System and method for coordination of wireless maintenance channel power control

• US 9,655,062 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPR Licensing Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IPR Licensing Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Proctor, Jr., James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smarth, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US13/615,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20130003636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 370311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0221 power availability or consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/08 based on transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0238 where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/16 Deriving transmission power values from another channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/241 taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR, Eb/lo
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/248 where transmission power control commands are generated based on a path parameter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/287 when the channel is in stand-by
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/322 Power control of broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/325 Power control of control or pilot channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/44 in connection with interruption of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a wireless communication system, there are several wireless channels used for communication between users and a base station. Channel characteristics may be defined by whether a channel is carrying traffic data and the timing of the channel transmissions with respect to channels not carrying traffic data. Different power levels between channels carrying traffic data or not may be defined and individual power levels of each channel may be amended based on individual power level command responses.

Claims

1. A subscriber unit comprising:

an antenna;

a circuit operatively coupled to the antenna, the circuit configured to transmit traffic data to a network on a first type of channel, and control information to the network on a second type of channel that does not carry traffic data, wherein the control information is transmitted on the second type of channel in at least one second time period between a first time period in which traffic data is being transmitted on the first type of channel and a third time period in which traffic data is being transmitted on the first type of channel;

wherein the circuit is further configured to receive first power commands for the first type of channel from the network and second power commands for the second type of channel from the network; and

wherein the circuit is further configured to set a transmission power level for the first type of channel in response to the first power commands and not the second power commands and set a transmission power level for the second type of channel in response to the second power commands and not the first power commands.

2. The subscriber unit of claim 1 wherein the second type of channel includes an indication that the subscriber unit has traffic data to transmit on the first type of channel.

3. The subscriber unit of claim 1 wherein the second type of channel is a maintenance channel.

4. The subscriber unit of claim 1 wherein the second type of channel is not transmitted continuously.

5. The subscriber unit of claim 1 wherein the transmission power level of the first type of channel after transmission of the second type of channel is based on first power commands received before and after transmission of the second type of channel.

6. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one second time period comprises a continuous transmission interval.

7. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one second time period comprises multiple transmission intervals.

8. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one second time period does not occur during the first time period or the third time period.

9. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the first type of channel is a data traffic channel.

10. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a subscriber unit, traffic data to a network on a first type of channel and control information to the network on a second type of channel that does not carry traffic data, wherein the control information is transmitted on the second type of channel in at least one second time period between a first time period in which traffic data is being transmitted on the first type of channel and a third time period in which traffic data is being transmitted on the first type of channel;

receiving, by the subscriber unit, first power commands for the first type of channel from the network and second power commands for the second type of channel from the network; and

setting, by the subscriber unit, a transmission power level for the first type of channel in response to the first power commands and not the second power commands and a transmission power level for the second type of channel in response to the second power commands and not the first power commands.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the second type of channel includes an indication that the subscriber unit has data to transmit on the first type of channel.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the second type of channel is a maintenance channel.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the second type of channel is not transmitted continuously.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the transmission power level of the first type of channel after transmission of the second type of channel is based on first power commands received before and after transmission of the second type of channel.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one second time period comprises a continuous transmission interval.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one second time period comprises multiple transmission intervals.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one second time period does not occur during the first time period or the third time period.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the first type of channel is a data traffic channel.

19. A network device comprising:

an antenna;

a circuit operatively coupled to the antenna, the circuit configured to receive traffic data from a subscriber unit on a first type of channel and control information from the subscriber unit on a second type of channel that does not carry traffic data, wherein the control information on the second type of channel is received in at least one second time period between a first time period in which traffic data is being received on the first type of a channel and a third time period in which traffic data is being received on the first type of channel;

wherein the circuit is further configured to derive first power commands for the first type of channel and second power commands for the second type of channel; and

wherein the circuit is further configured to transmit the first power commands and the second power commands to the subscriber unit.

20. The network device of claim 19 wherein the second type of channel includes an indication that the subscriber unit has traffic data to transmit on the first type of channel.

21. The network device of claim 19 wherein the second type of channel is a maintenance channel.

22. The network device of claim 19 wherein the second type of channel is not received continuously.

23. The network device of claim 19 wherein a transmission power level of the first type of channel after transmission of the second type of channel is based on first power commands received before and after transmission of the second type of channel.

24. The network device of claim 19, wherein the at least one second time period comprises a continuous transmission interval.

25. The network device of claim 19, wherein the at least one second time period comprises multiple transmission intervals.

26. The network device of claim 19, wherein the at least one second time period does not occur during the first time period or the third time period.

27. The network device of claim 19, wherein the first type of channel is a data traffic channel.