Abstract: A base station assembles a frame including information bits at a vocoding rate for downlink transmission over a traffic channel as channel bits at a channel rate. The base station places at least one rate-indicating bit at a beginning of the frame for indicating the vocoding rate. The mobile station evaluates the downlink transmission with consideration of the vocoding rate indicated by the at least one rate-indicating bit. The mobile station can determine the vocoding rate by decoding the beginning of the frame to permit power control in less than one frame duration from initial receipt of the frame at the mobile station.

Abstract: A base station in a soft handoff adjusts its transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in a soft handoff and by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff, i.e. in simplex mode. The first and second amounts are different. In one embodiment of the invention, the adjustment is performed by using a down-step size that is larger in magnitude than an up-step size when the base station is in soft handoff. The transmit power level is then adjusted by the smaller up and larger down step sizes when the base station receives an indication to adjust the transmit power level. The step sizes used when the base station is in simplex mode is larger than the up-step size and smaller than the down step size.

Abstract: Base station in a soft handoff programmed to have a threshold power level to control the power transmitted by the base station on the forward link. When the threshold power level is a minimum-threshold power level, each base station maintains its transmit power level at or above the minimum-threshold power level. When the threshold power level is a maximum-threshold power level, each base station maintains its transmit power level at or below the maximum-threshold power level. Preferably, all power levels are expressed in decibels (dB) relative to the pilot's power level. The threshold power level can be adjustable or fixed. In the case where the threshold power level is fixed, each base station is programmed with the fixed threshold power level, and each base station decides how to adjust its transmit power level locally based on the fixed threshold power level without input from other base stations.

Abstract: Soft handoffs in an IS-95 CDMA system or other wireless communication system are controlled using an enhanced set of soft handoff parameters which allow the system to adapt more readily to changing radio frequency (RF) conditions. In an illustrative embodiment, values for particular ones of the soft handoff parameters are selected in accordance with a set of rules, including rules such as, e.g., select the minimum value of add threshold among the members of an active set of pilots for a given mobile station; select the maximum value of drop threshold among the members of the active set; select the minimum value of drop threshold timer among the members of the active set; and select the minimum value of comparison threshold among the members of the active set. A quality measure is then determined for each of the members of the active set, based on one or more of the selected soft handoff parameter values and values of one or more additional parameters, e.g.

Abstract: The invention is a method for controlling power on multiple forward link communication channels by using multiple power control sub-channels, wherein each power control sub-channel is associated with a forward link communication channel to be power controlled. A fundamental power control sub-channel and a supplemental power control sub-channel are time multiplexed onto a reverse pilot channel. Transmitted over the fundamental power control sub-channel is a fundamental power control bit for indicating to a base station to increase or decrease its transmission power over a corresponding forward fundamental channel. Transmitted over the supplemental power control sub-channel is a supplemental power control bit for indicating to a base station to increase or decrease its transmission power over a corresponding forward supplemental channel. The pilot sub-channels are preferably separated by the fundamental and supplemental power control sub-channels for time diversity purposes.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for efficiently utilizing spectrum resources belonging to a wireless communications system in the presence of data channels through a discontinuous data transmission technique. The discontinuous data transmission technique involves the transmission of a flag over a control channel (or some other communication channel) in frame f, wherein the flag would indicate to an intended recipient that a transmitter has a data frame to transmit to the recipient in some future frame f+q. In an embodiment, the transmitter would subsequently transmit the data frame over a data channel (or some other communication channel) in frame f+q if the flag indicated that the data frame was ready to be transmitted. In another embodiment, the transmitter would not transmit the data frame unless the recipient has indicated (via another flag) that the recipient is ready to receive the frame of data from the transmitter.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling down link transmit power during a soft hand-off in a spread-spectrum wireless system supports independent power control of multiple forward channels to reduce fading. For a soft hand-off, a mobile switching center determines if a forward control channel is transmitted from different sectors of base stations than a forward data channel is. The base stations preferably adjust transmit powers of the forward channels grouped into different physical channels by receiving power control data over the allocated reverse power control channels to compensate for fading of the forward channels during a soft hand-off.

Abstract: A system and method have been developed wherein a cylindrical antenna array is configured and reconfigured in a wireless communication network. Position and signal information are continuously received from wireless mobile units and are used to determine reconfigurations of antenna components of the cylindrical antenna array to enhance performance of the system. As such, base station antennas are dynamically configured to minimize such things as interference and dropped calls, and to maximize their voice quality both within a cell, and among neighboring cells.

Abstract: Antenna components of a cylindrical antenna array are adjusted, to dynamically share loads among sectors of a cell or between cells. The antenna components are adjusted based on beam configuration and/or orientation for example, depending upon a monitored load, to thereby vary antenna coverage areas to adjust for varying traffic densities. Antenna components are adjusted to accommodate load variations within a cell, and/or between cells.

Abstract: A power control method of the invention may be applied to downlink power control, uplink power control, or both to support different quality of service levels for multiple channels per a mobile station. The power control method transmits control data between a base station and a multi-channel mobile station on a single communications channel or sub-channel to minimize or reduce overhead traffic from the control data.

Abstract: A method and system that minimizes pilot signal overlap and radio frequency (“RF”) interference by estimating changes in pilot coverage for different traffic channel loading and power conditions. Once base stations are positioned, a terminal for measuring received pilot signal strengths, such as a mobile station or pilot scanner, is used to collect and generate the baseline pilot survey data, which is then stored on a disk or tape. Base station transmit pilot EC/IOs, i.e., traffic channel loads on forward links, are also stored on disk or tape. The invention uses two adjustment factors associated with transmit power and traffic channel loading to optimize for different RF conditions, specifically for different base station transmit power or forward link loading conditions. For each RF condition, the methodology calculates the changes in the baseline pilot survey data. This reflects what EC/IOs a mobile station would receive under the given conditions.