Patent ID: 7492752

Claim:
A method for improved channel maintenance signaling comprising: entering a high-rate-channel-maintenance mode by a processor of a remote unit in which a transceiver of the remote unit transmits channel maintenance signaling, wherein channel maintenance signaling comprises signaling of at least one type from the group consisting of channel quality indication (CQI) signaling, power control signaling, reverse dedicated pilot signaling, forward dedicated pilot signaling, and ACK/NACK signaling; when a low-rate condition is met, the processor of the remote unit entering a low- rate- channel- maintenance mode in which the transceiver of the remote unit transmits channel maintenance signaling at one of a lower rate or a lower transmit power than when in the high- rate-channel-maintenance mode; when a high-rate condition is met, the processor of the remote unit reentering the high- rate-channel-maintenance mode from the low-rate-channel-maintenance mode, wherein the high- rate condition comprises a condition from the group consisting of the remote unit detects that handoff conditions are present, the remote unit begins receiving data via a forward link associated with the channel maintenance signaling, and the time remaining until a next periodic, high-rate initiation point after the remote unit enters the low-rate-channel-maintenance mode has elapsed, and further comprising receiving an indication from an access network (AN) that the remote unit enter the high-rate-channel-maintenance mode from the low-rate-channel-maintenance mode wherein the indication that the remote unit enter the high-rate-channel-maintenance mode further indicates configuration information from the group consisting of the low-rate condition that the remote unit to enter the low-rate-channel-maintenance mode, a period of time between high-rate initiation points, and a frame offset for CQI signaling.