Patent ID: 6097704
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: H04B,H04W,Y02D

Abstract:
In a time-division-multiple-access (""TDMA"") communication system which communicates between a base unit and plural remote units through a time series of frames and which divides each frame into slots, one of said slots being for control communications between said base unit and said plural remote units, each of the other of said slots being dynamically assigned at a different frequency for transmitting or receiving subscriber-to-subscriber communications associated with a particular remote unit, the improvement comprising dividing each of the other of said slots into two portions during which the particular remote unit receives and makes subscriber-to-subscriber communications at one frequency, and, during subscriber-to-subscriber communications, saving battery power of the particular remote unit by reducing power to the communications portions of the particular remote unit at all times within a frame except during the divided slot assigned to the particular remote unit.