Network interference evaluating method, dynamic channel assignment method and apparatus used in wireless networks

A dynamic channel assignment apparatus used in a wireless network, comprising:

• a visual delayed time calculator using visual delayed times which comprise pairs of visual delayed time and basic service sets, for calculating each pair of visual delayed time for each pair of basic service sets based on received signal strength indicators, traffic information and rate information;
• an overall network interference calculator for evaluating an overall network interference under a current channel allocation based on the visual delayed time calculated by the visual delayed time calculator;
• a graph generator using connection lines, for constructing an undirected graph so that each basic service set of the basic service sets is located at a vertex, and each connection line between each pair of basic service sets has a weight obtained from the pair of visual delayed time for this pair of basic service sets;
• a graph coloring unit for coloring the undirected graph generated by the graph generator to get a new channel allocation approach and an optimized minimal overall network interference under the new channel allocation approach;
• a comparator for comparing a difference between the evaluated overall network interference under the current channel allocation and the optimized minimal overall network interference with a predetermined threshold;
• and
• a controller for changing channel allocation for the pair of basic service sets according to the new channel allocation approach if the difference is larger than the predetermined threshold,
• wherein a group of first nodes forms a first basic service set, a group of second nodes forms a second basic service set, and the visual delayed time calculator includes:
• a normal transmission time calculator for calculating normal transmission time of each first node by using the traffic information and the rate information;
• a lowered transmission rate mapper for mapping out lowered transmission rates of the first nodes by using an Signal to Interference Noise Ratio-Rate table and based on the received signal strength indicators;
• a delayed transmission time calculator for calculating a delayed transmission time of the first nodes under interference from the group of second nodes by using the traffic information, the rate information and the mapped lowered transmission rates of the first nodes;
• a node visual delayed time calculator for calculating the visual delayed time of each of the first nodes under the interference from the group of second nodes by using the calculated normal transmission time of the first nodes and the calculated delayed transmission time of the first nodes;
• and
• an adder for summing all the visual delayed time of the group of first nodes to obtain a visual delayed time of the first basic service set under the interference from the second basic service set.