System and Method of Communication Using at Least Two Modulation Methods

• US 20120106604A1
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rembrandt Wireless Technologies, LP (Rembrandt IP Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Summit Technology Systems LP
• Inventors: Bremer, Gordon F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,457,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/206 for modulated signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0262 Arrangements for detecting the data rate of an incoming signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0008 arrangements for allowing a transmitter or receiver to use more than one type of modulation negotiating modulation type for two-way transmission paths H04L5/1453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1453 of modulation type

Abstract

A device may be capable of communicating using at least two type types of modulation methods. The device may include a transceiver capable of acting as a master according to a master/slave relationship in which communication from a slave to a master occurs in response to communication from the master to the slave. The master transceiver may send transmissions structured with a first portion and a payload portion. Information in the first portion may be modulated according to a first modulation method and indicate an impending change to a second modulation method, which is used for transmitting the payload portion. The discrete transmissions may be addressed for an intended destination of the payload portion.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a transmitter capable of transmitting at least two modulation methods, wherein the at least two modulation methods comprise a first modulation method and a second modulation, wherein the second method is different than the first modulation method, and wherein the first transceiver is configured to transmit

a first sequence, in the first modulation method, that indicates an impending change from the first modulation method to the second modulation method, and

a second sequence, in the second modulation method, wherein the second sequence is transmitted after the first data sequence.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a third sequence after the second sequence, wherein the third sequence is transmitted in the first modulation method and indicates that communication has reverted to the first modulation method.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein first modulation method is a frequency shift keying modulation.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second modulation method is a shift keying modulation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second modulation method is different than the first modulation method in performance.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first modulation method has a lower performance than the second modulation method.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second modulation method is different than the first modulation method in data rate.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first modulation method has a lower data rate than the second modulation method.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver is configured to transmit the second sequence according to a specific time interval.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver is configured to transmit the second sequence according to a particular quantity of data.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory has stored therein instructions that when executed by the processor cause the transmitter to transmit the first sequence and the second sequence.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory has stored therein program code for the first modulation method and the second modulation method.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory comprises random access memory.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory comprises read-only memory.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the memory has stored therein program code for a multipoint communications protocol.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sequence comprises an address.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sequence and the second sequence are contained in a burst transmission.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the burst transmission is a poll in accordance with a multipoint communications protocol.

19. A communications device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having stored therein executable instructions for execution by the processor, wherein the executable instructions direct transmission of first data with a first modulation method followed by second data with a second modulation method, wherein the first modulation method is different than the second modulation method, and wherein the first data comprises an indication of an impending change from the first modulation method to the second modulation method.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the executable instructions direct transmission of third data with the first modulation method after the second data, wherein the third data indicates that communication has reverted to the first modulation method.