Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating operation of a radio communication system that provides for multi rate data communications, such as a CDMA 2000 system that provides for 1xEV-DV communication services. The non-linear address sequence is provided to the selection inputs of the multiplexer tree and causes the levels having greater numbers of multiplexers to toggle less frequently than the levels having smaller numbers of multiplexers. The handheld portable cable puller further includes a motive device for driving the spool to rewind the pulling cable on the spool, and an interface for abutting proximate to an end of the raceway to substantially absorb resistive forces from the pulling cable during rewinding. A communication system is also provided to communicate with and control various functions of the patient support. The audio signal and the extracted characteristic component are supplied to the audio output unit so that a sound image of the extracted characteristic component is localized closer to a listener than a sound image of the audio signal. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode over an insulating surface, an oxide semiconductor layer including silicon oxide, an insulating layer between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer, and source and drain regions between the oxide semiconductor layer including silicon oxide and source and drain electrode layers.