Method of dynamic overhead channel power allocation

1. A method for implementation in a base station that supports at least one downlink traffic channel and at least one overhead channel, comprising:

determining at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel based upon at least one measurement of downlink traffic channel power and a maximum transmission power of the base station, wherein determining said at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel comprises determining said at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel based upon a buffered value of the base station transmission power equal to the maximum transmission power of the base station minus a selected buffer transmission power; and

transmitting signals over said at least one overhead channel using said at least one power allocation concurrently with transmission of signals over said at least one downlink traffic channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining said at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel comprises determining a difference between said at least one measurement of the downlink traffic channel power and the maximum transmission power of the base station and allocating power equal to the difference minus the selected buffer transmission power to said at least one overhead channel.

3. A method for implementation in a base station that supports at least one downlink traffic channel and at least one overhead channel, comprising:

determining at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel based upon at least one measurement of downlink traffic channel power and a maximum transmission power of the base station, wherein determining said at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel comprises determining a difference between said at least one measurement of the downlink traffic channel power and the maximum transmission power of the base station and allocating power equal to the difference to said at least one overhead channel, and wherein determining said at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel comprises allocating a minimum overhead channel power to said at least one overhead channel when the difference is less than the minimum overhead channel power; and

transmitting signals over said at least one overhead channel using said at least one power allocation concurrently with transmission of signals over said at least one downlink traffic channel.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising determining the minimum overhead channel power based upon a minimum coverage associated with the base station.

5. A method for implementation in a base station that supports at least one downlink traffic channel and at least one overhead channel, comprising:

determining at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel based upon at least one measurement of downlink traffic channel power and a maximum transmission power of the base station, wherein determining said at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel comprises determining a difference between said at least one measurement of the downlink traffic channel power and the maximum transmission power of the base station and allocating power equal to the difference to said at least one overhead channel, and wherein determining said at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel comprises allocating a maximum overhead channel power to said at least one overhead channel when the difference is more than the maximum overhead channel power; and

transmitting signals over said at least one overhead channel using said at least one power allocation concurrently with transmission of signals over said at least one downlink traffic channel.

6. The method of claim 5 , comprising determining the maximum overhead channel power based upon at least one of an interference level associated with said at least one overhead channel and a minimum downlink traffic channel power.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining said at least one power allocation for said at least one overhead channel comprises varying power allocations for pilot channels, paging channels, and synchronization channels in response to the variations in said at least one measurement of the downlink traffic channel power.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein varying the power allocations for the pilot channels, paging channels, and synchronization channels comprises varying the power allocations such that fixed ratios of power are allocated to the pilot channels, paging channels, and synchronization channels.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein varying the power allocations for the pilot channels, paging channels, and synchronization channels comprises independently varying power allocated to the pilot channels, paging channels, and synchronization channels.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting signals over said at least one overhead channel using said at least one varied power allocation concurrently with transmission of signals over said at least one downlink traffic channel comprises transmitting signals over at least one overhead channel defined by at least one overhead channel code that is orthogonal to at least one traffic channel code used to define said at least one downlink traffic channel.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting signals over said at least one overhead channel using said at least one varied power allocation concurrently with transmission of signals over said at least one downlink traffic channel comprises transmitting signals over at least one overhead channel defined by at least one overhead channel tone or frequency that is orthogonal to at least one traffic channel tone or frequency used to define said at least one downlink traffic channel.