Dynamic shared forward link channel for a wireless communication system

A method of transmitting data to a plurality of wireless devices in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• transmitting traffic data to the plurality of wireless devices via a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH);
• transmitting user-specific signaling to each of the plurality of wireless devices via a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH);
• and
• transmitting reference power control (PC) bits on the F-FCH, the reference PC bits having a known value and a fixed offset transmit power level different than the traffic data and being used for signal quality estimation of the F-FCH.

An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• means for transmitting traffic data to a plurality of wireless devices via a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH);
• means for transmitting user-specific signaling to each of the plurality of wireless devices via a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH);
• and
• means for transmitting reference power control (PC) bits on the F-FCH, the reference PC bits having a known value and a fixed offset transmit power level different than the traffic data and being used for signal quality estimation of the F-FCH.

A method of receiving data in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• receiving traffic data via a shared data channel sent to a plurality of wireless devices;
• receiving user-specific signaling via a shared control channel or a dedicated control channel, wherein the traffic data and the user-specific signaling are for a multicast service;
• and
• receiving reference bits on the shared data channel, the reference bits having a known value and a fixed offset transmit power level different than the traffic data and being used to estimate received signal quality of the shared data channel.

A method of receiving data at a wireless device in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• receiving traffic data via a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH);
• receiving user-specific signaling for the wireless device via a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH);
• and
• receiving reference power control (PC) bits on the F-FCH, the reference PC bits having a known value and a fixed offset transmit power level different than the traffic data and being used for signal quality estimation of the F-FCH.

An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• means for receiving traffic data via a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH);
• means for receiving user-specific signaling for a wireless device via a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH);
• and
• means for receiving reference power control (PC) bits on the F-FCH, the reference PC bits having a known value and a fixed offset transmit power level different than the traffic data and being used for signal quality estimation of the F-FCH.

A computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed, perform a method of transmitting data to a plurality of wireless devices in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• transmitting traffic data to the plurality of wireless devices via a shared data channel;
• transmitting user-specific signaling to each of the plurality of wireless devices via a shared control channel used for the plurality of wireless devices or a dedicated control channel used for the wireless device, wherein the traffic data and the user-specific signaling are for a multicast service;
• and
• transmitting reference bits on the shared data channel, the reference bits having a known value and a fixed offset transmit power level different than the traffic data and being used for signal quality estimation of the shared data channel.

A computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed, perform a method of receiving data in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving traffic data via a shared data channel sent to a plurality of wireless devices;
• receiving user-specific signaling via a shared control channel or a dedicated control channel, wherein the traffic data and the user-specific signaling are for a multicast service;
• and
• receiving reference bits on the shared data channel, the reference bits having a known value and a fixed offset transmit power level different than the traffic data and being used to estimate received signal quality of the shared data channel.