Method and system for channel masking in a communication network

A method for determining a group of channels from a plurality of frequency hopping channels received by a wireless communications device, wherein channels in the group are excluded from receiving by said wireless communications device, the method comprising:

• determining an indicator at a first time for a channel of said plurality of frequency hopping channels, wherein said indicator is based on a received noise measurement at said first time for said channel;
• determining a weighted average at a second time for said channel, wherein said weighted average at said second time comprises said indicator;
• selecting said channel as a member of said group, when said weighted average at said second time is above a threshold;
• and
• increasing said threshold by a unit until a remaining number of said plurality of frequency hopping channels, excluding said group of channels, is greater than or equal to N channels.

A network device for determining a channel mask in a microcellar communications network, wherein said channel mask selects hopping frequencies of a plurality of frequencies of the network device, said network device comprising:

• a digital signal processor comprising a component to measure background noise for a first frequency of said plurality of frequencies at a first time of a plurality of times;
• and
• a memory storing software comprising:
• a data structure comprising a first weighted average of background noise for said first frequency, said first weighted average based on background noise for said first frequency at said first time;
• and
• selection software for setting said first frequency as a hopping frequency of said channel mask, when said first weighted average is below a threshold;
• wherein said background noise is measured when there is no data received during a substantial duration of the time said network device remains at said first frequency.

A computer program product for determining a group of channels from a plurality of frequency hopping channels received by a wireless communications device, wherein channels in the group are excluded from receiving by said wireless communications device, the method comprising:

• code for determining an indicator at a first time for a channel of said plurality of frequency hopping channels, wherein said indicator is based on a received noise measurement at said first time for said channel;
• code for determining a time weighted average at a second time for said channel, wherein said weighted average at said second time comprises said indicator;
• code for selecting said channel as a member of said group, when said weighted average at said second time is above a threshold;
• code for increasing the threshold by a unit until a remaining number of said plurality of frequency hopping channels, excluding said group of channels, is greater than or equal to N channels;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium for storing the codes.