Author: claimsbot

1. A method for selecting one of a plurality of relay modes in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
checking a channel state between a Mobile Station (MS) and each of at least one Relay Station (RS);
selecting the relay mode for supporting a relay service using the determined channel state between the MS and each of the at least one RS;
generating a resource allocation message comprising the selected relay mode information;
transmitting the resource allocation message to the MS and at least one RS which is to be used to provide the relay service; and
providing the relay service to the MS using the selected relay mode.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of relay modes comprise a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, and a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the checking of the channel state comprises:
acquiring from the MS at least one of a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) and a Carrier to Interference and Noise Ratio (CINR) in relation with the each of the at least one RS;
estimating an amount of interference and a signal strength using the RSSI and the CINR; and
estimating CINRs of at least two of the plurality of relay modes using the estimated amount of interference and the estimated signal strength.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of the relay mode comprises:
selecting the relay mode based on at least one of a channel capacity, a channel variation, and an Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) level using the determined channel state.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selecting of the relay mode comprises:
when the relay mode is selected based on the channel capacity, selecting the relay mode using a ratio of a CINR in a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, to a CINR in a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the selecting of the relay mode comprises:
when the relay mode is selected based on the channel variation, selecting the relay mode based on a criteria calculated using at least one of a CINR in a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, a CINR in a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs, a coefficient according to multipath attenuation and fading in the first relay mode, and a coefficient according to multipath attenuation and fading in the second relay mode.
7. The method of claim 4, wherein the selecting of the relay mode comprises:
when the relay mode is selected based on the AMC level, checking a first AMC level according to the CINR in a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, and a second AMC level according to the CINR in a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs; and selecting the relay mode based on a ratio of the first AMC level to the second AMC level.
8. A method for selecting one of a plurality of relay modes in a Base Station (BS) of a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
checking channel state information corresponding to a channel state between a Mobile Station (MS) and each of at least one Relay Station (RS);
selecting a relay mode for supporting a relay service using the channel state information;
generating a resource allocation message comprising the selected relay mode information; and
transmitting the resource allocation message to the MS and at least one RS which is to be used to provide the relay service.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of relay modes comprise a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, and a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the checking of the channel state information comprises:
transmitting a channel state information request signal to the MS; and
if a signal is received from the MS comprising the channel state information, checking the channel state information in the received signal.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the channel state information request signal is included in a SCAN-REQ signal.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the checking of the channel state information comprises:
acquiring at least one of a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) and a Carrier to Interference and Noise Ratio (CINR), in relation with the each of the at least one RS, from the signal received from the MS;
estimating an amount of interference and a signal strength using the RSSI and the CINR; and
estimating CINRs of at least two of the plurality of relay modes using the estimated amount of interference and the estimated signal strength.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein the selecting of the relay mode comprises:
selecting the relay mode based on at least one of a channel capacity, a channel variation, and an Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) level using the channel state information.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the selecting of the relay mode based on the channel capacity comprises:
selecting the relay mode using a ratio of a CINR in a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, to a CINR in a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the selecting of the relay mode comprises:
when the relay mode is selected based on the channel variation, selecting the relay mode based on a criteria calculated using at least one of a CINR in a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, a CINR in a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs, a coefficient according to multipath attenuation and fading in the first relay mode, and a coefficient according to multipath attenuation and fading in the second relay mode.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the selecting of the relay mode comprises:
when the relay mode is selected based on the AMC level, checking a first AMC level according to the CINR in a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, and a second AMC level according to the CINR in the second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs; and selecting the relay mode based on a ratio of the first AMC level to the second AMC level.
17. A Base Station (BS) in a wireless communication system, comprising:
a receiver for receiving signals from Relay Stations (RSs) and Mobile Stations (MSs);
a channel state checker for checking channel state information between an MS and each of at least one RS in a signal received from the MS to which a relay service is to be provided;
a relay mode determiner for selecting a relay mode using the channel state information;
a message generator for generating a resource allocation message comprising the selected relay mode information; and
a transmitter for transmitting the selected relay mode to the MS and at least one RS which is to be used to provide the relay service.
18. The BS of claim 17, wherein the plurality of relay modes comprise a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, and a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs.
19. The BS of claim 17, wherein the channel state checker comprises:
a message processor for checking at least one of a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) and a Carrier to Interference and Noise Ratio (CINR) between the MS and each of at least one RS from the received signal;
an interference and signal strength estimator for estimating an amount of interference and a signal strength using the RSSI and the CINR; and
a CINR estimator for estimating CINRs of at least two of the plurality of relay modes using the estimated amount of interference and the estimated signal strength.
20. The BS of claim 17, wherein the relay mode determiner selects the relay mode based on a channel state of at least one of a channel capacity, a channel variation, and an Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) level.
21. The BS of claim 20, wherein the relay mode determiner, when the relay mode is selected based on the channel capacity, selects the relay mode using a ratio of a CINR in a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, to a CINR in a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs.
22. The BS of claim 20, wherein the relay mode determiner, when the relay mode is selected based on the channel variation, selects the relay mode based on a criteria calculated using at least one of a CINR in a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, a CINR in a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs, a coefficient according to multipath attenuation and fading in the first relay mode, and a coefficient according to multipath attenuation and fading in the second relay mode.
23. The BS of claim 20, wherein the relay mode determiner, when the relay mode is selected based on the AMC level, checks a first AMC level according to the CINR in a first relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from one RS, and a second AMC level according to the CINR in a second relay mode in which the MS receives the relay service from at least two RSs, and selects the relay mode based on a ratio of the first AMC level to the second AMC level.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A technique for handling subscriber calls in a communications network capable of circuit-switched and packet-based calls, using a routing plan prescribed by the subscriber independent of the manner in which the calls originate and terminate, comprising the steps of:
receiving in the network a call from a calling party to a called party,
launching a query to a database containing routing plans to obtain a called party routing number for the called party in accordance with a subscriber routing plan that is independent of whether call origination and termination are circuit-switched or packet-based;
mapping the called party routing number to a physical port in the network when the called party routing number corresponds to a circuit-switched call destination; or to an IP address when the called party routing number corresponds to a packet-based call destination; and
routing the call to the call destination in accordance with the mapping.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call is received in the network as a circuit-switched call having a packet-based destination.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call is received in the network as a packet-based call having a circuit-switched destination.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call is received in the network as a packet-based call having a packet-based destination.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the query includes at least one of the called party number and a number associated with the calling party.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the query is launched to the database to also determine whether the calling party should receive an announcement, and if so then providing an announcement to the calling party.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the query is launched to the database to also determine whether digits should be collected from the calling party, and if so then
collecting digits from the calling party.
8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the query is launched to the database to also determine whether the calling party should receive an announcement and digits should be collected from the calling party, and if so, then
providing an announcement to the calling party; and
collecting digits from the calling party.
9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the routing plans in the database exist to support circuit-switched destinations and are augmented to handle packet-based destinations.
10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the database and the routing plans contained therein are entirely new.
11. A technique for handling subscriber calls in a communications network capable of circuit-switched and packet-based calls, using a routing plan prescribed by the subscriber independent of the manner in which the calls originate and terminate, comprising the steps of:
receiving in the network a call from a calling party to a called party,
launching a query to a database containing routing plans to (a) obtain a called party routing number for the called party in accordance with a subscriber routing plan that is independent of whether call origination and termination are circuit-switched or packet switched, and (b) obtain an indication of whether the calling party should receive an announcement;
providing the announcement when the query indicates that an announcement should be provided;
mapping the called party routing number to a physical port in the network when the called party routing number corresponds to a circuit-switched call destination; or to an IP address when the called party routing number corresponds to a packet-based call destination; and
routing the call to the call destination in accordance with the mapping.
12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the call is received in the network as a circuit-switched call having a packet-based destination.
13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the call is received in the network as a packet-based call having a circuit-switched destination.
14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the call is received in the network as a packet-based call having a packet-based destination.
15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the query includes at least one of the called party number and a number associated with the calling party.
16. A technique for handling subscriber calls in a communications network capable of circuit-switched and packet-based calls, using a routing plan prescribed by the subscriber independent of the manner in which the calls originate and terminate, comprising the steps of:
receiving in the network a call from a calling party to a called party,
launching a query to a database containing routing plans to (a) obtain a called party routing number for the called party in accordance with a subscriber routing plan that is independent of whether call origination and termination are circuit-switched or packet switched, and (b) obtain an indication of whether digits should be collected from the calling party;
collecting digits from the calling party when the query indicates digits should be collected;
mapping the called party routing number to a physical port in the network when the called party routing number corresponds to a circuit-switched call destination; or to an IP address when the called party routing number corresponds to a packet-based call destination; and
routing the call to the call destination in accordance with the mapping.
17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the call is received in the network as a circuit-switched call having a packet-based destination.
18. The method according to claim 16 wherein the call is received in the network as a packet-based call having a circuit-switched destination.
19. The method according to claim 16 wherein the call is received in the network as a packet-based call having a packet-based destination.
20. The method according to claim 16 wherein the query includes at least one of the called party number and a number associated with the calling party.
21. A technique for handling calls in a communications network using a routing plan prescribed by a subscriber independent of the manner in which the calls originate and terminate, comprising the steps of:
receiving in the network a call from a calling party to a called party,
launching a query to a database containing routing plans to obtain a called party routing number for the called party in accordance with a subscriber routing plan;
routing the call to a physical port in the network when the called party routing number corresponds to a circuit-switched call destination, or to an IP address when the called party routing number corresponds to a packet-based call destination;
determining if the routing of the call yields a busy indicator, and if so, then
establishing an alternate called party routing number by querying said database; and
routing the call to an alternate physical port in the network when the alternate called party routing number corresponds to a circuit-switched call destination, and to an alternate IP address when the alternate called party routing number corresponds to a packet-based call destination.
22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the call is received in the network as a circuit-switched call having a packet-based destination.
23. The method according to claim 21 wherein the call is received in the network as a packet-based call having a circuit-switched destination.
24. The method according to claim 21 wherein the call is received in the network as a packet-based call having a packet-based destination.
25. The method according to claim 21 wherein the query includes at least one of the called party number and a number associated with the calling party.
26. The method according to claim 21 wherein the query is launched to the database to also determine whether the calling party should receive an announcement, and if so then
providing an announcement to the calling party.
27. The method according to claim 21 wherein the query is launched to the database to also determine whether digits should be collected from the calling party, and if so then
collecting digits from the calling party.
28. The method according to claim 21 wherein the query is launched to the database to also determine whether the calling party should receive an announcement and digits should be collected from the calling party, and if so, then
providing an announcement to the calling party; and
collecting digits from the calling party.
29. The method according to claim 21 wherein the routing plans in the database exist to support circuit-switched destinations and are augmented to handle packet-based destinations.
30. The method according to claim 21 wherein the database and the routing plans contained therein are entirely new.

1. A motor vehicle having a structural component and first and second interior trim parts butt jointed in a butt jointing region, the first and second interior trim parts separating a passenger compartment interior from a venting space between the structural component and the interior trim parts and at least one section of the first interior trim part in the butt jointing region having an arched profile facing the second interior trim part, thereby canceling the butt joint and forming an air duct between the passenger compartment interior and the venting space.
2. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the arched profile extends along a radius around a free wall end of the second interior trim part and corresponds substantially to a lateral surface of a cylindrical body.
3. The motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein the arched profile (8) of the first interior trim part has a free wall end that extends tangentially to the radius.
4. The motor vehicle of claim 3, wherein the free wall end of the first interior trim part (3) extends parallel to the second interior trim part.
5. The motor vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a holder arranged on the second interior trim part and extending through the air duct, the holder holding the free wall end of the first interior trim part at a distance from the second interior trim part.
6. The motor vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a holder arranged on the first interior trim part and extending through the air duct and holding the free wall end of the second interior trim part at a distance from the first interior trim part.
7. The motor vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a projection arranged on the holder and fixed on the first or second interior trim part by a clip.
8. The motor vehicle of claim 5, wherein the holder is connected materially to the first interior trim part.
9. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the butt jointing region is in a rear of the motor vehicle.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An asset registering and tracking system, comprising:
any plurality of tags physically attached to or digitally encoded in association with a physical item;
at least one of said tags exhibiting at least one of a QR code or bar code, along with a separate unique identification number printed thereon, said tag also identifying a site address accessible by a member user and associated with said system;
a software program incorporated into a processor integrated device used to access said site address and exhibiting a visual display, said program including a first plurality of secure user enterable fields for creating a member profile as well as identification information associated with the physical item paired to a selected tag associated with a record populated to that profile, said program further including additional field for member entry of information associated with said tag in order to establish ownership with information derived from said member profile; and
upon the item being lost and subsequently found, the finder entering the unique identification number or scanning the QRbar code in order to uncover at least one additional data field which draws information from said member entered fields in order to facilitate return of the lost item.
2. The system as described in claim 1, said tag further comprising a thin and rectangular shaped body exhibiting an edge proximate slot shaped aperture, an owner signature field being exhibited on a reverse side of said body.
3. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising a tackyadhesive attachable tag.
4. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising any plurality of digitally encoded tags which are displayed upon any of a websiteapplication home, password or security screen.
5. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising a GPS function associated with the processor integrated device being activated concurrent with accessing said program.
6. The system as described in claim 1, the software program further comprising any of a browser supported website or a mobile operating system supported application.
7. A computer writeable medium for use with a plurality of physical tags and a processor integrated device exhibiting a visual display for registering, tracking and identifying a physical item, comprising:
a software program presenting a plurality of secure user enterable fields in a first subroutine for creating a member profile;
a second subroutine for registering the physical item by entering a unique identification number listed on a selected physical tag which is attached to the item, said second subroutine further pairing the item to at least one of a QR code or bar code also listed on the tag; and
a third subroutine for enabling a finder of the item to access authorized data fields drawn from said first and second subroutines by either entering the unique identification number or scanning the QRbar code, and in order to facilitate return of the lost item to its owner.
8. The computer writeable medium of claim 8, further comprising a software program home page which depicts a tag activation field, a login field, and a manual search field for the unique identification number.
9. The computer writeable medium of claim 8, said home page further comprising a rotating center panel display exhibiting different images and descriptions such as which scroll through either of participating or target industries.
10. The computer writeable medium of claim 7, further comprising an explanatory screen display including additional information relevant to a system or protocol associated with said program.
11. The computer writeable medium of claim 7, further comprising an explanatory screen describing the features and benefits of an item tracking, identification and recovery system associated with said program.
12. The computer writeable medium of claim 7, further comprising a Contact Us screen for permitting a user to request additional information or provide comments.
13. The computer writeable medium of claim 7, further comprising an administrator profile screen permitting registered users to initially enter all of their contact information a single time and which is then populated with all of previously and future entered tagged items.
14. The computer writeable medium of claim 13, said administrator profile screen further comprising social media entry fields and which provides for direct links with a users unique identification number assigned item page.
15. The computer writeable medium of claim 7, further comprising a command and control screen for managing all of various tagged items including providing members with the option of picking and choosing contact information shown on each page by checking ONOFF for each field, the pages being individually customized to show only the desired information for that individual unique identification number.
16. The computer writeable medium of claim 7, said third subroutine further comprising a unique identification page users are directed to when scanning a QRbar code or manually inputting and searching a unique identification number associated with said program.
17. The computer writeable medium of claim 7, said software program further comprising either of a browser supported website or a mobile operating system supported application.
18. A multi-purpose card, comprising:
a thin and rectangular shaped plastic body exhibiting a primary identifying brand and providing a known functionality not limited to any of a luggage tag, an electronic hotel room key card, an insurance card, a credit or debit card, or a license;
a combination of a unique identification number and a corresponding QR code or bar code imprinted upon a selected face of said body;
instructions imprinted upon said selected face for scanning said QRbar code or entering said unique identification number at a site address not limited to an Internet website or a mobile application established by a secondary branded and system provider; and
a series of instructions imprinted upon the other selected face of said body for registering a portable asset using the QRbar code and unique identification number through a software module associated with said site address;
following termination of said primary function, said card being repurposed by a user as an asset retrieval tag and secured or tethered to the portable asset.
19. The card as described in claim 18, said body further comprising a side edge proximate and slot shaped punch out aperture.
20. The card as described in claim 18, said body further comprising an owner signature field being exhibited on the further selected face.