MONITORING OF CHANNEL STABILITY AND INTERFERENCE IN WIRELESS NETWORKS
First Claim
1. A method for evaluating stability of communication channels in a wireless communication network, the method comprising steps of:
- monitoring, by a first node of the wireless communication network, a plurality of communication channels utilized for communications between the first node and other nodes in the wireless communication network;
computing, by the first node, channel stability metrics for each of the plurality of communication channels; and
initiating, by the first node, in coordination with at least another node of the wireless communication network, a change in a usage of a selected communication channel of the plurality of communication channels based on the computed channel stability metrics for each of the plurality of communication channels.
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Abstract
The stability of a channel in a wireless network is evaluated at a node. Upon transmitting a packet from the node on a network channel, a first counter associated with the channel is incremented. Upon receiving an acknowledgment packet responsive to the transmitted packet, a second counter associated with the channel is incremented. A stability metric for the channel is computed based on values stored in the first and second counters. Additionally, interference on a channel of the network is measured at a node. Upon determining that no packet is received during a predetermined time-period on the channel, a received signal strength (RSS) is measured on the channel at an end of the predetermined time-period. Alternatively, upon determining that a packet is received during the predetermined time-period on the channel, the RSS is measured on the channel following completion of the transmission of the packet on the channel.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for evaluating stability of communication channels in a wireless communication network, the method comprising steps of:
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monitoring, by a first node of the wireless communication network, a plurality of communication channels utilized for communications between the first node and other nodes in the wireless communication network; computing, by the first node, channel stability metrics for each of the plurality of communication channels; and initiating, by the first node, in coordination with at least another node of the wireless communication network, a change in a usage of a selected communication channel of the plurality of communication channels based on the computed channel stability metrics for each of the plurality of communication channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A wireless network node in communication with other wireless network nodes across a wireless communication network, the wireless network node comprising:
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a transceiver configured to transmit and receive packets on selected communication channels of a plurality of communication channels of the wireless communication network; and a processor configured to control operation of the transceiver to monitor the plurality of communication channels and to compute, for each respective communication channel of the plurality of communication channels, a channel stability metric for the respective communication channel, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate, in coordination with at least another node of the wireless communication network, a change in a usage of a selected communication channel of the plurality of communication channels based on the computed channel stability metrics for each of the plurality of communication channels. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A wireless network node configured for communication with other wireless network nodes of a wireless communication network across a plurality of communication channels, the wireless network node comprising:
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means for monitoring the plurality of communication channels utilized for communications between the wireless network node and the other wireless network nodes in the wireless communication network; means for computing channel stability metrics for each of the plurality of communication channels; and means for initiating;
in coordination with at least another node of the wireless communication network, a change in a usage of a selected communication channel of the plurality of communication channels based on the computed channel stability metrics for each of the plurality of communication channels.
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Specification