Mobile access node channel selection within a mesh network

1. A method of a mobile node transmission channel selection, comprising:

the mobile node detecting a quality of previously selected routing path over a previously selected transmission channel;

if the quality of the routing path is below a predetermined threshold, then the mobile node transmitting probe requests on each of a plurality of available transmission channels;

collecting responses to the probe request from at least one upstream access nodes over at least one of the available transmission channels, wherein the responses received from the at least one upstream access node over the at least one available transmission channel comprise a quality indicator of a routing path to at least one gateway;

selecting a new transmission channel based upon the responses received over the available transmission channels, wherein selecting a new transmission channel further comprises comparing the quality indicator of each path corresponding to each transmission channel of responding upstream access nodes;

wherein the mobile node comprises multiple radios and the new transmission channel selection is run by a second radio while a first radio is transmitting and receiving data with an upstream access node.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality of the routing path is determined by monitoring a percentage of routing beacons that are successfully received over the previously selected transmission channel.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the previously selected transmission channel is maintained if the quality of the routing path is above the predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting a new transmission channel based upon the response received over the available transmission channels comprises:

determining how many upstream access nodes responded to the probe requests.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting a new transmission channel based upon the response received over the available transmission channels comprises:

measuring signal characteristics of the responses to the probe requests.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein measuring the signal characteristics of the responses includes determining a received signal strength indicator.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein measuring the signal characteristics of the responses includes determining signal to noise ratio SNR of the responses.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one gateway originates routing beacons.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality indicator of each responding access node is based upon a persistence of routing packets at the responding upstream access node.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the probe request includes a preferential information element that serves as a network identifier that can influence selecting a new transmission channel.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the preferential information element comprises a preference to select the new transmission channel corresponding with a particular network identifier.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile node comprises a single radio that can transmit over multiple available transmission channels.

13. A method of selecting transmission channels through a mesh network comprising mobile and fixed access nodes, comprising:

a plurality of gateways originating and broadcasting routing beacons, each gateway broadcasting on one of a plurality of available transmission frequencies;

each mobile node detecting a quality of routing beacons received over a previously selected available transmission channel;

if the quality of the routing beacons is below a predetermined threshold, then the mobile node initiating selection another of the plurality of available transmission channels;

the mobile node transmitting probe requests on each of the available transmission channels;

collecting responses to the probe request from upstream access nodes over each of the available transmission channels, wherein the responses received from the at least one upstream access node over the at least one available transmission channel comprise a quality indicator of a routing path to at least one gateway;

selecting a new transmission channel based upon the responses received over the available transmission channels, wherein selecting a new transmission channel further comprises comparing the quality indicator of each path corresponding to each transmission channel of responding upstream access nodes;

wherein the mobile node comprises multiple radios and the new transmission channel selection is run by a second radio while a first radio is transmitting and receiving data with an upstream access node.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the previously selected transmission channel is maintained if the quality of the routing beacons is above the predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein selecting a new transmission channel based upon the response received over the available transmission channels comprises:

determining how many upstream access nodes responded to the probe requests.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein selecting a new transmission channel based upon the response received over the available transmission channels comprises:

measuring signal characteristics of the responses to the probe requests.

17. A mobile node of a wireless mesh network, the mobile node configured to:

detect a quality of previously selected routing path over a previously selected transmission channel;

transmit probe requests on each of a plurality of available transmission channels if the quality of the routing path is below a predetermined threshold;

collect responses to the probe request from at least one upstream access nodes over at least one of the available transmission channels, wherein the responses received from the at least one upstream access node over the at least one available transmission channel comprise a quality indicator of a routing path to at least one gateway; and

select a new transmission channel based upon the responses received over the available transmission channels, wherein selecting a new transmission channel further comprises comparing the quality indicator of each path corresponding to each transmission channel of responding upstream access nodes;

wherein the mobile node comprises multiple radios and the new transmission channel selection is run by a second radio while a first radio is transmitting and receiving data with an upstream access node.

18. The mobile node of claim 17 , wherein the quality of the routing path is determined by monitoring a percentage of routing beacons that are successfully received over the previously selected transmission channel.

19. The mobile node of claim 17 , wherein the previously selected transmission channel is maintained if the quality of the routing path is above the predetermined threshold.

20. The mobile node of claim 17 , wherein selecting a new transmission channel based upon the response received over the available transmission channels comprises:

determining how many upstream access nodes responded to the probe requests.