Channel scanning

• US 20060215627A1
• Filed: 03/24/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Waxman, Shay
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/347
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

A method of operation in a communications node is disclosed. The method of operation includes the communications node scanning a plurality of channels simultaneously during a period of time, with the communications node selecting for signal processing a first signal, in a first channel in the plurality of channels, in a first sub-period of time in the period of time. The method of operation includes the communications node selecting for signal processing a second signal, in a second channel in the plurality of channels, in a second sub-period of time in the period of time. Embodiments of the present invention include but are not limited to communications nodes and devices, subsystems, and systems equipped to operate in the above described manner.

Claims

1. A method of operation in a first communications node comprising:

scanning by the first communications node, a plurality of channels simultaneously during a period of time;

selecting for signal processing by the first communications node, a first signal in a first channel in the plurality of channels in a first sub-period of time in the period of time; and

selecting for signal processing by the first communications node, a second signal in a second channel in the plurality of channels in a second sub-period of time in the period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said scanning is performed by one receiver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sub-period of time does not temporally overlap with the first sub-period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising deselecting by the first communications node, the first channel if the first signal persists beyond a calculated or predefined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning by the first communications node, the first channel by itself if the first signal in the first channel persists beyond a calculated or predefined period of time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said scanning of the first channel by itself occurs in a future scanning cycle.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said scanning of the first channel by itself occurs immediately upon the first signal in the first channel persisting beyond the calculated or pre-determined period of time.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising scanning by the first communications node, the second channel by itself.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising excluding by the first communications node, the first channel from the plurality of channels if the first signal in the first channel persists beyond a calculated or predefined period of time.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting for signal processing by the first communications node, a plurality of signals in a corresponding plurality of channels in a corresponding plurality of sub-periods of time in the period of time, the plurality of signals including the first signal and the second signal.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting by the first communications node, one of the plurality of channels as an operational channel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communications node comprises a client operating on a wireless network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is transmitted by a second communications node, the second signal is transmitted by a third communications node, and the second and the third communications nodes are adapted to be synchronized to a common clock.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal comprises a beacon transmission.

15. A communications apparatus comprising:

a plurality of filter blocks;

a plurality of carrier sensors correspondingly coupled to the plurality of filter blocks, each of the plurality of carrier sensors adapted to detect a corresponding carrier signal in a plurality of carrier signals;

a multiplexer coupled to the plurality of filter blocks and the plurality of carrier sensors, and adapted to select an output of one of the plurality of filter blocks based at least in part upon an output of one of the plurality of carrier sensors; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of carrier sensors to at least partially control their operation, including controlling a carrier sensor to temporarily stop sensing a carrier signal if the carrier signal has been received beyond a period of time.

16. The communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein a filter block in the plurality of filter blocks comprises a filter and a digital down-converter.

17. The communications apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter, the analog-to-digital converter coupled to the plurality of filters and adapted to receive a plurality of analog signals.

18. The communications apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a decoder, the decoder coupled to the multiplexer and adapted to decode a signal relayed by the multiplexer.

19. The communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is provided with the period of time or adapted to calculate the period of time.

20. The communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the communications apparatus comprises a client operating on a wireless network.

21. The communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the communications apparatus comprises an 802.11 compliant or compatible station.

22. A communications system comprising:

one or more substantially omnidirectional antenna(e), designed to at least facilitate reception of communication signals; and

a communications apparatus, the communications apparatus coupled to at least one of the one or more substantially omnidirectional antenna(e), and including

a plurality of filter blocks,

a plurality of carrier sensors correspondingly coupled to the plurality of filter blocks, each of the plurality of carrier sensors adapted to detect a corresponding carrier signal in a plurality of carrier signals,

a multiplexer coupled to the plurality of filter blocks and the plurality of carrier sensors, and adapted to select an output of one of the plurality of filter blocks based at least in part upon an output of one of the plurality of carrier sensors, and

a controller coupled to the plurality of carrier sensors to at least partially control their operation, including controlling a carrier sensor to temporarily stop sensing a carrier signal if the carrier signal has been received beyond a period of time.

23. The communications system of claim 22, wherein the controller is provided with the period of time or adapted to calculate the period of time.

24. The communications system of claim 22, wherein the communications apparatus comprises an 802.11 compliant or compatible station.

25. The communications system of claim 22, wherein the communications apparatus comprises a selected one from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a video camera, a personal digital assistant, and a handheld gaming device.

26. A controller readable medium comprising:

a storage medium; and

a plurality of instructions stored in the storage medium, the instructions designed to enable an apparatus to

scan a plurality of channels simultaneously during a period of time,

select for signal processing a first signal in a first channel in the plurality of channels in a first sub-period of time in the period of time, and

select for signal processing a second signal in a second channel in the plurality of channels in a second sub-period of time in the period of time.

27. The controller readable medium of claim 26, wherein the second sub-period of time does not temporally overlap with the first sub-period of time.

28. The controller readable medium of claim 26, wherein the instructions are further designed to deselect the first channel if the first signal persists beyond a calculated or predefined period of time.