Radio communication system

A primary station for use in a radio communication system having a communication channel between the primary station and a secondary station, the secondary station having means for adjusting its output power at a plurality of different rates, wherein means are provided for determining how the transmitted strength of signals received from the secondary station should be adjusted, for transmitting power control commands to the secondary station to instruct it to adjust its output power, for determining, from the sequence of power control commands transmitted to the secondary station, an appropriate rate of adjustment of the output power of the secondary station and for communicating said rate of adjustment to the secondary station.

A secondary station for use in a radio communication system having a communication channel between the secondary station and a primary station, the primary station having means for adjusting its output power at a plurality of different rates, wherein means are provided for determining how the transmitted strength of signals received from the primary station should be adjusted, for transmitting power control commands to the primary station to instruct it to adjust its output power, for determining, from the sequence of power control commands transmitted to the primary station, an appropriate rate of adjustment of the output power of the primary station and for communicating said rate of adjustment to the primary station.

A method of operating a radio communication system having a communication channel between a primary station and a secondary station for transmission of information from one of the primary and secondary stations (the transmitting station) to the other station (the receiving station), the transmitting station being able to adjust its output power at a plurality of different rates, the method comprising the receiving station determining how the strength of signals received from the transmitting station should be adjusted, transmitting power control commands to the transmitting station to instruct it to adjust its output power, determining, from the sequence of power control commands transmitted to the transmitting station, an appropriate rate of adjustment of the output power of the transmitting station and communicating said rate of adjustment to the transmitting station, and in response the transmitting station setting the adjustment rate of its output power.