Patent ID: 8149843

Claim:
A method, comprising: sending, over a first communication link using a first interface in a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) service network, a first capability message from a base station to a first device, wherein the first capability message is a type length value (TLV) message comprising a first set of capabilities of the base station, wherein the first set of capabilities includes a quality of service (QoS), a maximum number of sessions, and a tunneling type to be used; receiving, over the first communication link using the first interface, a second capability message from the first device to the base station, wherein the second capability message is a TLV message comprising a second set of capabilities of the first device, wherein the second set of capabilities is a first subset of the first set of capabilities; sending, over a second communication link using a second interface, a third capability message from the base station to a second device, wherein the third capability message is a TLV message comprising the first set of capabilities of the base station; receiving, over the second communication link using the second interface, a fourth capability message from the second device to the base station, wherein the fourth capability message is a TLV message comprising a third set of capabilities of the second device, wherein the third set of capabilities is a second subset of the first set of capabilities; configuring the base station to support the second set of capabilities for communications with the first device; and configuring the base station to support the third set of capabilities for communications with the second device.