Automatic wireless network channel selection

1. A method, comprising:

collecting, by a wireless networking device, WLAN and non-WLAN interference information on a plurality of candidate channels; and

selecting a channel among the candidate channels based on weighted grades of the candidate channels, the weighted grades being determined based on the collected WLAN and non-WLAN interference information, wherein the weighted grades include a negative component corresponding to an overlapping portion of a spectrum mask,

wherein the determining comprises:

assigning a weighted negative grade for each overlappingset of associated devices based on signal strength and WLAN activity;

assigning a weighted negative grade for noise that is above a threshold value;

assigning a weighted negative grade for a known non-WLAN interfering source;

assigning a weighted positive grade based on the maximum transmit power of the wireless networking device; and

calculating a summation of grades for difference factors regarding an individual channel of the candidate channels as the weighted grade for the individual channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting WLAN transmit parameter and/or receive parameter of the wireless networking device based on the collected WLAN and non-WLAN interference information.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the weighted grades of the candidate channels based on the collected WLAN and non-WLAN interference information.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining comprises any of:

assessing coexistence and secondary channel limitations of 40 MHz and 80 MHz channels and removing unsuitable wider channels.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting comprises:

collecting statistics needed from an automatic channel selection (ACS) or WLAN driver for the selected channels and neighboring channels;

determining that the wireless networking device is in a densely populated area that is populated by many wireless devices; and

determining optimized value of transmit power and/or receive power of the wireless networking device that is appropriate for the densely populated area and adjusting the transmit power and/or receive power.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting comprises:

adjusting receive sensitivity parameters of the wireless networking device based on the collected WLAN and non-WLAN interference information.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting comprises:

determining optimized values of parameters that relate to signal transmission and/or reception including gain settings; and

adjusting the gain settings for the signal transmission and/or reception based on the optimized values.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel is selected among the candidate channels that includes channels in a 2.4 GHz band.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting further comprises:

selecting the channel among the candidate channels based on information regarding power amplifier power consumption or bias current amplitude of the wireless networking device such that a battery consumption of the wireless networking device is optimized.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collected WLAN and non-WLAN interference information include a table of radio receiving gain information and/or a table of radio transmitting gain information.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting a receive process threshold of the wireless networking device after determining a noisy environment based on the collected WLAN and non-WLAN interference information.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting parameters of enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) based on environmental noise information.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using a classification algorithm to determine a type of a device that generates the non-WLAN interference information; and

adjusting receiver parameters based on an output of the classification algorithm.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing an optimization process based on optimization criteria.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating WLAN and non-WLAN interference information for at least a subset of the candidate channels.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determine whether statistics of device interface is above a threshold value and whether a channel switch condition is proper;

performing another optimization process; and

selecting a channel among the candidate channels based on newly determined weighted grades.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collecting further comprises:

passively scanning any of the candidate channels;

actively scanning any of the candidate channels;

measuring noise levels on the candidate channels;

measuring WLAN activities on the candidate channels;

performing spectral analysis on a noise signal on one of the candidate channels;

performing classification process for known non-WLAN source of noise and interference; or

a combination thereof.

18. A wireless networking device, comprising;

a radio receiver to collect WLAN and non-WLAN interference information on the candidate channels;

one or more processors to select a channel among the candidate channels based on weighted grades of the candidate channels, the weighted grades being determined based on the collected WLAN and non-WLAN interference information, wherein the weighted grades include a negative component corresponding to an overlapping portion of a spectrum mask,

wherein the determining of the weighted grades comprises:

assigning a weighted negative grade for each overlapping set of associated devices based on signal strength and WLAN activity;

assigning a weighted negative grade for noise that is above a threshold value;

assigning a weighted negative grade for a known non-WLAN interfering source;

assigning a weighted positive grade based on the maximum transmit power of the wireless networking device; and

calculating a summation of grades for difference factors regarding an individual channel of the candidate channels as the weighted grade for the individual channel.

19. The A wireless networking device of claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to adjust a WLAN transmit parameter of the wireless networking device according to the selected channel.

20. The wireless networking device of claim 19 , wherein adjusting the WLAN transmit parameter comprises:

collecting statistics needed from an automatic channel selection (ACS) or WLAN driver for the selected channels and neighboring channels; and

determining optimized value of transmit power of the wireless networking device and adjusting transmit power.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the adjusting the VVLAN transmit parameter comprises:

determining optimized values of parameters that relate to signal transmission and/or signal reception including gain settings; and

adjusting the parameters based on the optimized values.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the adjusting the WLAN transmit parameter comprises:

determining optimized values of MAC settings; and

adjusting the MAC settings based on the optimized values.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine a type of an environment based on the collected WLAN and non-WLAN interference information; and

adjust receiver settings for the wireless networking device to optimize the performance of the wireless networking device in the environment.