Patent ID: 7664120

Claim:
A first node among a plurality of distributed nodes capable of forming or reforming a communication network between the plurality of distributed nodes, each node in the plurality of distributed nodes comprising one or more transceivers, the first node comprising: a memory for storing values for one or more node variables for the first node; and a plurality of transceivers; the first node operable to: spontaneously and independent of a centralized controller associated with the network, transmit a probe message for purposes of forming or reforming a network; receive a probe message from a second node for purposes of forming or reforming a network, the probe message comprising values for one or more node variables for the second node; compare the values for the one or more node variables for the first node to the values for the one or more node variables for the second node within the probe message received from the second node to determine, independent of a centralized controller associated with the network, whether the first node should set a home channel of one of its transceivers to a new channel; and if it is determined that the first node should set the home channel of one of its transceivers to the new channel: determine from the plurality of transceivers of the first node an appropriate transceiver the home channel of which to set to the new channel; and set the home channel of the determined appropriate transceiver of the first node to the new channel.