Automatic transmit mode selection for a communication device

1. A method for selecting an operating communication mode for carrying out a wireless communication on a communication device powered by a power pack, the method comprising:

from a plurality of communication modes stored in memory, each of the plurality of communication modes having an associated voltage threshold, selecting a first communication mode as the operating communication mode and carrying out wireless communication in the operating communication mode;

monitoring a present power pack voltage level of the power pack to determine if the present power pack voltage level is below the associated voltage threshold of the operating communication mode;

when the present power pack voltage level is below the associated voltage threshold of the operating communication mode, selecting a second communication mode having an associated voltage threshold lower than the present power pack voltage level; and

continuing to carry out the wireless communication in the second communication mode;

wherein each of the communication modes comprise a first communication parameter and a second communication parameter, the plurality of communication modes are stored in an order at a first level according to the first communication parameter of the communication modes, and each of the one or more communication modes having the same first communication parameter are further ordered at a second level according to the second communication parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

searching for the second communication mode having an associated voltage threshold lower than the present power pack voltage level; and

terminating the wireless communication when the second communication mode is not located having an associated voltage threshold lower than the present power pack voltage level.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the plurality of communication modes and the associated voltage thresholds in the memory during initiation of the wireless communication based on one or more present wireless communication conditions.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the present wireless communication conditions comprise at least one of traffic and data rate efficiency.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the second communication mode as the operating communication mode comprises:

retrieving an associated voltage threshold corresponding with another stored communication mode;

determining whether the retrieved associated voltage threshold is less than the present power pack voltage level;

selecting the communication mode corresponding to the retrieved associated voltage threshold as the second communication mode if the retrieved associated voltage threshold is less than the present power pack voltage level; and

performing the retrieving, determining and selecting actions until the second communication mode is selected or there are no more associated voltage thresholds to retrieve.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication parameter is one of a communication protocol and a communication band, and wherein the second communication parameter is the other of the communication protocol and the communication band.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the second communication mode having an associated voltage threshold lower than the present power pack voltage level comprises:

considering one or more of the communication modes having a common first-level order and ordered at the second level according to the second communication parameter as candidates for selection as the second communication mode; and

if a second communication mode is not selected from the communication modes having the common first-level order, considering one or more of the communication modes having a common second first-level order and ordered at the second level according to the second communication parameter as candidates for selection as the second communication mode.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the voltage threshold associated to at least one communication mode is higher than a minimum voltage required for that communication mode.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a difference between the associated voltage threshold and the minimum voltage allows the selecting of the second communication mode before the power pack voltage level drops below the minimum voltage.

10. A system for selecting an operating communication mode for carrying out a wireless communication on a communication device comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of communication modes and associated voltage thresholds;

an input signal terminal for receiving a present power pack voltage level for a power pack of the communication device;

an output signal terminal for conveying one or more control signals corresponding to the operating communication mode; and

a processor coupled to the input signal terminal, the memory, and the output signal terminal, the processor being configured to:

select from the plurality of communication modes a first communication mode as the operating communication mode;

monitor the present power pack voltage level of the power pack to determine if the present power pack voltage level is below the associated voltage threshold of the operating communication mode;

search for a second communication mode having an associated voltage threshold lower than the present power pack voltage level when the present power pack voltage level is below the associated voltage threshold of the operating communication mode;

select the second communication mode as the operating communication mode when the second communication mode is located having an associated voltage threshold lower than the present power pack voltage level; and

convey one or more control signals via the output signal terminal to configure the communication device to communicate according to the operating communication mode;

wherein each of the communication modes comprise a first communication parameter and a second communication parameter, the plurality of communication modes are stored in an order at a first level according to the first communication parameter of the communication modes, and each of the one or more communication modes having the same first communication parameter are further ordered at a second level according to the second communication parameter.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to convey one or more control signals via the output signal terminal to terminate the wireless communication when the wireless communication is complete or when the second communication mode is not located having an associated voltage threshold lower than the present power pack voltage level.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to store the plurality of communication modes and the associated voltage thresholds is performed during initiation of the wireless communication based on one or more present wireless communication conditions.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the present wireless communication conditions comprise at least one of traffic and data rate efficiency.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of communication modes are stored in an order based on at least one of the associated voltage thresholds of the communication modes, data rate efficiency and quality of wireless communication.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein selecting the second communication mode as the operating communication mode comprises:

retrieving an associated voltage threshold corresponding with another stored communication mode;

determining whether the retrieved associated voltage threshold is less than the present power pack voltage level;

selecting the communication mode corresponding to the retrieved associated voltage threshold as the second communication mode if the retrieved associated voltage threshold is less than the present power pack voltage level; and

performing the retrieving, determining and selecting actions until the second communication mode is selected or there are no more associated voltage thresholds to retrieve.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first communication parameter is one of a communication protocol and a communication band, and wherein the second communication parameter is the other of the communication protocol and the communication band.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein selecting the second communication mode having an associated voltage threshold lower than the present power pack voltage level comprises:

considering one or more of the communication modes having a common first-level order and ordered at the second level according to the second communication parameter as candidates for selection as the second communication mode; and

if a second communication mode is not selected from the communication modes having the common first-level order, considering one or more of the communication modes having a common second first-level order and ordered at the second level according to the second communication parameter as candidates for selection as the second communication mode.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the voltage threshold associated to at least one communication mode is higher than a minimum voltage required for that communication mode.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein a difference between the associated voltage threshold and the minimum voltage allows the selecting of the second communication mode before the power pack voltage level drops below the minimum voltage.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions executable on a microprocessor of a communication device powered by a power pack for adapting the microprocessor to implement a method of selecting an operating communication mode for carrying out a wireless communication on the communication device, wherein the method comprises:

from a plurality of communication modes stored in memory, each of the plurality of communication modes having an associated voltage threshold, selecting a first communication mode as the operating communication mode and carrying out wireless communication in the operating communication mode;

monitoring a present power pack voltage level of the power pack to determine if the present power pack voltage level is below the associated voltage threshold of the operating communication mode;

when the present power pack voltage level is below the associated voltage threshold of the operating communication mode, selecting a second communication mode having an associated voltage threshold lower than the present power pack voltage level; and

continuing to carry out the wireless communication in the second communication mode;

wherein each of the communication modes comprise a first communication parameter and a second communication parameter, the plurality of communication modes are stored in an order at a first level according to the first communication parameter of the communication modes, and each of the one or more communication modes having the same first communication parameter are further ordered at a second level according to the second communication parameter.