Patent ID: 6956839

Claim:
A method for facilitating communication of packet data between a mobile station and network infrastructure of a radio communication system, said method comprising: registering the mobile station with the network infrastructure at least when the mobile station is initially positioned in a selected registration zone defined in the radio communication system; assigning, responsive to registration during said operation of registering, a dedicated, physical-layer, multi-purpose, reverse link channel upon which at least to communicate mobile station-generated information to the network infrastructure, and continuously maintaining the dedicated, physical-layer, multi-purpose reverse link channel assigned during said operation of assigning to permit reverse flow communications by the mobile station to the network infrastructure at any time, the reverse flow communications available on the dedicated, physical-layer, multi-purpose reverse link channel including any of packet data, a pilot signal that carries registration messages, and control messages, and the channel permitting communication of data when the mobile station is in any of an active state, an intermediate state, and a dormant state.