Patent ID: 8588127

Claim:
A method comprising: allocating subframes within radio frames transmitted to a user element by at least allocating a first set of subframes into a first radio frame, a second set of subframes into a second radio frame, a third set of subframes into a third radio frame, a fourth set of subframes into a fourth radio frame, wherein the first set of subframes are identified based on at least a first portion of a subframe allocation pattern, the second set of subframes are identified based on at least a second portion of the subframe allocation pattern, the third set of subframes are identified based on at least a third portion of the subframe allocation pattern, and the fourth set of subframes are identified based on at least a fourth portion of the subframe allocation pattern; and transmitting, to the user element, a message comprising an indication of the allocation, the indication representative of the allocation within the subframes of consecutive radio frames, without the indication identifying the radio frames including the allocated subframes and without the indication repeating the subframes allocation of the first radio frame of the plurality of radio frames.