Interface aware channel selection schemes

1. An access point (AP) configured to determine a frequency channel to operate on, the access point comprising:

a processor; and

a storage element having machine executable code therein that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to operate on the frequency channel with a highest data throughput among available frequency channels by,

scanning the available frequency channels to determine at least an interference level of each of the available frequency channels, the interference level indicating a level of interference by one of a plurality of interfering signals at a corresponding one of the available frequency channels,

creating a table based on at least the interference level at each of the available frequency channels,

determining, for each of the available frequency channels, a tolerable interference level thereat using a tolerable interference level table (TILT), the tolerable interference level indicating a required minimum signal strength (RMSS) of the AP when the AP is operating on a respective one of the available frequency channels and the respective one of the available frequency channels experiences one of a plurality of interfering signals on an adjacent channel at one of a plurality of different signal strengths,

determining, for each of the available frequency channels, an effective noise floor associated therewith based on the interference level of the respective one of the available frequency channels indicated in the created table and the tolerable interference level at the respective one of the available frequency channels indicated in the TILT, the TILT indicating the effective noise floor for each of the available frequency channels based on tabulated results of measurements of the effect of adjacent channel interference at different signal strengths on a receive sensitivity of the AP,

determining an available airtime for each of the available frequency channels, the available airtime indicating an amount of time when a corresponding one of the available frequency channels is idle, and

updating, the created table by including the determined available airtime of each of the available frequency channels in the created table.

2. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine whether at least one client is connected to the access point, the at least one client being a device communicating with the access point.

3. The access point of claim 2 , wherein if the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine that no client is connected to the access point, the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine the frequency channel by selecting one of the available frequency channels with the lowest determined effective noise floor among the available frequency channels.

4. The access point of claim 2 , wherein if the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine that the at least one client is connected to the access point, then the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine a signal strength of a signal received from the at least one client at the access point.

5. The access point of claim 4 , wherein the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine the frequency channel by,

determining a data throughput at each of the available frequency channels when the access point communicates with the at least one client over each of the available frequency channels based on the determined signal strength of the signal received at the access point and a set of system parameters; and

selecting one of the available frequency channels at which a minimum data throughput when the access point communicates with the at least one client is maximized among the available frequency channels, the minimum data throughput being the data throughput when the access point communicates with the at least one client having a lowest signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR), the selected one of the available frequency channels being the frequency channel with the highest data throughput.

6. The access point of claim 5 , wherein the set of system parameters include each of the available frequency channel's guard interval, each of the available frequency channel's frequency bandwidth and a number of antennas of the access point and the at least one client.

7. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine the effective noise floor of each of the available frequency channels based on the updated created table and the TILT indicating the tolerable interference level at each of the available frequency channels, the frequency channel being determined based on at least the created table and the determined effective noise floor of each of the available frequency channels.

8. The access point of claim 7 , wherein the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine whether at least one client is connected to the access point, the at least one client being a device communicating with the access point.

9. The access point of claim 8 , wherein if the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine that the at least one client is connected to the access point, then the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine a signal strength of a signal received from the at least one client at the access point.

10. The access point of claim 9 , wherein the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine the frequency channel by,

determining a data throughput at each of the available frequency channels when the access point communicates with the at least one client over each of the available frequency channels based on the available airtime of each of the available frequency channels, the determined signal strength of the signal received at the access point and a set of system parameters; and

selecting one of the available frequency channels at which a minimum data throughput when the access point communicates with the at least one client is maximized among the available frequency channels, the minimum data throughput being the data throughput when the access point communicates with the at least one client having a lowest signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR), the selected one of the available frequency channels being the frequency channel with the highest data throughput.

11. The access point of claim 10 , wherein the set of system parameters include each of the available frequency channel's guard interval, each of the available frequency channel's frequency bandwidth and a number of antennas of the access point and the at least one client.

12. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine whether the access point is a mesh node.

13. The access point of claim 12 , wherein upon the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine that the access node is a mesh node, the machine executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to,

exchange the created table with other mesh nodes; and

synchronize the created tables among the mesh nodes.

14. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the access point is a router.

15. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the access point is configured to,

periodically determine whether a radar signal is transmitted on the frequency channel with the highest data throughput, and

switch and operate on a next best frequency channel from a list of prioritized frequency channels, if the access point determines that the radar signal is transmitted on the frequency channel with the highest data throughput, the next best frequency channel being a frequency channel with a second highest data throughput, the list of prioritized frequency channels being a list of frequency channels organized in descending order of their respective data throughput.