Patent ID: 8319656

Claim:
A method of downhole time interlaced communications, the method comprising: setting a first delay value between consecutive downhole commands defining a first command interval for a first communications system associated with a cable and a first downhole tool, the first command interval being greater than an actual command duration of each of the consecutive downhole commands to form periods of communications inactivity to thereby allow communications with minimal interference to a second communications system associated with a second downhole tool and having at least portions proximally located adjacent at least portions of the first communications system; setting a second delay value between consecutive downhole commands defining a second command interval for the second communications system associated with the cable and a second downhole tool, the second command interval of the second communications system being slightly greater than the first command interval of the first communications system to thereby overcome any effects of drift; detecting communications interference of at least one of the first or second communications systems with the other of the first or second communications systems; applying temporarily a positive command interval shift to the first communications system and a negative command interval shift to the second communications system responsive to the detected communications interference to minimize resynchronization time.