Method for communicating in dual-modes

1. A method of communicating with a multi-mode communication protocol in a given frequency band composed of a plurality of channels, wherein a first set of the plurality of channels are designated fixed-frequency channels and a second set of the plurality of channels are designated spread-spectrum channels, the spread-spectrum channels being composed of a first subset of acquisition channels and a second subset of data channels, the acquisition channels separated by data channels, the method comprising:

enabling communication in a spread-spectrum communication mode;

attempting to receive a communication packet by traversing through the subset of acquisition channels;

upon receiving a communication packet,

switching to a data channel designated by the communication packet; and

receiving and verifying a data portion of the communication packet by communicating in the designated data channel;

upon not receiving a communication packet after traversing through the subset of acquisition channels,

enabling communication in a fixed-frequency communication mode;

attempting to receive a communication packet by traversing through the designated fixed-frequency channels and searching for a training sequence in the preamble of the communication packet; and

upon receiving a communication packet, receiving and verifying a data portion of the communication packet by maintaining communication in the current fixed-frequency channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein enabling communication in a spread-spectrum communication mode comprises:

setting a current modulation protocol to a frequency shift keying (FSK) protocol.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein enabling communication in a fixed-frequency communication mode comprises:

setting a current modulation protocol to an on-off keying (OOK) protocol.

4. A method for communicating in a dual-mode communication protocol, the method comprising:

enabling communication in a spread-spectrum communication protocol, comprising:

receiving a first portion of a communication frame at a first frequency channel, wherein the first portion of the communication frame comprises a data channel index that indicates a second frequency channel for receiving a second portion of the communication frame;

wherein the first frequency channel is one of a subset of acquisition channels, and the second frequency channel is one of a subset of data channels, wherein the acquisition and data channels are subsets of channels designated for spread-spectrum communication, and wherein the spread-spectrum communication protocol further comprises:

cycling through the subset of acquisition channels until synchronizing with a transmitter, whereupon the channel at which synchronization occurs is the first frequency channel;

receiving a predefined synchronization pattern, wherein the predefined synchronization pattern is found within a training sequence field of the first portion of the communication frame;

switching to the second frequency channel;

receiving the second portion of the communication frame at the second frequency channel;

upon not synchronizing with a transmitter, enabling communication in a fixed-frequency communication protocol, wherein the fixed-frequency communication protocol comprises:

receiving the entire communication frame at a third frequency channel, wherein the third frequency channel is one of a subset of fixed-frequency channels.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein enabling communication in a fixed-frequency communication protocol comprises enabling communication in a first modulation scheme, and wherein enabling communication in a spread-spectrum communication protocol comprises enabling communication in a second modulation scheme.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first modulation scheme is the same as the second modulation scheme.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first modulation scheme is an amplitude modulation scheme.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the amplitude modulation scheme is an on-off keying (OOK) modulation scheme.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second modulation scheme is a frequency modulation scheme.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the frequency modulation scheme is a frequency shift keying (FSK) modulation scheme.

11. A method for communicating data, the method comprising:

enabling communication in a spread-spectrum communication protocol, the spread spectrum communication protocol comprising:

transmitting a first portion of a communication frame at a first frequency channel, wherein the preamble of the first portion of the communication frame comprises a data channel index that indicates a second frequency channel for communicating a second portion of the communication frame;

determining whether to communicate in the spread-spectrum communication protocol or a fixed-frequency communication protocol;

examining a receiver address field of the communication frame to determine whether an intended receiver communicates in the spread-spectrum communication protocol or the fixed-frequency communication protocol;

upon communicating the communication frame, receiving an acknowledgement response from the intended receiver;

updating the receiver address field of the intended receiver;

switching to the second frequency channel;

transmitting the second portion of the communication frame at the second frequency channel;

upon determining to communicate in the fixed-frequency communication protocol, enabling communication in the fixed-frequency communication protocol, wherein the fixed-frequency communication protocol comprises transmitting the first and second portions of the communication frame in a third frequency channel.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first frequency channel is one of a subset of acquisition channels, and the second frequency channel is one of a subset of data channels, wherein the acquisition and data channels are subsets of a first set of channels designated for spread-spectrum communication, and wherein the third frequency channel is one of a second set of channels designated for fixed-frequency communication.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein enabling communication in a fixed-frequency communication protocol comprises enabling communication in a first modulation scheme, and wherein enabling communication in a spread-spectrum communication protocol comprises enabling communication in a second modulation scheme.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first modulation scheme is the same as the second modulation scheme.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first modulation scheme is an amplitude modulation scheme.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the amplitude modulation scheme is an on-off keying (OOK) modulation scheme.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second modulation scheme is a frequency modulation scheme.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the frequency modulation scheme is a frequency shift keying (FSK) modulation scheme.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein enabling communication in the fixed-frequency communication protocol further comprises:

enabling communication in a relatively low-power transmission mode.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein enabling communication in the spread-spectrum communication protocol further comprises:

enabling communication in a relatively high-power transmission mode.

