COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USING ARQ

摘要

A communication system comprises a downlink data channel for the transmission of data packets from a primary station to a secondary station and two uplink control channels, a first channel for transmission of status signals to indicate the status of received data packets and a second channel for transmission of pilot information. In operation, on detection (402) of a data packet the secondary station increases (404) the transmission power of the second channel, thereby enabling the primary station to obtain a better estimate of uplink channel properties and hence increase the accuracy with which it can decode the status signal. The secondary station transmits (406) the status signal, typically either an acknowledgement (ACK) or negative acknowledgement (NACK), and decreases (408) the transmission power of the second control channel signal. The increase and decrease in power are not necessarily identical, for example as a result of the effects of power control.