Motorola Corporation

Stuart W Thro

Mark L Shaughnessy

Michael D Kotzin

Gary W Grube

Eugene J Bruckert

Sewim F Ablay

Jheroen Pieter Dorenbosch

Timothy J Wilson

Michael D Sasuta

Paul M Erickson

Kenneth J Crisler

Nicholas M Labun

ShaoWei Wei Pan

Alex P Hirsbrunner

Kenneth J Zdunek

Garry C Hess

Paul J Cizek

David E Morgan

James R Engel

John P Sawinski

Apparatus and methods using a first service provider such as a WAN cellular service provider to initiate a communications exchange between a plurality of communications units and a second service provider such as WLAN service provider to provide enhanced communications services to the units has been disclosed and described.

Communication services through multiple service providers

A method and apparatus that process messages within a wireless communications system based on originator priority and recipient priority is accomplished when a server (12, 52) receives a message from an originating party (50). The message includes identity of the receiving party (54), originator priority information, and message content. Upon identifying the receiving party, the server retrieves recipient priority information of the receiving party. The server then merges the originator priority information with the recipient priority information to produce a message priority. In addition, the server generates a recipient index, which identifies an address for subsequent retrieval of the message content. Next, the server provides notice of the message to the receiving party based on the message priority. The notice of the message may be sent to the receiving party's pager, cellular telephone, e-mail account, facsimile machine, wireline telephone, or answering service.

Method and apparatus for processing messages based on originator and

A communication system (100) employs a method and apparatus for communicating video information therein. A first communication device (e.g., 101) preferably includes a video compressor (203), a memory device (205) containing a computer program, and a modem (207). The first device receives video information from a video device (116) via the video compressor and executes the computer program to determine a priority between transmission frame rate and resolution per frame. When transmission frame rate is of higher priority, the first device transmits the video information at a first transmission frame rate via the modem to a second communication device (e.g., 102). When resolution per frame is of higher priority, the first device transmits the video information at a second transmission frame rate that is less than the first rate. The second device, upon receiving the video information, may display (113) the information or process the information for retransmission (e.g., when the second device is a video control server (104)).

Method and apparatus for communicating video information in a

In a radio frequency communication system (100), infrastructure transceivers operate in a configuration mode (301-306) and an active mode (307). When in the configuration mode, a given infrastructure transceiver (106-109) derives information regarding RF operating circumstances proximal to the infrastructure transceiver. The information regarding the RF operating circumstances, information regarding the infrastructure transceiver itself, and optionally information regarding present location of the infrastructure transceiver, is transmitted to a communication system configuration server (105). In response, information regarding operation of the infrastructure transceiver is received by the infrastructure transceiver. When in the given infrastructure transceiver is in the active mode, the information regarding operation of the infrastructure transceiver is used to support communications in the RF communication system. With each infrastructure transceiver operating in this manner, the radio frequency communication system can be automatically configured.

Infrastructure transceiver and method for configuration based on RF

A method of spawning a communication service comprises the steps of detecting (201) a failed call attempt initiated by a first communication unit (101) and directed to a second communication unit (109), and determining (207) if a code associated with the first communication unit (101) is an authorized code associated with the second communication unit (109), wherein the first communication unit (101) is associated with a first user and the second communication unit (109) is associated with a second user. If the code is an authorized code, a communication service is spawned (209), resulting in a message directed at a user other than the second user, such as the first user or a third user, or a communication unit other than the second communication unit (109), such as the first communication unit (101) or a third communication unit (109), which may be associated with a third user other than the first user or the second user.

Method of spawning a communication service

Infrastructure transceiver and method for configuration based on

A radio communication system (100, 200) employs a method of providing communication services to a communication unit (104, 105) having a plurality of service requirements. The radio communication system (100, 200) further includes a plurality of service providers (101-103) for which the communication unit catalogues (506, 512) service attributes as part of the inventive method. Further, for each of the service requirements, the communication unit (104, 105) selects (514) one of the plurality of service providers (101-103) to facilitate that service requirement.

Communication services needs of a communication unit supplied through

A method of providing a radio communication unit (120) with information regarding radio communication services. The radio communication unit transmits a request regarding availability of one or more specific radio communication services. The radio communication unit then receives information regarding availability of the specified radio communication services.

Method for providing service access information in a communication system

A radio communication system selects a serving transceiver for a remote unit by generating and using a center of mass location estimation. The radio communication system collects uplink and downlink signal characteristics, including impaired signals caused by co-channel interference, from a set of transceivers, including those adjacent to and non-adjacent to the candidate transceiver and remote unit, to aid in the estimation of the remote unit's location within the radio communication system. Using the uplink and downlink signal characteristics, the radio communication system determines weighted coordinates related to predetermined coordinates and the signal characteristics which are used to produce a first and second center of mass coordinate estimation. The radio communication system then selects the serving transceiver to be the transceiver whose predetermined coordinates are closest to the first and second center of mass coordinate estimation.

