System and method for improving uplink control channels for weak communication links

A network node, comprising:

• one or more processors configured to:
• configure a dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH) for a user equipment, the dedicated physical control channel having an associated first fractional dedicated physical channel for conveying DPCCH transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the dedicated physical control channel, the first fractional dedicated physical channel having a first allocated slot format;
• and
• configure a dedicated physical control channel2 (DPCCH2) for the user equipment, the DPCCH2 comprising an uplink control channel power controlled by the network node for communicating DPCCH2 downlink transmit power control commands to the network node, the DPCCH2 having an associated second fractional dedicated physical channel for conveying DPCCH2 uplink transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the DPCCH2, the second fractional dedicated physical channel having a second allocated slot format different from the first allocated slot format;
• and
• one or more interfaces configured to:
• provide the dedicated physical control channel to the user equipment;
• provide the DPCCH2 to the user equipment;
• and
• communicate to the user equipment at least one of the DPCCH2 uplink transmit power control commands on the second fractional dedicated physical channel having the second allocated slot format;
• wherein the one or more processors are further configured to set an initial power level for the DPCCH2, the initial power level for the DPCCH2 based at least in part on a comparison of a number of transmit power control uplink requests and a number of transmit power control downlink requests from a serving cell.

A method for controlling uplink transmit power in a user equipment, comprising:

• receiving provisioning by a network node of a dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH), the dedicated physical control channel having an associated first fractional dedicated physical channel for conveying DPCCH transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the dedicated physical control channel, the first fractional dedicated physical channel having a first allocated slot format;
• receiving provisioning by the network node of a dedicated physical control channel2 (DPCCH2), the DPCCH2 comprising an uplink control channel power controlled by the network node for communicating DPCCH2 downlink transmit power control commands to the network node, the DPCCH2 having an associated second fractional dedicated physical channel for conveying DPCCH2 uplink transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the DPCCH2, the second fractional dedicated physical channel having a second allocated slot format different from the first allocated slot format;
• and
• receiving, from the network node, at least one of the DPCCH2 uplink transmit power control commands on the second fractional dedicated physical channel having the second allocated slot format;
• wherein an initial power level for the DPCCH2 is based at least in part on a comparison of a number of transmit power control uplink requests and a number of transmit power control downlink requests from a serving cell.

A user equipment comprising:

• one or more interfaces configured to:
• receive provisioning by a network node of a dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH), the dedicated physical control channel having an associated first fractional dedicated physical channel for conveying DPCCH transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the dedicated physical control channel, the first fractional dedicated physical channel having a first allocated slot format;
• receive provisioning by the network node of a dedicated physical control channel2 (DPCCH2), the DPCCH2 comprising an uplink control channel power controlled by the network node for communicating DPCCH2 downlink transmit power control commands to the network node, the DPCCH2 having an associated second fractional dedicated physical channel for conveying DPCCH2 uplink transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the DPCCH2, the second fractional dedicated physical channel having a second allocated slot format different from the first allocated slot format;
• and
• receive, from the network node, at least one of the DPCCH2 uplink transmit power control commands on the second fractional dedicated physical channel having the second allocated slot format;
• and
• one or more processors configured to control transmit power based on the received DPCCH2 uplink transmit power control command(s);
• wherein an initial power level for the DPCCH2 is based at least in part on a comparison of a number of transmit power control uplink requests and a number of transmit power control downlink requests from a serving cell.