21. A dual-mode transceiver, comprising: means for communicating in a spread-spectrum communication protocol, said means comprising:

means for receiving in the spread-spectrum communication protocol, comprising:

means for receiving at a first frequency channel a first portion of a communication frame that comprises a data channel index that indicates a second frequency channel for receiving a second portion of the communication frame;

wherein the first frequency channel is one of a subset of acquisition channels, and the second frequency channel is one of a subset of data channels, wherein the acquisition and data channels are subsets of channels designated for spread-spectrum communication, and wherein said means for receiving in the spread-spectrum communication protocol further comprises:

means for cycling through the subset of acquisition channels;

means for synchronizing with a transmitter, whereupon the acquisition channel at which synchronization occurs is the first frequency channel;

means for receiving a predefined synchronization pattern, wherein the predefined synchronization pattern is found within a training sequence field of the first portion of the communication frame;

means for switching to the second frequency channel designated by the data channel index;

means for receiving the second portion of the communication frame at the second frequency channel;

means for switching from receiving in the spread-spectrum communication protocol to receiving in the fixed-frequency communication protocol upon not synchronizing with a transmitter in the spread-spectrum communication protocol;

means for communicating in a fixed-frequency communication protocol, comprising:

means for receiving in the fixed-frequency communication protocol, comprising:

means for receiving the entire communication frame at a third frequency channel, wherein the third frequency channel is one of a subset of fixed-frequency channels.

22. The transceiver of claim 21 , wherein said means for communicating in the spread-spectrum communication protocol further comprises:

means for transmitting in the spread-spectrum communication protocol, comprising:

means for transmitting a first portion of a communication frame at a first frequency channel, wherein the first portion of the communication frame comprises a data channel index that indicates a second frequency channel for communicating a second portion of the communication frame;

means for switching to the second frequency channel; and

means for transmitting the second portion of the communication frame at the second frequency channel.

23. The transceiver of claim 22 , further comprising:

means for communicating in a fixed-frequency communication protocol, comprising:

means for transmitting in the fixed-frequency communication protocol, comprising:

means for transmitting the first and second portions of the communication frame in a third frequency channel.

24. The transceiver of claim 23 , wherein said means for transmitting in the spread-spectrum communication protocol further comprises means for transmitting at a first radiating-power level, and wherein said means for transmitting in the fixed-frequency communication protocol further comprises means for communicating at a second radiating-power level.

25. The transceiver of claim 24 , wherein the first radiating-power level is higher then the second radiating-power level.

26. The transceiver of claim 24 , wherein the second radiating-power level is a substantially low power level.

27. The transceiver of claim 23 , further comprising:

means for determining whether to transmit in the spread-spectrum communication protocol or the fixed-frequency communication protocol.

28. The transceiver of claim 24 , wherein said means for determining comprises:

means for examining a receiver address field of the communication frame to determine whether an intended receiver communicates in the spread-spectrum communication protocol or the fixed-frequency communication protocol.

29. The transceiver of claim 25 , further comprising:

means for receiving an acknowledgement response from the intended receiver; and

means for updating the receiver address field of the intended receiver.

30. The transceiver of claim 21 , wherein said means for communicating in the fixed-frequency communication protocol further comprises means for communicating in a first modulation scheme, and wherein said means for communicating in the spread-spectrum communication protocol comprises means for communicating in a second modulation scheme.

31. The transceiver of claim 30 , wherein the first modulation scheme is the same as the second modulation scheme.

32. The transceiver of claim 30 , wherein the first modulation scheme is an amplitude modulation scheme.

33. The transceiver of claim 32 , wherein the amplitude modulation scheme is an on-off keying (OOK) modulation scheme.

34. The transceiver of claim 30 , wherein the second modulation scheme is a frequency modulation scheme.

35. The transceiver of claim 34 , wherein the frequency modulation scheme is a frequency shift keying (FSK) modulation scheme.