additional bandwidth to appropriately compensate for the stolen bandwidth when bandwidth stealing is justified, in order to maintain the quality of service of the data traffic connection.

Abstract: A wireless communication infrastructure entity configured to allocate radio resources, in a radio frame, to a wireless terminal compliant with a first protocol and to a wireless terminal compliant with a second protocol. The radio frame including a first protocol resource region and a second protocol resource region. The radio frame including a first protocol allocation control message that allocates resources within the first protocol resource region to the wireless terminal compliant with the first protocol, and a second protocol allocation control message that allocates resources within the second protocol resource region to the wireless terminal compliant with the second protocol.

Abstract: A method and information processing system for wirelessly transmitting at least one of a downlink channel descriptor and an uplink channel descriptor for reception by at least one wireless device (104). The method comprises selecting at least one transmission time for transmitting a pointer that indicates a transmission time for a DCD and/or a UCD. The pointer is transmitted at a time between a first transmission and a second transmission of the at least one of downlink channel descriptor and uplink channel descriptor. The transmission time is selected to reduce a time interval for the at least one wireless device (104) to search for the at least one of the DCD and UCD. Also, a message that includes DCD information and/or UCD information associated with at least one neighboring cell can also be chosen to transmit at specifically chosen times to the at least one wireless device (104).

Abstract: A wireless communication system that implements cell reselections selects a timing of a cell reselection in association with a mobile station (MS) by transferring, by a layer at least as high as Layer 3 to a cell reselection decision function residing in a layer lower than Layer 3, information indicating whether a present time is a more favorable time or a less favorable time for a cell reselection and initiating, by the cell reselection decision function, a cell reselection at a time based on the information received from the layer at least as high as Layer 3. In another embodiment of the invention, the transferred information may instead, or in addition, indicate a future time at which to perform a cell reselection. By selectively timing a cell reselection, an impact of a cell reselection on an application being executed by the MS is minimized.

Abstract: A method and information processing system for wirelessly transmitting at least one of a downlink channel descriptor and an uplink channel descriptor for reception by at least one wireless device (104). The method comprises selecting at least one transmission time for transmitting a pointer that indicates a transmission time for a DCD and/or a UCD. The pointer is transmitted at a time between a first transmission and a second transmission of the at least one of downlink channel descriptor and uplink channel descriptor. The transmission time is selected to reduce a time interval for the at least one wireless device (104) to search for the at least one of the DCD and UCD. Also, a message that includes DCD information and/or UCD information associated with at least one neighboring cell can also be chosen to transmit at specifically chosen times to the at least one wireless device (104).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for modulating ACK/NACK persistence to improve data traffic performance. In one implementation, a method for control of automatic repeat requests between a transmitting terminal (102) and a receiving terminal (104) comprises: defining (1404) a buffer window of a buffer, the window to buffer multiple higher layer data blocks each segmented into multiple physical layer data blocks, the window beginning at a current higher layer block in which at least one physical layer block has not been received; obtaining (1406) an indication of whether physical layer blocks are completely received; determining (1408), based on the obtaining step, that a subsequent higher layer block within the window has been completely received; and discarding (1410) the current higher layer block when a time delay of the current higher layer block exceeds an estimate of a delay tolerance corresponding to a higher layer application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handing over a mobile station (106) from a serving base station (104a) to a target base station (104b) within a wireless communication system (100) is described. A session is established between the mobile station and the serving base station and it is determined that the mobile station is to be handed over from the serving base station to the target base station. The target base station notifies the serving base station of identifying data of the target base station and added to the identifying data is a message to be sent to mobile station regarding the handover of the mobile station. The serving base station sends the message including the identifying data to the mobile station and the mobile station is handed over from the serving base station to the target base station using the identifying data of the target base station.

Abstract: A system and method for fast acquisition of a communication link in a wireless broadband communication system between a mobile station and a base station includes a scheduler (100) that is informed (102) of the processing capabilities of the mobile station, preferably in an optional message field. The scheduler determines (104) a time that the mobile station can respond to a downlink message, in the same frame or in a subsequent frame, using the processing capabilities. The scheduler allocates (106) uplink bandwidth for the mobile station to respond to the downlink message at the determined time. In this way, upon sending (108) a message from the base station to the mobile station, the mobile station can immediately respond (112) at the allocated time without having to perform an explicit bandwidth request. As a result, link entry and/or handover times are reduced.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for modulating ACK/NACK persistence to improve data traffic performance. In one implementation, a method for control of automatic repeat requests between a transmitting terminal (102) and a receiving terminal (104) comprises: defining (1404) a buffer window of a buffer, the window to buffer multiple higher layer data blocks each segmented into multiple physical layer data blocks, the window beginning at a current higher layer block in which at least one physical layer block has not been received; obtaining (1406) an indication of whether physical layer blocks are completely received; determining (1408), based on the obtaining step, that a subsequent higher layer block within the window has been completely received; and discarding (1410) the current higher layer block when a time delay of the current higher layer block exceeds an estimate of a delay tolerance corresponding to a higher layer application.