Patent ID: 8385266

Claim:
In an access terminal operating in a wireless communication system that includes a base station, a method comprising: operating in a first state in which at least: the access terminal uses a first protocol for determining and adjusting transmission power on a reverse link of an air interface with the base station; while operating in the first state, receiving a protocol version message from the base station on a forward link of the air interface and responsively transitioning to operating in a second state in which at least: the access terminal uses a second protocol for determining and adjusting transmission power on the reverse link of the air interface with the base station, wherein the first protocol is IS-856, Rev. A and the second protocol is IS-856, Rel. 0, wherein the base station is configured to serve both a first type of access terminal that is capable of operating according to both the first protocol and the second protocol, and a second type of access terminal that is capable of operating only according to the second protocol, wherein the access terminal is of the first type and is being served by the base station, and wherein receiving the protocol version message from the base station comprises receiving an indication that the base station is serving a number of access terminals of the second type that is larger than a threshold fraction of a total number of access terminals of both the first and second types being served by the base station.