Patent ID: 7266141
Filing Date: 2007-09-04
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A method for introducing a portable wireless communication terminal into a time division multiple access frequency hopping radio communications system comprised of a base unit that is capable of communicating with a plurality of portable wireless communication terminals via an uplink subframe and a downlink subframe, each subframe including a first frequency hop and a second frequency hop, where the first hops are each comprised of one or more time slots and each employ non-adaptive default frequency hopping patterns, and the second hops are each comprised of one or more time slots and each employ adaptive frequency hopping patterns, and where for each subframe at least one of the first hop and the second hop is comprised of a plurality of time slots, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting by the portable terminal a request signal during a first time slot within the first frequency hop of the uplink subframe; determining that the first time slot is the only slot in the first and second frequency hops of the uplink subframe available for use by the portable terminal; converting the frequency hopping pattern of the first frequency hop of at least one subframe from the non-adaptive default pattern to an adaptive pattern; communicating by the portable terminal during the first time slot; determining that a second time slot in the uplink subframe has become available for use; transitioning communications between the base unit and the portable terminal from the first time slot to the second time slot; converting the frequency hopping patterns of the first frequency hops to the default nonadaptive pattern.