Patent ID: 8295874

Claim:
A method for control channel power control using idle-mode user equipment in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: defining a first power level threshold and a second power level threshold for signal transmissions of a cell, wherein the first and second power level thresholds define an operating power band therebetween, wherein the first power level has a defined offset higher than a minimum required power level for communication with user equipment in the cell, and wherein the second power level is higher than the first power level threshold; measuring, by an idle-mode user equipment attached to the cell, a signal transmission power level from the cell; determining, by the idle-mode user equipment attached to the cell, that the signal transmission power level falls outside of the operating power band; sending, by the user equipment, a message operable to affect a change in signal transmission power level; establishing that the idle-mode user equipment is a most distant user equipment attached to the cell; and indicating to the idle-mode user equipment that it is the most distant user equipment attached to the cell; wherein if the signal transmission power level determined by the most distant user equipment falls above the second power level threshold, then the message includes a request for a signal transmission power decrease.