Supplemental channel selection in wireless communication systems

Abstract

A channel structure for use in communication systems. Two sets of physical channels, one for the forward link and another for the reverse link, are utilized to facilitate communication of a variety of logical channels. The physical channels comprise data and control channels. The data channels comprise fundamental channels which are used to transmit voice traffic, data traffic, high speed data, and other overhead information, and supplemental channels which are used to transmit high speed data. In response to a power measurement report, a base station can send a control channel frame on a control channel to identify a modified set of base station channels from which a remote station is to receive supplemental channels. The code channels corresponding to the supplemental channels are transmitted to remote station via signaling messages.

We claim:  
     
         1 . In a wireless communication system in which a plurality of base stations transmit a fundamental channel to a remote station, a method for receiving supplemental channel data, the method comprising: 
 transmitting from the remote station a message indicative of the relative strengths of signals received from said plurality of base stations;    receiving through said fundamental channel a control channel message indicating a subset of said plurality of base stations for receiving the supplemental channel data; and    demodulating the supplemental channel data from signals transmitted from said subset of said plurality of base stations.    
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1    wherein said control channel message includes a plurality of bits, wherein each of said plurality of bits indicates whether supplemental data will be received from one of said plurality of base stations.  
     
     
         3 . A remote station apparatus comprising: 
 a demodulator for decovering a fundamental channel signal with a PN code and for decovering a supplemental channel signal with said PN code; and    a controller for generating a reverse link message indicative of the relative strengths of signals received at the remote station from a plurality of base stations, processing a control channel message received through a fundamental channel, wherein the fundamental channel is transmitted from a plurality of base stations, and wherein the control channel message identifies a subset of said plurality of base stations for receiving said supplemental channel signal, and processing supplemental channel data received in said supplemental channel signal.    
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 3    wherein said controller is further for processing a plurality of bits included in the control channel message, wherein each of said plurality of bits indicates whether supplemental data will be received from one of said plurality of base stations.