Method for efficient return channel spectrum utilization in a communication system supporting adaptive spread spectrum

1. A method comprising:

determining a list of tuples corresponding to channels above and below a selected channel that are usable for applying spread factors to the selected channel;

receiving a request, from a terminal, for bandwidth allocation using a requested spread factor;

determining if any channels are currently capable of supporting the requested spread factor;

rejecting the request if no channels are currently capable of supporting the requested spread factor;

generating an acknowledgement and transmitting the acknowledgment to the terminal if at least one channel is capable of supporting the request;

reserving two or more channels adjacent to the selected channel from the at least one channel based, at least in part, on the requested spread factor; and

allocating bandwidth for data received from other terminals on non-reserved channels.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is rejected, and further comprising receiving a new request for bandwidth allocation from the terminal using a new requested spread factor.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting a list of available spread factors to the terminal, if the request is rejected; and

receiving a new request for bandwidth allocation from the terminal using a spread factor selected from the list of available spread factors.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising broadcasting a list of channels capable of supporting spreading together with spread factors supported by each channel.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising broadcasting a bandwidth allocation packet to all terminals, the bandwidth allocation packet containing information pertaining to at least one burst received from each terminal on a current TDMA frame.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising supplying a burst plan to a demodulator for demodulating a current TDMA frame containing data from each terminal, the burst plan including at least a spread factor used for each channel.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein supported spread factors are determined based, at least in part, on a channel location within a frequency band.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein all channels have a common bandwidth size.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a request further comprises:

identifying a bandwidth size for each channel, wherein the bandwidth size for each channel is independently set, and at least two channels have bandwidth sizes that are different from each other.

10. An apparatus comprising: a transceiver for transmitting and receiving information; and one or more processors configured to: determine a list of tuples corresponding to channels above and below a selected channel that are usable for applying spread factors to the selected channel;

receive a request, from a terminal, for bandwidth allocation using a requested spread factor; determine if any channels are currently capable of supporting the requested spread factor; reject the request if no channels are currently capable of supporting the requested spread factor; generate an acknowledgement and control the apparatus to transmit the acknowledgment to the terminal if at least one channel is capable of supporting the request; reserve two or more channels adjacent to the selected channel from the at least one channel based, at least in part, on the requested spread factor; and allocate bandwidth for data received from other terminals on non-reserved channels.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the request is rejected, and the one or more processors are further configured to receive a new request for bandwidth allocation from the terminal using a new requested spread factor.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

generate a list of available spread factors for transmission to the terminal, if the request is rejected; and

receive a new request for bandwidth allocation from the terminal using a spread factor selected from the list of available spread factors.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate a list of channels for broadcast, the list specifying channels capable of supporting spreading together with spread factors supported by each channel.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate a bandwidth allocation packet for broadcast to all terminals, the bandwidth allocation packet containing information pertaining to at least one burst received from each terminal on a current TDMA frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate a burst plan for demodulating a current TDMA frame containing data from each terminal, the burst plan including at least a spread factor used for each channel.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein supported spread factors are determined based, at least in part, on a channel location within a frequency band.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein all channels have a common bandwidth size.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

identify a bandwidth size for each channel, wherein the bandwidth size for each channel is independently set, and at least two channels have bandwidth sizes that are different from each other.