Adaptive communication mode switching

Abstract

Systems, method, and devices are provided for transmitting data. In one aspect, a method includes providing a plurality of communication modules, each of the plurality of communication modules configured to transmit data using a different communication method; establishing, with the plurality of communication modules, a plurality of simultaneous respective communication links to a remote terminal; selecting, based on a switching criterion, at least one of the plurality of simultaneous respective communication links to be used to transmit data; and transmitting data via said at least one of the plurality of simultaneous respective communication links selected based on the switching criterion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for transmitting data, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of communication modules, each of the plurality of communication modules configured to transmit data using a different communication method;   establishing, with the plurality of communication modules, a plurality of simultaneous respective communication links to a remote terminal;   calculating whether one or more characteristics of each of the plurality of simultaneous respective communication links meets a switching criterion;   selecting, based on the switching criterion, at least one of the plurality of simultaneous respective communication links to be used to transmit data; and   transmitting data via said at least one of the plurality of simultaneous respective communication links selected based on the switching criterion.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of communication modules are carried by a movable object. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the movable object is an unmanned aerial vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the simultaneous respective communication links is established between one of the plurality of communication modules and one of a plurality of corresponding communication modules of the remote terminal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a maximum communication distance of at least one of the different communication methods is within the range of 0.5 km to 20 km. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the different communication methods does not require line of sight to operate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the different communication methods comprises a direct communication method. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the direct communication method comprises one of the following: WiFi, WiMAX, or coded orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (COFDM). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the different communication methods comprises an indirect communication method. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the indirect communication method comprises communication via a mobile phone network. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the mobile phone network is a 3G or 4G network. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the indirect communication method utilizes forward error correction. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switching criterion is based on signal strength of signals received by at least one of the plurality of communication modules. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switching criterion is based on signal quality of signals received by at least one of the plurality of communication modules. 
     
     
         15 . A data-transmitting apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of communication modules each configured to transmit data to a remote terminal using a different communication method, wherein a plurality of simultaneous respective communication links are established between the plurality of communication modules and the remote terminal;   one or more processors configured to: (i) calculate whether one or more characteristics of each of the simultaneous respective communication links meets a switching criterion; and (ii) select, based on the switching criterion, at least one of the plurality of simultaneous respective communication links to be used to transmit data; and   a controller configured output control signals causing data transmission to occur via said at least one of the plurality of simultaneous respective communication links selected based on the switching criterion.   
     
     
         16 . A method for transmitting images from a movable object, the method comprising:
 providing the movable object comprising a first communication module configured to transmit image data using a first communication method and a second communication module configured to transmit image data using a second communication method different from the first communication method;   obtaining image data with the movable object;   performing calculations, based on a switching criterion, in order to select at least one of the first communication module or the second communication module to be used to transmit the image data; and   transmitting the image data using said at least one of the first communication module or the second communication module selected based on the switching criterion.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the movable object is an unmanned aerial vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first communication method or the second communication method does not require line of sight to operate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a maximum communication distance of the first communication method is smaller than a maximum communication distance of the second communication method. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first communication method comprises a direct communication method. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the direct communication method comprises one of the following: WiFi, WiMAX, or coded orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (COFDM). 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the second communication method comprises an indirect communication method. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the indirect communication method comprises communication via a mobile phone network. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the mobile phone network is a 3G or 4G network. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the indirect communication method utilizes forward error correction. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the switching criterion is based on signal strength of signals received by at least one of the first communication module or the second communication module. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the switching criterion is based on signal quality of signals received by at least one of the first communication module or the second communication module. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the image data is transmitted to a terminal remote from the movable object. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the movable object comprises one or more image sensors and the image data is generated by the one or more image sensors. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the image data is generated by one or more image sensors provided separately from the movable object.