Power control in spread spectrum communications systems

A method for power control in spread spectrum communication systems, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing multiplexed dual registers coupled to a control circuit, the multiplexed dual register controlled by a control signal, the registers containing power control values;
• measuring a transmit power;
• receiving the TPC information;
• determining whether the TPC information calls for an increase or decrease in power;
• comparing the new TPC information to the last TPC information, wherein if the TPC information is the same as the last TPC information, calculating a new power control value using the TPC information and measured transmit power, and writing the new power control value to the next selected register;
• and
• applying the control signal corresponding to the next selected register to the multiplexer to couple the value of next selected register to the control circuit, wherein the registers are coupled alternately to the control circuit at every slot;
• and
• repeating the steps of measuring through applying for each timing slot of the communication system.

An apparatus to control power in spread spectrum communication systems, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of hardware registers, the registers for containing calculated power control values;
• a multiplexer coupled to the hardware registers, the multiplexer controlled by a control line to switchably select one of the registers;
• a control circuit coupled to the multiplexer,
• a processor for providing a control signal to the control line, the processor measures a transmit power, receives the TPC information, determining whether the TPC information calls for an increase or decrease in power, compares the TPC information to the last TPC information, wherein if the TPC information is the same as the last TPC information, the processor calculates an new power control value using the measured transmit power and TPC information and writes the new power control value to the next selected register, and applies the control signal corresponding to the next selected register to the multiplexer to couple the value of the next selected register to the DAC.