Patent ID: 8509837

Claim:
Non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, facilitate a method of controlling power usage in a wireless telecommunications network, the method comprising: transmitting a pilot signal to a mobile station using a wireless channel; receiving a response that includes a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio associated with said pilot signal; determining an instantaneous channel rate to be used for a subsequent data transmission to said mobile station based at least on said signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio; selecting a transmit power level for said data transmission, the transmit power level selected based at least on a length of a transmission queue, wherein: (1) the transmit power level is a higher power level if the transmission queue length is below a predetermined threshold length, wherein the higher power level is selected to be full power, and (2) the transmit power level is a lower power level if the transmission queue length is above the predetermined threshold length, wherein the lower power level is selected to be a lowest power level such that an expected transmission error rate remains below a predetermined maximum transmission error rate; and transmitting data to said mobile station at said channel rate and said transmit power level.