Abstract: A wireless communications device may include a transceiver, a memory configured to store a predetermined set of preamble synchronization portions, each preamble synchronization portion having a different length, and a controller cooperating with the transceiver and the memory. The controller may be configured to receive forward transmission blocks, each forward transmission block having a preamble synchronization portion and a body portion associated therewith. The preamble synchronization portion may include a desired preamble synchronization portion from among the predetermined set of preamble synchronization portions. The controller may be configured to determine and use, for each received forward transmission block, the corresponding preamble synchronization portion from among the predetermined set of preamble synchronization portions.

Abstract: A communication system includes a plurality of nodes forming a wireless mesh network. A plurality of wireless communication links connect the nodes together. Each node is formed as a communications device having a physical layer and a media access control (MAC) layer in accordance with the Open System Interconnect (OSI) model and operative for transmitting and receiving communications packets to and from other nodes via the wireless communication links in an Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) mode. The physical layer monitors channel parameters of the wireless communications link when in an ARQ mode and, based on the channel parameters, communicates to the MAC layer over-the-air (OTA) parameters used for transmitting packets.

Abstract: A communications system receives a modulated signal that carries encoded communications data. An adaptive filter has a plurality of non-adaptive and adaptive filter taps with weighted coefficients and a tap order selection circuit for selecting the number and order of adaptive filter taps based on one of at least measured output power from the adaptive filter and signal modulation. A demodulator and decoder receives the filtered output signal and demodulates and decodes the signal to obtain the communications data.

Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device may include an antenna, and a receiver coupled to the antenna and being configured to use a modulation having memory for a received message in a block structure. The block structure may include a pair of mini-probes and a body therebetween. The receiver may be configured to demodulate the received message by determining a corresponding set of received signal characteristic values based upon the pair of mini-probes, and determining a decode starting point in the body based upon the set of received signal characteristic values. The receiver may be configured to demodulate the received message by at least, from the decode starting point, decoding the body in a first time direction, and decoding the body in a second time direction based upon a result of the decoding in the first direction.

Abstract: A communications system receives a modulated communication signal that carries encoded communications data. A signal input receives the communication signal. An adaptive filter circuit is connected to the signal input and comprises N number of parallel adaptive filters. Each adaptive filter has non-adaptive and adaptive taps with weighted coefficients that are different in number from the respective other parallel adaptive filters within the adaptive filter circuit. A selection output circuit is connected to each adaptive filter and selects for output the adaptive filter having the most suppression or least output power or other criterion which can indicate a best choice to use of the N parallel adaptive filters. A demodulator demodulates the signal and a decoder receives the filtered output signal from the demodulator and decodes the signal to obtain the communications data.

Abstract: A wireless communications device may be configured to perform a first demodulation based upon a first sampling rate of a received signal to generate a first demodulated signal and determine therefrom whether a first error value is not greater than a first threshold, and, if so then decode the first demodulated signal. If the first error value is greater than the first threshold, a second demodulation is performed based upon a second sampling rate of the received signal greater than or equal to the first sampling rate to generate a second demodulated signal and determine therefrom whether a second error value is not greater than a second threshold, and, if so, then decode the second demodulated signal. If the second error value is greater than the second threshold, the second demodulation is performed at least one additional time with at least one change thereto.

Abstract: A communications system receives a modulated signal that carries encoded communications data. An adaptive filter circuit has a plurality of adaptive filters each having a plurality of non-adaptive and adaptive filter taps with weighted coefficients. At a selected adaptive filter, an interference reduction circuit is responsive to one of at least a received state of a demodulator, the type of modulation used by communication system and the input and output power of adaptive filter for updating the adaptive gain of the adaptive filter, selecting the number and order of adaptive filter taps, separating the spacing of multipath introduced by adaptive filter, controlling input and output normalizing circuits to adaptive filter(s) and selecting if signal passed to demodulator is original received signal or signal output by adaptive filter. A demodulator and decoder receive the filtered output signal and demodulate and decode the signal to obtain the communications data.

Abstract: A communications system receives a modulated signal that carries encoded communications data. An adaptive filter has a plurality of non-adaptive and adaptive filter taps with weighted coefficients and a input and output normalizing circuit that obtain sample values from a received signal input to or output from the adaptive filter to increase gain recovery based on type of modulation of encoded communication data, on state of demodulator (preamble search, preamble detected, data state) or other signal acquisition information. A demodulator and decoder receive the filtered output signal and demodulate and decode the signal to obtain the communications data.

Abstract: A radio device includes a transmitter having a modulator for generating M-PAM communications symbols containing communications data. A Fast Walsh Transform circuit orthogonally encodes and band-spreads a communications symbol using the Fast Walsh Transform. A frequency modulation circuit frequency modulates the communications symbols wherein a constant envelope orthogonal Walsh modulated communications signal is generated having a plurality of orthogonal waveforms each forming a separate Walsh communications channel.

Abstract: A communications system receives a modulated signal that carries encoded communications data. An adaptive filter has a plurality of non-adaptive and adaptive filter taps with weighted coefficients and an adaptive gain circuit for updating the adaptive gain of the adaptive filter responsive to a received state of a modem or the type of modulation used by communications system. A demodulator and decoder receive the filtered output signal from the adaptive filter and demodulate and decode the signal to obtain the communications data.

