Subscriber RF telephone system for providing multiple speech and/or data signals simultaneously over either a single or a plurality of RF

Claims

We claim:

1. A method for processing at least one signal capable of carrying information received from trunk means for transmission over a radio frequency (RF) link to at least one predetermined receive unit, comprising the steps of:

(A) receiving the information signal from the trunk means for processing for transmission over the RF link to the predetermined receive unit capable of receiving and processing the information signal;

(B) processing the information signal received at step (A) by substeps of:

(1) assigning pathing for processing the information signal to be transmitted over the RF link to the predetermined receive unit,

(2) sampling in a predetermined manner the information signal being processed according to pathing assigned at substep (B)(1) to produce signal samples representative of the information signal,

(3) compressing the signal samples such that such signal samples may be reconstructed at the predetermined receive unit to substantially provide the same information as the information signal provided before being processed according to step (B), with the compression step resulting in a selective deletion of predetermined portions of the signal samples such that there will be substantially non-degraded, reconstructed signal samples, and

(4) placing the compressed signal samples representative of the information signal in predetermined discrete positions of repeating segments of a transmit signal channel; and

(C) transmitting over the RF link to the predetermined receive unit the portion of each segment of the transmit signal channel containing the compressed signal samples representative of the information signal.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein substep (B)(2) further comprises the sub-substeps of:

(a) capturing an analog information signal from the trunk means, and

(b) converting the analog information signal to signal samples representative of the analog information signal.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein sub-substep (B)(2)(b) further includes converting the analog information signal to digital signal samples representative of the analog information signal.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein substep (B)(2) further comprises the sub-substeps of:

(a) capturing a digital information signal from the trunk means, and

(b) converting the digital information signal to signal samples representative of the digital information signal.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein sub-substep (B)(2)(b) further includes converting the digital information signal to digital signal samples representative of the digital information signal.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein substep (B)(4) further comprises placing the compressed signal samples representative of the information signal in a predetermined, discrete time slot of each repeating segment of the transmit signal channel.

7. A method for processing at least one signal capable of carrying information received from a network over trunk means for transmission over a radio frequency (RF) link to at least one predetermined receive unit, comprising the steps of:

(A) receiving the information signal from the network over the trunk means for processing for transmission over the RF link to the predetermined receive unit capable of receiving and processing the information signal;

(B) processing the information signal received at step (A) by substeps of:

(1) assigning pathing for processing the information signal to be transmitted over the RF link to the predetermined receive unit,

(2) sampling in a predetermined manner the information signal being processed according to pathing assigned at substep (B)(1) to produce signal samples representative of the information signal,

(3) compressing the signal samples such that such signal samples may be reconstructed at the predetermined receive unit to substantially provide the same information as the information signal provided before being processed according to step (B), with the compression step resulting in a selective deletion of predetermined portions of the signal samples such that there will be substantially non-degraded, reconstructed signal samples, and

(4) placing the compressed signal samples representative of the information signal in predetermined, discrete positions of repeating segments of a transmit signal channel; and

(C) transmitting over the RF link to the predetermined receive unit the portion of each segment of the transmit signal channel containing the compressed signal samples representative of the information signal.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein substep (B)(2) further comprises the sub-substeps of:

(a) capturing an analog information signal from the network, and

(b) converting the analog information signal to signal samples representative of the analog information signal.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein sub-substep (B)(2)(b) further includes converting the analog information signal to digital signal samples representative of the analog information signal.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein substep (B)(2) further comprises the sub-substeps of:

(a) capturing a digital information signal from the network, and

(b) converting the digital information signal to signal samples representative of the digital information signal.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein sub-substep (B)(2)(b) further includes converting the digital information signal to digital signal samples representative of the digital information signal.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein substep (B)(4) further comprises placing the compressed signal samples representative of the information signal in a predetermined, discrete time slot of each repeating segment of the transmit signal channel.

13. A method for processing a plurality of signals with each signal being capable of carrying information, the plurality of information signals further being received over trunk means for transmission over radio frequency (RF) links to predetermined receive units, comprising the steps of:

(A) receiving the plurality of information signals from the trunk means for processing for transmission over the RF links to predetermined receive units capable of receiving and processing information signals;

(B) processing the plurality of information signals received at step (A) by substeps of:

(1) assigning pathing for processing each of the plurality of information signals to be transmitted over the RF links to predetermined receive units,

(2) sampling in a predetermined manner each of the plurality of information signals being processing according to pathing assigned at substep (B)(1) to produce signal samples representative of each of the plurality of information signals,

(3) compressing the signal samples representative of each of the plurality of information signals being processed according to pathing assigned at substep (B)(1) such that such signal samples may be reconstructed at predetermined receive units to provide substantially the same information as the respective information signals provided before being processed at step (B), with the compression step resulting in a selective deletion of predetermined portions of the signal samples such that there will be substantially non-degraded, reconstructed signal samples, and

(4) placing the compressed signal samples representative of each of the plurality of information signals in predetermined, discrete positions of repeating segments of a transmit signal channel; and

(C) transmitting for each of the respective information signals of the plurality of information signals over at least one RF link to at least one predetermined receive unit the portion of each repeating segments of the transmit signal channel containing the compressed signal samples for each of such plurality of information samples.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein substep (B)(2) further comprises the sub-substeps of:

(a) capturing each of a plurality of analog information signals from the trunk means, and

(b) converting each of the plurality of analog information signals to signal samples representative of the analog information signals.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein sub-substep (B)(2)(b) further includes converting each of the plurality of analog information signals to digital signal samples representative of the analog information signals.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein substep (B)(2) further comprises the sub-substeps of:

(a) capturing each of a plurality of digital information signals from the trunk means, and

(b) converting each of the plurality of the digital information signals to signal samples representative of the digital information signals.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein sub-substep (B)(2)(b) further includes converting the digital information signals to digital signal samples representative of the digital information signals.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein substep (B)(4) further comprises placing the compressed signal samples representative of each of the plurality of information signals in a predetermined, discrete time slot of each repeating segment of the transmit signal channel.

19. A method for processing a plurality of signals with each signal being capable of carrying information, the plurality of information signals further being received from a network over trunk means for transmission over radio frequency (RF) links to predetermined receive units, comprising the steps of:

(A) receiving the plurality of information signals from the network over the trunk means for processing for transmission over the RF links to predetermined receive units capable of receiving and processing information signals;

(B) processing the plurality of information signals received at step (A) by substeps of:

(1) assigning pathing for processing each of the plurality of information signals to be transmitted over the RF links to predetermined receive units,

(2) sampling in a predetermined manner each of the plurality of information signals being processing according to pathing assigned at substep (B)(1) to produce signal samples representative of each of the plurality of information signals,

(3) compressing the signal samples representative of each of the plurality of information signals being processed according to pathing assigned at substep (B)(1) such that such signal samples may be reconstructed at predetermined receive units to provide substantially the same information as the respective information signals provided before being processed according to step (B), with the compression step resulting in a selective deletion of predetermined portions of the signal samples such that there will be substantially non-degraded, reconstructed signal samples, and

(4) placing the compressed signal samples representative of each of the plurality of information signals in predetermined, discrete positions of repeating segments of a transmit signal channel; and

(C) transmitting for each of the respective information signals of the plurality of information signals over at least one of the RF links to at least one of the predetermined receive units the portion of each repeating segment of the transmit signal channel containing the compressed signal samples for each of such plurality information signals.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein substep (B)(2) further comprises the sub-substeps of:

(a) capturing each of a plurality of analog information signals from the network, and

(b) converting each of the plurality of analog information signals to signal samples representative of the analog information signals.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein sub-substep (B)(2)(b) further includes converting each of the plurality of analog information signals to digital signal samples representative of the analog information signals.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein substep (B)(2) further comprises the sub-substeps of:

(a) capturing each of a plurality of digital information signals from the network, and

(b) converting each of the plurality of the digital information signal to signal samples representative of the digital information signals.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein sub-substep (B)(2)(b) further includes converting the digital information signals to digital signal samples representative of the digital information signals.

24. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein substep (B)(4) further comprises placing the compressed signal samples representative of each of the plurality of information signals in a predetermined, discrete time slot of each repeating segment of the transmit signal channel.

25. A method for processing a first signal capable of carrying information received from trunk means for transmission over a first radio frequency (RF) link to a predetermined receive unit and processing a second signal capable of carrying information received over a second RF link from a predetermined send unit for transmission to the trunk means, comprising the steps of:

(A) receiving the first information signal from the trunk means for processing for transmission over the first RF link to the predetermined receive unit capable of receiving and processing the first information signal;

(B) processing the first information signal received at step (A) by substeps of:

(1) assigning pathing for processing the first information signal to be transmitted over the first RF link to the predetermined receive unit,

(2) sampling in a predetermined manner the first information signal being processed according to pathing assigned at substep (B)(1) to produce signal samples representative of the first information signal,

(3) compressing the signal samples representative of the first information signal being processed according to pathing assigned at substep (B)(1) such that such signal samples may be reconstructed at the predetermined receive unit to substantially provide the same information as the first information signal provided before being processed according to step (B), with the compression step resulting in a selective deletion of predetermined portions of the signal samples such that there will be substantially non-degraded, reconstructed signal samples, and

(4) placing the compressed signal samples representative of the first information signal in predetermined, discrete positions of repeating segments of a transmit signal channel; and

(C) transmitting over the first RF link to the predetermined receive unit the portion of each segment of the transmit signal channel containing the compressed signal samples representative of the first information signal;

(D) receiving over the second RF link compressed signal samples representative of the second information signal transmitted from the predetermined send unit, with the second information signals being formulated at the predetermined send unit;

(E) processing the compressed signal samples representative of the second information signal received at step (D) by the substeps of:

(1) placing the compressed signal samples representative of the second information signal in discrete positions of each repeating segments of a receive signal channel,

(2) assigning pathing for the compressed signal samples representative of the second information signal for transmission to the trunk means,

(3) reconstructing the compressed signal samples according to pathing assigned at the substep (E)(2) to form decompressed signal samples representative of the second information signal,

(4) reconverting the decompressed signal samples representative of the second information signal to an information signal having substantially the same information as the second information signal had as formulated at the send unit, and

(5) placing the reconverted information signal representative of the second information signal on the trunk means.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein substep (B)(2) further comprises the sub-substeps of:

(a) capturing an analog information signal from the trunk means, and

(b) converting the analog information signal to signal samples representative of the analog information signal.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein sub-substep (B)(2)(b) further includes converting the analog information signal to digital signal samples representative of the analog information signal.

28. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein substep (B)(2) further comprises the sub-substeps of:

(a) capturing a digital information signal from the trunk means, and

(b) converting the digital information signal to signal samples representative of the digital information signal.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein sub-substep (B)(2)(b) further includes converting the digital information signal to digital signal samples representative of the digital information signal.

30. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein substep (B)(4) further comprises placing the compressed signal samples representative of the first information signal in a predetermined, discrete time slot of each repeating segment of the transmit signal channel.

31. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein substep (E)(1) further comprises placing the compressed signal samples representative of the second information signal in a discrete time slot of each repeating segment of the receive signal channel.

32. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein substep (E)(3) further includes reconstructing the compressed signal samples representative of the second information signal to form decompressed digital signal samples representative of the second information signal.

33. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein substep (E)(4) further includes reconverting the decompressed digital signal samples representative of the second information signal to an analog information signal.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein substep (E)(5) further includes placing the analog information signal on the trunk means.

35. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein substep (E)(4) further includes reconverting the decompressed digital signal samples representative of the second information signal to a digital information signal.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein substep (E)(5) further includes placing the digital information signal on the trunk means.

37. A method for processing a first signal capable of carrying information received from a network over trunk means for transmission over a first radio frequency (RF) link to a predetermined receive unit and processing a second signal capable of carrying information received over second RF link from a predetermined send unit for transmission to the network over the trunk means, comprising the steps of:

(A) receiving the first information signal from the network for processing for transmission over the first RF link to the predetermined receive unit capable of receiving and processing the first information signal;

(B) processing the first information signal received at step (A) by substeps of:

(1) assigning pathing for processing the first information signal to be transmitted over the first RF link to the predetermined receive unit,

(2) sampling in a predetermined manner the first information signal being processed according to pathing assigned at substep (B)(1) to produce signal samples representative of the first information signal,

(3) compressing the signal samples representative of the first information signal being processed according to pathing assigned at substep (B)(1) such that such signal samples may be reconstructed at the predetermined receive unit to substantially provide the same information as the first information signal provided before being processed according to step (B), with the compression step resulting in a selective deletion of predetermined portions of the signal samples such that there will be substantially non-degraded, reconstructed signal samples, and

(4) placing the compressed signal samples representative of the first information signal in predetermined discrete positions of repeating segments of a trans