Patent ID: 8477735

Claim:
At an access terminal operable in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) reverse-link mode and in a non-MIMO reverse-link mode, a method comprising: determining, by the access terminal while the access terminal operates in the non-MIMO reverse-link mode instead of the MIMO reverse-link mode, (i) a first reverse-link-activity indicator that indicates an activity level occurring on a first reverse-link monitored by the access terminal, and (ii) a first determination indicating the activity level on the first reverse-link exceeds a threshold level of activity or indicating the activity level on the first reverse-link does not exceed the threshold level of activity, wherein the access terminal is operable to transmit reverse-link communications via the first reverse-link and to receive forward-link communications via a forward-link; continuing, by the access terminal, operation of the access terminal in the non-MIMO reverse-link mode instead of the MIMO reverse-link mode if the first determination indicates the activity level on the first reverse-link does not exceed the threshold level of activity; and transitioning, by the access terminal, operation of the access terminal from the non-MIMO reverse-link mode instead of the MIMO reverse-link mode to the MIMO reverse-link mode instead of the non-MIMO reverse-link mode if the first determination indicates the activity level on the first reverse-link exceeds the threshold level of activity.