Control-hold mode

An apparatus for a remote station to switch sectors in a base station while the remote station is in a Control-Hold Mode, comprising:

• means for determining whether a channel quality indicator channel is presently gated off;
• means for transmitting a message on the channel quality indicator channel to a different sector if the channel quality indicator channel is not completely gated off;
• processing means, operative when the channel quality indicator channel is completely gated off, comprising:
• means for transmitting a signaling message on a data control channel;
• means for receiving a forward link acknowledgment message on a common assignment channel;
• means for switching to a different sector;
• and
• means for transmitting a reverse link acknowledgment message on the data control channel.

An apparatus for transitioning from an improved Control-Hold Mode to an Active Mode, wherein the transitioning is initiated by a remote station, the apparatus comprising:

• means for transmitting a signaling message over a reverse data control channel while in the improved Control-Hold Mode;
• means for starting continuous transmissions over a channel quality indicator channel to the base station;
• means for starting the monitoring of a forward packet data channel and an associated control channel;
• means for receiving an acknowledgment signal over the forward packet data channel;
• and
• means for starting reverse link transmissions in accordance with the Active Mode.

At least one computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for updating an active set when a remote station is in a Control-Hold Mode, the instructions comprising:

• instructions for receiving a signaling message;
• instructions for transitioning from the improved Control-Hold Mode to an Active Mode, the transitioning triggered by the signaling message;
• instructions for receiving an acknowledgment message with update information;
• instructions for updating the active set with the update information;
• and
• instructions for transitioning from the Active Mode to the Control-Hold Mode.

At least one computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for a remote station to switch sectors in a base station while the remote station is in a Control-Hold Mode, the instructions comprising:

• instructions for determining whether a channel quality indicator channel is presently gated off;
• instructions for transmitting a message on the channel quality indicator channel to a different sector if the channel quality indicator channel is not completely gated off;
• instructions, operative when the channel quality indicator channel is completely gated off, comprising:
• instructions for transmitting a signaling message on a data control channel;
• instructions for receiving a forward link acknowledgment message on a common assignment channel;
• instructions for switching to a different sector;
• and
• instructions for transmitting a reverse link acknowledgment message on the data control channel.

At least one computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for transitioning from an improved Control-Hold Mode to an Active Mode, wherein the transitioning is initiated by a remote station, the instructions comprising:

• instructions for transmitting a signaling message over a reverse data control channel while in the improved Control-Hold Mode;
• instructions for starting continuous transmissions over a channel quality indicator channel to the base station;
• instructions for starting the monitoring of a forward packet data channel and an associated control channel;
• instructions for receiving an acknowledgment signal over the forward packet data channel;
• and
• instructions for starting reverse link transmissions in accordance with the Active Mode.