Patent ID: 8750199

Claim:
A mobile apparatus wirelessly coupled to a plurality of base stations, comprising: a power estimator, configured to estimate power levels for a plurality of pilot signals that correspond to the plurality of base stations in the mobile apparatus's active set; a cell selector, coupled to said power estimator, configured to select at least one of the plurality of base stations in the mobile apparatus's active set for blanking, in response to said power levels that were estimated, wherein said at least one of the plurality of base stations in the mobile apparatus's active set are indicated in a plurality of bits; and a feedback channel generator, coupled to said cell selector, configured to generate a plurality of cell selection feedback signals indicating the plurality of base stations in the mobile apparatus's active set, wherein each of said plurality of cell selection feedback signals is transmitted to the plurality of base stations in the mobile apparatus's active set, and wherein at least one of said plurality of cell selection feedback signals directs said at least one of the plurality of base stations in the mobile apparatus's active set to perform said blanking in transmission, and wherein said blanking is a temporary pause in transmission for a following prescribed number of power control groups from the at least one of the plurality of base stations that remain in the mobile apparatus's active set, and wherein the at least one of said plurality of cell selection feedback signals prescribes the following prescribed number of power control groups.