Access terminal which handles multiple user connections

1. A method for handling connection requests between an Access Terminal (AT) coupled to an Access Network (AN), comprising:

receiving, by the AT, a first connection request, wherein the first connection request is for a data connection between the AT and the AN;

establishing, by the AT, a first wireless connection between the AT and the AN in response to said receiving the first connection request;

updating, by the AT, connection request information regarding a number of connection requests based on said receiving the first connection request;

receiving, by the AT, a second connection request, wherein the second connection request is for a data connection between the AT and the AN;

in response to said receiving the second connection request, determining, by the AT, if there is a currently active wireless connection between the AT and the AN based on the connection request information;

in response to determining that there is a currently active wireless connection, sending, by the AT, a notification indicating that the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN has been established;

updating, by the AT, the connection request information based on said receiving the second connection request; and

using, by the AT, the first wireless connection to satisfy the second connection request;

receiving, by the AT, a connection release request;

updating, by the AT, the connection request information based on said receiving the connection release request;

determining, by the AT, if there should be a currently active wireless connection in response to said receiving the connection release request, wherein said determining if there is a currently active wireless connection is based on the connection request information; and

in response to determining that there should not be a currently active wireless connection, closing, by the AT, the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless connection is not closed in response to determining that there should be a currently active connection.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection request information comprises a counter value, and wherein said updating the connection request information based on said receiving the connection release request comprises decrementing the counter value.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection request information comprises a counter value, wherein said updating the connection request information based on said receiving the first connection request comprises incrementing the counter value, and wherein said updating the connection request information based on said receiving the second connection request comprises incrementing the counter value.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein if said receiving the second connection request occurs during said establishing the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN, the method further comprises:

queuing the second connection request.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing first information indicating that the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN is being established prior to said establishing the first wireless connection; and

storing second information indicating that the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN is established after said establishing the first wireless connection.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said storing the first information comprises setting a connection-setup-in-progress flag to a first value indicating that the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN is being established, and wherein said storing the second information comprises setting the connection-setup-in-progress flag to a second value indicating that the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN is not being established.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that there is not a currently active wireless connection, establishing a second wireless connection between the AT and the AN in response to said receiving the second connection request.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein communications between the AN and the AT are performed according to any combination of the following protocols:

the Air Link Management Protocol (ALMP);

the Idle State Protocol (IDP);

the Route Update Protocol (RUP); and

the Connected State Protocol (CSP).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein communications between the AN and the AT are performed according to the Evolution Data-Optimized (EV-DO) standard.

11. A computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for handling connection requests between an Access Terminal (AT) coupled to an Access Network (AN), wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor of the AT to:

receive a first connection request, wherein the first connection request is for a data connection between the AT and the AN;

update connection request information regarding a number of connection requests based on said receiving the first connection request;

determine if there is a currently active wireless connection between the AT and the AN based on the connection request information, wherein the currently active wireless connection is a data connection;

in response to determining that there is not a currently active wireless connection, establish a first wireless connection between the AT and the AN; and

in response to determining that there is a currently active wireless connection, send a notification indicating that the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN has been established using the active wireless connection;

receive a connection release request;

update the connection request information based on said receiving the connection release request;

determine if there should be a currently active wireless connection based on the connection request information; and

in response to determining that there should not be a currently active wireless connection, close the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN, wherein the first wireless connection is not closed in response to determining that there should be a currently active wireless connection.

12. An Access Terminal (AT), coupled to an Access Network (AN), in a communication system, wherein the AT is configured to:

receive a first connection request for establishing data communication with the AN;

update connection request information regarding a number of communication requests based on said receiving the first connection request;

determine if there is a currently active wireless connection between the AT and the AN based on the connection request information, wherein the currently active wireless connection is a data connection;

in response to determining that there is not a currently active wireless connection, establish a first wireless connection between the AT and the AN;

in response to determining that there is a currently active wireless connection, send a notification indicating that the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN has been established using the active wireless connection;

receive a connection release request;

update the connection request information based on said receiving the connection release request;

determine if there should be a currently active wireless connection based on the connection request information;

in response to determining that there should not be a currently active wireless connection, close the first wireless connection between the AT and the AN;

wherein the first wireless connection is not closed in response to determining that there should be a currently active wireless connection.

13. The Access Terminal of claim 12 , wherein communications between the AN and the AT are performed according to any combination of the following protocols:

the Air Link Management Protocol (ALMP);

the Idle State Protocol (IDP);

the Route Update Protocol (RUP); and

the Connected State Protocol (CSP).

14. The Access Terminal of claim 12 , wherein communications between the AN and the AT are performed according to the Evolution Data-Optimized (EV-DO) standard.