Intelligent adaptive channel switching gaming router

An apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

• a background scanning engine configured to evaluate channel conditions of a first radio frequency channel and a second radio frequency channel, the apparatus operating on the first radio frequency channel;
• a quality of service engine configured to determine whether a particular category of application is running on a set of devices connected to the apparatus based on analyzing content of data packets by the apparatus;
• and
• a channel switching engine configured to determine to switch the apparatus from operating on the first radio frequency channel to operating on the second radio frequency channel based on outputs from the background scanning engine and the quality service engine,
• wherein the apparatus is configured to determine whether the first radio frequency channel is able to support a bandwidth requirement of the particular category of applications,
• when the first radio frequency channel is able to support a bandwidth and latency requirement of the at least one online game:
• the channel switch engine is further configured to delay switching the apparatus from operating on the first radio frequency channel to operating on the second radio frequency channel when the particular category of applications is running on the set of devices connected to the apparatus;
• and
• the quality of service engine is further configured to track data packets associated with the particular category of applications, and the channel switch engine is further configured to switch the apparatus from operating on the first radio frequency channel to operating on the second radio frequency channel when an absence of the data packets associated with the particular category of applications is tracked for a threshold length of time;
• and
• when the first radio frequency channel is unable to support the bandwidth and latency requirement of the at least one online game, the channel switch engine is further configured to switch the apparatus from operating on the first radio frequency channel to operating on the second radio frequency channel.

A method of wireless communication, the method comprising:

• evaluating channel conditions of a first radio frequency channel and a second radio frequency channel for an access point operating on the first radio frequency channel;
• determining whether a particular category of applications is running on a set of devices connected to the access point;
• determining whether the first radio frequency channel is able to support a bandwidth and latency requirement of the at least one online game;
• and
• when the first radio frequency channel is able to support a bandwidth and latency requirement of the at least one online game:
• delaying switching the access point from operating on the first radio frequency channel to operating on the second radio frequency channel when the particular category of applications is running on the set of devices connected to the access point,
• determining that the particular category of applications is inactive or terminated by tracking data packets associated with the particular category of applications;
• and
• switching the access point from operating on the first radio frequency channel to operating on the second radio frequency channel when an absence of the data packets associated with the particular category of applications is tracked for a threshold length of time;
• and
• when the first radio frequency channel is unable to support the bandwidth and latency requirement of the at least one online game, switching the access point from operating on the first radio frequency channel to operating on the second radio frequency channel.