Method and apparatus for selecting a serving transceiver

A flexible-bandwith radio is provided. Briefly, the radio is equipped with a multiplicity of modulator and demodulator units arranged to communicate on a multiplicity of discrete frequency bands. There is no need for the individual frequency bands to be contiguous. As a result, the radio is able to simultaneously supporting a multiplicity of band-limited radio channels. The radio is further equipped with a channel combiner unit and a channel divider unit to combine the individual channels to form a high-capacity aggregate channel. The aggregate channel is then provided to the user, or to a user application. In a first embodiment, the radio utilizes a multiplicity of discrete modulator, demodulator, combiner, and divider units. In a second embodiment, the radio utilizes a suitably-programmed digital signal processor to perform the equivalent modulator, demodulator, combiner, and divider functions.

Flexible-bandwidth radio

A trunked voice/data subscriber is provided that operates in either a voice mode, or one of three data modes. In a first data mode, the voice/data subscriber monitors the voice control channel to enable rapid participation in a voice call. In a second data mode, the subscriber monitors an assigned data channel until either commanded to change modes or until there has been no data activity for a predetermined time interval. Lastly, the subscriber may operate to remain in the last mode used so that, over time, the subscriber resides primarily in the mode predominately used. According to the invention, the voice/data subscriber must request a channel for each voice transmission. However, a data channel request need only be transmitted in no data channels are currently reallocated. If a data channel has been allocated, the subscriber may transmit at any time without first requesting access.

Subscriber unit for a trunked voice/data communication system

A data communications system is described which comprises a general communications controller (GCC), a plurality of channel communications modules (CCM) and associated co-located transmitters and receivers, and a plurality of portable radios. Message signals carrying alphanumeric information are communicated between the GCC and the portable radios by way of a radio channel. Each CCM receiver takes a signal strength measurement every time it receives a message signal from a portable radio. The GCC gathers the signal strength measurements from the GCC receivers receiving the same message signal and computes the radio channel path loss between the portable radio and each base/transmitter-receiver site which received that portable radio's message. The GCC next determines how much transmitter power each base transmitter site can deliver to the portable radio's receiver. The GCC can then determined (a) which sites are capable of delivering a message to the portable radio, and (b) which sites can be simultaneously used for other traffic without producing harmful interference to the first transmission. Since the GCC can manage the levels of co-channel interference, multiple messages may be simultaneously sent from several base transmitters to several portable radios. This mode of system operation provides for greatly enhanced information throughput.

Data communications system transmitter selection method and apparatus

A self-calibrating signal strength detector is described. The present invention utilizes a relatively narrow dynamic range receiver sensitivity threshold indicator circuit to calibrate the output signal of a relatively wide dynamic range signal strength detector. In accordance with the present invention, a processing device monitors the outputs of the signal strength detector and receiver sensitivity threshold indicator circuit simultaneously, and determines a correction factor to be applied to the output of the signal strength detector when the receiver sensitivity threshold indicator circuit indicates that a received signal is at the receiver sensitivity threshold.

Self-calibrating signal strength detector

A radio data communications system is disclosed in which messages, normally lost to interference caused by independent remote units contending for the radio channel, may be salvaged. If a remote unit communicating a message to a fixed site is interrupted by a second remote unit having a stronger radio signal, the fixed site detects the increase of radio signal strength and activates a synchronization detector which responds to a synchronization data bit sequence which precedes each data message. If the synchronization sequence is detected, the remainder of the first remote data unit message is discarded and the message of the second remote data unit is processed.

Message capturing radio data system

Apparatus for randomly offsetting the frequencies of each transmitter in a simulcast radio communications system is described. The random frequency offsetting apparatus includes a random noise source for generating a noise signal which is amplified and low-pass filtered before application separately or in combination with an information signal to the frequency modulation input of a corresponding transmitter. In frequency modulated systems, the noise signal and information signal are combined and modulated onto the transmitters; whereas, in envelope modulated systems, the noise signal is frequency modulated onto the transmitter, and the information signal is envelope modulated onto the transmitter. Since the frequency of each simulcasting transmitter is randomly varying, deep cancellation nulls created in the overlap areas between transmitters by multi-transmitter interference will be randomly distributed in randomly varying locations. Therefore, communications between a central station and remote stations located in the overlap areas will not be interrupted by the nulls for long periods of time, as was possible in prior art simulcast systems.

Growing community of inventors

Cary, IL, United States of America

Stuart W Thro