System and method for detecting adjacent channel devices or interference
The present invention provides systems and methods are provided to allow a network device to simultaneously monitor multiple adjacent wireless physical layer channels. If network communications are discovered on an adjacent channel, the network device may move to this adjacent channel. Accordingly, the network device is able to discover other devices or services existing on the adjacent channel, and is able to avoid interference caused by adjacent channels coexisting on the same frequency bands. After moving to the adjacent channel, a standard MAC protocol is able to regulate channel excess amongst all the network devices coexisting on the new channel.
1. A method for network communication, comprising:
a first network device wirelessly communicating with a second network device using a first channel and simultaneously scanning a range of further channels for wireless communications between further network devices, the wireless communications causing interference on the first channel;
if wireless communications between further network devices are detected on a second channel of the range of further channels, the first network device communicating with the second network device using the second channel according to an access protocol signal transmitted on the second channel by at least one of the further network devices;
detecting a service or a further network device on the second channel; and
utilizing the service or communicating with the further network device according to a media access protocol.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising implementing receiver diversity if wireless communications are not detected on the further channels.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first channel and the further channels comprise time frequency coded channels.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the time frequency coded channels occur on the same band group.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of scanning is performed by a receiver module and the receiver module is deactivated if wireless communications are not detected on the further channels.
6. An apparatus for network communication and signal detection, comprising:
a receiver module configured to receive data from a network device on a first physical layer channel; and
a second receiver module configured to simultaneously scan a range of further physical layer channels for further wireless network communications, the further wireless network communications causing interference on the first physical layer channel; wherein
the apparatus is configured to communicate with the network device using a second channel according to an access protocol signal transmitted on the second channel if further wireless network communications are detected on the second channel;
the second receive module is further configured to detect a service or a further network device on the second channel; and
the apparatus is further configured to utilize the service or communicate with the further network device according to a media access protocol.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further configured to implement receiver diversity using the second receiver module if further wireless network communications are not detected on the further channels.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second receiving module is configured to be deactivated if further wireless network communications are not detected on the further channel.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first channel and the further channels comprise time frequency coded channels.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the time frequency coded channels occur on the same band group.
11. Computer executable program code embodied on a computer readable medium configured to cause a first network device to perform the functions of:
the first network device wirelessly communicating with a second network device using a first channel and simultaneously scanning a range of further channels for wireless communications between further network devices, the wireless communications causing interference on the first channel;
if wireless communications between further network devices are detected on a second channel of the range of further channels, the first network device communicating with the second network device using the second channel according to an access protocol signal transmitted on the second channel by at least one of the further network devices: wherein:
the computer executable program code is further configured to cause the device to perform the function of:
detecting a service or a further network device on the second channel; and
utilizing the service or communicating with the further network device according to a media access protocol.
12. The computer executable program code of claim 11 , further configured to cause the device to perform the function of implementing receiver diversity if wireless communications are not detected on the further channels.
13. The computer executable program code of claim 11 , wherein the first channel and the further channels comprise time frequency coded channels occurring on the same band group.
14. The computer executable program code of claim 11 , wherein the function of scanning is performed by a receiver module and the receiver module is deactivated if wireless communications are not detected on the further channels.