Patent ID: 8411654

Claim:
A device for use in an autonomous wireless environment comprising: a wireless interface; wireless local area network (WLAN) baseband transceiver, coupled to the wireless interface; a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the WLAN baseband transceiver via a bus; and a memory coupled to the bus; the memory including a plurality of software modules; wherein the plurality of software modules include a first software module for causing the device to operate in a partial mode when executed by the CPU; in which the device listens for messages via the wireless interface; a second software module causing the device to operate in a full mode when executed by the CPU in which the device communicates and exchanges messages with other devices directly via the wireless interface, wherein the executed second software module comprises programming a message to be transmitted from the device; activating the mode; loading the current operating channel; transmitting the message; exchanging messages directly with other devices via a wireless interface therebetween if there is a response; and entering into a power saving mode if there is no response for a predetermined time interval, wherein the loading the current operating channel comprises retrieving a next channel from a specified list of the user, transmitting the message if the specified list is populated; retrieving a next channel from a default channel operating list if the user specified list is empty; and transmitting the message; and a third software module causing the device to operate in an invitation mode when executed by the CPU in which the device provides invitational messages to other devices directly via the wireless interface.