The present invention is generally directed to a system for monitoring a variety of environmental and/or other conditions within a defined remotely located region. In one aspect, a system is configured to monitor utility meters (613) in a defined area. The system is implemented by using a plurality of wireless transmitters (614), each integrated into a sensor (612) adapted to monitor a particular data input. The system also includes a plurality of transceivers (221) that are dispersed throughout the region at defined locations. The system uses a local gateway (210) to translate and transfer information from the transmitters to a dedicated computer (260) on a network (230). The dedicated computer collects, compiles and stores the data for retrieval upon client demand across the network. The computer further includes means for evaluating the received information and identifying an appropriate control signal to be applied at a designated actuator.

System and method for monitoring and controlling remote devices

An intelligent automated assistant system engages with the user in an integrated, conversational manner using natural language dialog, and invokes external services when appropriate to obtain information or perform various actions. The system can be implemented using any of a number of different platforms, such as the web, email, smartphone, and the like, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the system is based on sets of interrelated domains and tasks, and employs additional functionally powered by external services with which the system can interact.

Intelligent Automated Assistant

A location system for commercial wireless telecommunication infrastructures (CMRRs). The system is an end-to-end solution having one or more location systems ( 42 ) for outputting requested locations of commercially available hand sets or mobile stations (not shown) based on, e.g. AMPS, NAMPS, CDMA or TDMA communication standards, for processing both local mobile station location requests and more global mobile station location requests via, e.g., Internet communication between a distributed network of location systems. The system uses a plurality of mobile station locating technologies including those based on: two-way TOA and TDOA; home base stations and distributed antenna provisioning. Further, the system can be modularly configured for use in location signaling environments ranging from urban, dense urban, suburban, rural, mountain to low traffic or isolated roadways. Accordingly, the system is useful for 911 emergency calls, tracking, routing, people and animal location including applications for confinement to and from certain areas.

Location of a mobile station using a plurality of commercial wireless infrastructures

A location system is disclosed for commercial wireless telecommunication infrastructures. The system is an end-to-end solution having one or more location centers for outputting requested locations of commercially available handsets or mobile stations (MS) based on, e.g., CDMA, AMPS, NAMPS or TDMA communication standards, for processing both local MS location requests and more global MS location requests via, e.g., Internet communication between a distributed network of location centers. The system uses a plurality of MS locating technologies including those based on: (1) two-way TOA and TDOA; (2) pattern recognition; (3) distributed antenna provisioning; (5) GPS signals, (6) angle of arrival, (7) super resolution enhancements, and (8) supplemental information from various types of very low cost non-infrastructure base stations for communicating via a typical commercial wireless base station infrastructure or a public telephone switching network. Accordingly, the traditional MS location difficulties, such as multipath, poor location accuracy and poor coverage are alleviated via such technologies in combination with strategies for: (a) automatically adapting and calibrating system performance according to environmental and geographical changes; (b) automatically capturing location signal data for continual enhancement of a self-maintaining historical data base retaining predictive location signal data; (c) evaluating MS locations according to both heuristics and constraints related to, e.g., terrain, MS velocity and MS path extrapolation from tracking and (d) adjusting likely MS locations adaptively and statistically so that the system becomes progressively more comprehensive and accurate. Further, the system can be modularly configured for use in location signing environments ranging from urban, dense urban, suburban, rural, mountain to low traffic or isolated roadways. Accordingly, the system is useful for 911 emergency calls, tracking, routing, people and animal location including applications for confinement to and exclusion from certain areas.

Wireless location using multiple location estimators

A cellular cordless telephone (10) operates with both a cordless base station (180) and a cellular base station (190) and cellular control terminal (196). In one embodiment (FIG. 2), a cellular cordless telephone (100) includes a cellular transceiver (120), antenna (128), keyboard (140), a display (180), handset (160), and microcomputer (130) together with a cordless transceiver (110) and antenna (118), all of which may be in a single housing. In another embodiment (FIG. 3), a cellular cordless telephone (200) includes a cellular telephone (220) and a cordless telephone transceiver (210) which may be a plugable module. Whenever cellular cordless telephone (10) is within range of cordless base station (180), telephone calls may be made over the cordless radio channel or transferred from the cellular radio channels to the cordless radio channel. If the cellular cordless telephone (10) thereafter moves out of range of the cordless base station (180), telephone calls may be made over the cellular radio channels or transferred from the cordless radio channel to one of the cellular telephone channels.

