Methods and apparatus for reducing interference
Methods and apparatus for high throughput wireless cells and networks are described. The wireless cells may be equipped with multiple radios. Antennas may be arranged into overlapping and non-overlapping patterns. Channels may be assigned to foster servicing clients, and inter-cell communication. Attenuation may be used to decrease interference. Networks may be formed using a variety of methods and apparatus.
1 . A method for facilitating the reduction of interference, the method comprising:
selecting a network having a plurality of wireless cells; wherein each wireless cell of the network has a channel assignment pattern, and a plurality of antennas, wherein each of the antennas is associated with a physical sector, wherein each physical sector uses the channel assigned according to the channel assignment pattern, and wherein the channel assignment pattern establishes network communication characteristics;
determining a threshold value of an interfering signal;
selecting a preliminary wireless cell of the network;
polling each of the plurality of antennas of the preliminary wireless cell to detect an interfering signal;
determining a channel of any interfering signal;
marking each of the physical sectors of the preliminary wireless cell where the antenna of the physical sector detects the threshold value of an interfering signal and the interfering signal uses the same channel as the physical sector;
changing to a next wireless cell of the network;
repeating the polling step, the determining step, the marking step, and the changing step until all of the wireless cells of the network have been tested; and,
determining a new channel assignment pattern; wherein marked physical sectors are assigned a different channel and the network retains the network communication characteristics.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the physical sectors form an overlapping coverage pattern.
3 . A method for reducing interference with wireless cells, the method comprising:
selecting a preliminary wireless cell of a network, wherein each wireless cell of the network comprises a channel assignment pattern and a plurality of antennas, each of the antennas has a physical sector, each physical sector uses the channel assigned according to the channel assignment pattern, and the channel assignment pattern establishes a network communication characteristics;
testing each antenna of the plurality of antennas of the preliminary wireless cell to determine whether each antenna detects an interfering signal;
marking each of the physical sectors of each antenna that detects a threshold value of the interfering signal that uses the same channel as the physical sector;
changing to a next wireless cell of the network;
repeating the testing and the marking until all wireless cells of the network have been tested; and,
determining a new channel assignment pattern; wherein marked physical sectors are assigned a different channel and the network retains the network communication characteristics.
4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the physical sectors form an overlapping coverage pattern.