Patent ID: 7099372

Claim:
A method for operating a code division multiple access communications system, comprising: assigning a hopped sub-set of a first set of spreading codes and a first hop sequence to individual ones of a plurality of subscriber stations within a first cell; during transmissions within a the first cell, periodically hopping amongst individual ones of the spreading codes of the hopped sub-set of the first set of spreading codes according to the first hop sequence and further comprising assigning a non-hopped sub-set of the first set of spreading codes to individual ones of said plurality of subscriber stations for use on a system access channel; assigning a hopped sub-set of a second set of spreading codes and a second hop sequence to individual ones of a plurality of subscriber stations within a second cell adjacent to the first cell; and during transmissions within the second cell, periodically hopping amongst individual ones of the spreading codes of the hopped sub-set of the second set of spreading codes according to the second hop sequence; such that at any given time no two subscriber stations of the first or adjacent cell operate with the same spreading code.