Proxy mobile station using assignable mobile identifier to access a wireless network

A repeater capable of retransmitting reverse channel signals from a plurality of mobile stations to a base station of a wireless network, said repeater comprising:

• a plurality of proxy mobile stations configured to retransmit said reverse channel signals, wherein each of said proxy mobile stations comprises:
• a memory configured to store a default mobile station identifier corresponding to a respective proxy mobile station and an assigned mobile station identifier corresponding to a first mobile station while said first mobile station is in a radio frequency (RF) hole, the assigned mobile station identifier comprising a unique identifier of a corresponding mobile station in the RF hole, wherein said assigned mobile station identifier is assigned and modifiable by a proxy translation controller to correspond to a second mobile station when said first mobile station exits said RF hole;
• a controller configured to receive a proxy signal that includes reverse channel data and encode said reverse channel data, the reverse channel data to be transmitted to said base station and associated with a mobile station that corresponds to said assigned mobile station identifier;
• and
• a radio frequency transceiver configured to receive a demodulated signal that includes the encoded reverse channel data and up-convert the demodulated signal for transmission to said base station,
• wherein said demodulated signal is modulated by the proxy mobile station prior to transmission to said base station.

For use in a wireless network, a method comprising:

• storing in a proxy mobile station a default mobile station identifier corresponding to the proxy mobile station and an assigned mobile station identifier corresponding to a first mobile station while the first mobile station is in a radio frequency (RF) hole, the assigned mobile station identifier comprising a unique identifier of a corresponding mobile station in the RF hole, wherein the assigned mobile station identifier is assigned and modifiable by a proxy translation controller to correspond to a second mobile station when the first mobile station exits the RF hole;
• receiving in the proxy mobile station a proxy signal that includes reverse channel data, the reverse channel data to be transmitted to a base station and associated with a mobile station that corresponds to the assigned mobile station identifier;
• encoding the reverse channel data;
• preparing an outgoing signal by up-converting and modulating the encoded reverse channel data;
• and
• transmitting the-outgoing signal from the proxy mobile station to the base station using the assigned mobile station identifier.