Patent ID: 7539162

Claim:
A method for managing Walsh Codes in a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) cellular wireless communication system, the method comprises: allocating a number of Walsh Codes in the CDMA cellular wireless communication system to a group of cell(s) or sector(s); setting a handoff participation limit to a maximum participation limit, where the handoff participation limit determines a maximum number of cells or sectors that may participate in handoff with any serviced mobile terminal; when an available number of the number of Walsh Codes becomes less than a first Walsh Code availability threshold, reducing the handoff participation limit to a first participation limit that is less than the maximum participation limit; when an available number of the number of Walsh Codes becomes less than a second Walsh Code availability threshold, that is less than the first Walsh Code availability threshold, reducing the handoff participation limit to a second participation limit that is less than the first participation limit; and for any mobile terminal participating in handoff with a number of cells or sectors that exceeds the handoff participation limit, terminating forward link transmissions from a corresponding number of servicing cell(s) or sector(s) and releasing a corresponding number of Walsh Code(s).