Patent ID: 8493896

Claim:
A method comprising switching a network application operating in a first communication mode to a second communication mode within a wireless local area network, wherein a plurality of mobile nodes access the network through at least one access point and communicate with at least one application server to obtain at least one network application provided by said application server in the first communication mode; and a plurality of neighboring mobile nodes can communicate with each other directly in the second communication mode; the step of switching comprising the steps of: when the plurality of mobile nodes are accessing the application server on the network through the access points and running the same network application provided by said application server in the first communication mode, judging whether the plurality of mobile nodes are neighboring according to location information of each of said mobile nodes; sending an inquiry to the plurality of mobile nodes by said application server inquiring whether the plurality of mobile nodes want to switch to the second communication mode to run said network application when said plurality of mobile nodes are neighboring; downloading and installing the network application from said application server to one of the mobile nodes when all said plurality of mobile nodes agree to switch to the second communication mode; configuring each mobile node with communication parameters under the second communication mode; and switching all said mobile nodes to the second communication mode and continuing to run a downloaded and installed network application.