Patent ID: 7167696
Filing Date: 2007-01-23
Classification: H04B,H04L,H04W,Y02B,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method comprising the steps of: scanning a plurality of radio frequency channels during a scan interval; receiving messages on each of the plurality of radio frequency channels during the scan interval; maintaining a scan table having an entry for each device from which a message is received during the scan interval; maintaining a channel map having an entry for each of the plurality of radio frequency channels on which a message was received, each entry containing a device ID of a device that sent a message on the corresponding channel; sorting the channel map into a triplet channel map, wherein each successive group of three entries is associated with three successive channels, wherein the average power is stored in the entry for each channel; selecting a channel from the triplet channel map, by selecting the channel from the triplet with the lowest center average power; transmitting preclaim messages on the selected channel during a preclaim interval; receiving messages on the selected channel and updating the scan table based on each message received during the preclaim interval; calculating an adjacency vector sum, the vector sum representing the sum of all average power levels on all channels; transmitting claim messages on the selected channel during a claim interval; the claim messages including the adjacency vector sum; receiving messages on the selected channel during the claim interval; maintaining a claim table having an entry for each device ID that sent a message on the selected channel during the claim interval; evaluating the claim table at the end of to claim interval, wherein evaluating comprises the steps of: