Proactive interference avoidance for access points

• US 10,374,749 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2018
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Santosh Babaji
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Shailendra
• Application Number:
  US16/108,475
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/373 Predicting channel quality or other radio frequency [RF] parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/3913 Predictive models, e.g. based on neural network models
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0017 where the mode-switching is based on Quality of Service requirement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0068 by puncturing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0062 Avoidance of ingress interference, e.g. ham radio channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for predicting presence of interfering signals on given wireless channel(s) on which an access point is operating and proactively implementing an interference avoidance process. In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method includes determining, by an access point operating according to a first wireless technology and at a first time, that interference from signals of a second technology will occur, at a second time that is later than the first time, on a channel on which the access point is currently operating; selecting, by the access point, an interference avoidance process based on a plurality of factors; and implementing, by the access point, the interference avoidance process such that at the second time the access point is not operating on one or more sub-channels spanning the channel on which the access point is currently operating.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

predicting a second time, by an access point operating according to a first wireless technology and at a first time, that interference from signals of a second technology will occur at the second time that is later than the first time, on a channel on which the access point is currently operating;

selecting, by the access point, an interference avoidance process based on a plurality of factors, comprising;

first determining it preamble puncturing is available for the access point;

and selecting, in response to a positive result to the first determining, the preamble puncturing as the interference avoidance process;

second determining, in response to a negative result to the first determining, if there is one or more adjacent channels for the access point to switch to, the one or more adjacent channels having a same bandwidth as the channel on which the access point is currently operating;

selecting, in response to a positive result to the second determining, one of the one or more adjacent channels for the access point to switch to if the one or more adjacent channels are available;

third determining, in response to a negative result to the second determining if there are one or more channels having a lower bandwidth than the channel on which the access point is currently operating;

selecting, in response to a positive result to the third determining, one of the one or more channels having the lower bandwidth for the access point to switch to; and

implementing, by the access point, the interference avoidance process such that at the second time the access point is not operating on one or more sub-channels spanning the channel on which the access point is currently operating.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the interference is based on a predictive modeling using past presence of the signals of the second technology on the one or more sub-channels.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein availability of the preamble puncturing is based on a type of the access point.

4. An access point configured to operate on a channel according to a first wireless technology, the access point comprising:

a memory having computer-readable instructions stored therein; and

one or more processors programed to execute the computer-readable instructions to perform operations comprising;

predicting a second time, by an access point operating according to a first wireless technology and at a first time, that interference from signals of a second technology will occur, at a the second time that is later than the first time, on a channel on which the access point is currently operating;

selecting, by the access point, an interference avoidance process based on a plurality of factors, comprising;

first determining if preamble puncturing is available for the access point; and

selecting, in response to a positive result to the first determining, the preamble puncturing as the interference avoidance process;

second determining, in response to a negative result to the first determining, if there is one or more adjacent channels for the access point to switch to, the one or more adjacent channels having a same bandwidth as the channel on which the access point is currently operating;

selecting, in response to a positive result to the second determining, one of the one or more adjacent channels for the access point to switch to if the one or more adjacent channels are available;

third determining, in response to a negative result to the second determining if there are one or more channels having a lower bandwidth than the channel on which the access point is currently operating;

selecting, in response to a positive result to the third determining, one of the one or more channels having the lower bandwidth for the access point to switch to; and

implementing, by the access point, the interference avoidance process such that at the second time the access point is not operating on one or more sub-channels spanning the channel on which the access point is currently operating.

5. The access point of claim 4, wherein determining the interference is based on a predictive modeling using past presence of the signals of the second technology on the one or more sub-channels.

6. The access point of claim 4, wherein availability of the preamble puncturing is based on a type of the access point.

7. A non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

predicting a second time, by an access point operating according to a first wireless technology and at a first time, that interference from signals of a second technology will occur at the second time that is later than the first time, on a channel on which the access point is currently operating;

selecting, by the access point, an interference avoidance process based on a plurality of factors, comprising;

first determining if preamble puncturing is available for the access point; and

selecting, in response to a positive result to the first determining, the preamble puncturing as the interference avoidance process;

second determining, in response to a negative result to the first determining, if there is one or more adjacent channels for the access point to switch to, the one or more adjacent channels having a same bandwidth as the channel on which the access point is currently operating;

selecting, in response to a positive result to the second determining, one of the one or more adjacent channels for the access point to switch to if the one or more adjacent channels are available;

third determining, in response to a negative, result to the second determining if there are one or more channels having a lower bandwidth than the channel on which the access point is currently operating;

selecting, in response to a positive result to the third determining, one of the one or more channels having the lower bandwidth for the access point to switch to; and

implementing, by the access point, the interference avoidance process such that at the second time the access point is not operating on one or more sub-channels spanning the channel on which the access point is currently operating.

8. The media of claim 7, wherein determining the interference is based on a predictive modeling using past presence of the signals of the second technology on the one or more sub-channels.

9. The media of claim 7, wherein availability of the preamble puncturing is based on a type of the access point.