Patent ID: 8224371

Claim:
A power control method comprising: a first entity transmitting a plurality of interleaved data flows over an air interface to a second entity; during the transmitting, the first entity operating in a given one of two power control modes, wherein the power control modes are a continuous power control mode and a per-flow power control mode; while operating in the given power control mode, the first entity receiving from the second entity an instruction to operate in the other of the two power control modes; and responsive to the received instruction, the first entity transitioning from operating in the given power control mode to operating in the other of the two power control modes, wherein each data flow is divided into a respective plurality of segments and wherein transmitting the interleaved data flows over the air interface comprises outputting onto the air interface the segments of at least one of the flows interleaved over time with the segments of at least another one of the flows, including outputting a first segment of a first data flow followed immediately by a second segment of a second data flow, wherein operating in the given power control mode comprises receiving from the second entity a sequence of power adjustment commands over time, and adjusting power for transmission of the interleaved data flows in response to each of the received power adjustment commands, wherein operating in the continuous power control mode comprises, when beginning to transmit the second segment, using a transmission power level established by adjustment from a most recent transmission power level of the first data flow, and wherein operating in the per-flow power control mode comprises, when beginning to transmit the second segment, using a transmission power level established by adjustment from a most recent transmission power level of the second data flow rather than from a most recent transmission power level of the first data flow.