Universal multi-mode underwater software defined modem
AssigneeTechnology Innovation Institute - Sole Proprietorship LLC
InventorsIgor V. Zhilin, Osama M. Bushnaq, Giulia De Masi, Enrico Natalizio, Ian F. Akyildiz, Najwa Aaraj
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A software-defined modem includes a multi-mode head and a baseband unit. The multi-mode head includes a plurality of mode frontends including, but not limited to acoustic, magnetic induction, radio frequency and optical. Each mode frontend of the plurality of mode frontends is configured to transmit and/or receive communications according to a preset communication mode. The baseband unit is configured to control operation of the multi-mode head. The multi-mode head is configured to simultaneously use one or more communication modes.
Claims20
A software-defined modem, comprising:
- a multi-mode head, the multi-mode head comprising a plurality of mode frontends, each mode frontend of the plurality of mode frontends to transmit and receive communications according to a preset communication mode, wherein the plurality of mode frontends are controlled by the software-defined modem;
- and
- a baseband unit configured to control operation of the multi-mode head, wherein the multi-mode head is configured to simultaneously use at least two or more communication modes selected from a radio frequency communication mode, an acoustics communication mode, an optical communications mode, and a magnetic induction communication mode.
A software-defined modem, comprising:
- a multi-mode head, the multi-mode head comprising:
- a first mode frontend configured to transmit and receive communications according to a first communication mode, and
- a second mode frontend configured to transmit and receive communications according to a second communication mode;
- wherein the first mode frontend and the second mode frontend are controlled by the software-defined modem to transmit and receive communications according to the first communication mode and the second communication mode;
- and
- a baseband unit configured to control operation of the multi-mode head, wherein the multi-mode head is configured to simultaneously use the first communication mode and the second communication mode, the baseband unit configured to select one of the first communication mode or the second communication mode for communicating with a node by:
- probing the first communication mode and the second communication mode and establishing a first communication link with the node via the first communication mode and a second communication link with the node via the second communication mode,
- receiving a first set of transmissions via the first communication mode and a second set of transmissions via the second communication mode,
- determining that the first communication mode results in a lower hardware resource load on the software-defined modem than the second communication mode, and
- responsive to the determining, sending data to the node using the first communication mode.
A method of operating a software-defined modem configured to simultaneously use two or more communication modes, the method comprising:
- probing a first communication mode of the software-defined modem and a second communication mode of the software-defined modem;
- establishing a first communication link with a target node via a first mode frontend configured to transmit and receive communications according to the first communication mode and a second communication link with the target node via a second mode frontend configured to transmit and receive communications according to the second communication mode;
- wherein the first mode frontend and the second mode frontend are controlled by the software-defined modem to transmit and receive communications according to the first communication mode and the second communication mode;
- receiving a first set of transmissions via the first communication mode and a second set of transmissions via the second communication mode;
- determining that the first communication mode results in a lower hardware resource load on the software-defined modem than the second communication mode;
- and
- responsive to the determining, sending data to the target node using the first communication mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.