Patent ID: 7894385
Filing Date: 2011-02-22
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a mesh network having a plurality of mesh nodes, comprising: for at least one mesh node of the mesh network, scanning a Radio Frequency (RF) environment using a dedicated scanning radio to determine a new potential parent mesh node for connecting with said at least one mesh node; wherein said at least one mesh node includes, in addition to said scanning radio, at least two relay radios in each mesh element and wherein said scanning radio and said at least two relay radios operate on different non-interfering channels; wherein said at least one mesh node is moving sufficiently rapidly that it may lose connectivity with its current parent mesh node, and wherein said dedicated scanning radio is utilized for discovery of potential new parent nodes and sampling of discovered potential new parent nodes is performed by an uplink relay radio of said at least one mesh node; wherein while said at least one mesh node samples potential new parent nodes, packets to be sent to said at least one mesh node from its current parent node are buffered by the current parent node, and packets to be sent from said at least one mesh node to its current parent are buffered by said at least one mesh node; and wherein sampling times are coordinated among multiple mesh nodes having a common current parent node whereby the common current parent node sends tokens to each of its children in a round-robin manner.