Discriminating between channels in wireless communication systems

Claim 1

A method for distinguishing between three or more channel types in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of: decoding control values associated with a received signal; making an initial determination of channel type based on a channel coding determined to be associated with the decoded control values; decoding the received signal using the determined channel coding to obtain decoded control information; and refining the initial determination based on whether the decoded control information displays one of a plurality of trends each trend being associated with one of the three or more channel types.

Claim 2

A method for distinguishing between three or more channel types in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of: decoding control values associated with a received signal; making an initial determination of channel type based on a channel coding determined to be associated with the decoded control values; decoding the received signal using the determined channel coding to obtain decoded control information; and refining the initial determination based on whether the decoded control information displays one of a plurality of trends each trend being associated with one of the three or more channel types.

Claim 9

A method for identifying a received signal as being one of N channel types in a communication system, where N is at least three, each channel type being encoded with one of up to N channel coding sets, comprising the steps of; distinguishing between a first channel type and the remaining channel types based on a channel coding set of a received signal; and identifying the received signal as being one of the remaining channel types based on whether decoded control values included in the received signals exhibit a general trend wherein each general trend is associated with one of the N channel types wherein said channel coding set is determined to be associated with said decoded control values.

Claim 10

A method for identifying a received signal as being one of N channel types in a communication system, where N is at least three, each channel type being encoded with one of up to N channel coding sets, comprising the steps of; distinguishing between a first channel type and the remaining channel types based on a channel coding set of a received signal; and identifying the received signal as being one of the remaining channel types based on whether decoded control values included in the received signals exhibit a general trend wherein each general trend is associated with one of the N channel types wherein said channel coding set is determined to be associated with said decoded control values.

Claim 18

A method for identifying a received signal as being one of up to N channel types in a communication system, where N is at least three, each channel type having one of up to N associated channel coding sets and control information included in the received signal having one of up to N associated trends, comprising the steps of: making an initial determination of channel type based on the channel coding set associated with the control information; decoding the control information using the determined channel coding set to obtain decoded control values; and refining the initial determination, if necessary, based on whether the decoded control information displays one of the up to N associated trends wherein said channel coding set is determined to be associated with said decoded control values.

Claim 19

A method for identifying a received signal as being one of up to N channel types in a communication system, where N is at least three, each channel type having one of up to N associated channel coding sets and control information included in the received signal having one of up to N associated trends, comprising the steps of: making an initial determination of channel type based on the channel coding set associated with the control information; decoding the control information using the determined channel coding set to obtain decoded control values; and refining the initial determination, if necessary, based on whether the decoded control information displays one of the up to N associated trends wherein said channel coding set is determined to be associated with said decoded control values.

Claim 27

A method for distinguishing between received communication signals of three channel types including a control channel, a traffic channel and packet data channel, said method comprising the steps of: evaluating a predetermined field received as part of said signals within a plurality of timeslots; identifying said received signal as a control channel if a sequence within said predetermined field operates as an up counter, as a packet data channel if the sequence operates as a down counter, or as a traffic channel if the sequence remains constant.

Claim 28

A method for distinguishing between received communication signals of three channel types including a control channel, a traffic channel and packet data channel, said method comprising the steps of: evaluating a predetermined field received as part of said signals within a plurality of timeslots; identifying said received signal as a control channel if a sequence within said predetermined field operates as an up counter, as a packet data channel if the sequence operates as a down counter, or as a traffic channel if the sequence remains constant.

Claim 29

A method for distinguishing between digital control channels (DCCHs), packet digital control channels (PDCHs) and digital traffic channels (DTCs) in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of: (a) accessing superframe phase (SFP) information from coded superframe phase/packet channel feedback (CSFP/PCF) fields; (b) performing an exclusive OR function on check bits of said SFP information accessed at said step (a) with 1, 1, 1, 1, 1; (c) transmitting said SFP information having the exclusive OR function performed thereon at said step (b) on a radio channel; and (d) detecting DCCH when the transmitted SFP information is counting up, detecting PDCH when the transmitted SFP information is counting down and detecting DTC when the SFP remains constant.

Claim 30

A method for distinguishing between digital control channels (DCCHs), packet digital control channels (PDCHs) and digital traffic channels (DTCs) in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of: (a) accessing superframe phase (SFP) information from coded superframe phase/packet channel feedback (CSFP/PCF) fields; (b) performing an exclusive OR function on check bits of said SFP information accessed at said step (a) with 1, 1, 1, 1, 1; (c) transmitting said SFP information having the exclusive OR function performed thereon at said step (b) on a radio channel; and (d) detecting DCCH when the transmitted SFP information is counting up, detecting PDCH when the transmitted SFP information is counting down and detecting DTC when the SFP remains constant.