A COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND NETWORK, AND METHOD OF COMMUNICATION

摘要

A communication device 200 is disclosed. The communication device 200 comprises a primary communication unit 202 and an auxiliary communication unit 204. The primary communication unit 202 is operable between an operational state in which a primary communication channel is able to be established for communication with a remote control station 102 and a non- operational state in which the primary communication unit 202 is unable to communicate with the remote control station 102 and the auxiliary communication unit 204 is configurable in an operational state for establishing an auxiliary communication channel for communicating with the remote control station 102. The primary and auxiliary communication channels include primary and auxiliary radio links respectively. The communication device 200 further includes a controller 208 for switching the primary communication unit 202 between the non-operational state and the operational state in dependence on a triggering signal, wherein the auxiliary communication unit 204 in the operational state requires lower operating power than the primary communication unit 202 in the operational state. A communication network and method of communication are also disclosed.