Patent ID: 7103316

Claim:
An interference detection apparatus for use in a wireless communication system, wherein the wireless communication system includes a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels transmitting RF signals, and wherein the interference detection apparatus detects the presence of interference in a selected RF channel, comprising: (a) a radio/modem device adapted to receive the RF signals, wherein the radio/modem is responsive to channel control signals that select one of the plurality of RF channels, and wherein the radio/modem produces a received signal strength indication (RSSI) measurement corresponding to the RF signals present on a selected RF channel; (b) a plurality of tracking/register (T/R) filter blocks, switchably coupled to the radio/modem device, wherein each T/R filter block is associated with and corresponds to a unique RF channel, and wherein each T/R filter block receives an RSSI measurement from the radio/modem for its associated and corresponding RF channel, and wherein each T/R filter block produces and maintains noise and interference estimates for its corresponding and associated RF channel; (c) an average noise estimation block, coupled to the plurality of T/R filter blocks, and capable of receiving the noise estimates stored in the T/R filter blocks, wherein the average noise estimation block outputs an average noise estimate of all of the noise estimates stored in the plurality of T/R filter blocks; and (d) an interference present decision block, switchably coupled to the plurality of T/R filter blocks and adapted to receive the average noise estimate from the average noise estimation block, wherein the interference present decision block outputs an interference present indication for a selected RF channel if the interference estimate stored in its associated and corresponding T/R filter block exceeds the average noise estimate by a threshold value.