Characterizing uncoordinated interference of a wireless network

A method of a wireless mesh network characterizing uncoordinated interference, the wireless mesh network comprising a gateway, and a plurality of wireless nodes, the method comprising:

• each wireless node within the wireless mesh network collecting air-time usage history at the wireless node, comprising the wireless node receiving and monitoring signals over time that are greater than a threshold;
• each wireless node and the gateway within the wireless mesh network receiving air-time usage history of at least one neighboring wireless node, wherein the air-time usage history of the at least one neighboring wireless node is obtained by the at least one neighboring wireless node monitoring over time, signals received by the at least one neighboring node greater than a threshold;
• each wireless access node and the gateway comparatively analyzing collected air-time usage and the received air-time usage;
• the gateway broadcasting routing beacons, the routing beacons comprising at least part of the comparatively analyzed collected air-time usage and the received air-time usage of the gateway;
• and
• each access node that selects a routing path to the gateway, re-broadcasting the routing beacons after attaching the comparatively analyzed collected air-time usage and the received air-time usage of the access node.

A wireless access node, wherein the wireless access node is operative to:

• collect air-time usage history at the wireless access node, comprising the wireless access node receiving and monitoring signals over time that are greater than a threshold;
• receive air-time usage history of at least one neighboring wireless node, wherein the air-time usage history of the at least one neighboring wireless node is obtained by the at least one wireless node monitoring over time, signals received by the at least one neighboring node greater than a threshold;
• estimate an impact of uncoordinated interference, comprising comparatively analyzing the collected air-time usage of the wireless access node and the received air-time usage of the at least one neighboring wireless node, comprising synchronizing the collected air-time usage of the wireless access node and the received air-time usage of the at least one neighboring wireless node, and generating a histogram of available air-time based on the comparative analysis;
• and
• identify gaps of the available air-time based at least in part on the comparative analysis, and increase its transmission bit rate and number of transmitted data packets during the identified gaps.

A wireless access node, wherein the wireless access node is operative to:

• collect air-time usage history at the wireless access node, comprising the wireless access node receiving and monitoring signals over time that are greater than a threshold;
• receive air-time usage history of at least one neighboring wireless node, wherein the air-time usage history of the at least one neighboring wireless node is obtained by the at least one wireless node monitoring over time, signals received by the at least one neighboring node greater than a threshold;
• estimate an impact of uncoordinated interference, comprising comparatively analyzing the collected air-time usage of the wireless access node and the received air-time usage of the at least one neighboring wireless node, comprising synchronizing the collected air-time usage of the wireless access node and the received air-time usage of the at least one neighboring wireless node, and generating a histogram of available air-time based on the comparative analysis;
• and
• identify a frequency and occurrence of slots of available air-time based at least in part on the comparative analysis, fragment its data packets, and transmit the fragmented data packets according to the slots of available air-time.