Abstract:
Providing an audible feedback feature giving the user the ability to audibly monitor the progress of a data connection over a digital wireless channel. Audible tones generated within a base station (80) and received from a telephone network (30) are encoded within the base station (80) and transmitted over the digital wireless link (160) to a mobile unit (60). The mobile unit (60) decodes the signal received from the base station (80) and provides the audible tones to a user. The user can thus monitor the success or failure of the data connection.
Abstract:
The process for the present invention enables a wireless modem to accept from a computer commands that it does not recognize. The computer (210) sends a command to the wireless modem (260) to forward all commands to modems (270) at a base station (280). The base station modems (270) then interpret the commands and act accordingly. When the computer (210) no longer wishes the wireless modem (260) to ignore commands it does not recognize, the computer (210) sends another command to the modem (260) instructing it to either flag unknown commands as errors or to ignore them.
Abstract:
In a communications network, a network user communicates through a remote unit (30) with another user via at least one base station (100). The communications network includes a first mobile switching center (MSC-I) which controls communications through a first set of base stations including a first base station (100). The remote unit (30) stores a list of active base stations which has an entry corresponding to each base station with which active communication is established. The first base station (100) has an entry on the list of active base stations. The first base station (100) measures a round trip delay of an active communication signal between the first base station (100) and the remote unit (30). A handoff of the active communication signal is initiated if the round trip delay of the active communication exceeds a threshold if the first base station (100) is designated as a reference base station. Alternatively, the remote unit (30) also stores a list of candidate base stations comprising an entry corresponding to each base station through which active communication may be possible but is not established. A handoff of the active communication signal is initiated if the list of candidate base stations comprises an entry corresponding to a triggering pilot signal.
Abstract:
A method of invoking and cancelling voice and data service between a mobile unit and a base station. Using a standard telephone system, the connection for a voice service and a data service is the same. With the introduction of the digital wireless link, the voice connection and the data connection are different. Therefore new dialing commands which indicate the intent of the connection are created. These commands can also be used to designate the intent of the call from a mobile unit capable of data and voice service but not capable of simultaneous voice and data service. They can also be used to invoke simultaneous voice and data services.
Abstract:
The process of the present invention enables a mobile radiotelephone to signal a request for a voice connection after transmission of a facsimile image. The user depresses a button on the radiotelephone when a voice connection is needed. The radiotelephone transmits the request as a frame of data to the base station. The base station interprets the request and, after the facsimile transmission, turns off the modems and turns on the speech coders in anticipation of the voice signal.
Abstract:
System and method for minimizing data bottlenecks in Low Data Rate Networks (LDRNs) that communicate facsimile transmissions. An LDRN is a facsimile network having a transmission data rate less than the data rate of the FAX machines serviced by the network. The system and method can be implemented in any type of LDRN, including analog and digital wired LDRNs, as well as analog and digital wireless (e.g., cellular) LDRNs. The system and method involve processing the facsimile transmissions in order to make the data rates of the LDRN and the FAX machines compatible, thereby minimizing any potential facsimile data bottlenecks that may occur in the LDRN due to its slower data rate.
Abstract:
A mobile user terminal (402) accesses a packet data network (450) through one or more of several network access points (404-412). One or more control points 432-440 determines which network access point or points the user terminal is to access. Control may be retained in the current control point, or transferred to another control point, whenever it is convenient. There are preferably several routers, each having an associated home agent (418-420) which determines which foreign agents need to be accessed on behalf of each user terminal. There are several foreign agents (422-430), which forward packets received from a user terminal's home agent to the control point currently controlling communications with the user terminal.
Abstract:
The wireless local loop system employs cellular technology to provide telephone service to fixed telephones of remote stations (20) having otherwise conventional handsets. The remote station (20) emulates a conventional public switched telephone network by providing an artificial dial tone from the handset of the remote station, after the handset is taken off-hook. The artificial dial tone is locally generated (112) by the remote station. The system, however, delays providing the dial tone if the system is busy, i.e. if the system is under a load condition. To this end, the system monitors load levels (20) and transmits signals to the remote stations indicating load conditions. A remote station (20), prior to granting at dial tone to the user, receives the load condition signals, determines whether the system is currently under load (211) and, if so, defers the dial tone (213). Hence, if the system is under a load condition, such that no lines or frequency channels are available, the user is not presented a dial tone until a line or channel becomes available. By deferring the dial tone until a line or channel is available, the wireless local loop system more effectively emulates a PSTN.