Method and apparatus for sector channelization and polarization for reduced interference in wireless networks
View Patent ↗The present invention provides in one embodiment channel allocation and polarization techniques for reducing cross sector communications interference in a multiple access wireless communications environment. In one embodiment, channel allocation and/or polarization techniques may be applied in multiple-access wireless communications architectures to provide selective, simultaneous communications with wireless devices using a plurality of transmitters. In some embodiments, a transmitter is coupled to an antenna configured to provide simultaneous communications with wireless devices located in different spatial areas or sectors. In some embodiments, communications between wireless devices within a single sector, between wireless devices in different sectors and between wireless devices and a wired network or wireless backhaul network may be provided.
1. A method for determining an assignment of wireless communications channels to a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, comprising:
identifying a plurality of available wireless communications channels;
determining a plurality of wireless communications channel assignments based upon the plurality of available wireless communications channels and the plurality of wireless communications transmitters, wherein each wireless communications channel assignment from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes an assignment of one or more wireless communications channels of the plurality of available wireless communications channels to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
determining a channel separation for each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
based on the channel separation that is determined for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria;
wherein the overall interference for each wireless communications channel assignment considers the interference for each wireless communications channel assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters in said each wireless communications channel assignment; and
wherein determining the channel separation for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes:
determining
S
(
S
_
k
,
i
)
=
min
r
=
1
…
n
|
S
_
k
,
i
r
-
S
_
k
,
i
r
+
1
mod
n
|
,
wherein:
S k is a channel set that includes the plurality of wireless communications channels;
S k,i defines a wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k by specifying which wireless communications channels of the plurality of wireless communications channels are assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters for the wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k ;
1<i≦I, in which I is a first number of wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments;
n is a second number of wireless communications transmitters in the plurality of wireless communications transmitters; and
S( S k,i ) is a channel separation distance for the wireless communications channel assignment i defined by S k,i .
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the method further comprises determining a power for each wireless communications channel assignment in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
the selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria includes:
selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and satisfies a power criteria.
3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein determining the power for each of the wireless communications channel assignments, further comprises:
determining
P
(
S
j
)
=
min
i
=
1
…
n
k
=
1
…
n
i
≠
k
|
S
j
i
-
S
j
k
|
;
wherein S i j denotes an ith element of a set S j , which is a jth subset of Ψ, wherein Ψ={C 1 , . . . , C m } denotes a set of m available channels in a band of interest.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the available wireless communications channels are from a frequency band specified by one of the IEEE 802.11(a), (b), (g), the 802.15(x), 802.16(x) and 802.20(x) wireless communications standards.
5. A method for determining an assignment of wireless communications
channels to a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, comprising:
determining available wireless communications channels by:
selecting a first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels from a band of wireless communications frequencies;
determining a power for each set of the first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels; and
selecting, from the first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels, two or more sets of wireless communications channels that satisfy power criteria to form a second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels;
determining candidate channel to transmitter assignments by:
for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels determining two or more assignments of wireless communications channels that are included in said each set to the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
for each of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels, determining a channel separation for each of the two or more assignments;
for each of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels, determining whether the channel separation satisfies a specified separation criteria; and
when a particular assignment of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels satisfies the specified separation criteria, including the particular assignment in a plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments; and
selecting a channel to transmitter assignment by:
determining an overall interference generated by each candidate channel to transmitter assignment of the plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments; and
from the plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments, choosing the channel to transmitter assignment that reduces the overall interference, based on the overall interference that is determined for each candidate channel to transmitter assignment.
6. An apparatus, comprising:
means for determining a plurality of available wireless communications channels;
means for identifying a plurality of wireless communications channel assignments based upon the plurality of available wireless communications channels and a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, wherein each wireless communications channel assignment from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes an assignment of one or more wireless communications channels of the plurality of available wireless communications channels to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
means for determining a channel separation for each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
means for selecting, based on the channel separation that is determined for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria;
wherein the overall interference for each wireless communications channel assignment considers the interference for each wireless communications channel assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters in said each wireless communications channel assignment; and
wherein determining the channel separation for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes:
determining
S
(
S
_
k
,
i
)
=
min
r
=
1
…
n
S
_
k
,
i
r
-
S
_
k
,
i
r
+
1
mod
n
wherein:
S k is a channel set that includes the plurality of wireless communications channels;
S k,i defines a wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k , by specifying which wireless communications channels of the plurality of wireless communications channels are assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters for the wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k ;
1<i≦I, in which I is a first number of wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments;
n is a second number of wireless communications transmitters in the plurality of wireless communications transmitters; and
S( S k,i ) is a channel separation distance for the wireless communications channel assignment i defined by S k,i .
