Distributed channel selection for wireless networks
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- identifying, by a wireless networking device of neighboring wireless networking devices, channel data of available wireless network channels;
determining cost values for the available wireless network channels based on a cost function of at least one attribute of the available wireless network channels from the channel data, the at least one attribute of the available wireless network channels including one or a combination of whether the available wireless network channels overlap with another wireless network channel in use, whether the available wireless network channels use dynamic frequency selection, and whether the available wireless network channels are being used indoors or outdoors;
selecting a candidate wireless network channel of the available wireless network channels based on the cost values for the available wireless network channels;
determining, by the wireless networking device, if at least one of the neighboring wireless networking devices is acting as an arbiter network device;
if it is determined that at least one of the neighboring wireless networking devices is acting as the arbiter networking device;
sending a channel request to use the candidate wireless network channel to the arbiter networking device;
using the candidate wireless network channel to transmit data if channel approval is received from the arbiter networking device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Wireless networking devices scan for available channels and gather data about the channels and the RF environment. Using this information, each wireless networking device determines a cost value for each available channel and a quality value for its overall RF neighborhood. Each wireless networking device select the channel with the best cost value as a candidate channel for use. The wireless networking devices may submit channel requests to the arbiter for approval. If two or more wireless networking devices are requesting the same channel, the arbiter assigns the channel to the wireless networking device with the worst RF neighborhood quality. The arbiter informs the wireless networking devices if their channel requests are approved. If a wireless networking device'"'"'s channel request is not approved, the wireless networking device will rescan the remaining available channels to select a different candidate channel to be approved.
263 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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identifying, by a wireless networking device of neighboring wireless networking devices, channel data of available wireless network channels; determining cost values for the available wireless network channels based on a cost function of at least one attribute of the available wireless network channels from the channel data, the at least one attribute of the available wireless network channels including one or a combination of whether the available wireless network channels overlap with another wireless network channel in use, whether the available wireless network channels use dynamic frequency selection, and whether the available wireless network channels are being used indoors or outdoors; selecting a candidate wireless network channel of the available wireless network channels based on the cost values for the available wireless network channels; determining, by the wireless networking device, if at least one of the neighboring wireless networking devices is acting as an arbiter network device; if it is determined that at least one of the neighboring wireless networking devices is acting as the arbiter networking device; sending a channel request to use the candidate wireless network channel to the arbiter networking device; using the candidate wireless network channel to transmit data if channel approval is received from the arbiter networking device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system comprising:
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neighboring wireless networking devices; a wireless networking device of the neighboring wireless networking devices configured to; identify channel data of available wireless network channels; determine cost values for the available wireless network channels based on a cost function of at least one attribute of the available wireless network channels from the channel data, the at least one attribute of the available wireless network channels including one or a combination of whether the available wireless network channels overlap with another wireless network channel in use, whether the available wireless network channels use dynamic frequency selection, and whether the available wireless network channels are being used indoors or outdoors; select a candidate wireless network channel of the available wireless network channels based on the cost values for the available wireless network channels; determine if at least one of the neighboring wireless networking devices is acting as an arbiter network device; if it is determined that at least one of the neighboring wireless networking devices is acting as the arbiter networking device; send a channel request to use the candidate wireless network channel to the arbiter networking device; use the candidate wireless network channel to transmit data if channel approval is received from the arbiter networking device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system comprising:
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means for identifying, by a wireless networking device of neighboring wireless networking devices, channel data of available wireless network channels; means for determining cost values for the available wireless network channels based on a cost function of at least one attribute of the available wireless network channels from the channel data, the at least one attribute of the available wireless network channels including one or a combination of whether the available wireless network channels overlap with another wireless network channel in use, whether the available wireless network channels use dynamic frequency selection, and whether the available wireless network channels are being used indoors or outdoors; means for selecting a candidate wireless network channel of the available wireless network channels based on the cost values for the available wireless network channels; means for determining, by the wireless networking device, if at least one of the neighboring wireless networking devices is acting as an arbiter network device; means for sending a channel request to use the candidate wireless network channel to the arbiter networking device, if it is determined that at least one of the neighboring wireless networking devices is acting as the arbiter networking device; means for using the candidate wireless network channel to transmit data if channel approval is received from the arbiter networking device.
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Specification