Alan C Macdonald

US Patent:

7010304, Mar 7, 2006

Filed:

Sep 23, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/253403

Inventors:

Ming Zhang - Redmond WA, US
Alan Denis MacDonald - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

Cingular Wireless II, LLC - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04Q 7/20

US Classification:

455446, 455447, 455448, 455449, 455450, 4555621, 343875, 342367, 342423, 342445

Abstract:

Coverage areas for wireless networks are divided into a plurality of cells that are arranged in rows. Channel frequencies are assigned to cell sectors and associated with respective antenna axes. The antenna axes of adjacent rows are alternatingly rotated, thereby reducing co-channel interference. In an example, an available bandwidth is divided into twelve channel frequencies, so that a cell cluster includes four cells. Co-channel cells associated with half the channel frequencies are assigned to cells in the first row of cells, and the remainder are assigned to cells in the second row.

US Patent:

7440758, Oct 21, 2008

Filed:

Mar 6, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/369927

Inventors:

Ming Zhang - Redmond WA, US
Alan Denis MacDonald - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

AT&T Mobility II LLC - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04Q 7/20

US Classification:

455446, 455447, 455448, 455449, 455451, 4555621, 343875, 342367, 342379, 342423, 342445

Abstract:

Coverage areas for wireless networks are divided into a plurality of cells that are arranged in rows. Channel frequencies are assigned to cell sectors and associated with respective antenna axes. The antenna axes of adjacent rows are alternatingly rotated, thereby reducing co-channel interference. In an example, an available bandwidth is divided into twelve channel frequencies, so that a cell cluster includes four cells. Co-channel cells associated with half the channel frequencies are assigned to cells in the first row of cells, and the remainder are assigned to cells in the second row.

US Patent:

7519372, Apr 14, 2009

Filed:

Apr 3, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/473926

Inventors:

Alan Denis MacDonald - Bellevue WA, US
Marc W. Sather - Kingston WA, US
John Lawrence Snapp - Sammamish WA, US

Assignee:

AT&T Mobility II LLC - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04Q 7/20

US Classification:

4554561, 4554562, 4554563, 4554565, 4554566, 455457, 4554042

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for estimating mobile station location include receiving reported signal strengths or other attachment indicator values from a mobile station. The reported signal strengths are compared with characteristic received signal strength values in a coverage area of a mobile network. A mobile switching center determines if a location function is requested and initiates a location estimation process by a mobile location module (MLM). The MLM receives the reported signal strength contours associated with the attachment points. Based on a comparison of the reported attachment indicator values with characteristic values, the MLM provides a mobile location estimate.

US Patent:

7630885, Dec 8, 2009

Filed:

Jun 13, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/423742

Inventors:

Jun Shen - Redmond WA, US
Jack Denenberg - Sammamish WA, US
Alan MacDonald - Redmond WA, US

Assignee:

AT&T Mobility II LLC - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

G10L 19/00

US Classification:

704221

Abstract:

A system and method for providing voice communications with desired characteristics based upon the intended recipient of a voice communication. An apparatus includes a list of dial strings associated with parties having desired voice communication characteristics. A dial string entered by a user and associated with an intended recipient is compared to a list of preferred dial strings to determine the characteristics of an encoded voice signal to be sent to the recipient. The apparatus can include a vocoder having different bit rate modes and a bit rate mode is selected based upon the dial string entered by a user. Dial strings can be stored at the device or on a network. The apparatus can include a mode selector to select a desired vocoder mode to generate an encoded voice signal.

US Patent:

8369870, Feb 5, 2013

Filed:

Dec 22, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/334341

Inventors:

Alan Denis MacDonald - Bellevue WA, US
Marc W. Sather - Kingston WA, US
John Lawrence Snapp - Sammamish WA, US

Assignee:

AT&T Mobility II LLC - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04W 24/00

US Classification:

4554561, 4554042, 4554562, 4554563, 4554565, 4554566, 455457, 3703102, 370328

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for estimating mobile station location include receiving reported signal strengths or other attachment indicator values from a mobile station. The reported signal strengths are compared with characteristic received signal strength values in a coverage area of a mobile network. A mobile switching center determines if a local function is requested and initiates a location estimation process by a mobile location module (MLM). The MLM receives the reported signal strength contours associated with the attachment points. Based on a comparison of the reported attachment indicator values with characteristic values, the MLM provides a mobile location estimate.

US Patent:

20080189082, Aug 7, 2008

Filed:

Feb 5, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/026459

Inventors:

Alan Denis MacDonald - Bellevue WA, US
Philip Godrick Wystan Woods - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

TELECOM TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT INC. - Seattle WA

International Classification:

G06F 17/50
G06G 7/62

US Classification:

703 1, 703 13

Abstract:

A microwave network planner tool (). The network planner tool () allows a user to set parameters for a network design, and to assign weighted values to multiple components of the design of the network. Weighting may be biased to proximity and/or site factors. Executing the tool provides an optimized network designed to constraints defined by the user. For example, if the designer wishes to reduce network cost, the designer may set constraints to the number of links allowed, and may increase the weighting on a selection of preferred location (e.g., a tower with favorable lease conditions).

US Patent:

20090221299, Sep 3, 2009

Filed:

Mar 2, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/396372

Inventors:

Alan Denis MacDonald - Bellevue WA, US
Marc W. Sather - Kingston WA, US
John Lawrence Snapp - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

AT&T MOBILITY II LLC - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04W 64/00

US Classification:

4554561

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for estimating mobile station location include receiving reported signal strengths or other attachment indicator values from a mobile station. The reported signal strengths are compared with characteristic received signal strength values in a coverage area of a mobile network. A mobile switching center determines if a local function is requested and initiates a location estimation process by a mobile location module (MLM). The MLM receives the reported signal strength contours associated with the attachment points. Based on a comparison of the reported attachment indicator values with characteristic values, the MLM provides a mobile location estimate.

US Patent:

20100075653, Mar 25, 2010

Filed:

Nov 25, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/626059

Inventors:

Jun Shen - Redmond WA, US
Jack Denenberg - Sammamish WA, US
Alan MacDonald - Redmond WA, US

International Classification:

H04M 3/00
G10L 19/12

US Classification:

455418, 704221, 704E19008

Abstract:

A system and method for providing voice communications with desired characteristics based upon the intended recipient of a voice communication. An apparatus includes a list of dial strings associated with parties having desired voice communication characteristics. A dial string entered by a user and associated with an intended recipient is compared to a list of preferred dial strings to determine the characteristics of an encoded voice signal to be sent to the recipient. The apparatus can include a vocoder having different bit rate modes and a bit rate mode is selected based upon the dial string entered by a user. Dial strings can be stored at the device or on a network. The apparatus can include a mode selector to select a desired vocoder mode to generate an encoded voice signal.