Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in transceivers in wireless communications systems having a power control loop

A method for use by a receiver (10) of a first transceiver communicating over a wireless communication system with a second transceiver, the first transceiver having an operating cycle including an interval in which the first transceiver sends transmit power requests to the second transceiver for controlling the transmit power of the second transceiver, the transmit power requests being made based on measurements of the signal received by the first transceiver and performed in an interval of the operating cycle in which the operational parameters of the receiver (10) are set to predetermined measurement mode values defining a power control measurement state, the method characterized in that it comprises:

• a) a step (44a) of waiting for an interval of the operating cycle of the receiver (10) in which no measurements for power control are scheduled and then enabling receiver tuning in a step (44b) to adjust the operational parameters of the receiver (10) to place the receiver (10) in an internal state;
• b) a step (46) of disabling receiver tuning when measurements for power control are again scheduled;
• and
• c) a step (47) of placing the receiver (10) back into the power control measurement state.

An apparatus (100) for use with the receiver (10) of a first transceiver communicating over a wireless communication system with a second transceiver, the first transceiver having an operating cycle including an interval in which the first transceiver sends transmit power requests to the second transceiver for controlling the transmit power of the second transceiver, the transmit power requests being made based on measurements of the signal received by the first transceiver and performed in an interval of the operating cycle in which the operational parameters of the receiver are set to predetermined measurement mode values defining a power control measurement state, the apparatus (100) characterized in that it comprises:

• a) control mode logic (16) for waiting for an interval of the operating cycle of the receiver (10) in which no measurements for power control are scheduled, responsive to a synchronization signal indicating information about timing of received data, and further responsive to system state information indicating information about timing for making power control measurements, for providing enable and disable tuning commands;
• and
• b) receiver tuning logic (12), responsive to the enable and disable tuning commands, for providing tuning commands adjusting operational parameters of the receiver (10) so as to place the receiver (10) in an internal state adapted to existing operating conditions.