US6690938B1 — System and method for reducing dropped calls in a…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 114 words

A system for reducing dropped calls in a wireless communications network comprising: means for determining currently available wireless communications system traffic resources; means for estimating that a time required for a request for release of supplemental resources to be sent, a response to be sent back, for supplemental resources to be de-allocated and reallocated as traffic channels will not cause a dropped call; means for transmitting said request for release of supplemental resources in response to determining currently available wireless communications system traffic resources; and means for selectively de-allocating wireless communications system supplemental resources and providing said supplemental resources for use as traffic resources in response to said request for release of supplement resources.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 114 words

A system for reducing dropped calls in a wireless communications network comprising: means for determining currently available wireless communications system traffic resources; means for estimating that a time required for a request for release of supplemental resources to be sent, a response to be sent back, for supplemental resources to be de-allocated and reallocated as traffic channels will not cause a dropped call; means for transmitting said request for release of supplemental resources in response to determining currently available wireless communications system traffic resources; and means for selectively de-allocating wireless communications system supplemental resources and providing said supplemental resources for use as traffic resources in response to said request for release of supplement resources.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said currently available wireless communications system traffic resources include currently available traffic channels.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communications system supplemental resources include supplemental channels.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 53 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said means for determining includes means for comparing a number of used traffic channels with a number of total traffic channels and providing said request when the difference between said number of total traffic channels and said number of used traffic channels is less than a threshold.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 44 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said means for determining includes means for monitoring when a call handoff request and/or a call origination request is blocked at a base station transceiver subsystem call resource manager and providing said request when said call is blocked.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 68 words

The system of claim 5 wherein said means for selectively de-allocating includes means for sending a message to a selector bank subsystem radio link manager, receiving a first response from said selector bank subsystem radio link manager, requesting a de-allocation of said supplemental resources, and upon completion of de-allocation in response to said de-allocation request, reallocating said supplemental resources as traffic resources by controlling corresponding traffic channel elements.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 49 words

The system of claim 6 further including means for estimating said time required by said means for sending said request, receiving said response, de-allocating said supplemental resources, and reallocating said supplemental resources, and disabling said means for sending said request if said time is larger than a predetermined time.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system of claim 6 wherein said means for selectively de-allocating includes software running on a base station transceiver subsystem.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 41 words

The system as in claim 1 , further comprising: means for selectively de-allocating wireless communications system supplemental resources and providing said supplemental resources for use as traffic resources as a function of the currently in-use supplemental resources and the estimated time.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system as in claim 1 , further comprising: means for determining currently in-use supplemental resources.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 39 words

The system as in claim 10 , wherein said means for selectively de-allocating wireless communications system supplemental resources further comprises: means for selectively de-allocating wireless communications system fundamental resources and providing said fundamental resources for use as traffic resources.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 67 words

The system as in claim 1 , further comprising: means for determining currently in-use supplemental resources, wherein said means for selectively de-allocating wireless communications system supplemental resources and providing said supplemental resources for use as traffic resources further comprises: means for selectively de-allocating wireless communications system supplemental resources and providing said supplemental resources for use as traffic resources as a function of the currently in-use supplemental resources.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 118 words

A system for managing traffic resources and supplementary resources in a wireless communications system comprising: means for maintaining a predetermined threshold for traffic resources; means for determining if currently available traffic resources are below said threshold and providing a request for release of supplemental resources in response thereto; means for estimating that a time required for said request for release of supplemental resources to be sent, a response to be sent back, for supplemental resources to be de-allocated and reallocated as traffic channels will not cause a dropped call; and means for de-allocating in-use supplementary resources and reallocating said supplementary resources as traffic resources so that said traffic resources are above said threshold in response to said request.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 118 words

A system for managing traffic resources and supplementary resources in a wireless communications system comprising: means for maintaining a predetermined threshold for traffic resources; means for determining if currently available traffic resources are below said threshold and providing a request for release of supplemental resources in response thereto; means for estimating that a time required for said request for release of supplemental resources to be sent, a response to be sent back, for supplemental resources to be de-allocated and reallocated as traffic channels will not cause a dropped call; and means for de-allocating in-use supplementary resources and reallocating said supplementary resources as traffic resources so that said traffic resources are above said threshold in response to said request.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 54 words

The system of claim 13 wherein said means for de-allocating includes means for initiating a request from a call resource manager in a base station transceiver subsystem to a selector bank subsystem within a base station controller governing said wireless communications system to reassign channel elements associated with supplemental channels to traffic channel elements.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 88 words

A method for reducing dropped calls in a wireless communications network comprising the steps of: determining currently available wireless communications system traffic resources and providing a request for release of supplemental resources in response thereto; estimating a time required for a request for release of supplemental resources to be sent, a response to be sent back, for supplemental resources to be de-allocated and reallocated as traffic channels; and selectively de-allocating wireless communications system supplemental resources and reallocating said supplemental resources as traffic resources in response to said request.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 88 words

