Patent ID: 8520622

Claim:
A network node of a communications system, the network node comprising: a transceiver configured to communicate with a user equipment node, UE; and a controller circuit connected to the transceiver to transmit and receive, and is configured to repetitively transmit first uplink transmission power control, TPC, commands on a first physical channel with a first channel configuration while repetitively transmitting second uplink TPC commands on a second physical channel with a second channel configuration, wherein the first and second uplink TPC commands control uplink transmission power from the UE to the network node, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to: receive a message indicating that the network node and the UE will switch from a first state of controlling uplink transmission power responsive to the first uplink TPC commands to a second state of controlling uplink transmission power responsive to the second uplink TPC commands; determine a target uplink transmission power level for the UE to use for an initial uplink transmission after switching from the first state to the second state, in response to receiving the message; and controlling values of the second uplink TPC commands to cause the UE to transmit the initial uplink transmission at the target uplink transmission power level.