System and method providing concurrent multimode communication
A system and method providing concurrent multimode communication through multimode signal multiplexing. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise, during a first time period, transmitting a first portion of a first communication in a first communication mode in a serial wireless transmission stream. During a second time period after the first time period, a first portion of a second communication may be transmitted in a second communication mode in the serial wireless transmission stream. Also, during a third time period after the second time period, a second portion of the first communication may be transmitted in the first communication mode in the serial wireless transmission stream. In an exemplary scenario, prior to communicating various communications, transmission time may be allocated between the first and second communication modes. In another exemplary scenario, transmission may be switched between a plurality of communication modes in response to detected communication conditions.
1. In a multimode communication system, a method for communicating information, the method comprising:
during a first time period, transmitting a first portion of a first communication in a first communication mode in a serial wireless transmission stream;
during a second time period after the first time period, transmitting a first portion of a second communication in a second communication mode in the serial wireless transmission stream; and
during a third time period after the second time period, transmitting a second portion of the first communication in the first communication mode in the serial wireless transmission stream.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
transmitting in a first communication mode comprises utilizing a first set of radio components; and
transmitting in a second communication mode comprises utilizing a second set of radio components, wherein at least a portion of the second set of radio components is identical to at least a portion of the first set of radio components.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, configuring a programmable radio to transmit in the second communication mode.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication:
directing a programmable radio to change configuration to a configuration corresponding to communications in the second communication mode; and
waiting a transient time period, after directing the programmable radio, before transmitting the first portion of the second communication.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, waking one or more electrical components associated with communicating in the second communication mode.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmitting the first portion of the first communication and the first portion of the second communication, allocating transmission time between the first and second communications.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein allocating transmission time between the first and second communications comprises allocating transmission time between the first and second communications based, at least in part, on quality of service.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein allocating transmission time between the first and second communications comprises allocating transmission time between the first and second communications based, at least in part, on characteristics of the first and second communication modes.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein allocating transmission time between the first and second communications comprises allocating transmission time between the first and second communications based, at least in part, on data rate.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein allocating transmission time between the first and second communications comprises allocating transmission time between the first and second communications based, at least in part, on carrier access requirements associated with transmitting in the first and second communication modes.
11. The method of claim 6 , wherein allocating transmission time between the first and second communications comprises allocating transmission time between the first and second communications based, at least in part, on communication priority.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication:
detecting a communication condition; and
determining to transmit the first portion of the second communication in response to the detected communication condition.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication:
detecting expiration of a timer; and
determining to transmit the first portion of the second communication in response to the detected timer expiration.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, detecting availability of a communication network associated with the second communication mode.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, detecting that a carrier associated with communicating in the second communication mode is available.
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, receiving a signal from a communication network associated with the second communication mode.
17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, determining that quality of service (QoS) concerns favor communicating the second communication over communicating the first communication.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, determining that the second communication has a higher priority than the first communication.
19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, determining that communication of the second communication should occur concurrently with communication of the first communication.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication and the second communication represent portions of a single aggregate communication.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first time period has a different duration than the third time period.
22. A multimode communication system comprising at least one module adapted to:
during a first time period, transmit a first portion of a first communication in a first communication mode in a serial wireless transmission stream;
during a second time period after the first time period, transmit a first portion of a second communication in a second communication mode in the serial wireless transmission stream; and
during a third time period after the second time period, transmit a second portion of the first communication in the first communication mode in the serial wireless transmission stream.
23. The multimode communication system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to:
transmit in a first communication mode by utilizing a first set of radio components; and
transmit in a second communication mode by utilizing a second set of radio components, wherein at least a portion of the second set of radio components is identical to at least a portion of the first set of radio components.
24. The multimode communication system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, configure a programmable radio to transmit in the second communication mode.
25. The multimode communication system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to, prior to transmitting the first portion of the first communication and the first portion of the second communication, allocate transmission time between the first and second communications.
26. The multimode communication system of claim 25 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to allocate transmission time between the first and second communications based, at least in part, on quality-of-service.
27. The multimode communication system of claim 25 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to allocate transmission time between the first and second communications based, at least in part, on communication priority.
28. The multimode communication system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication:
detect a communication condition; and
determine to transmit the first portion of the second communication in response to the detected communication condition.
29. The multimode communication system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication:
detect expiration of a timer; and
determine to transmit the first portion of the second communication in response to the detected timer expiration.
30. The multimode communication system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, detect that a carrier associated with communicating in the second communication mode is available.
31. The multimode communication system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, receive a signal from a communication network associated with the second communication mode.
32. The multimode communication system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, determine that quality of service (QoS) concerns favor communicating the second communication over communicating the first communication.
33. The multimode communication system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to, prior to transmitting the first portion of the second communication, determine that the second communication has a higher priority than the first communication.
34. The multimode communication system of claim 22 , wherein the first time period has a different duration than the third time period.