A method for reducing dropped calls in a wireless communications network comprising the steps of: determining currently available wireless communications system traffic resources and providing a request for release of supplemental resources in response thereto; estimating a time required for a request for release of supplemental resources to be sent, a response to be sent back, for supplemental resources to be de-allocated and reallocated as traffic channels; and selectively de-allocating wireless communications system supplemental resources and reallocating said supplemental resources as traffic resources in response to said request.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 15 , wherein said currently available wireless communications system traffic resources include currently available traffic channels.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 15 , wherein said wireless communications system supplemental resources include supplemental channels.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 15 , wherein said determining includes comparing a number of used traffic channels with a number of total traffic channels and providing said request when the difference between said number of total traffic channels and said number of used traffic channels is less than a threshold.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 15 , wherein said determining includes monitoring when a call handoff request and/or a call origination request is blocked at a base station transceiver subsystem call resource manager and providing said signal when said call is blocked.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 15 , where said selectively de-allocating includes sending a message to a selector bank subsystem radio link manager, requesting a de-allocation in response to said de-allocation request, reallocating said supplemental resources as traffic resources by controlling corresponding traffic channel elements.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 20 further comprising disabling said sending a message if said estimated time is larger than a predetermined time.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 99 words

A method for managing traffic resources and supplementary resources in a wireless communications system, comprising: maintaining a threshold for traffic resources; determining if currently available traffic resources are below said threshold and providing a signal in response thereto; estimating a time required for a request for release of in-use supplemental resources to be sent, a response to be sent back, for in-use supplemental resources to be de-allocated and reallocated as traffic channels; and de-allocating in-use supplementary resources and reallocating said supplementary resources as traffic resources so that said traffic resources are above said threshold in response to said signal.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 99 words

A method for managing traffic resources and supplementary resources in a wireless communications system, comprising: maintaining a threshold for traffic resources; determining if currently available traffic resources are below said threshold and providing a signal in response thereto; estimating a time required for a request for release of in-use supplemental resources to be sent, a response to be sent back, for in-use supplemental resources to be de-allocated and reallocated as traffic channels; and de-allocating in-use supplementary resources and reallocating said supplementary resources as traffic resources so that said traffic resources are above said threshold in response to said signal.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 22 , wherein said de-allocating includes initiating a request from a call resource manager in a base station transceiver subsystem to a selector bank subsystem within a base station controller governing said wireless communication system to reassign channel elements associated with supplemental channels to traffic channel elements.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 91 words

A base station, comprising: a call resource manager that receives a request for release of a supplemental channel, receives a time estimate for a request for release of the supplemental channel to be sent, a response to be sent back, for the supplemental channel to be de-allocated and reallocated as a traffic channel; and if the time estimate is above a predetermined value, commands a release of the supplemental channel, receives a response indicating release of the supplemental channel, and sends a response message indicating allocation of the released supplemental channel.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 91 words

A base station, comprising: a call resource manager that receives a request for release of a supplemental channel, receives a time estimate for a request for release of the supplemental channel to be sent, a response to be sent back, for the supplemental channel to be de-allocated and reallocated as a traffic channel; and if the time estimate is above a predetermined value, commands a release of the supplemental channel, receives a response indicating release of the supplemental channel, and sends a response message indicating allocation of the released supplemental channel.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 18 words

The base station of claim 24 further comprising an overhead channel manager that manages access and registration messages.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 153 words

A base station, comprising: a call resource manager that receives a handoff message from a first mobile station, receives a time estimate for a request for release of supplemental channels to be sent, a response to be sent back, for the supplemental channels to be de-allocated and reallocated as traffic channels; sends a first release m supplemental channels (m≧1) message to a second mobile station, receives a second release m supplemental channels message from the second mobile station, sends to the second mobile station, a response message to the second release m supplemental channels message, sends a de-allocate request message requesting de-allocation of a m supplemental channels, receives a de-allocate response message for every supplemental channel indicating a supplemental channel was de-allocated, and sends a resource response message to the first mobile station indicating the m supplemental channels were de-allocated; and a traffic channel element that allocates and releases the m supplemental channels.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 153 words

A base station, comprising: a call resource manager that receives a handoff message from a first mobile station, receives a time estimate for a request for release of supplemental channels to be sent, a response to be sent back, for the supplemental channels to be de-allocated and reallocated as traffic channels; sends a first release m supplemental channels (m≧1) message to a second mobile station, receives a second release m supplemental channels message from the second mobile station, sends to the second mobile station, a response message to the second release m supplemental channels message, sends a de-allocate request message requesting de-allocation of a m supplemental channels, receives a de-allocate response message for every supplemental channel indicating a supplemental channel was de-allocated, and sends a resource response message to the first mobile station indicating the m supplemental channels were de-allocated; and a traffic channel element that allocates and releases the m supplemental channels.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2007-02-09	2007-08-11	2008-02-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2011-02-09	2011-08-11	2012-02-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2015-02-09	2015-08-11	2016-02-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for reducing dropped calls in a wireless communications network

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