Dynamic adjustment of reverse link ACK transmission power based on forward link slot utilization

摘要

A method and system for dynamically adjusting reverse-link ACK transmission power based on forward-link timeslot utilization. A radio access network (e.g., a base station) may monitor timeslot utilization on the forward link and, upon detecting that the timeslot utilization is threshold high, may cause one or more served access terminals to increase their ACK transmission power, thereby possibly helping to minimize re-transmissions for data packets that have already been successfully received, and thus helping to minimize unnecessary use of potentially scarce forward-link timeslots.

主权项

1. In a wireless communication system in which a radio access network (RAN) serves an access terminal over an air interface, wherein the air interface defines a forward-link having timeslots that carry data packets from the RAN to the access terminal, and the air interface defines a reverse-link that carries hybrid-ARQ messaging from the access terminal to the RAN, the hybrid-ARQ messaging including, for forward-link data packet transmission attempts, negative acknowledgements (NAKs) and positive acknowledgements (ACKs), a method comprising:
the RAN making a determination that utilization of the timeslots on the forward-link is threshold high, wherein making the determination that utilization of the timeslots on the forward-link is threshold high comprises detecting utilization of a threshold high extent of timeslots on the forward-link; and responsive to at least the determination, the RAN causing the access terminal to transition from (i) a first mode in which the access terminal transmits the NAKs and ACKs at the same power level to (ii) a second mode in which the access terminal transmits the ACKs at a higher power level than the NAKs.