US6628958B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for adjusting the transmit power level during soft handoff in wireless communication systems
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1999-09-15
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Granted: 2003-09-30
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Expires: 2019-09-15
Abstract
Abstract A base station in a soft handoff adjusts its transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in a soft handoff and by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff, i.e. in simplex mode. The first and second amounts are different. In one embodiment of the invention, the adjustment is performed by using a down-step size that is larger in magnitude than an up-step size when the base station is in soft handoff. The transmit power level is then adjusted by the smaller up and larger down step sizes when the base station receives an indication to adjust the transmit power level. The step sizes used when the base station is in simplex mode is larger than the up-step size and smaller than the down step size. In another embodiment, when the base station is in soft handoff, the adjustment is performed by adjusting the transmit power level by the same step size as used during simplex mode when the base station receives an indication to adjust the transmit power level and then reducing the result by a reduction amount. The order of these two steps can be reversed, and the transmit power level can be first reduced by the reduction amount and then adjusted by the same step sizes as used during simplex mode. The reduction amount has a magnitude greater than zero and smaller than the step size. The method of adjusting the base station transmit power level by different amounts based on whether the base station participating in a soft handoff can be used with the method of programming each base station in a soft handoff with a threshold power level to constrain the power transmitted by the base station on the forward link. When the threshold power level is a minimum-threshold power level, each base station maintains its transmit power level at or above the minimum-threshold power level. When the threshold power level is a maximum-threshold power level, each base station maintains its transmit power level at or below the maximum-threshold power level. The threshold power level can be either an adjustable or a fixed threshold power level.
Inventors
- 👤 Raafat Edward Kamel
- 👤 Martin Howard Meyers
- 👤 Carl Francis Weaver
- 👤 Xiao Cheng Wu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:22
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/24; H04B7/26; H04W; H04W52/00; H04W52/04; H04W52/38; H04W52/40; H04W36/00; H04W36/16; H04W36/18; H04W52/06; H04W52/12; H04W52/30; H04W52/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a signal from a base station to a mobile terminal in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff, the first amount being less than the entire transmit power level of the signal, the adjusting step comprising the steps of: adjusting the transmit power level by an up-step size if there is an indication to increase the transmit power level; and adjusting the transmit power level by a down-step size if there is an indication to decrease the transmit power level, the down-step size being larger in magnitude than the up-step size; and adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff, the second amount not being equal to the first amount; wherein: the step size used to adjust the transmit power level up when the base station is not participating in a soft handoff is larger than the up-step size; and the step size used to adjust the transmit power level down when the base station is not participating in a soft handoff is smaller than the down step size.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a signal from a base station to a mobile terminal in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff, the first amount being less than the entire transmit power level of the signal, the adjusting step comprising the steps of: adjusting the transmit power level by an up-step size if there is an indication to increase the transmit power level; and adjusting the transmit power level by a down-step size if there is an indication to decrease the transmit power level, the down-step size being larger in magnitude than the up-step size; and adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff, the second amount not being equal to the first amount; wherein: the step size used to adjust the transmit power level up when the base station is not participating in a soft handoff is larger than the up-step size; and the step size used to adjust the transmit power level down when the base station is not participating in a soft handoff is smaller than the down step size.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step size used to adjust the transmit power level up when the base station is not participating in a soft handoff is equal to the step size used to adjust the transmit power level down when the base station is not participating in a soft handoff.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein: the magnitude of a difference between the step size used to adjust the transmit power level up when the base station is not participating in a soft handoff and the up-step size is smaller than the step size; and the magnitude of a difference between the step size used to adjust the transmit power level down when the base station is not participating in a soft handoff and the down-step size is smaller than the step size.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a base station in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff; the step of adjusting the transmit power level by the first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff comprises the steps of: adjusting the transmit power level by a step size if there is an indication to adjust the transmit power level; and reducing the transmit power level by a reduction amount; and adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff, the second amount not being equal to the first amount.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a base station in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff; the step of adjusting the transmit power level by the first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff comprises the steps of: adjusting the transmit power level by a step size if there is an indication to adjust the transmit power level; and reducing the transmit power level by a reduction amount; and adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff, the second amount not being equal to the first amount.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of adjusting the transmit power level by the second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff comprises the step of adjusting the transmit power level by the step size if an indication to adjust the transmit power level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the reduction amount has a magnitude greater than zero and smaller than the step size.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the reduction amount comprises 20%.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the reduction amount comprises 1 dB.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the reducing step comprises the steps of: weighting the reduction amount based on a ratio of a forward-link pilot power level of the base station and a sum of forward-link pilot power levels, as received by the mobile station, of all base station in the soft handoff, to form a weighted reduction amount; and reducing the transmit power level by the weighted reduction amount.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the base station receives forward-link pilot power levels of base stations in the soft handoff, as received by the mobile station, in a pilot strength measurement message.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a base station in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff and if the transmit power level of the base station is not equal to a threshold power level; adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff and if the transmit power level of the base station is not equal to a threshold power level, the second amount not being equal to the first amount; receiving power control information for a time interval; and adjusting the threshold power level by a threshold step size if the transmit power levels being substantially equal to the threshold power level for at least a predetermined percentage of a time period.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a base station in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff and if the transmit power level of the base station is not equal to a threshold power level; adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff and if the transmit power level of the base station is not equal to a threshold power level, the second amount not being equal to the first amount; receiving power control information for a time interval; and adjusting the threshold power level by a threshold step size if the transmit power levels being substantially equal to the threshold power level for at least a predetermined percentage of a time period.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method of claim 11 , wherein: the threshold power level is a minimum-threshold power level; the predetermined percentage is between about 10% and about 70%; and the step of adjusting the threshold power level comprises adjusting the minimum-threshold power level down by a threshold step size.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of adjusting a maximum-threshold power level up by a threshold step size if the transmit power level being equal to a maximum-threshold power level for at least between about 1% and about 5% of the time intervals.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein: the threshold power level is a maximum-threshold power level; the predetermined percentage is between about 1% and about 5%; and the step of adjusting the threshold power level comprises adjusting the maximum-threshold power level up by a threshold step size.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the threshold step size is a factor of the number of time intervals for which the transmit power level is equal to the threshold power level.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the time interval comprises one power control group.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the time period comprises one or more time intervals.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
125 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein: the step of receiving power control information comprises each of a plurality of base stations receiving power control information for each time interval, wherein each of the plurality of base stations are participating in the same soft handoff; and the step adjusting the threshold power level of the base station comprises: forwarding the power control information received on each of the plurality of base stations to a processor; adjusting the threshold power level by a threshold step size if the transmit power levels from all of the base stations being substantially equal to the threshold power level for at least a predetermined percentage of the time intervals; and forwarding the adjusted threshold power level to each base station.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the processor is located at a mobile switching center of the wireless communication system.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the processor is distributed between at least two of the plurality of base stations.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the processor is distributed between at least one of the plurality of base stations and a mobile switching center of the wireless communication system.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a base station in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff and if the transmit power level of the base station is not equal to a minimum-threshold power level; adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff, the second amount not being equal to the first amount and if the transmit power level of the base station is not equal to the minimum-threshold power level; and maintaining the transmit power level of the base station at least at the minimum-threshold power level, the transmit power level being equal to the minimum-threshold power level for at least 50% of a plurality of time periods.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a base station in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff and if the transmit power level of the base station is not equal to a minimum-threshold power level; adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff, the second amount not being equal to the first amount and if the transmit power level of the base station is not equal to the minimum-threshold power level; and maintaining the transmit power level of the base station at least at the minimum-threshold power level, the transmit power level being equal to the minimum-threshold power level for at least 50% of a plurality of time periods.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the time period comprises a frame.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
85 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the maintaining step comprises: each base station participating in the soft handoff receiving power control information for a time interval; and each base station adjusting its transmit power level to be at a threshold power level if the power control information received at that base station indicating to adjust the transmit power level toward the threshold power level and if the transmit power level of that base station being within one step size of the threshold power level.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the time period comprises a power control group.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
245 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a base station in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; determining whether a reverse-link pilot power level is below a reverse link adjustment threshold; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff and if the reverse-link pilot power level is below the reverse link adjustment threshold, wherein adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount comprises adjusting the transmit power level by a up-step size if there is an indication to increase the transmit power level, and wherein adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount comprises adjusting the transmit power level by a down-step size if there is an indication to decrease the transmit power level, the down-step size being larger in magnitude than the up-step size; and adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if either the base station is not participating in the soft handoff or the reverse-link pilot power level is above the reverse link adjustment threshold, the second amount not being equal to the first amount, wherein adjusting the transmit power by a second amount comprises adjusting the transmit power level by a step size if there is an indication to adjust the transmit power level, the step size being larger than the up-step size and smaller than the down step size.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
245 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a base station in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; determining whether a reverse-link pilot power level is below a reverse link adjustment threshold; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff and if the reverse-link pilot power level is below the reverse link adjustment threshold, wherein adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount comprises adjusting the transmit power level by a up-step size if there is an indication to increase the transmit power level, and wherein adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount comprises adjusting the transmit power level by a down-step size if there is an indication to decrease the transmit power level, the down-step size being larger in magnitude than the up-step size; and adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if either the base station is not participating in the soft handoff or the reverse-link pilot power level is above the reverse link adjustment threshold, the second amount not being equal to the first amount, wherein adjusting the transmit power by a second amount comprises adjusting the transmit power level by a step size if there is an indication to adjust the transmit power level, the step size being larger than the up-step size and smaller than the down step size.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a base station in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; determining whether a reverse-link pilot power level is below a reverse link adjustment threshold; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff and if the reverse-link pilot power level is below the reverse link adjustment threshold, wherein adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount comprises adjusting the transmit power level by a step size if there is an indication to adjust the transmit power level to form an adjusted transmit power level, and reducing the transmit power level by a reduction amount; and adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if either the base station is not participating in the soft handoff or the reverse-link pilot power level is above the reverse link adjustment threshold, the second amount not being equal to the first amount.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for controlling a transmit power level of a base station in a wireless system, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the base station is participating in a soft handoff; determining whether a reverse-link pilot power level is below a reverse link adjustment threshold; adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in the soft handoff and if the reverse-link pilot power level is below the reverse link adjustment threshold, wherein adjusting the transmit power level by a first amount comprises adjusting the transmit power level by a step size if there is an indication to adjust the transmit power level to form an adjusted transmit power level, and reducing the transmit power level by a reduction amount; and adjusting the transmit power level by a second amount if either the base station is not participating in the soft handoff or the reverse-link pilot power level is above the reverse link adjustment threshold, the second amount not being equal to the first amount.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 27 , wherein the reduction amount has a magnitude greater than zero and smaller than the step size.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-09-29 | 2007-03-31 | 2007-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-09-29 | 2011-03-31 | 2011-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-09-29 | 2015-03-31 | 2015-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |