Patent ID: 9686790
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04Q,H04W

Claim:
1. Wireless communication processing elements operable within a field unit of a wireless communications system, the wireless communication processing elements comprising: a heartbeat channel processor; a request channel processor; a transmitter; and a receiver; wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a first signal having one of a plurality of formats in which at least two of the formats have a different power offset; wherein the heartbeat channel processor causes the transmitter to transmit a heartbeat signal via the first signal in response to the field unit not having an allocation of traffic data resources, the heartbeat signal to maintain timing and power control and provide an indication of presence within the wireless communications system; wherein the request channel processor is configured to cause the transmitter to transmit the heartbeat signal in a format from among the at least two formats associated with a request on a condition that the field unit requires an allocation of traffic data resources; and wherein the receiver is to, in response to the request, receive an allocation of traffic data resources for the field unit; and wherein the receiver is to further cause the transmitter to transmit reverse link data in response to the allocation in a time interval including at least one time slot.