Patent ID: 8811240

Claim:
A method of allocating uplink (UL) resources in a wireless network, said method comprising: transmitting a Map message as part of a first group downlink (DL) region, the Map message allocating, to a mobile station (MS), a first resource in a first group UL region and a second resource in a second group UL region; and transmitting a dummy information element (IE), as part of a second group DL region, the dummy information element (IE) reflecting at least the allocating to the MS of the second resource in the second group UL region to indicate to the MS the second resource in the second group UL region that was allocated to the MS, wherein the second group DL region occurs subsequently to the first group DL region, wherein the dummy information element comprises a value indicating a starting point or ending point from which a location of one or more resource allocations within the second group UL region may be determined for one or more mobile stations.