Energy based communication path selection

1. A method comprising:

identifying a plurality of information communication paths, wherein at least one of the information communication paths is utilized to communicate a unit of information between a first communication system and a second communication system, wherein the at least one information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connection-oriented communication path comprising any combination of a dedicated timeslot, a dedicated channel and a dedicated code;

estimating respective amounts of energy to perform signal processing of the unit of information if the unit of information were communicated using the identified plurality of information communication paths; and

selecting an information communication path, to be utilized for communicating the unit of information, from the identified plurality of information communication paths based, at least in part, on the estimated respective amounts of energy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths utilizes a first set of one or more independent communication networks, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths utilizes a second set of one or more independent communication networks, at least one of which is different from the first set of one or more independent communication networks.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connectionless communication path, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connection-oriented communication path in place of at least a portion of the connectionless communication path.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a first set of communication multipaths associated with a first set of MIMO antennas of a communication device, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a second set of communication multipaths associated with a second set of MIMO antennas of the communication device different from the first set of MIMO antennas.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying a plurality of information communication paths utilized to communicate a unit of information with at least a second communication system comprises identifying a plurality of information communication paths, through different respective sets of one or more independent communication networks, that communicatively couple the first communication system and the second communication system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating respective amounts of energy to communicate the unit of information utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths comprises estimating said respective amounts of energy based, at least in part, on respective transmission power for transmitting the unit of information over the identified plurality of information communication paths.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating respective amounts of energy to communicate the unit of information utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths further comprises estimating said respective amounts of energy based, at least in part, on respective energy required to re-transmit information communicated over the identified plurality of information communication paths.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting an information communication path comprises selecting the information communication path associated with the lowest estimated respective amount of energy.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on one or more communication quality goals.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on signal-to-noise ratio.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on user command.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on whether the first communication system, the second communication system, or both are operating in a power-save mode.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on respective monetary costs associated with utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on power supply characteristics of the first communication system, the second communication system, or both.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on negotiations with the second communication system.

16. A system comprising:

at least one module comprising hardware, said at least one module configured to, at least:

identify a plurality of information communication paths, wherein at least one of the identified information communication paths is utilized to communicate a unit of information between a first communication system and a second communication system, wherein the at least one information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connection-oriented communication path comprising any combination of a dedicated timeslot, a dedicated channel and a dedicated code;

estimate respective amounts of energy to perform signal processing of the unit of information if the unit of information were communicated using the identified plurality of information communication paths; and

select an information communication path, to be utilized for communicating the unit of information, from the identified plurality of information communication paths based, at least in part, on the estimated respective amounts of energy.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module comprises first, second and third modules, and:

the first module comprises a communication path identification module;

the second module comprises a communication energy estimation module; and

the third module comprises a communication path selection module.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths utilizes a first set of one or more independent communication networks, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths utilizes a second set of one or more independent communication networks, at least one of which is different from the first set of one or more independent communication networks.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connectionless communication path, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connection-oriented communication path in place of at least a portion of the connectionless communication path.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a first set of communication multipaths associated with a first set of MIMO antennas of a communication device, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a second set of communication multipaths associated with a second set of MIMO antennas of the communication device different from the first set of MIMO antennas.

21. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is configured to identify a plurality of information communication paths utilized to communicate the unit of information with at least a second communication system by, at least in part, identifying a plurality of communication paths, through different respective sets of one or more independent communication networks, that communicatively couple the first communication system and the second communication system.

22. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is configured to estimate respective amounts of energy to communicate the unit of information utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths by estimating said respective amounts of energy based, at least in part, on respective transmission power for transmitting the unit of information over the identified plurality of information communication paths.

23. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to estimate respective amounts of energy to communicate the unit of information utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths by estimating said respective amounts of energy based, at least in part, on respective energy required to re-transmit information communicated over the identified plurality of information communication paths.

24. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path associated with the lowest estimated respective amount of energy.

25. The system of claim 16 wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on one or more communication quality goals.

26. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on signal-to-noise ratio.

27. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on user command.

28. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on whether the first communication system, the second communication system, or both are operating in a power-save mode.

29. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on respective monetary costs associated with utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths.

30. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on power supply characteristics of the first communication system, the second communication system, or both.

31. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to identify an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on negotiations with the second communication system.

