Packet collisions and impulsive noise detection

A method comprising:

• determining a first Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) average for a first symbol set of at least one or more first symbols in one or more packets received at a first network device via a communication channel;
• determining a second SNR average for a second symbol set of at least one or more second symbols in the one or more packets;
• determining a first difference between the first SNR average and the second SNR average;
• and
• in response to determining the first difference exceeds an SNR threshold,
• determining that a first channel event has occurred in the one or more packets at least within the first symbol set and the second symbol set, the first channel event comprising at least one of a packet collision and an impulsive noise.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having machine executable instructions stored therein, the machine executable instructions comprising instructions to:

• determine a first Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) average for a first symbol set of at least one or more first symbols in one or more packets received at a first network device via a communication channel at a first data rate;
• determine a second SNR average for a second symbol set of at least one or more second symbols in the one or more packets;
• determine a first difference between the first SNR average and the second SNR average;
• in response to a determination that the first difference exceeds an SNR threshold,
• determine that a first channel event has occurred in the one or more packets at least within the first symbol set and the second symbol set;
• and
• in response to a determination that the first channel event has occurred, determine to remain at the first data rate or at a second data rate that is higher than the first data rate.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having machine executable instructions stored therein, the machine executable instructions comprising instructions to:

• determine a first Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) average for a first symbol set of at least one or more first symbols in one or more packets received at a first network device via a communication channel;
• determine a second SNR average for a second symbol set of at least one or more second symbols in the one or more packets;
• determine a first difference between the first SNR average and the second SNR average;
• and
• in response to a determination the first difference exceeds an SNR threshold,
• determine that a first channel event has occurred in the one or more packets at least within the first symbol set and the second symbol set, the first channel event comprising at least one of a packet collision and an impulsive noise.

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to receive one or more packets via a communication channel;
• and
• a noise detection unit communicatively coupled to the network interface, the noise detection unit configured to:
• determine a first Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) average for a first symbol set of at least one or more first symbols in the one or more packets received at the network interface via the communication channel;
• determine a second SNR average for a second symbol set of at least one or more second symbols in the one or more packets;
• determine a first difference between the first SNR average and the second SNR average;
• and
• in response to a determination the first difference exceeds an SNR threshold,
• determine that a first channel event has occurred in the one or more packets at least within the first symbol set and the second symbol set, the first channel event comprising at least one of a packet collision and an impulsive noise.