US6349094B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for wireless communications employing control for broadcast transmission
Assignee: SC-WIRELESS Inc
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Filing: 1999-08-25
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Granted: 2002-02-19
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Expires: 2019-08-25
Abstract
Abstract A communication system having a plurality of forward channel communications and a plurality of corresponding reverse channel communications from and to a plurality of mobile users. A plurality of broadcaster transmitters are distributed at macro-diverse locations for transmitting forward channel signals to the users under control of a broadcaster control unit. A plurality of collectors are distributed at macro-diverse locations for receiving reverse channel signals from the users which are processed to yield one or more sequences of data bits as a burst and corresponding initial confidence metrics for each bit. The collectors forward these reverse channel signals including the data bits and corresponding processed confidence metrics to aggregators. The system includes bandwidth control for minimizing backhaul bandwidth from collector to aggregator while maximizing signal quality.
Inventors
- 👤 John Andrew Vastano
- 👤 Lance Kazumi Uyehara
- 👤 Ujjal Kumar Ghoshtagore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 08:38
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/02; H04B7/04; H04B7/0491; H04B7/022; H04B7/08; H04B7/0837; H04B7/084
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A communication system having a plurality of channels comprising, broadcaster means including a plurality of macro-diverse broadcaster transmitters for broadcasting forward channel signals and a broadcaster control for controlling the broadcaster transmitters, a plurality of users for receiving the forward channel signals and for transmitting user signals in user channels, a plurality of macro-diverse collector means distributed at macro-diverse locations, each of said collector means including, collector receiver means for receiving said user signals and providing a plurality of received signals for each of said plurality of users, collector processing means for processing said received signals to form collector signals including sequences of data bits representing the received signals and including initial confidence metrics corresponding to said data bits for each of said plurality of users, where the initial confidence metrics are represented by an initial number of metric bits, said collector processing means including collector confidence metric processing means for processing said initial confidence metrics to form processed confidence metrics having bandwidth values, aggregator means for combining said collector signals using said processed confidence metrics from said plurality of macro-diverse collector means for each of said plurality of users to form a final sequence of data bits representing the user signals for each of said plurality of users, bandwidth control means for controlling said bandwidth values.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
A communication system having a plurality of channels comprising, broadcaster means including a plurality of macro-diverse broadcaster transmitters for broadcasting forward channel signals and a broadcaster control for controlling the broadcaster transmitters, a plurality of users for receiving the forward channel signals and for transmitting user signals in user channels, a plurality of macro-diverse collector means distributed at macro-diverse locations, each of said collector means including, collector receiver means for receiving said user signals and providing a plurality of received signals for each of said plurality of users, collector processing means for processing said received signals to form collector signals including sequences of data bits representing the received signals and including initial confidence metrics corresponding to said data bits for each of said plurality of users, where the initial confidence metrics are represented by an initial number of metric bits, said collector processing means including collector confidence metric processing means for processing said initial confidence metrics to form processed confidence metrics having bandwidth values, aggregator means for combining said collector signals using said processed confidence metrics from said plurality of macro-diverse collector means for each of said plurality of users to form a final sequence of data bits representing the user signals for each of said plurality of users, bandwidth control means for controlling said bandwidth values.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein said bandwidth control means is static whereby said bandwidth values are fixed according to initial setup conditions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein said bandwidth control means is dynamic whereby said bandwidth values are modified according to conditions that change during the operation of said communication system as a function of time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The communication system of claim 3 wherein said bandwidth control means includes local bandwidth control means in said collector processing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The communication system of claim 3 wherein said bandwidth control means includes central bandwidth control means in said aggregator means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
96 words
The communication system of claim 3 wherein said bandwidth control means includes, for each of said plurality of macro-diverse collector means, local bandwidth control means for controlling bandwidth levels, central bandwidth control means in said aggregator means receiving information from said plurality of macro-diverse collector means to provide central information for setting bandwidth levels for said macro-diverse collector means, control channel means connecting said central bandwidth control means to said local bandwidth control means in said plurality of macro-diverse collector means for sending said central information to control the bandwidth levels of said macro-diverse collector means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The communication system of claim 6 wherein at each particular macro-diverse collector means of said plurality of macro-diverse collector means, said local bandwidth control means includes local processing means for processing local information at said particular macro-diverse collector means to set the bandwidth level of said particular macro-diverse collector means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The communication system of claim 7 wherein said local processing means receives said central information and sets the bandwidth level of said particular macro-diverse collector means based upon said central information and said local information.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The communication system of claim 7 wherein said local information is based on signal quality.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The communication system of claim 7 wherein said local information is based on signal quality measured against a plurality of quality thresholds.