Format adaptation of a control channel for discontinuous data transmission

摘要

In a radio communication system (100, 200) using a channel divided into a plurality of time slots, a control signal is transmitted in each time slot and a data signal is transmitted intermittently using a subset of the time slots. The control signal includes a portion which is a predetermined signal, such as a pilot signal, and one or more bits constituting a power control command. The format of the control signal is adapted according to whether or not data is transmitted in the same time slot. When data is not being transmitted, the proportion of the control signal which constitutes a power control command is increased and the energy of the control signal is reduced, at least by reducing the energy of the predetermined signal portion.

主权项

1. A method of operating a radio communication apparatus for use with a communication channel divided into a plurality of time slots, the method comprising:
transmitting a data signal in a first subset of the time slots; refraining from transmitting a data signal in a second subset of the time slots; and transmitting a control signal in each of the time slots, and wherein the control signal comprises at least two bits constituting a power control command and a portion which is a predetermined signal; and wherein for at least some of the second subset of time slots, the method comprises, increasing relative to the first subset of time slots, the proportion of the energy of the control signal arising from power control command bits by increasing the proportion of power control command bits and reducing, relative to the first subset of time slots, the proportion of the energy of the control signal arising from the predetermined signal portion by reducing the proportion of bits constituting the predetermined signal portion.