Abstract: Centrally controlled wireless networks require reliable communications between the central controller and each of the stations within the wireless networks. The structure of a wireless network is often dynamic, or ad-hoc, as stations enter and exit the network, or are physically relocated. The selection of the central controller for the network may also be dynamic, either because the current central controller desires to exit the network, or because the communication between the current central controller and one or more of the stations is poor. This invention discloses a method and apparatus for assessing the quality of the communication paths among all stations in the network. This assessment is useful as a continual monitor of the quality of the network, and can be utilized to select an alternative central control station based upon the quality of communication paths to and from this station. Additionally, the quality assessment can be utilized to establish relay communication paths, as required.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wireless communication system capable of managing peer-to-peer (P2P) communications. In one embodiment of the invention, upon receiving a request for initiating a call, the system determines whether P2P communication can be established between the two mobile terminals. The system also determines an operating mode of the two mobile terminals for P2P communication. If the P2P communication can be established between the two mobile terminals and both mobile terminals are in a default mode for P2P communication, the system establishes P2P communication between the two mobile terminals. On the other hand, if any one of the mobile terminals is in a prompt mode, the system sends a prompt to the mobile terminal in the prompt mode, along with information about incentives for using P2P communication services.

Abstract: A method is proposed for maintaining uplink synchronization with P2P communication in wireless communication networks, comprising steps of: the wireless communication system overhears the P2P communication between two UEs (user equipments), determines the SS (synchronization shift) information of said UEs according to the overheard information transferred by each UE in P2P communication, and transmits the SS information to the corresponding UE via the downlink common control channel; the UE monitors the downlink common control channel, and adjusts the TA (timing advance) for transmitting signals according to the SS information transferred via the downlink common control channel.

Abstract: A method for establishing P2P (peer-to-peer) communication in wireless communication networks, comprising steps of: determining whether two user equipments (caller and call) are in the same cell, and computing whether the distance between the two user equipments (UEs) meets the requirement for P2P communication according to the registry information and position information of the caller and the callee; determining whether the two UEs both have P2P communication capability according to the information of the wireless communication system indicating whether the two UEs both have P2P communication capability, when the two UEs are in the same cell and the distance between the two UEs meets the requirement for P2P communication; and allocating direct communication link for the two UEs to start communication when the two UEs both have P2P communication capability.

Abstract: The invention applies relates to the access to an additional content related to a main content from a player having an Internet access and being designed so as to allow the setting of parental levels in a preferred embodiment the main content is stored on a disc edited with with links toward the additional contents. When the disc is in place in the player, such a link can be established to access to the additional content. The invention applies when such an access is subject to a user identification. The invention consists in adding to the user identification process a step for recovering the parental level applicable to the user and adapting the offer made to the user depending on the recovered parental level.

Abstract: A network has several network clusters each including at least one wireless network node which is designed for the wireless transmission of packets in time slots of given length in a time multiplex process. The length of the packets has at least a value which is smaller than the length of a fixedly given time slot. A wireless network node joins together several packets into a superpacket and sends the superpacket via a point-to-multipoint connection to all wireless network nodes authorized for the data transmission. Upon reception of a superpacket, a wireless network node will derive a packet from the superpacket if the destination of this packet lies within the relevant associated network cluster.

Abstract: A wireless network is disclosed including at least one base station and a plurality of assigned terminals for exchanging user data and control data. The base station is arranged for transmitting the start time of at least one signaling sequence of at least terminal. For evaluating the signaling sequences transmitted by the terminals, the base station includes a device for correlating a received signaling sequence and for detecting the pulse evolving from a received and correlated signaling sequence. A terminal generates a signaling sequence by folding two code sequences.

Abstract: Interference cancellation in a mobile terminal (4) in telecommunication systems like Direct Sequence-Code Division Multiple Access systems or DS-CDMA systems can be improved by providing the mobile terminal (4) with a multi-user detector (41,42,43). These multi-user detectors require the spreading codes of other mobile terminals (2,3,5,6,7,8,9), which spreading codes are available in base stations (1) and thus need to be sent to said mobile terminal (4). By further transmitting power information of other mobile terminals (2,3,5,6,7,8,9) to the mobile terminal (4), a selector (52) can make an intelligent selection in said mobile terminal (4) and select the most important spreading codes thereby reducing the computational complexity. By locating a selector (22) in a base station (1), an intelligent selection can also be made in said base station.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wireless network comprising terminals and an assigned central station, which network, after receiving requests for the wireless transmission of packets between a transmitting and a receiving terminal during a time multiplex frame, is provided for assigning time slots of a following time multiplex frame for the wireless transmission of packets from a transmitting to a receiving terminal. After reception of all the requests the central station determines a first subset which contains all the transmitting terminals that intend to transmit packets to a plurality of receiving terminals, and a second subset of the rest which contains the transmitting terminals. The order in which the transmitting terminals of the first subset transmit is determined in accordance with the decreasing number of receiving terminals assigned to a transmitting terminal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wireless network with several network nodes which each comprise a radio device and of which one forms a transfer network node which is designed for the transmission of data between at least one concealed network node and all other network nodes. One of the network nodes forms a central network node for the control of the radio traffic. The central network node is designed for transmitting frame synchronization data for the formation of frames used in each radio device. The transfer network node serves for the exchange of certain data of the central network node with the concealed network node. The central network node is designed to carry out the exchange of the data between the transfer network node and concealed network nodes as regards the assignation of a sub-frame lying within a frame.

Abstract: Centrally controlled wireless networks require reliable communications between the central controller and each of the stations within the wireless networks. The structure of a wireless network is often dynamic, or ad-hoc, as stations enter and exit the network, or are physically relocated. The selection of the central controller for the network may also be dynamic, either because the current central controller desires to exit the network, or because the communication between the current central controller and one or more of the stations is poor. This invention discloses a method and apparatus for assessing the quality of the communication paths among all stations in the network. This assessment is useful as a continual monitor of the quality of the network, and can be utilized to select an alternative central control station based upon the quality of communication paths to and from this station. Additionally, the quality assessment can be utilized to establish relay communication paths, as required.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wireless network which includes a plurality of network nodes, each of which includes a radio device with a respective radio clock supply and is arranged to exchange data via a wireless medium, and also includes a user interface for the exchange of data between the associated radio device and at least one user. At least one user of a network node receives a user clock, being independent of the radio clock, from a user clock supply of the relevant network node. Each network node is arranged to determine, in response to events specified by a central network node, a time value related to the relevant application clock. The central network node transmits at least the last time value formed by a selected network node.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wireless network having at least a base station and a plurality of assigned terminals for exchanging user data and control data, wherein the base station is provided for transmitting the start time of at least one signaling sequence of at least one terminal and includes a device for correlating a received signaling sequence and for detecting the pulse evolved from a received and correlated signaling sequence, and wherein the base station, after receiving a signaling sequence, is provided for rejecting or acknowledging the request for channel capacity from a terminal over a channel collectively used by a plurality of terminals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a local area network comprising a plurality of sub-networks and a plurality of bridge terminals, which bridge terminals are each provided for transmitting data between the terminals of a at least two sub-networks via a wireless medium. Once it has been put into operation, a bridge terminal determines the sub-networks that can be reached and establishes a list of groups that have each n elements as an identification for the sub-networks, from all the m sub-networks that can be reached, where m>n and n>1. The groups in the list are sorted according to a predefined criterion. The bridge terminal then connects the sub-networks whose identification occurs in the first group of the sorted list.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wireless network with a plurality of network nodes, each of which consists of at least one electrical apparatus and at least one radio device which are arranged to exchange data via a wireless medium. A network node includes a clock supply for supplying all electrical apparatus and the radio device with its clock. A network node which is designated as a main network node transmits, via its radio device, a synchronization pattern which is dependent on the clock of its clock supply. All other network nodes, referred to as secondary network nodes, are assigned to different, hierarchically ordered distance classes in dependence on their distance from the main network node which is assigned to the highest distance class. All secondary network nodes of a distance class transmit, via their respective radio device, a synchronization pattern which is dependent on the clock of their respective clock supply and characterizes the distance class.

Abstract: The invention relates to a local area network comprising a plurality of sub-networks and a plurality of bridge terminals, which bridge terminals are provided for transmitting data between the terminals of at least two sub-networks via a wireless medium. After a bridge terminal has been put into operation, it sends a certain number of loop test messages to all the sub-networks connected to the bridge terminal. Each bridge terminal that receives a loop test message from a sub-network passes this message on to all the other connected sub-networks. The bridge terminal that has transmitted the certain number of loop test messages detects that there is no loop when after a predefined period of time a loop test message that has been sent does not return.

Abstract: The invention relates to a local area network including at least one bridge terminal, which bridge terminal is provided for transmitting data between the terminals of at least two sub-networks via a wireless medium. The bridge terminal is alternately connected to the sub-networks for exchanging data. For buffering received data for an unconnected sub-network, the bridge terminal includes an intermediate store.

Abstract: A bridge terminal of a local area network is provided for transmitting data between the terminals of at least two sub-networks via a wireless medium. The bridge terminal is alternately connected to the sub-networks for exchanging data. For buffering received data for an unconnected sub-network, the bridge terminal includes an intermediate store.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wireless network which includes at least one base station (1 to 3) and a plurality of associated terminals (4 to 14) for the exchange of useful data and control data. According to the invention, the base station (1 to 3) is arranged to transmit the starting instant of a signaling sequence to at least one terminal (4 to 14). In order to evaluate the signaling sequences transmitted by the terminals, the base station (1 to 3) includes a device (21, 22) for correlating a received signaling sequence and for detecting the pulse arising from a received and correlated signaling sequence.

Abstract: A local area ring network operating in the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) has a plurality of stations and network interfaces (transceivers), each network interface having a send and a receive ring connection. Setting up a call, exchange of information during the call and call clear-down are effected digitally via the exchange of ATM cells in whose header logic trunk identifiers (virtual path identifier VPI and virtual channel identifier VCI) are stored. At least one network interface includes a converter for at least partly and reversibly converting available data bytes in the header of the ATM cell into an identifier specific to the network. A header translation table in the converter is updated during the call set-up or call clear-down phase.