System and method for efficient enhanced multicast broadcast system (E-MBS) map decoding

1. A wireless communication network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of wireless communication with a plurality of subscriber stations within a coverage area of the network, wherein at least one of the plurality of base stations comprises:

a transmitter configured to transmit a downlink frame, the downlink frame comprising a first Enhanced-Multicast Broadcast Service (E-MBS) MAP,

wherein the first E-MBS MAP comprises a field with an indicator to indicate a next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by a subscriber station,

wherein the subscriber station, upon decoding the first E-MBS MAP, refrains from decoding subsequent E-MBS MAPs that precede the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station in accordance with the indicator,

wherein the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station comprises a parameter change, and

wherein the parameter change is set by an E-MBS service provider as a rule that subscriber stations are to decode the E-MBS MAP at a particular time even if parameters have not changed.

2. A network in accordance with claim 1 wherein the parameter change is set by an E-MBS service provider, and wherein the indicator to indicate the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded is based on when the service provider expects a change in parameters.

3. A network in accordance with claim 1 wherein the indicator is a counter indicating a duration to the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station.

4. A network in accordance with claim 3 wherein the counter counts down the duration to the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station.

5. A network In accordance with claim 3 wherein the duration is indicated using integer units of E-MBS scheduling intervals (MSIs), frames, or superframes.

6. A network in accordance with claim 3 wherein the duration is configured by an E-MBS service provider.

7. A network in accordance with claim 1 wherein the indicator comprises:

a first sequence number associated with the first E-MBS MAP; and

a second sequence number associated with the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station.

8. A network in accordance with claim 7 wherein the first sequence number or the second sequence number comprises at least one of a frame number and a superframe number.

9. A network in accordance with claim 1 wherein the indicator indicates that the subscriber station is to decode the next E-MBS map once a performance parameter has been met.

10. A network in accordance with claim 9 wherein the performance parameter is at least one of a predetermined number of consecutive packet losses by the subscriber station and a predetermined number of total packet losses by the subscriber station within a predetermined time interval.

11. A network in accordance with claim 1 wherein the indicator corresponds to a predetermined number, and the subscriber station decodes the next E-MBS MAP having a sequence number that is an integer multiple of the predetermined number.

12. A network in accordance with claim 11 wherein the predetermined number is carried in a field of the first E-MBS MAP.

13. A base station capable of wireless communication with a plurality of subscriber stations within a coverage area of a network, where the base station comprises:

a transmitter configured to transmit a downlink frame, the downlink frame comprising a first Enhanced-Multicast Broadcast Service (E-MBS) MAP, wherein the first E-MBS MAP comprises a field with an indicator to indicate a next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by a subscriber station,

wherein the subscriber station, upon decoding the first E-MBS MAP, refrains from decoding subsequent E-MBS MAPs that precede the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station in accordance with the indicator,

wherein the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station comprises a parameter change, and

wherein the parameter change is set by an E-MBS service provider as a rule that subscriber stations are to decode the E-MBS MAP at a particular time even if parameters have not changed.

14. A base station capable of wireless communication with a plurality of subscriber stations within a coverage area of a network, where the base station is configured to:

transmit a downlink frame, the downlink frame comprising a first Enhanced-Multicast Broadcast Service (E-MBS) MAP, wherein the first E-MBS MAP comprises a field with an indicator to indicate a next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by a subscriber station,

wherein the subscriber station, upon decoding the first E-MBS MAP, refrains from decoding subsequent E-MBS MAPs that precede the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station in accordance with the indicator,

wherein the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station comprises a parameter change, and

wherein the parameter change is set by an E-MBS service provider as a rule that subscriber stations are to decode the E-MBS MAP at a particular time even if parameters have not changed.

15. A method of operating a base station, the method comprising:

transmitting a downlink frame, the downlink frame comprising a first Enhanced-Multicast Broadcast Service (E-MBS) MAP having an indicator to indicate a next E-MBS MAP,

wherein the first E-MBS MAP comprises a field with an indicator to indicate a next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by a subscriber station,

wherein the subscriber station, upon decoding the first E-MBS MAP, refrains from decoding subsequent E-MBS MAPs that precede the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station in accordance with the indicator,

wherein the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station comprises a parameter change, and

wherein the parameter change is set by an E-MBS service provider as a rule that subscriber stations are to decode the E-MBS MAP at a particular time even if parameters have not changed.

16. For use in a wireless communications network, a subscriber station capable of receiving Enhanced-Multicast Broadcast Service (E-MBS), the subscriber station comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a downlink frame, the downlink frame comprising an E-MBS MAP, wherein the first E-MBS MAP comprises a field with an indicator to indicate a next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by a subscriber station,

wherein the subscriber station, upon decoding the first E-MBS MAP, refrains from decoding subsequent E-MBS MAPs that precede the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station in accordance with the indicator,

wherein the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station comprises a parameter change, and

wherein the parameter change is set by an E-MBS service provider as a rule that subscriber stations are to decode the E-MBS MAP at a particular time even if parameters have not changed.

17. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 16 wherein the parameter change is set by an E-MBS service provider, and wherein the indicator to indicate the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded is based on when the service provider expects a change in parameters.

18. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 16 wherein the indicator is a counter indicating a duration to the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station.

19. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 18 wherein the counter counts down the duration to the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station.

20. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 18 wherein the duration is indicated using integer units of E-MBS scheduling intervals (MSIs), frames, or superframes.

21. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 18 wherein the duration is configured by an E-MBS service provider.

22. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 16 wherein the indicator comprises:

a first sequence number associated with the first E-MBS MAP; and

a second sequence number associated with the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station.

23. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 22 wherein the first sequence number or the second sequence number comprises at least one of a frame number and a superframe number.

24. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 16 wherein the indicator indicates that the subscriber station is to decode the next E-MBS map once a performance parameter has been met.

25. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 24 wherein the performance parameter is at least one of a predetermined number of consecutive packet losses by the subscriber station and a predetermined number of total packet losses by the subscriber station within a predetermined time interval.

26. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 16 wherein the indicator corresponds to a predetermined number, and the subscriber station decodes the next E-MBS MAP having a sequence number that is an integer multiple of the predetermined number.

27. A subscriber station in accordance with claim 26 wherein the predetermined number is carried in a field of the first E-MBS MAP.

28. A subscriber station configured to:

receive a downlink frame comprising a first Enhanced Multicast Broadcast Service (E-MBS) MAP, the first E-MBS MAP comprising an indicator to indicate a next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station;

upon decoding the first E-MBS MAP, refraining from decoding subsequent E-MBS MAPs that precede the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station in accordance with the indicator,

wherein the next E-MBS MAP to be decoded by the subscriber station comprises a parameter change, and

wherein the parameter change is set by an E-MBS service provider as a rule that subscriber stations are to decode the E-MBS MAP at a particular time even if parameters have not changed.