Inventive concepts relating to open access points are described wherein a first wireless service is provided to one or more devices associated with a first residence using a first band of frequencies and a second wireless service is provided to one or more other devices not associated with the first residence using a second band of frequencies. According to some embodiments, an access point is configured to provide the first wireless service to the one or more devices associated with the first residence responsive to an access code that has been provided to the one or more devices and is further configured to provide the second wireless service to the one or more other devices not associated with the first residence. The first wireless service differs from the second wireless service, and the second band of frequencies differs from the first band of frequencies and comprises 900 MHz.

Systems/Methods are provided comprising a smartphone that communicates with a first wearable device and also communicates with a second wearable device; wherein the smartphone is further configured to wirelessly receive results of measurements performed by the first wearable device using a Bluetooth technology and to wirelessly receive results of measurements performed by the second wearable device via an unlicensed band of frequencies using a technology that is based on Bluetooth or not. According to some embodiments, the smartphone is further configured to augment results of the measurements received from the first and second wearable devices with respective additional information that is associated therewith. According to further embodiments, the smartphone receives results of measurements performed by the first and second wearable devices concurrently therefrom.

A system/method is disclosed wherein, according to some embodiments, an access point provides a first wireless service to a first device and further provides a second wireless service to a second device; wherein the access point provides the first wireless service to the first device responsive to a special access code that has been provided to the first device; wherein the access point further provides the second wireless service to the second device absent the special access code having been provided to the second device; wherein the first wireless service is more bandwidth intensive than, and differs from, the second wireless service; and wherein the second wireless service is provided to the second device using a 900 MHz band of frequencies.

Inventive concepts and embodiments associated therewith are provided wherein an auxiliary device, that is attached to a person, is configured to function in cooperation with a destination device that is on the person. In some embodiments, the auxiliary device is uniquely associated with specific information that is to be conveyed to the destination device following reception of a signal by the auxiliary device. Embodiments are disclosed wherein, following reception of the signal by the auxiliary device, the auxiliary device processes the signal and then conveys the specific information that is uniquely associated therewith to the destination device without direct human interaction with the auxiliary device. In some embodiments, the auxiliary device comprises a personal wearable device and the destination device comprises a smartphone.

Inventive concepts and embodiments associated therewith are provided wherein a first device may solicit a processing capability from at least one second device that may be proximate to the first device. In some embodiments, the processing capability comprises receiving data by the at least one second device from the first device, processing the data and transmitting by the at least one second device a processed version of said data to a destination device. In some embodiments, the first device comprises a smartphone that is configured to perform operations comprising wirelessly soliciting the processing capability from the at least one second device. In some embodiments, the at least one second device comprises at least one smartphone and the destination device comprises a base station.

Inventive concepts and embodiments associated therewith are provided wherein an auxiliary device, that is attached to a person, is configured to function in cooperation with a destination device that is on the person. In some embodiments, the auxiliary device is uniquely associated with specific information that is to be conveyed to the destination device following reception of a signal by the auxiliary device. Embodiments are disclosed wherein, following reception of the signal by the auxiliary device, the auxiliary device processes the signal and then conveys the specific information that is uniquely associated therewith to the destination device without direct human interaction with the auxiliary device. In some embodiments, the auxiliary device comprises a personal wearable device and the destination device comprises a smartphone.

Systems/methods are disclosed wherein an auxiliary device is attached to a person and is configured to function in cooperation with a smartphone that is used by the person. According to some embodiments, the auxiliary device is configured to perform monitoring or measurements and to convey information to the smartphone comprising results of the monitoring or measurements responsive to a proximity condition between the auxiliary device and the smartphone being satisfied, responsive to having received a signal at the auxiliary device from the smartphone and/or responsive to an identity of the smartphone having been recognized by the auxiliary device. The auxiliary device is further configured to cause the smartphone to augment/append the information that is conveyed thereto with additional data, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement, and to cause said information and said additional data to appear in a predetermined order.

A transmitter is configured to convey N bits of information and L bits of information, for a total of N+L bits of information, to a destination device via an auxiliary device. The transmitter is configured to select, from a plurality of auxiliary devices that are respectively associated with different possible states of the L bits of information, an auxiliary device that is associated with a state of the L bits of information to be conveyed. L may be ≥1. The transmitter is also configured to convey the N+L bits of information from the transmitter to the destination device via the selected auxiliary device, without the transmitter transmitting any of the L bits of information to the destination device or the selected auxiliary device, by transmitting a signal to the selected auxiliary device. This signal comprises the N bits of information. N may be ≥0.

A transmitter is configured to convey N bits of information and L bits of information, for a total of N+L bits of information, to a destination device via an auxiliary device. The transmitter is configured to select, from a plurality of auxiliary devices that are respectively associated with different possible states of the L bits of information, an auxiliary device that is associated with a state of the L bits of information to be conveyed. L may be ≥1. The transmitter is also configured to convey the N+L bits of information from the transmitter to the destination device via the selected auxiliary device, without the transmitter transmitting any of the L bits of information to the destination device or the selected auxiliary device, by transmitting a signal to the selected auxiliary device. This signal comprises the N bits of information. N may be ≥0.

A user terminal is disclosed that includes a transmitter that transmits uplink control information (UCI) using an uplink control channel and a processor that controls at least one of generation and transmission of the UCI based on a spreading factor of the uplink control channel. Additionally, at least one of a number of symbols and a position of a demodulation reference signal for the uplink control channel is fixed irrespective of the spreading factor.