Patent ID: 7126931

Claim:
A radio communication method used for a radio communication system including a base station controlling apparatus, a plurality of base stations, and a plurality of mobile stations, employing CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) for radio access and providing multi-rate transmission, the plurality of base stations and the plurality of mobile stations under a control of the base station controlling apparatus, the radio communication method comprising steps of: transmitting code information by message from the base station controlling apparatus to one of the plurality of mobile stations and to one of the plurality of base stations, said code information for switching from a first code being used to a second code; transmitting timing information by message to the one of the plurality of mobile stations, said timing information including an integer representing a frame at which the first code is switched to the second code; switching at the one of the plurality of mobile stations the first code to the second code based on the code information and the timing information; switching at the one of the plurality of base stations the first code to the second code, said step of switching at the one of the plurality of base stations being synchronized with said step of switching at the one of the plurality of mobile stations; receiving at the base station controlling apparatus a completion message from the one of the plurality of mobile stations indicating completion of switching from the first code to the second code at the one of the plurality of mobile stations; and releasing the first code.