Cellular cordless telephone

A method for determining a final propagation loss of a signal transmitted from a transmitter (302) and received at a receiver (303) located in a proximity of a road (340) in a predefined area (350) includes calculating an environmental factor based on a transportation network information associated with predefined area (350), and determining the final propagation loss based on the environmental factor A method of creating a data base used for calculating the propagation loss includes providing a preliminary data base, calculating a road density constant based on a road profile of predefined area (350), calculating a road constant based on a road classification profile of road (340), calculating the environmental factor by summing the road density constant, and the road constant, and modifying the preliminary data base according to the environmental factor to produce the data base

Method of calculating signal propagation loss and creating a data base therefor

A method and system for processing, in a wireless communication device, data concerning a group resource allocation enables efficient use of radio frequency resources. The method includes processing a group properties message received from a radio access network (block 1410 ). The group properties message comprises group properties for a scheduling group, and the group properties comprise a group identifier that identifies the scheduling group. A group assignment message received from the radio access network is then processed (block 1425 ). The group assignment message comprises the group identifier and a position assignment within the scheduling group. The group properties are then associated with the group assignment message (block 1430 ).

Method and system for processing group resource allocations

An electronic system and a method substantially eliminates any delays caused by buffering of a signal containing speech. The electronic system comprises a receiver for receiving signals (16), a buffer (26), coupled to the receiver, a buffer controller (28) coupled to the buffer, and an audio section (32) for presenting signals received to a listener. The method comprises the following steps. The receiver receives an input signal representing speech, and produces an output signal representing the input signal after a delay intentionally introduced in the system. The delay corresponds to the length of the buffer. The buffer stores the input signal in the buffer at an input rate, and produces the output signal at an output rate. The buffer controller determines whether the delay or buffer length is greater than a predetermined threshold, and analyzes at least a portion of the input signal stored in the buffer to determine which parts of the input signal may be removed without substantial deterioration of the signal quality according to at least one predetermined criterion, when the buffer length is greater than a predetermined length. The buffer controller then deletes at least some of the parts of the input signal stored in the buffer that comply with the predetermined criterion.

Automatic length-reducing audio delay line

A method for improved frequency assignment includes recording communications events (130), for example handoff statistics, for subscriber units handing to and away from a base station (931). The handoff statistics include the IDs of the other base stations (932-937) involved in the handoff, preferably along with the date and time of the handoff. The statistics of the handoff count are applied based on the number of occurrences within a time period (140), and are used to accept or reject the potential frequency assignments obtained from an assignment process. In one embodiment of this process, using a Q estimate, obtained from residual powers recorded on each frequency (430-435), a candidate frequency is chosen based on the lowest Q value (440). This candidate is tested against the handoff statistics, and if rejected, a frequency with the next lowest Q level is tested (450-470). This process is repeated until a frequency is assigned.

Method and apparatus for frequency assignment of a base station

Transmission of candidate-sector signalling channels are synchronized to facilitate mobile-assisted handoff (MAHO) measurements by a mobile (125). Transmitters in candidate sectors each transmit their signalling channel at distinct frequencies and at predetermined intervals. The transmission of each signalling channel by each candidate sector transmitter is synchronized to provide a known reference to the mobile (125). When instructed, the mobile (125) need only to perform MAHO measurements at the predetermined intervals in the order and at the frequency instructed.

John D. Reed

Papers

Method of calculating signal propagation loss and creating a data base therefor

Method and system for processing group resource allocations

Automatic length-reducing audio delay line

Method and apparatus for frequency assignment of a base station

Signal transmission synchronization in a communication system