Approach for managing the use of communications channels based on performance
An approach for selecting sets of communications channels involves determining the performance of communications channels. A set of channels is selected based on the results of performance testing and specified criteria. The participant generates data that identifies the selected set of channels and provides that data to other participants of the communications network. The participants communicate over the set of channels, such as by using a frequency hopping protocol. When a specified time expires or monitoring of the performance of the channel set identifies poor performance of the set of channels, the participant selects another set of channels for use in communications based on additional performance testing. By selecting channels based on the initial performance testing and performance monitoring, the communications network adaptively avoids channels with poor performance.
1. A wireless communications device adapted to perform frequency hopping communications within a frequency band of a wireless communications network with at least one other wireless communications device thereof, wherein the wireless communications device being adapted to perform said frequency hopping communications includes the wireless communications device being configured to:
receive packet data including information defining a subset of communications channels from a set of communications channels within the frequency band of the wireless communications network, wherein the subset excludes any communications channel of the set designated as being unavailable for performing said frequency hopping communications between the wireless communications device and the at least one other wireless communications device; and
use at least one of the communications channels of the subset for performing said frequency hopping communications between the wireless communication device and the at least one other wireless communications device.
2. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein being configured to receive the packet data includes being configured to receive the packet data from another wireless communications device of the wireless communications network.
3. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein being configured to receive the packet data includes being configured to receive the packet data prior to performing said frequency hopping communications.
4. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein:
said frequency hopping communications is performed using a particular one of said communications channels of the subset during a particular hop of said frequency hopping communications; and
the wireless communications device is further configured to assess channel performance of the particular one of said communications channels of the subset during the particular hop of said frequency hopping communications for determining if the particular one of said communications channels exhibits required channel performance for performing said frequency hopping communications.
5. The wireless communications device of claim 4 wherein being configured to receive the packet data includes being configured to receive the packet data from another wireless communications device of the wireless communications network.
6. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein being configured to use the at least one of the communications channels of the subset for performing said frequency hopping communications includes being configured to use a plurality of the communications channels of the subset for performing said frequency hopping communications.
7. The wireless communications device of claim 6 wherein:
said frequency hopping communications is performed using a particular one of said communications channels of the subset during a particular hop of said frequency hopping communications; and
the wireless communications device is further configured to assess channel performance of the particular one of said communications channels of the subset during the particular hop of said frequency hopping communications for determining if the particular one of said communications channels exhibits required channel performance for performing said frequency hopping communications.
8. A computer-readable non-transitory medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for selecting communications channels to enable wireless communication between wireless communications devices of a wireless communications network, execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
accessing dataset information designating one or more communications channels as being unavailable for use in performing frequency hopping communications between two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network, wherein the one or more communications channels are communications channels from a set of communications channels in a frequency band of the wireless communications network;
generating, from the set of communications channels, a subset of communications channels available to be used for said frequency hopping communications, wherein the subset of communications channels excludes the one or more communications channels designated by the dataset information as being unavailable for use in performing said frequency hopping communications; and
causing at least one of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications between the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network.
9. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 wherein causing the at least one of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications includes wirelessly transmitting the at least one of the communications channels of the subset for reception by at least one of the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network.
10. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 wherein causing the at least one of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications includes transmitting, for reception by at least one of the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network, packet data including information enabling each of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications.
11. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the step of receiving information indicating each communications channel of the set that is unavailable for use in performing said frequency hopping communications.
12. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 wherein accessing the dataset information is performed prior to performing said frequency hopping communications.
13. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 wherein generating the subset of communications channels includes generating the subset of communications channels prior to performing said frequency hopping communications.
14. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 wherein causing the at least one of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications includes transmitting, for reception by at least one of the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network, packet data including information defining each of the communications channels of the subset.
15. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 wherein causing the at least one of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications includes causing a plurality of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications.
16. A method of implementing wireless communications between wireless communications devices of a wireless communications network within a frequency band thereof, the method comprising:
receiving, by a first wireless communications device of the wireless communications network, packet data including information defining a subset of communications channels from a set of communications channels within the frequency band of the wireless communications network, wherein the subset excludes any communications channel of the set designated as being unavailable for performing said frequency hopping communications between the first wireless communications device and at least a second wireless communications device of the wireless communications network; and
using, by the first wireless communications device, at least one of the communications channels of the subset for performing said frequency hopping communications with at least the second wireless communications device of the wireless communications network.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first wireless communications device receiving the packet data includes the first wireless communications device receiving the packet data from another wireless communications device of the wireless communications network.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein receiving the packet data including the information defining the subset of communications channels is performed prior to performing said frequency hopping communications.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein:
said frequency hopping communications is performed using a particular one of said communications channels of the subset during a particular hop of said frequency hopping communications; and
the method further comprises assessing channel performance of the particular one of said communications channels of the subset during the particular hop of said frequency hopping communications for determining if the particular one of said communications channels exhibits required channel performance for performing said frequency hopping communications.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first wireless communications device receiving the packet data includes the first wireless communications device receiving the packet data from another wireless communications device of the wireless communications network.
21. The method of claim 16 wherein using the at least one of the communications channels of the subset for performing said frequency hopping communications includes using a plurality of the communications channels of the subset for performing said frequency hopping communications.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein:
said frequency hopping communications is performed using a particular one of said communications channels of the subset during a particular hop of said frequency hopping communications; and
the method further comprises assessing channel performance of the particular one of said communications channels of the subset during the particular hop of said frequency hopping communications for determining if the particular one of said communications channels exhibits required channel performance for performing said frequency hopping communications.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first wireless communications device receiving the packet data includes the first wireless communications device receiving the packet data from another wireless communications device of the wireless communications network.
24. A method of implementing wireless communications between wireless communications devices of a wireless communications network within a frequency band thereof, the method comprising:
accessing, by a computer-readable non-transitory medium of the wireless communications network, dataset information designating one or more communications channels as being unavailable for use in performing frequency hopping communications between two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network, wherein the one or more communications channels are communications channels from a set of communications channels in the frequency band of the wireless communications network;
generating, by the computer-readable non-transitory medium, a subset of communications channels available to be used for said frequency hopping communications, wherein the subset of communications channels excludes the one or more communications channels designated by the dataset information as being unavailable for use in performing said frequency hopping communications; and
causing, by the computer-readable non-transitory medium, at least one of the communications channels of the subset to be used as one of a plurality of communication channels for performing a particular instance of said frequency hopping communications between the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein causing the at least one of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications includes wirelessly transmitting the subset of communication channels for reception by at least one of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network.
26. The method of claim 24 wherein being configured to cause the at least one of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications between the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network includes being configured to transmit, for reception by the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network, packet data including information enabling each of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications.
27. The method of claim 24 wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, by the computer-readable non-transitory medium, a signal providing information indicating that the at least one of the communications channels is unavailable for use in performing said frequency hopping communications.
28. The method of claim 24 wherein:
accessing the dataset information includes accessing the dataset information prior to performing said frequency hopping communications; and
generating the subset of communications channels includes generating the subset of communications channels prior to performing the particular instance of said frequency hopping communications.
29. The method of claim 24 wherein causing the at least one of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing the particular instance of said frequency hopping communications between the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network includes causing, by the computer-readable non-transitory medium, packet data including information defining each of the communications channels of the subset to be transmitted for reception by at least one of the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network.
30. The method of claim 24 wherein causing the at least one of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications between the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network includes causing a plurality of the communications channels of the subset to be used for performing said frequency hopping communications between the two or more of the wireless communications devices of the wireless communications network.