Patent ID: 7710893

Claim:
A method of transmitting channel quality information (CQI) from an access terminal (AT) to an access network (AN) in a system having at least one carrier, the method comprising: receiving at least one packet from the AN, wherein each of the at least one packet includes an indicator providing buffer level information; ceasing transmission of CQI on at least one non-anchor carrier to the AN when the buffer level information indicates that there are no more packets to be transmitted to the AT, wherein the AT continues to transmit CQI on at least one anchor carrier to the AN; receiving an activate indicator on the at least one anchor carrier when the buffer level information indicates that there is at least one packet to be transmitted to the AT, wherein the activate indicator commands the AT to activate the at least one non-anchor carrier; and starting transmission of the CQI on the at least one non-anchor carrier to the AN, wherein the at least one non-anchor carrier transmits a data packet and the at least one anchor carrier transmits a control packet.