Approach for managing the use of communications channels based on performance
DCFirst Claim
1. A communications device for use in a network of devices, comprising:
- a memory for storing instructions;
a processor that is communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the memory includes instructions which, when processed by the processor, causes;
selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels at a first time, a first set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels;
selecting, based upon performance of the plurality of communications channels at a second time that is later than the first time, a second set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; and
a transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the memory and that is configured to transmit to and receive from another communications device, wherein;
for a first period of time, the first set of two or more communications channels is used to transmit to and receive from the other communications device; and
for a second period of time that is after the first period of time, the second set of two or more communications channels is used to transmit to and receive from the other communications device instead of the first set of two or more communications channels,wherein the communications device is a first communications device, the other communications device is a second communications device, a default set of two or more communications channels is associated with a hopping sequence and is not changed based on the performance of the plurality of communications channels; and
the transceiver is configured to transmit to and receive from a third communications device over the default set of two or more communications channels while transmitting to and receiving from the second communications device over the first set of two or more communications channels and while transmitting to and receiving from the second communications device over the second set of two or more communications channels.
4 Assignments
Litigations
6 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
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.
44 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A communications device for use in a network of devices, comprising:
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a memory for storing instructions; a processor that is communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the memory includes instructions which, when processed by the processor, causes; selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels at a first time, a first set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; selecting, based upon performance of the plurality of communications channels at a second time that is later than the first time, a second set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; and a transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the memory and that is configured to transmit to and receive from another communications device, wherein; for a first period of time, the first set of two or more communications channels is used to transmit to and receive from the other communications device; and for a second period of time that is after the first period of time, the second set of two or more communications channels is used to transmit to and receive from the other communications device instead of the first set of two or more communications channels, wherein the communications device is a first communications device, the other communications device is a second communications device, a default set of two or more communications channels is associated with a hopping sequence and is not changed based on the performance of the plurality of communications channels; and the transceiver is configured to transmit to and receive from a third communications device over the default set of two or more communications channels while transmitting to and receiving from the second communications device over the first set of two or more communications channels and while transmitting to and receiving from the second communications device over the second set of two or more communications channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A communications apparatus comprising:
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means for selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels at a first time, a first set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; means for causing the first set of two or more communications channels to be used for communications between a pair of participants; means for selecting, based upon performance of the plurality of communications channels at a second time that is later than the first time, a second set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; and means for causing the second set of two or more communications channels to be used for communications between the pair of participants instead of the first set of two or more communications channels, wherein at each hop in a hopping sequence based on a frequency hopping protocol, only one communications channel of the second set of two or more communications channels is used for communications between the pair of participants, wherein the pair of participants includes a first participant and a second participant, wherein a default set of two or more communications channels is associated with the hopping sequence and is not changed based on the performance of the plurality of communications channels, and the communications channel selector apparatus further comprises; means fro the first participant to communicate with a third participant over the default set of two or more communications channels while communicating with the second participant over the first set of two or more communications channels and while communicating with the second participant over the second set of two or more communications channels. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-readable medium carrying instructions for managing the use of communications channels for a communications system, wherein processing of the instructions by one or more processors causes:
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selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels at a first time, a first set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; the first set of two or more communications channels to be used for communications between a pair of participants; selecting, based upon performance of the plurality of communications channels at a second time that is later than the first time, a second set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; and the second set of two or more communications channels to be used for communications between the pair of participants instead of the first set of two or more communications channels, wherein the pair of participants includes a first participant and a participant, wherein a default set of two or more communications channels is associated with a hopping sequence and is not changed based on the performance of the plurality of communications channels, and the computer-readable medium further comprising instructions, which when processed by the one or more processors, cause; the first participant communicating with a third participant over the default set of two or more communications channels while communicating with the second participant over the first set of two or more communications channels and while communicating with the second participant over the second set of two or more communications channels. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A communications device for use in a network of devices, comprising:
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a memory for storing instructions; a processor that is communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the memory includes instructions which, when processed by the processor, causes; selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels at a first time, a first set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; selecting, based upon performance of the plurality of communications channels at a second time that is later than the first time, a second set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; and a transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the memory and that is configured to transmit to and receive from another communications device, wherein; for a first period of time, the first set of two or more communications channels is used to transmit to and receive from the other communications device; and for a second period of time that is after the first period of time, the second set of two or more communications channels is used to transmit to and receive from the other communications device instead of the first set of two or more communications channels, and wherein the memory further includes instructions, which when processed by the processor, causes; after selecting the first set of two or more communications channels, causing the first set of two or more communications channels to be loaded into a first register of the communications device and a second register of the other communications device; and after selecting the second set of two or more communications channels, causing the second set of two or more communications channels to be loaded into the first register of the communications device and the second register of the other communications device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A communications apparatus comprising:
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means for selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels at a first time, a first set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; means for, after selecting the first set of two or more communications channels, causing the first set of two or more communications channels to be loaded into a register of each participant of the pair of participants; means for causing the first set of two or more communications channels to be used for communications between a pair of participants; means for selecting, based upon performance of the plurality of communications channels at a second time that is later than the first time, a second set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels means for, after selecting the second set of two or more communications channels, causing the second set of two or more communications channels to be loaded into the register of each participant of the pair of participants; and means for causing the second set of two or more communications channels to be used for communications between the pair of participants instead of the first set of two or more communications channels, wherein at each hop in a hopping sequence based on a frequency hopping protocol, only one communications channel of the second set of two or more communications channels is used for communications between the pair of participants. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable medium carrying instructions for managing the use of communications channels for a communications system, wherein processing of the instructions by one or more processors causes:
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selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels at a first time, a first set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; after selecting the first set of two or more communications channels, causing the first set of two or more communications channels to be loaded into a register of each participant of the pair of participants the first set of two or more communications channels to be used for communications between a pair of participants; selecting, based upon performance of the plurality of communications channels at a second time that is later than the first time, a second set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; after selecting the second set of two or more communications channels, causing the second set of two or more communications channels to be loaded into the register of each participant of the pair of participants; and the second set of two or more communications channels to be used for communications between the pair of participants instead of the first set of two or more communications channels. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A communications device for use in a network of devices, comprising:
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a memory for storing instructions; a processor that is communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the memory includes instructions which, when processed by the processor, causes; selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels at a first time, a first set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; selecting, based upon performance of the plurality of communications channels at a second time that is later than the first time, a second set of two or more communications channels from the plurality of communications channels; and a transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the memory and that is configured to transmit to and receive from another communications device, wherein; for a first period of time, the first set of two or more communications channels is used to transmit to and receive from the other communications device; and for a second period of time that is after the first period of time, the second set of two or more communications channels is used to transmit to and receive from the other communications device instead of the first set of two or more communications channels, and wherein the number of channels in the first set of two or more communications channels varies from the number of channels in the second set of two or more communications channels. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification