Methods of providing signal parameter information using delta-modulation and related systems and terminals

A method of transmitting signal parameter information from a first communications device to a second communications device, said method comprising:

• receiving communications at the first communications device from the second communications device wherein receiving communications from the second communications device comprises receiving a plurality of time division multiple access (TDMA) bursts during respective time division multiple access (TDMA) time frames,
• generating a plurality of samples of a signal parameter characterizing the received communications;
• calculating a plurality of delta-modulation values responsive to the respective samples of the signal parameter wherein the plurality of delta-modulation values are associated with corresponding ones of the plurality of samples of the signal parameter characterizing the received communications wherein calculating a plurality of delta-modulation values comprises,
• generating a representation of the signal parameter wherein the representation is updated once for ones of a plurality of previously received TDMA bursts,
• comparing a current one of the samples of the signal parameter corresponding to a current TDMA burst with a most recent value of the representation of the signal parameter generated using ones of the previously received TDMA bursts, and
• calculating a current delta-modulation value based on comparing the current one of the sample with the most recent value of the representation of the signal parameter;
• and
• transmitting the delta-modulation values to the second communications device.

A method of receiving signal parameter information at a first communications device from a second communications device, said method comprising:

• transmitting communications from the first communications device to the second communications device;
• receiving communications at the first communications device from the second communications device wherein the received communications include a plurality of delta-modulation values representing a signal parameter characterizing the communications transmitted from the first communications device to the second communications device;
• and
• reconstructing a representation of the signal parameter at the first communications device using the delta-modulation values representing the signal parameter.

A communications device comprising:

• means for receiving communications from a second communications device wherein the means for receiving communications from the second communications device comprises means for receiving a plurality of time division multiple access (TDMA) bursts during respective time division multiple access (TDMA) time frames;
• means for generating a plurality of samples of a signal parameter characterizing the received communications wherein each sample of the signal parameter represents a signal-to-interference ratio for the respective time division multiple access (TDMA) burst received by the communications device;
• means for calculating a plurality of delta-modulation values responsive to the respective samples of the signal parameter wherein the plurality of delta-modulation values are associated with corresponding ones of the plurality of samples of the signal parameter characterizing the received communications;
• and
• transmitting the delta-modulation values to the second communications device.

A communications device comprising:

• means for receiving communications from a second communications device wherein the means for receiving communications from the second communications device comprises means for receiving a plurality of time division multiple access (TDMA) bursts during respective time division multiple access (TDMA) time frames;
• means for generating a plurality of samples of a signal parameter characterizing the received communications;
• means for calculating a plurality of delta-modulation values responsive to the respective samples of the signal parameter wherein the plurality of delta-modulation values are associated with corresponding ones of the plurality of samples of the signal parameter characterizing the received communications wherein the means for calculating a plurality of delta-modulation values comprises,
• means for generating a representation of the signal parameter wherein the representation is updated once for ones of a plurality of previously received TDMA bursts,
• means for comparing a current one of the samples of the signal parameter corresponding to a current TDMA burst with a most recent value of the representation of the signal parameter generated using ones of the previously received TDMA bursts, and
• means for calculating a current delta-modulation value based on comparing the current one of the samples with the most recent value of the representation of the signal parameter;
• and
• transmitting the delta-modulation values to the second communications device.

A communications device comprising:

• means for transmitting communications to a second communications device;
• means for receiving communications from the second communications device wherein the received communications include a plurality of delta-modulation values representing a signal parameter characterizing the communications transmitted from the first communications device to the second communications device;
• and
• means for reconstructing a representation of the signal parameter using the delta-modulation values representing the signal parameter.

A communications device comprising:

• a receiver that receives communications from a second communications device wherein the receiver receives a plurality of time division multiple access (TDMA) bursts during respective time division multiple access (TDMA) time frames;
• a controller coupled to the receiver wherein the controller generates a plurality of samples of a signal parameter characterizing the received communications and wherein the controller calculates a plurality of delta-modulation values responsive to the respective samples of the signal parameter wherein the plurality of delta-modulation values are associated with corresponding ones of the plurality of samples of the signal parameter characterizing the received communications wherein each sample of the signal parameter represents a signal-to-interference ratio for the respective time division multiple access (TDMA) burst received by the communications device;
• and
• a transmitter coupled with the controller wherein the transmitter transmits the delta-modulation values to the second communications device.

A communications device comprising:

• a receiver that receives communications from a second communications device wherein the receiver receives a plurality of time division multiple access (TDMA) bursts during respective time division multiple access (TDMA) time frames;
• a controller coupled to the receiver wherein the controller generates a plurality of samples of a signal parameter characterizing the received communications and wherein the controller calculates a plurality of delta-modulation values responsive to the respective samples of the signal parameter wherein the plurality of delta-modulation values are associated with corresponding ones of the plurality of samples of the signal parameter characterizing the received communications wherein the controller generates a representation of the signal parameter wherein the representation is updated once for ones of a plurality of previously received TDMA bursts, compares a current one of the samples of the signal parameter corresponding to a current TDMA burst with a most recent value of the representation of the signal parameter generated using ones of the previously received TDMA bursts, and calculates a current delta-modulation value based on comparing the current one of the samples with the most recent value of the representation of the signal parameter;
• and
• a transmitter coupled with the controller wherein the transmitter transmits the delta-modulation values to the second communications device.

A communications device comprising:

• a transmitter that transmits communications to a second communications device;
• a receiver that receives communications from the second communications device wherein the received communications include a plurality of delta-modulation values representing a signal parameter characterizing the communications transmitted from the first communications device to the second communications device;
• and
• a controller coupled to the transmitter and receiver wherein the controller reconstructs a representation of the signal parameter using the delta-modulation values representing the signal parameter.