Method and apparatus for adaptive carrier allocation and power control in multi-carrier communication systems

1. A method for wireless communication power control, said method comprising:

receiving, at a subscriber unit, a power control command, said power control command based, at least in part, upon a determination of a transmit power requirement and subcarrier allocation for said subscriber unit, said subcarrier allocation including subcarriers closer to or at the center of a band of subcarriers when said subscriber unit is far away from a base station or subcarriers at edges of the band of subcarriers when said subscriber unit is close to said base station;

adjusting, at said subscriber unit, transmit power of said subscriber unit in response to said receiving said power control command; and

transmitting data to said base station according to said adjusting of said transmit power of said subscriber unit.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting, from said subscriber unit, an intent to transmit signal to said base station; and wherein said receiving is in response to said transmitting said intent to transmit signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said determination of said transmit power requirement for said subscriber unit is based, at least in part, upon a calculation of path loss associated with said subscriber unit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said adjusting said transmit power of said subscriber unit comprises adjusting said transmit power of said subscriber unit to keep the power of signals received at said base station from said subscriber unit at a desired level.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving, at said subscriber unit, an updated power control command, said updated power control command based, at least in part, upon a determination of an updated transmit power requirement for said subscriber unit;

re-adjusting, at said subscriber unit, said transmit power of said subscriber unit in response to said receiving said updated power control command; and

transmitting additional data to said base station according to said re-adjustment of said transmit power of said subscriber unit;

wherein said additional data transmitted according to said re-adjustment is transmitted at a different power than said data transmitted according to said adjustment.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said determination of said updated transmit power requirement for said subscriber unit is based, at least in part, upon an updated calculation of path loss associated with said subscriber unit.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving said power control command comprises:

receiving, at said subscriber unit, a command from said base station to use a normal or extended power control range.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said command to use a normal or extended power control range is based, at least in part, upon a priority assigned to said subscriber unit.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said adjusting said transmit power of said subscriber unit comprises adjusting said transmit power according to transmit power data stored in a look up table stored at said subscriber unit, said transmit power data being associated with a code received from said base station.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said subscriber unit uses said code as an index into said look up table to adjust said transmit power.

11. A subscriber unit comprising:

a receiver for receiving a power control command, said power control command based, at least in part, upon a determination of a transmit power requirement and subcarrier allocation for said subscriber unit, said subcarrier allocation including subcarriers closer to or at the center of a band of subcarriers when said subscriber unit is far away from a base station or subcarriers at edges of the band of subcarriers when said subscriber unit is close to said base station;

a power control unit for adjusting, at said subscriber unit, transmit power of said subscriber unit in response to receipt of said power control command; and

a transmitter for transmitting data to said base station according to adjustment of said transmit power of said subscriber unit.

12. The subscriber unit of claim 11 further comprising:

wherein said transmitter is also for transmitting an intent to transmit signal to said base station; and wherein said receipt of said power control command is in response to said transmission of said intent to transmit signal.

13. The subscriber unit of claim 11 wherein said determination of said transmit power requirement for said subscriber unit is based, at least in part, upon a calculation of path loss associated with said subscriber unit.

14. The subscriber unit of claim 11 wherein said adjustment of said transmit power of said subscriber unit comprises adjusting said transmit power of said subscriber unit to keep the power of signals received at said base station from said subscriber unit at a desired level.

15. The subscriber unit of claim 11 wherein

said receiver is also for receiving an updated power control command, said updated power control command based, at least in part, upon a determination of an updated transmit power requirement for said subscriber unit;

said power control unit is also for re-adjusting said transmit power of said subscriber unit in response to receipt of said updated power control command; and

said transmitter is also for transmitting additional data to said base station according to re-adjustment of said transmit power of said subscriber unit;

wherein said additional data transmitted according to said re-adjustment is transmitted at a different power than data transmitted according to said adjustment.

16. The subscriber unit of claim 15 wherein said determination of said updated transmit power requirement for said subscriber unit is based, at least in part, upon an updated calculation of path loss associated with said subscriber unit.

17. The subscriber unit of claim 11 wherein said receipt of said power control command comprises:

receiving, at said subscriber unit, a command from said base station to use a normal or extended power control range.

18. The subscriber unit of claim 17 wherein said command to use a normal or extended power control range is based, at least in part, upon a priority assigned to said subscriber unit.

19. The subscriber unit of claim 11 wherein said adjustment of said transmit power of said subscriber unit comprises adjusting said transmit power according to transmit power data stored in a look up table stored at said subscriber unit, said transmit power data being associated with a code received from said base station.

20. The subscriber unit of claim 19 wherein said subscriber unit uses said code as an index into said look up table to adjust said transmit power.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein execution of said instructions directs a subscriber unit to:

receive a power control command, said power control command based, at least in part, upon a determination of a transmit power requirement and subcarrier allocation for said subscriber unit, said subcarrier allocation including subcarriers closer to or at the center of a band of subcarriers when said subscriber unit is far away from a base station or subcarriers at edges of the band of subcarriers when said subscriber unit is close to said base station;

adjust transmit power of said subscriber unit in response to receipt of said power control command; and

transmit data to said base station according to adjustment of said transmit power of said subscriber unit.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21 wherein execution of said instructions directs a subscriber unit to:

transmit an intent to transmit signal to said base station; and wherein said receipt of said power control command is in response to transmission of said intent to transmit signal.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21 wherein said determination of said transmit power requirement for said subscriber unit is based, at least in part, upon a calculation of path loss associated with said subscriber unit.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21 wherein said adjustment of said transmit power of said subscriber unit comprises adjusting said transmit power of said subscriber unit to keep the power of signals received at said base station from said subscriber unit at a desired level.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21 wherein execution of said instructions directs a subscriber unit to:

receive an updated power control command, said updated power control command based, at least in part, upon a determination of an updated transmit power requirement for said subscriber unit

re-adjust said transmit power of said subscriber unit in response to receiving said updated power control command; and

transmit additional data to said base station according to said re-adjustment of said transmit power of said subscriber unit;

wherein said additional data transmitted according to said re-adjustment is transmitted at a different power than said data transmitted according to said adjustment.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein said determination of said updated transmit power requirement for said subscriber unit is based, at least in part, upon an updated calculation of path loss associated with said subscriber unit.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21 wherein said receipt of said power control command comprises:

receiving, at said subscriber unit, a command from said base station to use a normal or extended power control range.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein said command to use a normal or extended power control range is based, at least in part, upon a priority assigned to said subscriber unit.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21 wherein said adjustment of said transmit power of said subscriber unit comprises adjusting said transmit power according to transmit power data stored in a look up table stored at said subscriber unit, said transmit power data being associated with a code received from said base station.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29 wherein said subscriber unit uses said code as an index into said look up table to adjust said transmit power.