Modulation of packet characteristics to establish an overlay communication channel

A method comprising:

• receiving packets at a radio receiver of a first device from an overlay communication channel, the packets originating from a second device;
• extracting from the packets a subset of the packets including message data;
• acquiring a subset of the packet characteristic values to determine the message data, each of the packet characteristic values corresponding to a symbol;
• identifying a characteristic of the subset of the packets specified by a network protocol;
• demodulating at a processor the subset of the packets as a function of the subset of the packet characteristic values to form extracted symbols;
• assembling a message including the message data based on the extracted symbols;
• and
• causing presentation of audio and/or video in accordance with the message.

A system comprising:

• a device comprising:
• a transceiver configured to at least receive radio frequency communication signals including packets;
• a memory including a protocol stack including data representing communication protocol requirements;
• and
• a packet characteristic demodulator processor including:
• a packet extractor configured to extract a subset of the packets including message data from the packets;
• a repository including packet characteristic values configured to determine the message data, each of the packet characteristic values corresponding to a symbol;
• an overlay data extractor configured to acquire the packet characteristic values, to identify a characteristic of the subset of the packets specified by the protocol stack, and to extract symbols from the subset of the packets as a function of the characteristic to form extract symbols;
• and
• assembling a message including the message data based on the extract symbols;
• and
• a data processor configured to perform an operation in accordance with the message.