32. A method comprising:

identifying a plurality of information communication paths, wherein at least one of the information communication paths is utilized to communicate a unit of information between a first communication system and a second communication system, wherein the at least one information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connection-oriented communication path comprising any combination of a dedicated timeslot, a dedicated channel and a dedicated code;

estimating respective amounts of energy to perform signal processing of the unit of information if the unit of information were sent using the identified plurality of information communication paths; and

selecting an information communication path, to be utilized for communicating the unit of information, from the identified plurality of information communication paths based, at least in part, on the estimated respective amounts of energy.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths utilizes a first set of one or more independent communication networks, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths utilizes a second set of one or more independent communication networks, at least one of which is different from the first set of one or more independent communication networks.

34. The method of claim 32 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connectionless communication path, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connection-oriented communication path in place of at least a portion of the connectionless communication path.

35. The method of claim 32 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a first set of communication multipaths associated with a first set of MIMO antennas of a communication device, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a second set of communication multipaths associated with a second set of MIMO antennas of the communication device different from the first set of MIMO antennas.

36. The method of claim 32 , wherein identifying a plurality of information communication paths utilized to communicate a unit of information with at least a second communication system comprises identifying a plurality of information communication paths, through different respective sets of one or more independent communication networks, that communicatively couple the first communication system and the second communication system.

37. The method of claim 32 , wherein estimating respective amounts of energy to communicate the unit of information utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths comprises estimating said respective amounts of energy based, at least in part, on respective transmission power for transmitting the unit of information over the identified plurality of information communication paths.

38. The method of claim 32 , wherein estimating respective amounts of energy to communicate the unit of information utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths further comprises estimating said respective amounts of energy based, at least in part, on respective energy required to re-transmit information communicated over the identified plurality of information communication paths.

39. The method of claim 32 , wherein selecting an information communication path comprises selecting the information communication path associated with the lowest estimated respective amount of energy.

40. The method of claim 32 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on one or more communication quality goals.

41. The method of claim 32 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on signal-to-noise ratio.

42. The method of claim 32 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on user command.

43. The method of claim 32 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on whether the first communication system, the second communication system, or both are operating in a power-save mode.

44. The method of claim 32 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on respective monetary costs associated with utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths.

45. The method of claim 32 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on power supply characteristics of the first communication system, the second communication system, or both.

46. The method of claim 32 , wherein selecting an information communication path further comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on negotiations with the second communication system.

47. A system comprising:

at least one module comprising hardware, said at least one module configured to, at least:

identify a plurality of information communication paths, wherein at least one of the identified information communication paths is utilized to communicate a unit of information between a first communication system and a second communication system, wherein the at least one information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connection-oriented communication path comprising any combination of a dedicated timeslot, a dedicated channel and a dedicated code;

estimate respective amounts of energy to perform signal processing of the unit of information if the unit of information were received over the identified plurality of information communication paths; and

select an information communication path, to be utilized for communicating the unit of information, from the identified plurality of information communication paths based, at least in part, on the estimated respective amounts of energy.

48. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module comprises first, second and third modules, and:

the first module comprises a communication path identification module;

the second module comprises a communication energy estimation module; and

the third module comprises a communication path selection module.

49. The system of claim 47 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths utilizes a first set of one or more independent communication networks, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths utilizes a second set of one or more independent communication networks, at least one of which is different from the first set of one or more independent communication networks.

50. The system of claim 47 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises connectionless communication path, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connection-oriented communication path in place of at least a portion of the connectionless communication path.

51. The system of claim 47 , wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a first set of communication multipaths associated with a first set of MIMO antennas of a communication device, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a second set of communication multipaths associated with a second set of MIMO antennas of the communication device different from the first set of MIMO antennas.

52. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is configured to identify a plurality of information communication paths utilized to communicate the unit of information with at least a second communication system by, at least in part, identifying a plurality of communication paths, through different respective sets of one or more independent communication networks, that communicatively couple the first communication system and the second communication system.

53. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is configured to estimate respective amounts of energy to communicate the unit of information utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths by estimating said respective amounts of energy based, at least in part, on respective transmission power for transmitting the unit of information over the identified plurality of information communication paths.

54. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to estimate respective amounts of energy to communicate the unit of information utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths by estimating said respective amounts of energy based, at least in part, on respective energy required to re-transmit information communicated over the identified plurality of information communication paths.

55. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path associated with the lowest estimated respective amount of energy.

56. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on one or more communication quality goals.

57. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on signal-to-noise ratio.

58. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on user command.

59. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on whether the first communication system, the second communication system, or both are operating in a power-save mode.

60. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on respective monetary costs associated with utilizing the identified plurality of information communication paths.

61. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to select an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on power supply characteristics of the first communication system, the second communication system, or both.

62. The system of claim 47 , wherein the at least one module is further configured to identify an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on negotiations with the second communication system.