Mitigation of link imbalance in a wireless communication system

A method for determining the reliability of an uplink in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• receiving a first transmission on a downlink;
• sending feedback information in a second transmission on the uplink, wherein the feedback information relates to the first transmission;
• receiving a third transmission on the downlink, wherein the third transmission comprises data related to the sent feedback information;
• and
• determining the reliability of the uplink based on the data received in the third transmission and the feedback information.

A memory communicatively coupled to a digital signal processing device (DSPD) capable of interpreting digital information to:

• send a first transmission over a first communication link;
• receive feedback information in a second transmission sent over a second communication link, wherein the feedback information relates to the first transmission;
• and
• send a third transmission over the first communication link, wherein the third transmission includes data indicative of the received feedback information, and
• wherein the reliability of the second communication link is checked based on the data in the third transmission and the feedback information.

An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• means for sending a first transmission over a first communication link;
• means for receiving feedback information in a second transmission sent over a second communication link, wherein the feedback information relates to the first transmission;
• and
• means for sending, a third transmission over the first communication link, wherein the third transmission includes data indicative of the received feedback information, and
• wherein the reliability of the second communication link is checked based on the data in the third transmission and the feedback information.

An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• means for determining whether or not link imbalance potentially exists for a first communication link between a particular transmitter unit and a plurality of receiver units,
• wherein link imbalance is characterized by the first communication link being worse from the transmitter unit to a first receiver unit than to a second receiver unit among the plurality of receiver units, wherein the first receiver unit is designated to transmit data to the transmitter unit on a second communication link and the second receiver unit is not designated to transmit data to the transmitter unit;
• and
• means for sending a second transmission via the second communication link if it is determined that link imbalance potentially exists, wherein the second transmission includes data related to feedback information previously received in a first transmission on the first communication link.

A base station in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• a TX data processor operative send a first transmission over a first communication link;
• and
• a RX data processor. operative to receive feedback information in a second transmission sent over a second communication link, wherein the feedback information relates to the first transmission, and
• wherein the TX data processor is further operative to send a third transmission over the first communication link and having included therein data indicative of the received feedback information, and wherein the reliability of the second communication link is checked based on the data in the third transmission and the feedback information.

A terminal in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• a RX data processor operative to receive a first transmission on a downlink;
• and
• a TX data processor operative to send feedback information in a second transmission on the uplink, wherein the feedback information relates to the first transmission, and wherein the RX data processor is further operative to receive a third transmission on the downlink, wherein the third transmission comprises data related to the sent feedback information;
• and
• a controller operative to determine the reliability of the uplink based on the data received in the third transmission and the feedback information.