Multi-carrier CQI feedback method and apparatus

A mobile terminal comprising a baseband processor configured to:

• process received data symbols transmitted on a plurality of frequency carriers in a multi-carrier CDMA environment;
• measure channel quality for the different frequency carriers;
• report individual ones of the channel quality measurements over the same uplink channel during successive reporting intervals;
• receive a physical layer or MAC layer signaling message from a radio base station directing the mobile terminal to skip reporting individual ones of the channel quality measurements over the same uplink channel for one or more reporting intervals;
• and
• skip, responsive to said physical layer or MAC layer signaling message, reporting one or more channel quality measurements before revised channel quality measurements for the different frequency carriers are subsequently reported over the same uplink channel during consecutive reporting intervals.

A method of allocating radio resources, comprising:

• transmitting data symbols to a mobile terminal on a plurality of frequency carriers in a multi-carrier CDMA environment;
• directing the mobile terminal to report individual channel quality measurements for the different frequency carriers over the same uplink channel during successive reporting intervals;
• directing the mobile terminal, via a physical layer or MAC layer signaling message, to skip reporting individual channel quality measurements for the different frequency carriers over the same uplink channel for one or more reporting intervals before revised channel quality measurements for the different frequency carriers are subsequently reported by the mobile terminal over the same uplink channel during successive reporting intervals;
• and
• adjusting radio resource allocation based at least in part on channel quality reports received from the mobile terminal over the same uplink channel during successive reporting intervals.

A radio access network comprising a base station configured to:

• transmit data symbols to a mobile terminal on a plurality of frequency carriers in a multi-carrier CDMA environment;
• direct the mobile terminal to report individual channel quality measurements for the different frequency carriers over the same uplink channel during successive reporting intervals;
• direct the mobile terminal via a physical layer or MAC layer signaling message to skip reporting individual channel Quality measurements for the different frequency carriers over the same uplink channel for one or more reporting intervals before revised channel quality measurements for the different frequency carriers are subsequently reported by the mobile terminal over the same uplink channel during successive reporting intervals;
• and
• adjust radio resource allocation based at least in part on channel quality reports received from the mobile terminal over the same uplink channel during successive reporting intervals.