Method and apparatus for allocating air interface resources

A method for allocating air interface resources for a user in a wireless communication system comprising the steps of:

• generating an air interface resource reservation parameter associated with the user, for use in determining whether a bandwidth of an air interface resource is available for the user at a defined future time;
• and
• evaluating an air interface resource reservation response that was generated in response to the air interface resource reservation parameter, to determine availability of the bandwidth.

A wireless network element comprising:

• a radio frequency (RF) transceiver operatively coupled to receive an air interface resource reservation request;
• and
• an air interface resource reservation processor operatively coupled to the radio frequency transceiver and operatively responsive to the air interface resource reservation request, to evaluate at least one received air interface resource reservation parameter associated with the user, to determine whether a bandwidth of an air interface resource is available for the user at a defined future time, and operative to generate an air interface resource reservation response to the RF transceiver, in response to the evaluated received air interface resource reservation parameter.

A remote wireless unit comprising:

• a radio frequency transceiver,
• a processing device operatively coupled to the RF transceiver, and operative to output an air interface resource reservation parameter associated with the remote wireless unit, to determine if a bandwidth of an air interface resource is available for the remote wireless unit at a defined future time, and operative to evaluate an air interface resource reservation response that was generated in response to the air interface resource reservation parameter, to determine availability of the bandwidth.