Adjusting Power of a Control Channel Based on a Characteristic of a Message in the Control Channel

Abstract

An entity, such as a base station, in a wireless communications network performs power control of a control channel based on one or more characteristics of a message in the control channel. For example, the control channel can be a paging channel. The one or more characteristics include, as examples, the size and/or the type of message in the control channel.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for performing wireless communications in a mobile communications network, comprising:
 a communication device determining a message to be communicated in a control channel is an acknowledgement message;   the communication device determining a power level, based on the determination that the message is an acknowledgement message, for transmission of the message using the control channel, wherein said determining the power level comprises setting a power level for the acknowledgement message that is different from at least one other message carried in the control channel;   the communication device setting the power level for transmission of the acknowledgement message based on said determining; and   after setting the power level for transmission, the communication device transmitting the acknowledgement message in the control channel using the determined power level.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said determining the power level is also based on the size of the acknowledgement message. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said determining the power level comprises using a higher power level for larger messages and using a lower power level for smaller messages. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said determining the power level comprises setting a power level for the acknowledgement message that is different from a plurality of other messages. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said determining the power level comprises using a higher power level for higher priority messages and using a lower power level for lower priority messages. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the communication device comprises a base station. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the power level for the acknowledgement message is a default power level and wherein a power level for the at least one other message is different than the default power level. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein determining the power level of the control channel comprises determining the power level of the control channel in one of an IS-95, CDMA (code-division multiple access) 2000, 1xEV-DO, 1xEV-DV, UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System), and EGPRS (Enhanced General Packet Radio Service) system. 
     
     
         30 . A communication device for performing wireless communicating, comprising:
 communication circuitry for performing the wireless communication;   processing hardware coupled to the communication circuitry, wherein the controller is configured to operate with the communication circuitry to:
 determine a message to be communicated in a control channel is an acknowledgement message; 
 determine a power level, based on the determination that the message is an acknowledgement message, for transmission of the message using the control channel, wherein determining the power level comprises setting a power level for the acknowledgement message that is different from at least one other message carried in the control channel; 
 set the power level for transmission of the acknowledgement message based on said determining; and 
 after setting the power level for transmission, transmit the acknowledgement message in the control channel using the determined power level. 
   
     
     
         31 . The communication device of  claim 30 , wherein determining the power level is also based on the size of the acknowledgement message. 
     
     
         32 . The communication device of  claim 31 , wherein determining the power level comprises using a higher power level for larger messages and using a lower power level for smaller messages. 
     
     
         33 . The communication device of  claim 30 , wherein determining the power level comprises setting a power level for the acknowledgement message that is different from a plurality of other messages. 
     
     
         34 . The communication device of  claim 30 , wherein determining the power level comprises using a higher power level for higher priority messages and using a lower power level for lower priority messages. 
     
     
         35 . The communication device of  claim 30 , wherein the communication device comprises a base station. 
     
     
         36 . The communication device of  claim 30 , wherein the power level for the acknowledgement message is a default power level and wherein a power level for the at least one other message is different than the default power level. 
     
     
         37 . A non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions for performing wireless communications in a mobile communications network, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor of a communication device to:
 determine a message to be communicated in a control channel is an acknowledgement message;   determine a power level, based on the determination that the message is an acknowledgement message, for transmission of the message using the control channel, wherein determining the power level comprises setting a power level for the acknowledgement message that is different from at least one other message carried in the control channel;   set the power level for transmission of the acknowledgement message based on said determining; and   after setting the power level for transmission, transmit the acknowledgement message in the control channel using the determined power level.   
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of  claim 37 , wherein determining the power level is also based on the size of the acknowledgement message. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of  claim 37 , wherein determining the power level comprises setting a power level for the acknowledgement message that is different from a plurality of other messages. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of  claim 37 , wherein the communication device comprises a base station. 
     
     
         41 . The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of  claim 37 , wherein the power level for the acknowledgement message is a default power level and wherein a power level for the at least one other message is different than the default power level.