Closed loop power control for TDMA links

A method for controlling a transmit power of a signal transmitted from a first communication node to a plurality of secondary communication nodes communicating with said first node, in closed loop fashion, in accordance with a multiplexed communication scheme, said method comprising:

• using said first node to transmit a signal to each one of a plurality of secondary nodes in accordance with said multiplexed communication scheme;
• maintaining a buffer having a data file of each transmission to each of said secondary nodes, said data file including a power level of said signal transmitted to each of said secondary nodes;
• using each of said secondary nodes to receive its associated said signal from said first node;
• causing each one of said secondary nodes to transmit back to said first node, a power level correction message indicative of a needed correction in a power level of a subsequent transmission from said first node;
• causing said first node to adjust a power level of a subsequently transmitted signal to any one of said secondary nodes whenever said power correction message received from one of said secondary nodes indicates that said power level in said data file associated with a given said secondary node needs to be adjusted to maintain a signal strength of said signal received by said given secondary node within a predetermined signal strength range;
• and
• updating said data file associated with said given secondary node to reflect the most recent power level of said signal transmitted to said given secondary node.

A method for controlling a transmit power of a signal transmitted from a first communication node to a plurality of secondary communication nodes communicating with said first node, in closed loop fashion, in accordance with a multiplexed communication scheme, said method comprising:

• using said first node to transmit a signal to each one of said secondary nodes;
• creating a plurality of data files, each said data file being associated with one of said secondary nodes, each said data file including a time interval and a power level for each said transmission to its associated said secondary node;
• using said secondary nodes to receive said transmitted signals;
• causing each said secondary node to transmit back to said first node a power correction message indicative of a needed change in a power level of a signal transmitted from said first node, and an indication of when said transmitted signal was received in time;
• and
• using said power correction messages received from said secondary nodes to adjust said power levels contained in said data files for each of said selected nodes to maintain a received signal strength of said signals received by said secondary nodes within predetermined desired ranges;
• and
• updating said data files to reflect a most recent power level and time of transmission for each said transmitted signal to each said secondary node.

A method of controlling a transmit power of a signal transmitted from a first communication node to a plurality of secondary communication nodes communicating with said first node, in closed loop fashion, said method comprising:

• using said secondary nodes to receive signals transmitted by said first node;
• causing each said secondary node to transmit back to said first node a power correction message indicative of a needed change in a power level of a subsequent transmission to be made from said first node;
• maintaining data files of transmissions from said first node to each of said secondary nodes, said data files including a power level of each said transmission and a time interval during which each said transmission is made;
• using said power correction message and said time interval to determine which one said transmitted signals said power correction message corresponds to;
• matching said power correction messages from each of said secondary nodes to specific ones of each of said previously transmitted signals from said first node compiled in said data files;
• and
• using power level information stored in said data files to modify subsequent transmissions to said secondary nodes based on said power correction messages received by said first node from each said secondary node to adjust a power level of each of said subsequent transmission to maintain said subsequent transmissions within predetermined power ranges.