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A method and apparatus for packing management messages in a broadband wireless communication system. Management messages are sent across a link in packets addressed to a particular connection, where the address identifies messages which may be specially treated. Such special treatment may include re

A method and apparatus for packing management messages in a broadband wireless communication system. Management messages are sent across a link in packets addressed to a particular connection, where the address identifies messages which may be specially treated. Such special treatment may include recognition of an overall message conveyed in such packets as containing one or more implicit messages embedded within the overall message. Two methods are disclosed to efficiently convey such management messages. First, each packet of information sent across the link may include a message type identifier, in which case it need not be repeated in the payload of the packet, and a number of such messages may be sent within a packet. Second, a packet of information may contain mixed management messages, in which case the byte with the message type identifier should be included with each such message. In this case, an overall message may be constructed from individual management messages simply concatenated together. Using either method, the management messages are packed into packets so that messages in a first packet may be parsed and acted upon without a need for any subsequent packets which may be necessary to convey an entire message. This is accomplished by taking any message which will not fit in a first packet may be made to be ignored, such as by being replaced with a padding pattern. In this way, any subsequent packet will have management messages which begin at the start of the effective data payload. Padding may also be added before or after an end of message or trailer information which defines the end of an overall message.

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What is claimed is; 1. An apparatus comprising: a transmitter to transmit data to a base station for a plurality of connections, and the data being transmitted in packets over one or more of a plurality of channels shared with at least one other apparatus communicating with the base station; a rece

What is claimed is; 1. An apparatus comprising: a transmitter to transmit data to a base station for a plurality of connections, and the data being transmitted in packets over one or more of a plurality of channels shared with at least one other apparatus communicating with the base station; a receiver to receive from the base station a plurality of packets having a plurality of management messages greater in number than a number of packets, the greater number of management messages being packed into the less numerous number of packets, and including a management message instructing the transmitter to switch transmission of the data between said plurality of connections and said base station from a first of the plurality of shared channels to a second of the plurality of shared channels, the second shared channel being less congested than the first shared channel; and a control module coupled to the transmitter and the receiver to respond to the management message and cause the transmitter to switch from the first shared channel to the second less congested shared channel. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of shared channels are adapted for transmitting information between said plurality of connections and said base station in a sector defined by said base station. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of said plurality of packets each comprises a connection identifier associating the packets with said connections, and wherein a packet comprising said management message instructing the transmitter to switch comprises a special connection identifier. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said control module is further configured to: unpack said instructing management message from the packet comprising said special connection identifier; and cause the transmitter to switch to the second less congested shared channel in response to unpacking said instructing management message from the pack comprising said special connection identifier. 5. A method comprising: facilitating, by a CPE station, transmitting of data between a plurality of connections and a base station in a wireless communication link over a plurality of shared channels; receiving a plurality of packets including a plurality of management messages from the base station, a number of management messages in the plurality of packets being more numerous than a number of packets, the more numerous management messages being packed in the less numerous packets, and including at least one management message instructing said CPE station to switch transmitting data between said plurality of connections and said base station from a first of said plurality of shared channels to a second of said plurality of shared channels, the second shared channel being a less congested shared channel than the first shared channel; and in response to the switch instructing management message, causing said CPE station to switch transmitting from the first shared channel to the second less congested shared channel. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said plurality of shared channels are adapted for transmitting information between said CPE station and said base station in a sector defined by said base station. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein at least some of said packets each comprises a connection identifier associating the packets with said connections, and wherein packets comprising said switch instructing management message comprise a special connection identifier. 8. A system comprising: one or more base stations configured to transmit information to a subscriber station to provide services to subscribers associated with subscriber stations, said subscriber station being configured to transmit data between a plurality of connections associated with the subscribers and said one or more base stations over a plurality of shared channels, at least one of said base stations configured to: detect congestion on at least a first of said plurality of shared channels; transmit a plurality of packets including a plurality of management messages to at least one subscriber station, a number of management messages being more numerous than a number of packets, the more numerous management messages being packed into the less numerous packets, and including at least a management message instructing the at least one subscriber station to switch from transmitting on the first shared channel to transmit on a second of said plurality of shared channels, the second shared channel being a less congested shared channel than the first shared channel. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the base station is further configured to include a special connection identifier associating one of said plurality of packets as having said management message having the instruction to switch. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein said at least one subscriber station is further adapted to: unpack the plurality of management messages from the plurality of packets, including the management message from the packet comprising said special connection identifier; and commence the switch from transmitting data to said base station on said first shared channel to transmitting data on said second less congested shared channel in response to unpacking said management message from the packet having the special connection identifier. 11. The system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of shared channels are adapted for transmitting information between said subscriber station and said base station in a sector defined by said base station. 12. The system of claim 8, wherein said base station further comprises a sectored antenna array. 13. The system of claim 8 further comprising a communication hub coupled to said one or more base stations by a back haul, said communication hub comprising a switch adapted to provide Internet access to one or more of the plurality of connections. 14. An apparatus comprising: means for transmitting data to a CPE station in a wireless communication link over a plurality of shared channels; means for detecting a level of congestion on at least some of said plurality of shared channels; and means for transmitting a plurality of packets having a plurality of management messages more numerous than a number of packets, the more numerous management messages being packed in the less numerous packets, and including a management message instructing said CPE station to switch transmission between a plurality of connections and a base station from a first of the plurality of shared channels to a second of the plurality of shared channels, the second shared channel being less congested than the first shared channel. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the packet having the management message instructing the CPE station to switch transmission further comprises a special connection identifier identifying the packet as having the switch instructing management message.