AUTOMATIC CHANNEL SWITCHING METHOD FOR LOW-POWER COMMUNICATION DEVICES
First Claim
1. An automatic channel switching method to be implemented in a transmitter, the transmitter regularly transferring data frames to a receiver via at least an active one of a plurality of channels, the method comprising the steps of:
- monitoring a quality of each of the channels;
selecting a best channel based on said quality;
if said best channel is other than the active channel;
transferring an indicator representing said best channel to the receiver via the active channel in at least one subsequent data frame; and
in the transmitter, switching the active channel to said best channel for transmission of future transmissions thereover.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method allows the transmitter to change transmission to a better channel in order to minimize transfer interference. In general, the transmitter will monitor all RF channels and tag the data frames with a preferred channel ID. Upon reception of a tag within a given data frame indicating a change in preferred transmission channel, the receiver will commence listening on the new channel. To avoid transmission lapses, the transmitter may continue to transmit on the old channel for a predetermined amount of time or number of data frames to allow the receiver enough time to switch channels without losing any frames.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An automatic channel switching method to be implemented in a transmitter, the transmitter regularly transferring data frames to a receiver via at least an active one of a plurality of channels, the method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a quality of each of the channels;
selecting a best channel based on said quality;
if said best channel is other than the active channel;
transferring an indicator representing said best channel to the receiver via the active channel in at least one subsequent data frame; and
in the transmitter, switching the active channel to said best channel for transmission of future transmissions thereover. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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- 9. A transmitter for regularly transmitting data frames to a receiver via at least an active one of a plurality of channels, the transmitter comprising circuitry adapted to monitor a quality of each of the channels to identify a best channel based on said quality and wherein when said best channel is other than the active channel, providing an indicator representing said best channel in at least one subsequent data frame, sending said at least one subsequent data frame over said active channel and switching said active channel to said best channel for transmission of future data frames thereover.
- 17. A system for communicating data frames over at least an active one of a plurality of channels, the system comprising a transmitter and a receiver, said transmitter being adapted to monitor a quality of each of the channels to identify a best channel based on said quality and, wherein when said best channel is other than the active channel, providing an indicator representing said best channel in at least one subsequent data frame, sending said at least one subsequent data frame over the active channel and switching in said transmitter the active channel to said best channel for transmission of future data frames thereover, wherein when said receiver receives said at least one subsequent data frame over the active channel, the active channel in the receiver is automatically switched to said best channel.
Specification