Method and apparatus for uplink power control in a wireless communication system

1. A method for uplink power control comprising:

determining that a mobile station intends to transmit over an uplink;

determining whether an audio accessory is actively engaged;

based on a determination that the audio accessory is actively engaged, determining whether the mobile station is being operated in a body-worn position;

determining an uplink transmit power scale factor; and

when the mobile station is being operated in a body-worn position, applying the uplink transmit power scale factor to an uplink transmit power to produce a scaled uplink transmit power.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the uplink transmit power scale factor comprises scaling a maximum uplink transmit power during an uplink communication to produce a scaled maximum uplink transmit power.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising limiting an uplink transmission power during the uplink communication to the scaled maximum uplink transmit power.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the uplink transmit power scale factor comprises performing a time-averaged uplink transmit power sealing.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein performing the time-averaged uplink transmit power scaling comprises reducing a percentile duty-cycle allowance over a specified transmit-power time-averaging time-window.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the audio accessory is actively engaged comprises determining whether Push-to-Talk is enabled at the audio accessory.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the maximum uplink transmit power scale factor to an uplink transmission comprises:

determining whether the mobile, station is subject to particular radio frequency exposure restrictions; and

when the mobile station is being operated in a body-worn position and is subject to particular radio frequency exposure restrictions, applying the uplink transmit power scale factor to an uplink transmission.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the uplink transmit power scale factor to an uplink transmission comprises:

determining whether the mobile station is placed in a Specific Absorption Rate-compliant carry case; and

when the mobile station is being operated in a body-worn position and is not placed in to Specific Absorption Rate-compliant carry case, applying the uplink transmit power scale factor to an uplink transmission.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when the mobile station is not being operated in a body-worn position, leaving the uplink transmit power unsealed.

10. A user-based communication system comprising:

an audio accessory; and

a mobile station coupled to the audio accessory, wherein the mobile station is configured to:

determine that a mobile station intends to transmit over an uplink;

determine whether the audio accessory is actively engaged;

based on the determination of whether the audio accessory is actively engaged, determine whether the mobile station is being operated in a body-worn position;

determine an uplink transmit power scale factor; and

when the mobile station is being operated in a body-worn position, apply the uplink transmit power scale factor to an uplink transmit power to produce a scaled uplink transmit power.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the audio accessory and the mobile station each comprises a Push-to-Talk (PTT) function and wherein the mobile station is configured to determine whether the audio accessory is actively engaged based on whether a user has activated the FIT function of the audio accessory or the PTT function of the mobile station.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the uplink transmit power scale factor is a predetermined percentage of a maximum uplink transmit power permitted when the mobile station is being operated in a body-worn position.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the uplink transmit power scale factor is a predetermined percentage of a maximum uplink transmit power permitted when the mobile station is being operated in a body-worn position.

14. A portable communication system, comprising:

is body-worn mobile station having a push-to-talk (PIT);

a body-worn audio accessory having a PIT, the body-worn mobile station being operatively coupled to the body worn audio accessory; and

the body worn mobile station for applying an uplink transmit power scale factor to an uplink transmit power to produce a sealed uplink transmit power in response to a PIT press of the body audio accessory or a PIT press of the body worn mobile station.

15. The portable communication system of claim 14 , wherein the uplink transmit power scale factor is to predetermined percentage of a maximum uplink transmit power permitted when the mobile station is being operated in a body-worn position.