Patent ID: 7974299

Claim:
A method comprising: monitoring a number of packets within a transmitter buffer of a transmitter; monitoring a number of packets within a receiver buffer of a receiver; periodically scanning one or more potential channels to determine if the one or more potential channels are suitable for transmission, wherein said periodic scanning of the one or more potential channels is performed based upon (i) the transmitter buffer having a number of packets that is below a first predetermined threshold and (ii) the receiver buffer having a number of packets that exceeds a second predetermined threshold; monitoring a noise floor of a current transmission channel used by the transmitter for transmission of packets to the receiver; periodically performing a clear channel assessment of the current transmission channel; and changing the current transmission channel to a channel of the one or more potential channels if (i) the number of packets within the transmitter buffer exceeds a third the predetermined threshold and (ii) the noise floor of the current transmission channel exceeds a fourth predetermined threshold or the clear channel assessment of the current transmission channel exceeds a fifth predetermined threshold.