Patent ID: 8369277

Claim:
A field unit comprising: at least one processor configured to transmit a first signal having one of a plurality of formats; wherein each of the plurality of formats has a power offset associated with that format; wherein at least two of the formats have a different power offset; wherein the first signal is transmitted in response to the field unit not having an allocation of traffic data resources; on a condition that the field unit requires an allocation of traffic data resources, the at least one processor configured to transmit the first signal with a format of the plurality of formats associated with a request; wherein at least one of the formats is not associated with the request; in response to the request, the at least one processor configured to receive an allocation of traffic data resources and transmit reverse link data in response to the allocation in a time interval including at least one time slot; and the at least one processor configured to receive power commands and adjust the transmission power level of the first signal in response to the power commands.