7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein:
the apparatus further comprises means for determining a power for each wireless communications channel assignment in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
the means for selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a
particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria includes means for:
selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and satisfies a power criteria.
8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein the means for determining the power for each of the wireless communications channel assignments, further comprises a means for:
determining
P
(
S
j
)
=
min
i
=
1
…
n
k
=
1
…
n
i
≠
k
|
S
j
i
-
S
j
k
|
;
wherein S i j denotes an ith element of a set S j , which is a jth subset of Ψ, wherein Ψ={C 1 , . . . , C m } denotes a set of m available channels in a band of interest.
9. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein the available wireless communications channels are from a frequency band specified by one of the IEEE 802.11(a), (b), (g), the 802.15(x), 802.16(x) and 802.20(x) wireless communications standards.
10. An apparatus, comprising:
means for selecting a first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels from a band of wireless communications frequencies;
means for determining a power for each set of the first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels; and
means for selecting from the first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels, two or more sets of wireless communications channels that satisfy a power criteria to form a second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels;
means for determining two or more assignment of wireless communications channels that are included in said each set to the plurality of wireless communications transmitters, for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels;
means for determining a channel separation for each of the two or more assignments, for each of the two or more assignment of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels,
means for determining whether the channel separation satisfies a specified separation criteria, for each of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels,
means for including a particular assignment in a plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments, when the particular assignment of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels satisfies the specified separation criteria;
means for determining an overall interference generated by each candidate channel to transmitter assignment of the plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments; and
means for choosing, from the plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments, the channel to transmitter assignment that reduces the overall interference, based on the overall interference that is determined for each candidate channel to transmitter assignment.
11. A computer readable medium carrying instructions for determining an assignment of wireless communications channels to a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause:
identifying a plurality of available wireless communications channels;
determining a plurality of wireless communications channel assignments based upon the plurality of available wireless communications channels and the plurality of wireless communications transmitters, wherein each wireless communications channel assignment from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes an assignment of one or more wireless communications channels of the plurality of available wireless communications channels to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
determining a channel separation for each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
based on the channel separation that is determined for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria;
wherein the overall interference for each wireless communications channel assignment considers the interference for each wireless communications channel assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters in said each wireless communications channel assignment; and
wherein determining the channel separation for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes:
determining
S
(
S
_
k
,
i
)
=
min
r
=
1
…
n
S
_
k
,
i
r
-
S
_
k
,
i
r
+
1
mod
n
wherein:
S k is a channel set that includes the plurality of wireless communications channels;
S k,i defines a wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k by specifying which wireless communications channels of the plurality of wireless communications channels are assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters for the wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k ;
1<i≦I, in which I is a first number of wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments;
n is a second number of wireless communications transmitters in the plurality of wireless communications transmitters; and
S( S k,i ) is a channel separation distance for the wireless communications channel assignment i defined by S k,i .
12. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11 , wherein:
the computer-readable medium further comprises additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes determining a power for each wireless communications channel assignment in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
the selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria includes:
selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and satisfies a power criteria.
13. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 12 , wherein determining the power for each of the wireless communications channel assignments, further comprises:
determining
P
(
S
j
)
=
min
i
=
1
…
n
k
=
1
…
n
i
≠
k
|
S
j
i
-
S
j
k
|
;
wherein S i j denotes an ith element of a set S j , which is a jth subset of Ψ, wherein Ψ={C 1 , . . . , C m } denotes a set of m available channels in a band of interest.
14. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11 , wherein the available wireless communications channels are from a frequency band specified by one of the IEEE 802.11(a), (b), (g), the 802.15(x), 802.16(x) and 802.20(x) wireless communications standards.
15. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for determining an assignment of wireless communications channels to a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
determining available wireless communications channels by:
selecting a first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels from a band of wireless communications frequencies;
determining a power for each set of the first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels; and
selecting, from the first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels, two or more sets of wireless communications channels that satisfy power criteria to form a second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels;
determining candidate channel to transmitter assignments by:
for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels determining two or more assignments of wireless communications channels that are included in said each set to the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
for each of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels, determining a channel separation for each of the two or more assignments;
for each of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels, determining whether the channel separation satisfies a specified separation criteria; and
when a particular assignment of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels satisfies the specified separation criteria, including the particular assignment in a plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments; and
selecting a channel to transmitter assignment by:
determining an overall interference generated by each candidate channel to transmitter assignment of the plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments; and
from the plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments, choosing the channel to transmitter assignment that reduces the overall interference, based on the overall interference that is determined for each candidate channel to transmitter assignment.
16. An apparatus for determining an assignment of wireless communications channels to a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, the apparatus comprising:
a memory to store instructions; and
one or more processors configured to execute the instructions, the instructions causing the one or more processors to:
identify a plurality of available wireless communications channels;
determine a plurality of wireless communications channel assignments based upon the plurality of available wireless communications channels and the plurality of wireless communications transmitters, wherein each wireless communications channel assignment from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes an assignment of one or more wireless communications channels of the plurality of available wireless communications channels to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
determine a channel separation for each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
based on the channel separation that is determined for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, select from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria;
wherein the overall interference for each wireless communications channel assignment considers the interference for each wireless communications channel assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters in said each wireless communications channel assignment; and
wherein determining the channel separation for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes:
determining
S
(
S
_
k
,
i
)
=
min
r
=
1
…
n
S
_
k
,
i
r
-
S
_
k
,
i
r
+
1
mod
n
wherein:
S k is a channel set that includes the plurality of wireless communications channels;
S k,i defines a wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k by specifying which wireless communications channels of the plurality of wireless communications channels are assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters for the wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k ;
1 <i≦I, in which I is a first number of wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments;
n is a second number of wireless communications transmitters in the plurality of wireless communications transmitters; and
S( S k,i ) is a channel separation distance for the wireless communications channel assignment i defined by S k,i .
17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein:
the memory stores additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the processor to determine a power for each wireless communications channel assignment in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
the selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria includes:
selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments criteria and satisfies a power criteria.
18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17 , wherein determining the power for each of the wireless communications channel assignments, further comprises:
determining
P
(
S
j
)
=
min
i
=
1
…
n
k
=
1
…
n
i
≠
k
|
S
j
i
-
S
j
k
|
;
wherein S i j denotes an ith element of a set S j , which is a jth subset of Ψ, wherein Ψ={C 1 , . . . , C m } denotes a set of m available channels in a band of interest.
19. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein the available wireless communications channels are from a frequency band specified by one of the IEEE 802.38(a), (b), (g), the 802.15(x), 802.16(x) and 802.20(x) wireless communications standards.
20. An apparatus for determining an assignment of wireless communications channels to a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, the apparatus comprising:
a memory to store instructions: and
one or more processors configured to execute the instructions, the instructions causing the one or more processors to:
determine available wireless communications channels by:
selecting a first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels from a band of wireless communications frequencies;
determining a power for each set of the first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels; and
selecting, from the first plurality of sets of wireless communications channels, two or more sets of wireless communications channels that satisfy power criteria to form a second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels;
determine candidate channel to transmitter assignments by:
for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels determining two or more assignments of wireless communications channels that are included in said each set to the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
for each of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels, determining a channel separation for each of the two or more assignments;
for each of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels, determining whether the channel separation satisfies a specified separation criteria; and
when a particular assignment of the two or more assignments of wireless communications channels for each set of the second plurality of sets of wireless communications channels satisfies the specified separation criteria, including the particular assignment in a plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments; and
select a channel to transmitter assignment by:
determining an overall interference generated by each candidate channel to transmitter assignment of the plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments; and
from the plurality of candidate channel to transmitter assignments, choosing the channel to transmitter assignment that reduces the overall interference, based on the overall interference that is determined for each candidate channel to transmitter assignment.
21. A method for determining an assignment of wireless communications channels to a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, comprising:
identifying a plurality of available wireless communications channels;
determining a plurality of wireless communications channel assignments based upon the plurality of available wireless communications channels and the plurality of wireless communications transmitters, wherein each wireless communications channel assignment from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes an assignment of one or more wireless communications channels of the plurality of available wireless communications channels to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
determining a channel separation for each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
based on the channel separation that is determined for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria;
wherein the overall interference for each wireless communications channel assignment considers the interference for wireless communications channel assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters in said each wireless communications channel assignment; and
wherein determining the channel separation for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes:
determining
S
(
S
_
k
,
i
)
=
min
r
=
1
,
…
,
n
|
S
_
k
,
i
r
-
S
_
k
,
i
r
+
1
|
wherein:
S k is a channel set that includes the plurality of wireless communications channels;
S k,i defines a wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k , by specifying which wireless communications channels of the plurality of wireless communications channels are assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters for the wireless communications channel assignment I for the channel set S k ;
1<i≦I, in which I is a first number of wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments;
n is a second number of wireless communications transmitters in the plurality of wireless communications transmitters; and
S( S k,i ) is a channel separation distance for the wireless communications channel assignment i defined by S k,i .
22. The method as recited in claim 21 , wherein:
the method further comprises determining a power for each wireless communications channel assignment in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
the selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria includes:
selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and satisfies a power criteria.
23. The method as recited in claim 22 , wherein determining the power for each of the wireless communications channel assignments, further comprises:
determining
P
(
S
j
)
=
min
i
=
1
…
n
k
=
1
…
n
i
≠
k
|
S
j
i
-
S
j
k
|
;
wherein S i j denotes an ith element of a set S j , which is a jth subset of Ψ, wherein Ψ={C 1 , . . . , C m } denotes a set of m available channels in a band of interest.
24. The method as recited in claim 21 , wherein the available wireless communications channels are from a frequency band specified by one of the IEEE 802.11(a), (b), (g), the 802.15(x), 802.16(x) and 802.20(x) wireless communications standards.
25. A computer-readable medium for determining an assignment of wireless communications channels to a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, the computer-readable medium carrying instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causes:
identifying a plurality of available wireless communications channels;
determining a plurality of wireless communications channel assignments based upon the plurality of available wireless communications channels and the plurality of wireless communications transmitters, wherein each wireless communications channel assignment from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes an assignment of one or more wireless communications channels of the plurality of available wireless communications channels to wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
determining a channel separation for each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
based on the channel separation that is determined for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria;
wherein the overall interference for each wireless communications channel assignment considers the interference for each wireless communications channel assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters in said each wireless communications channel assignment; and
wherein determining the channel separation for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes:
determining
S
(
S
_
k
,
i
)
=
min
r
=
1
,
…
,
n
|
S
_
k
,
i
r
-
S
_
k
,
i
r
+
1
|
wherein:
S k is a channel set that includes the plurality of wireless communications channels;
S k,i defines a wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k , by specifying which wireless communications channels of the plurality of wireless communications channels are assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters for the wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k ;
1<i≦I, in which I is a first number of wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments;
n is a second number of wireless communications transmitters in the plurality of wireless communications transmitters; and
S( S k,i ) is a channel separation distance for the wireless communications channel assignment i defined by S k,i .
26. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 25 , wherein:
the computer-readable medium further comprises additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes determining a power for each wireless communications channel assignment in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
the selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria includes:
selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and satisfies a power criteria.
27. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 26 , wherein determining the power for each of the wireless communications channel assignments, further comprises:
determining
P
(
S
j
)
=
min
i
=
1
…
n
k
=
1
…
n
i
≠
k
|
S
j
i
-
S
j
k
|
;
wherein S i j denotes an ith element of a set S j , which is a jth subset of Ψ, wherein Ψ={C 1 , . . . , C m } denotes a set of m available channels in a band of interest.
28. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 25 , wherein the available wireless communications channels are from a frequency band specified by one of the IEEE 802.11(a), (b), (g), the 802.15(x), 802.16(x) and 802.20(x) wireless communications standards.
