Adaptive bearer configuration for broadcast/multicast service using received response information

1. A method of operating a wireless communication network infrastructure entity comprising:

allocating a plurality of common radio resources for receiving responses from a plurality of mobile stations in a coverage area, wherein said radio resources are frequency and time based resources;

broadcasting a message requesting said responses, said message indicating a signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range;

receiving responses from said plurality of mobile stations wherein different specific resources comprising said plurality of common radio resources correspond to different portions of said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range wherein a particular mobile station of said plurality of mobile stations may respond using said specific resource corresponding to a portion of said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range received by said particular mobile station; and

transmitting data in a Point-to-Multipoint transmission mode if said response is received from at least one mobile station of said plurality of mobile stations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of broadcasting a message requesting said responses, further comprises:

providing a physical layer indicator through which a Temporary Mobile Group Identity (TMGI) and a probability factor may be determined by said at least one mobile station.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of broadcasting a message requesting said responses, further comprises:

transmitting a physical layer indicator notifying said plurality of mobile stations to cease transmitting said responses.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a modulation and coding scheme based on at least one received response; and

wherein the step of transmitting data in a Point-to-Multipoint transmission mode further comprises using said modulation and coding scheme.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a combined response from a subset of said plurality of mobile stations on a specific resource of said plurality of common radio resources wherein said combined response indicates a specific portion of said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of broadcasting a message requesting said responses further comprises:

indicating a probability factor within said message.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of broadcasting a message requesting said responses, further comprises:

requesting said response only from mobile stations having said specified signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range for received signals.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of broadcasting a message requesting said responses, further comprises:

requesting said responses from mobile stations having said specified signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range for received signals and meeting a probability criteria determined by said mobile stations using said probability factor.

9. A base station comprising:

a transceiver; and

a controller coupled to said transceiver, configured to:

allocate a plurality of common radio resources for receiving responses from a plurality of mobile stations, within a coverage area of said transceiver, responding to a request message broadcast by said transceiver, wherein said radio resources are frequency and time based resources;

indicate a signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range;

receive responses from said plurality of mobile stations wherein different specific resources comprising said plurality of common radio resources correspond to different portions of said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range wherein a particular mobile station of said plurality of mobile stations may respond using said specific resource corresponding to a portion of said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range received by said particular mobile station; and

transmit data in a Point-to-Multipoint mode.

10. The base station of claim 9 , wherein said transceiver and said controller are further configured to:

determine a modulation and coding scheme based on at least one received response; and

transmit data in a Point-to-Multipoint transmission mode using said modulation and coding scheme.

11. The base station of claim 9 , wherein said transceiver is configured to receive a combined response from a subset of said plurality of mobile stations on a specific resource of said plurality of common radio resources wherein said combined response indicates a specific portion of said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range.

12. The base station of claim 11 , wherein said controller is further configured to select a modulation and coding scheme for transmitting data in a Point-to-Multipoint mode based upon said at least one response to said request message.

13. The base station of claim 11 , wherein said controller is further configured to select a modulation and coding scheme for transmitting data in a Point-to-Multipoint mode based upon at least one response indicating said specific portion of said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range.

14. The base station of claim 9 , wherein said controller is further configured to broadcast a probability factor in said request message.

15. A mobile station comprising:

a transceiver; and

a controller coupled to said transceiver, configured to utilize a plurality of modulation and coding schemes and further configured to:

receive a request message specifying a signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range for received signals and indicating a set of allocated resources wherein a particular resource of the set corresponds to a sub-range of said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range, wherein said allocated resources are frequency and time based radio resources;

determine whether a signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio for signals received by said transceiver is within said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range; and

transmit an indicator using one allocated resource, selected from said set of allocated resources, wherein said one allocated resource corresponds to a sub-range of said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio range which contains said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio for signals received by said transceiver.

16. The mobile station of claim 15 , wherein said controller is further configured to:

select a modulation and coding scheme, from said plurality of modulation and coding schemes, for receiving data based on said signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio for signals received by said transceiver; and

transmit an indicator requesting said modulation and coding scheme.

17. The mobile station of claim 16 , wherein said plurality of modulation and coding schemes comprises Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) with a forward error correction code, and Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) with a forward error correction code including 16-QAM with a forward error correction code, and 64-QAM with a forward error correction code.

18. The mobile station of claim 15 , wherein said controller is further configured to:

receive a service identity indicator for a service that may be transmitted in a Point to Multipoint transmission mode.

19. The mobile station of claim 15 , wherein said controller is further configured to:

receive a physical layer indicator and determine a Temporary Mobile Group Identity (TMGI) and a probability factor therefrom.

20. The mobile station of claim 19 , wherein said controller is further configured to:

receive a physical layer indicator to cease transmission using said set of allocated resources.