Approach for selecting communications channels in communication systems to avoid interference
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for selecting communications channels to be used by a communication system, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- for a particular communications channel being used by the communication system from a plurality of communications channels, determining a channel switch metric that indicates the presence of one or more signals on the particular communications channel that use a different communications protocol than a communications protocol used by the communication system;
for one or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels other than the particular communications channel;
determining, for each of the one or more communications channels,a channel occupancy metric that indicates the presence of one or more signals on the communications channel that use the same communications protocol as the communications protocol used by the communication system or a different communications protocol, anda classification, by device type, of the one or more signals determined to be present on the communications channel that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system;
determining, based upon at least the channel switch metric and the channel occupancy metric and classification for each of the one or more communications channels, whether the communication system should use one or more alternative communications channels from the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel; and
if a determination is made that the communication system should use the one or more alternative communications channels from the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel, then causing the communication system to use the one or more alternative communications channels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An approach for selecting communications channels to be used by a communication system includes evaluating for the presence of one or more signals both a particular communications channel currently being used by the communication system and one or more other communications channels. For the particular communications channel currently being used by the communication system, signals that use a different communications protocol than the communication system are evaluated. For the one or more other communications channels, both signals that use the same communications protocol as the communication system and signals that use a different communications protocol than the communication system are evaluated. The approach may include the use of metrics and classification of device types to determine one or more communications channels to be used by the communication system.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for selecting communications channels to be used by a communication system, the computer-implemented method comprising:
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for a particular communications channel being used by the communication system from a plurality of communications channels, determining a channel switch metric that indicates the presence of one or more signals on the particular communications channel that use a different communications protocol than a communications protocol used by the communication system; for one or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels other than the particular communications channel; determining, for each of the one or more communications channels, a channel occupancy metric that indicates the presence of one or more signals on the communications channel that use the same communications protocol as the communications protocol used by the communication system or a different communications protocol, and a classification, by device type, of the one or more signals determined to be present on the communications channel that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system; determining, based upon at least the channel switch metric and the channel occupancy metric and classification for each of the one or more communications channels, whether the communication system should use one or more alternative communications channels from the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel; and if a determination is made that the communication system should use the one or more alternative communications channels from the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel, then causing the communication system to use the one or more alternative communications channels.
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2. A computer-implemented method for selecting communications channels to be used by a communication system, the computer-implemented method comprising:
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for a particular communications channel being used by the communication system from a plurality of communications channels, determining a presence of one or more signals on the particular communications channel that use a different communications protocol than a communications protocol used by the communication system; for one or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels other than the particular communications channel; determining a presence of one or more signals on the one or more communications channels that use the same communications protocol as the communications protocol used by the communication system, determining a presence of one or more signals on the one or more communications channels that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system, and classifying, by device type, the signals determined to be present on the one or more communications channels that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system; determining, based upon at least; the presence of the signals on the particular communications channel that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system, the presence of one or more signals on the one or more communications channels that use the same communications protocol as the communications protocol used by the communication system, the presence of one or more signals on the one or more communications channels that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system, and the classification by device type of the one or more signals determined to be present on the one or more communications channels that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system, whether the communication system should use an alternative communications channel from the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel; and if a determination is made that the communication system should use the alternative communications channel from the one of the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel, then causing the communication system to use the alternative communications channel. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-readable medium for selecting communications channels to be used by a communication system, the computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causes:
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for a particular communications channel being used by the communication system from a plurality of communications channels, determining a channel switch metric that indicates the presence of one or more signals on the particular communications channel that use a different communications protocol than a communications protocol used by the communication system; for one or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels other than the particular communications channel; determining, for each of the one or more communications channels, a channel occupancy metric that indicates the presence of one or more signals on the communications channel that use the same communications protocol as the communications protocol used by the communication system or a different communications protocol, and a classification, by device type, of the one or more signals determined to be present on the communications channel that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system; determining, based upon at least the channel switch metric and the channel occupancy metric and classification for each of the one or more communications channels, whether the communication system should use one or more alternative communications channels from the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel; and if a determination is made that the communication system should use the one or more alternative communications channels from the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel, then causing the communication system to use the one or more alternative communications channels.
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10. A computer-readable medium for selecting communications channels to be used by a communication system, the computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causes:
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for a particular communications channel being used by the communication system from a plurality of communications channels, determining a presence of one or more signals on the particular communications channel that use a different communications protocol than a communications protocol used by the communication system; for one or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels other than the particular communications channel; determining a presence of one or more signals on the one or more communications channels that use the same communications protocol as the communications protocol used by the communication system, determining a presence of one or more signals on the one or more communications channels that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system, and classifying, by device type, the signals determined to be present on the one or more communications channels that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system; determining, based upon at least; the presence of the signals on the particular communications channel that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system, the presence of one or more signals on the one or more communications channels that use the same communications protocol as the communications protocol used by the communication system, the presence of one or more signals on the one or more communications channels that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system, and the classification by device type of the one or more signals determined to be present on the one or more communications channels that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system, whether the communication system should use an alternative communications channel from the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel; and if a determination is made that the communication system should use the alternative communications channel from the one of the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel, then causing the communication system to use the alternative communications channel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for selecting communications channels to be used by a communication system, the apparatus comprising an interference avoidance subsystem configured to:
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for a particular communications channel being used by the communication system from a plurality of communications channels, determine a channel switch metric that indicates the presence of one or more signals on the particular communications channel that use a different communications protocol than a communications protocol used by the communication system; for one or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels other than the particular communications channel; determine, for each of the one or more communications channels, a channel occupancy metric that indicates the presence of one or more signals on the communications channel that use the same communications protocol as the communications protocol used by the communication system or a different communications protocol, and a classification, by device type, of the one or more signals determined to be present on the communications channel that use a different communications protocol than the communications protocol used by the communication system; determine, based upon at least the channel switch metric and the channel occupancy metric and classification for each of the one or more communications channels, whether the communication system should use one or more alternative communications channels from the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel; and if a determination is made that the communication system should use the one or more alternative communications channels from the one or more communications channels instead of the particular communications channel, then causing the communication system to use the one or more alternative communications channels.
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Specification