29. An apparatus for determining an assignment of wireless communications channels to a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, the apparatus comprising:
a memory to store instructions; and
one or more processors configured to execute the instructions, the instructions causing the
one or more processors to:
identify a plurality of available wireless communications channels;
determine a plurality of wireless communications channel assignments based upon the plurality of available wireless communications channels and the plurality of wireless communications transmitters, wherein each wireless communications channel assignment from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes an assignment of one or more wireless communications channels of the plurality of available wireless communications channels to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
determine a channel separation for each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
based on the channel separation that is determined for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, select from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria;
wherein the overall interference for each wireless communications channel assignment considers the interference for each wireless communications channel assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters in said each wireless communications channel assignment; and
wherein determining the channel separation for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes:
determining:
S
(
S
_
k
,
i
)
=
min
r
=
1
,
…
,
n
|
S
_
k
,
i
r
-
S
_
k
,
i
r
+
1
|
wherein:
S k is a channel set that includes the plurality of wireless communications channels;
S k,i defines a wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k by specifying which wireless communications channels of the plurality of wireless communications channels are assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters for the wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k ;
1<i≦I, in which I is a first number of wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments;
n is a second number of wireless communications transmitters in the plurality of wireless communications transmitters; and
S( S k,i ) is a channel separation distance for the wireless communications channel assignment i defined by S k,i .
30. The apparatus as recited in claim 29 , wherein:
the memory further stores additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to determine a power for each wireless communications channel assignment in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and the selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria includes:
selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and satisfies a power criteria.
31. The apparatus as recited in claim 30 , wherein determining the power for each of the wireless communications channel assignments, further comprises:
determining
P
(
S
j
)
=
min
i
=
1
…
n
k
=
1
…
n
i
≠
k
|
S
j
i
-
S
j
k
|
;
wherein S i j denotes an ith element of a set S j which is a jth subset of Ψ, wherein Ψ={C 1 , . . . , C m } denotes a set of m available channels in a band of interest.
32. The apparatus as recited in claim 29 , wherein the available wireless communications channels are from a frequency band specified by one of the IEEE 802.11(a), (b), (g), the 802.15(x), 802.16(x) and 802.20(x) wireless communications standards.
33. An apparatus for determining an assignment of wireless communications channels to a plurality of wireless communications transmitters, the apparatus comprising:
means for identifying a plurality of available wireless communications channels;
means for determining a plurality of wireless communications channel assignments based upon the plurality of available wireless communications channels and in the plurality of wireless communications transmitters, wherein each wireless communications channel assignment from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes an assignment of one or more wireless communications channels of the plurality of available wireless communications channels to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters;
means for determining a channel separation for each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
means for selecting, based on the channel separation that is determined for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria;
wherein the overall interference for each wireless communications channel assignment considers the interference for each wireless communications channel assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters in said each wireless communications channel assignment; and
wherein determining the channel separation for said each wireless communications channel assignment of the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments includes:
means for determining
S
(
S
_
k
,
i
)
=
min
r
=
1
,
…
,
n
|
S
_
k
,
i
r
-
S
_
k
,
i
r
+
1
|
wherein:
S k is a channel set that includes the plurality of wireless communications channels;
S k,i defines a wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k by specifying which wireless communications channels of the plurality of wireless communications channels are assigned to each wireless communications transmitter of the plurality of wireless communications transmitters for the wireless communications channel assignment i for the channel set S k ;
1<i≦I, in which I is a first number of wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments;
n is a second number of wireless communications transmitters in the plurality of wireless communications transmitters; and
S( S k,i ) is a channel separation distance for the wireless communications channel assignment i defined by S k,i .
34. The apparatus as recited in claim 33 , wherein:
the apparatus further comprises means for determining a power for each wireless communications channel assignment in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments; and
the means for selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that (a) provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and (b) satisfies a channel separation criteria includes:
means for selecting from the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments, a particular wireless communications channel assignment that provides less overall interference relative to other wireless communications channel assignments in the plurality of wireless communications channel assignments and satisfies a power criteria.
35. The apparatus as recited in claim 34 , wherein the means for determining the power for each of the wireless communications channel assignments, further comprises means for:
determining
P
(
S
j
)
=
min
i
=
1
…
n
k
=
1
…
n
i
≠
k
|
S
j
i
-
S
j
k
|
;
wherein S i j denotes an ith element of a set S j which is a jth subset of Ψ, wherein Ψ={C 1 , . . . , C m }denotes a set of m available channels in a band of interest.
36. The apparatus as recited in claim 33 , wherein the available wireless communications channels are from a frequency band specified by one of the IEEE 802.11(a), (b), (g), the 802.15(x), 802.16(x) and 802.20(x) wireless communications standards.