Abstract: A method and apparatus for delaying or hastening the “lifespan” of a session in response to detecting (or causing) a session renewal. A “session,” refers to a particular user terminal's right of access to one or more communication channels to exchange data with the base station (and other devices/networks coupled thereto). A session renewal refers to an event or condition that delays the lapse/expiration of the session lifespan (i.e., extends the lifespan) or conversely, an event or condition that causes hastens the lapse of the session lifespan (i.e., causes an earlier lapse of the session). In one embodiment, a session represents the period of time in which a user terminal is registered with a base station and can thus access or attempt to access one or more wireless communication channels to exchange data with the base station.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a method and apparatus are described for data bit sequences. According to an embodiment of the invention, a header is inserted in a data burst. One or more high priority messages of a first type are optionally inserted in the data burst starting after the header. One or more messages of a second type are optionally inserted into the data burst starting at an end of the data burst. One or more low priority messages of the first type are optionally inserted in the data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that allow a communications stream to be quickly opened between two terminals. According to one aspect of the present invention, the invention includes registering the base station and the user terminal with each other by exchanging identification information and configuration information, sending a request to open a communications stream message from the user terminal to the base station, receiving a channel assignment message from the base station in response to the request message, the channel assignment message including an identification of an assigned communications channel for the communications stream, and sending data from the user terminal and receiving data from the base station over the assigned communications channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that dynamically allocates communication streams to provide flexible bandwidth to terminals of a communications system. In one embodiment the invention includes identifying a first terminal and a second terminal to each other for the communication of traffic over at least one of multiple streams; and dynamically allocating and de-allocating further streams based on the traffic to be carried and the traffic capacity of opened streams between the first and the second terminals. The invention may further include comparing traffic to be carried between the first terminal and the second terminal to the capacity of any open streams between the first terminal and the second terminal and allocating or de-allocating at least one stream based on the comparison.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that quickly and efficiently closes a stream between two communicating terminals that use repeating time slots in a time division channel. In one embodiment, the invention includes sending a closing message in a first slot from the first terminal to the second terminal to request that the communications stream be closed, listening to the communications stream at the first terminal to determine whether any messages are sent from the second terminal to the first terminal in a slot after the first slot, and closing the stream, if no further messages are received from the second terminal.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a method and apparatus are described for data bit sequences. According to an embodiment of the invention, a header is inserted in a data burst. One or more high priority messages of a first type are optionally inserted in the data burst starting after the header. One or more messages of a second type are optionally inserted into the data burst starting at an end of the data burst. One or more low priority messages of the first type are optionally inserted in the data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delaying or hastening the “lifespan” of a session in response to detecting (or causing) a session renewal. A “session,” refers to a particular user terminal's right of access to one or more communication channels to exchange data with the base station (and other devices/networks coupled thereto). A session renewal refers to an event or condition that delays the lapse/expiration of the session lifespan (i.e., extends the lifespan) or conversely, an event or condition that causes hastens the lapse of the session lifespan (i.e., causes an earlier lapse of the session). In one embodiment, a session represents the period of time in which a user terminal is registered with a base station and can thus access or attempt to access one or more wireless communication channels to exchange data with the base station.