Patent ID: 8055266

Claim:
At an access terminal that transmits data rate requests, wherein each data rate request includes a data rate parameter indicating whether the data rate request is a null data rate request or a non-null data rate request, and wherein the access terminal includes a timer, a method comprising: the access terminal transitioning to a null data rate request state; the access terminal determining an average of the data rate parameter of a given number of non-null data rate requests, wherein each non-null data rate request of the given number of non-null data rate requests is transmitted from the access terminal prior to the access terminal transitioning to the null data rate request state; in response to the access terminal transitioning to the null data rate request state, the access terminal selecting a time duration based on the determined average and starting the timer, and upon the timer counting an amount of time equal to the selected time duration, the access terminal transitioning from (i) a first reverse traffic channel mode in which the access terminal allows transmission of reverse-link traffic channel data and other reverse-link traffic to (ii) a second reverse traffic channel mode in which the access terminal prevents transmission of the reverse-link traffic channel data but allows transmission of the other reverse-link traffic.