Patent attributes
A wireless access point (WAP) determines whether to switch from one or more first communication channels to one or more second communication channels when the one or more first communication channels are experiencing congestion. The WAP determines an amount of congestion the one or more first communication channels are experiencing. When the one or more first communication channels are experiencing congestion, the WAP determines whether one or more communication devices can support, or reliably support, a channel switching announcement signal using the one or more first communication channels. If a sufficient number of communication devices from among the one or more communication devices can support, or reliably support, the channel switching announcement signal, the WAP broadcasts the channel switching announcement signal to the one or more communication devices to announce its intention to switch from the one or more first communication channels to the one or more second communication channels.