APPROACH FOR MANAGING THE USE OF COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS BASED ON PERFORMANCE

摘要

An approach for selecting sets of communications channels involves determining the performance of communications channels. A set of channels is selected based on the results of performance testing and specified criteria. The participant generates data that identifies the selected set of channels and provides that data to other participants of the communications network. The participants communicate over the set of channels, such as by using a frequency hopping protocol. When a specified time expires or monitoring of the performance of the channel set identifies poor performance of the set of channels, the participant selects another set of channels for use in communications based on additional performance testing. By selecting channels based on the initial performance testing and performance monitoring, the communications network adaptively avoids channels with poor performance.

主权项

1. A wireless communications device configured to:
send packet data to another wireless communications device in a wireless communications network, the packet data specifying a subset of communications channels used for frequency hopping communications of a set of communications channels in a frequency band, the packet data further comprising timing information indicating when to begin using the subset of communications channels for frequency hopping communications; identify a communications channel from the set of communications channels; use the identified communications channel for frequency hopping communications with the other wireless communications device at a time slot at or after the wireless communications device and the other wireless communications device begin using the subset of communications channels for frequency hopping communications, if the identified communications channel is used for frequency hopping communications; and use a communications channel in the subset of communications channels for frequency hopping communications with the other wireless communications device at the time slot, if the identified communications channel is not used for frequency hopping communications.