Message fragmenting in a time diversity radio system

摘要

A time diversity communication system (150) comprises a messaging terminal (154), a queue (156) at the messaging terminal for queuing incoming messages, an encoder (158) for encoding a first fragment of a message and the remaining fragments of a message, a transmitter (160) for repeatedly transmitting the first fragment in a plurality of time slots to at least one selective call receiver (201) operating in a first mode, the number of time slots equaling a desired number of repeat transmissions and wherein the first fragment contains instructions for decoding the remaining fragments in a second mode by the selective call receiver, the transmitter (160) also repeatedly transmits the remaining portions of the message in subsequent time slots and at least one selective call receiver that decodes the first fragment and remaining fragments of the message in accordance with instructions in the decoded first fragment.