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The communication system of claim 7 wherein said central information is based on current parameters and stored parameters.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The communication system of claim 11 wherein said current parameters are the location of a user and the stored parameters are known poor signal quality locations in a zone.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The communication system of claim 6 wherein said central bandwidth control means includes a plurality of modules executable for controlling bandwidth values.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The communication system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of modules include a module for determining collector signal quality.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The communication system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of modules include a module for selecting participating collectors.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The communication system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of modules include a module for combining collector signals.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The communication system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of modules include a module for centralized determining collector bandwidth.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The communication system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of modules include a module for updating collector bandwidth usage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The communication system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of modules include a module for adjusting collector quality parameters.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein said collector confidence metric processing means processes said initial confidence metrics to form processed confidence metrics represented by a processed number of metric bits fewer than said initial number of metric bits.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein said aggregator means includes aggregator confidence metric processing means for processing said processed confidence metrics to form aggregator confidence metrics for each of said data bits.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
48 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein said collector processing means includes group processing means for processing said initial confidence metrics in groups to form said processed confidence metrics as grouped confidence metrics having grouped numbers of confidence metric bits fewer than said initial number of metric bits.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
90 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein the initial confidence metrics have an initial range, a in , represented by an initial number of metric bits, γ in , and said collector confidence metric processing means includes range processing means for processing the initial confidence metrics to form processed confidence metrics having a processed range, a p , represented by a processed number of metric bits, γ p , where the processed number of metric bits, γ p is less than the initial number of metric bits, γ in .
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
221 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein said collector processing means includes group processing means for processing said initial confidence metrics having an initial range, a in , represented by an initial number of metric bits, γ in , in groups, 1 , . . . , G , to form grouped confidence metrics including the confidence metrics 1 , . . . , g1 for group G 1 ; (g1+1) , . . . , g2 ; for group G 2 ; . . . ; (g3+1) , . . . , gG for group GG having grouped numbers of confidence metric bits, γ g , fewer than said initial number of metric bits, wherein said collector confidence metric processing means includes range processing means for processing the grouped confidence metrics having an initial range, a in , represented by an initial number of metric bits, γ in , to form processed confidence metrics having a processed range, a p , represented by a processed number of metric bits, γ p , where the processed number of metric bits, γ p is less than the initial number of metric bits, γ in , wherein said aggregator means includes aggregator confidence metric processing means for processing said processed confidence metrics to form aggregator confidence metrics for each of said data bits.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
80 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein, said collector receiver means includes a plurality of micro-diversity receivers each for receiving said user signals and providing a plurality of micro-diverse received signals for each of said plurality of users, said collector processing means processes said micro-diverse received signals to form said collector signals including sequences of data bits representing the micro-diverse received signals and including said initial confidence metrics corresponding to said data bits for each of said plurality of user.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
111 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein said aggregator means receives, from N c of said collector means, N c macro-diverse collector signals each having a processed confidence metric value, α c b for each bit and combines said processed confidence metric values to form an average processed confidence metric, agg c b , as follows: c b agg = 1 N c ∑ α = 1 N c s b α ( c b α + 1 ) where, agg c b =average processed confidence metric α c b =number ranging between (0) and (+α) α s b =sign N c =number of macro-diverse collector signals.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
132 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein said aggregator means receives, from N c of said collector means, N c macro-diverse collector signals each having a processed confidence metric value, α c b for each bit and each having a weighting factor, α w b , for each bit and combines said processed confidence metric values to form a weighted average confidence metric, agg c b , as follows: c b agg = 1 N c ∑ α = 1 N c w b α s b α ( c b α + 1 ) where, agg c b =weighted average processed confidence metric α c b =number α s b =sign N c =number of macro-diverse collector signals α w b =weighting factor for each bit.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
The communication system of claim 1 wherein said user signals employ multiple access protocols.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The communication system of claim 28 wherein said user signals employ TDMA protocols.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
The communication system of claim 28 wherein said user signals employ CDMA protocols.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
The communication system of claim 28 wherein said user signals employ SDMA protocols.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The communication system of claim 28 wherein said user signals employ FDMA protocols.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-02-18 | 2005-08-20 | 2006-02-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-02-18 | 2009-08-20 | 2010-02-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-02-18 | 2013-08-20 | 2014-02-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |