Patent ID: 6452907
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of communicating over a multi-channel communication system:configuring a first channel of a plurality of channels to transmit real data; transmitting real data within the first channel; configuring one or more of the plurality of channels to transmit monitoring data during transmission of real data, wherein each of the plurality of channels can be configured to transmit monitoring data and each of the plurality of channels is available for use with the first channel to transmit real data in order to maintain transmission of the real data at a predetermined data rate; configuring one or more of the plurality of channels to be unused; transmitting the monitoring data; determining a predetermined characteristic of the one or more of the plurality of channels that transmit monitoring data; and selectively re-configuring which of the one or more of the plurality of channels are unused and which transmit monitoring data based upon a result of the predetermined characteristic.