Abstract: A wireless communications device may include a transceiver, a memory configured to store a predetermined set of preamble synchronization portions, each preamble synchronization portion having a different length, and a controller cooperating with the transceiver and the memory. The controller may be configured to receive forward transmission blocks, each forward transmission block having a preamble synchronization portion and a body portion associated therewith. The preamble synchronization portion may include a desired preamble synchronization portion from among the predetermined set of preamble synchronization portions. The controller may be configured to determine and use, for each received forward transmission block, the corresponding preamble synchronization portion from among the predetermined set of preamble synchronization portions.

Abstract: A communications device includes a signal input for receiving both wideband and in-band, narrowband communication signals having wideband communications data that is transmitted over a wideband communications channel and narrowband communications data that is transmitted within an in-band, narrowband channels over the same wideband communications channel. A circuit splits the communications signals into a wideband signal channel and narrowband signal channels. A narrowband filter within the wideband signal channel filters the wideband communications signal and removes any narrowband communications signals. A demodulator within the wideband signal channel demodulates the filtered wideband communications signal to obtain any wideband communications data. An in-band, narrowband demodulators are positioned within the narrowband signal channels and demodulate the narrowband communications signals to obtain any narrowband communications data.

Abstract: A decoding device may include a sequential convolutional code decoder, and a parallel convolutional code decoder. The decoding device may further include a controller for selectively processing a convolutionally encoded input signal via at least one of the sequential convolutional code decoder and the parallel convolutional code decoder. The selection of decoder may be based upon a signal-to-noise ratio or the passage of time, for example.

Abstract: A communications device includes a signal input for receiving signals such as a binary phase shift keyed (BPSK) communications signal having a repeated preamble bit or symbol pattern. A modem processes the communications signal and includes a demodulator and processor that generates an initial frequency offset estimate and phase error estimate by processing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) that detects the repeated preamble pattern for a block of samples within the communications signal, correlates within a start of message correlator to search for a start of message sequence and correlates different phases of the repeated preamble pattern within training correlators for reducing false detections of the start of message. Radio circuitry is operative with the modem for processing communications data obtained from the communications signal.

Abstract: A communications device includes a signal input for receiving signals such as a binary phase shift keyed (BPSK) communications signal having a repeated preamble bit or symbol pattern. A modem processes the communications signal and includes a demodulator and processor that generates an initial frequency offset estimate and phase error estimate by processing such as with a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), that detects the repeated preamble pattern for a block of samples within the communications signal, correlates two halves of the block of samples with a plurality of different shifted sequences and determines a maximum correlation value for the shifted sequence that provides the maximum correlation value to establish a symbol timing estimate based on the known timing alignment of this shifted sequence. Radio circuitry is operative with the modem for processing communications data obtained from the communications signal.

Abstract: A radio device includes a transmitter having a modulator for generating M-PAM communications symbols containing communications data. A Fast Walsh Transform circuit orthogonally encodes and band-spreads the communications symbols using the Fast Walsh Transform. A frequency modulation circuit frequency modulates the communications symbols wherein a constant radius orthogonal Walsh modulated communications signal containing the communications data is generated.

Abstract: A repeated preamble bit or symbol pattern such as for a binary phase shift keyed (BPSK) communications signal is received within a modem. An initial frequency offset and phase error estimate is generated by processing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) that detects the repeated preamble pattern for a block of samples within the communications signal. Two halves of the block of samples are correlated with a plurality of different BPSK shifted sequences to obtain a symbol timing alignment based on the shifted sequence providing the maximum correlation value. A frequency offset estimate is iteratively updated an N number of times using the shifted sequence providing the maximum correlation value to refine an acquisition estimate of the frequency offset and phase error of the received communications signal.

Abstract: Method for modulating an RF signal includes the steps of modulating an RF signal using frequency shift keying (FSK) modulation to define a plurality of symbols (2030, 2031). The FSK modulation includes transitioning the modulated signal (204) between at least two different frequencies (f1 and f0) during a guard period (210). The method includes the further step of varying a frequency of the modulated signal 204 during the guard period (210) in accordance with a predetermined rate of change. The predetermined rate of change is selected to minimize a bandwidth of the RF signal.

Abstract: A system communicates data and includes an encoder for encoding communications data. A modulator maps the communications data based on a specific mapping algorithm to form a communications signal over which the communications data can be transmitted. The communications signal includes a preamble that has set-up or transmission parameters used for acquiring the signal at a modem and at least one extended preamble for conveying additional set-up or transmission parameters. This extended preamble includes N extended preamble bits having at least one of information, transmission parameter and control bits and M map bits that identify a predetermined mapping for the N extended preamble bits.

Abstract: A communication system receives a modulated signal that carries encoded communication data. An adaptive filter has a plurality of adaptive filter taps and weighted coefficients and a variable delay circuit operative before the adaptive filter taps for separating the spacing of multipath introduced by adaptive filter and producing a filtered output signal with improved multipath performance. A demodulator and decoder receive the filtered output signal from the adaptive filter and demodulate and decode the signal to obtain the communications data.