Patent ID: 8457013

Claim:
A wireless dual-function network device for use in a wireless communication network, said wireless dual-function network device comprising: a housing containing said at least one printed circuit board (PCB), a power management module, a RF transceiver, a microprocessor with program memory and flash memory; wherein said power management module provides electrical power to said PCB, said RF transceiver, and said microprocessor with program memory and said flash memory; wherein said flash memory stores dual-function firmware which, when executed by said microprocessor and said program memory, configures said microprocessor to operate in a first mode as a wireless network router, or in a second mode as a wireless network coordinator; wherein said RF transceiver is coupled to said microprocessor and generates data signal packets in both said first mode and said second mode; wherein an RF antenna structure is coupled to said RF transceiver in order to send and receive the data signal packets in both said first mode and said second mode; wherein an initial configuration of said microprocessor is to operate in said first mode as a wireless network router, and another wireless dual-function network device is configured to operate in said second mode as a first wireless network coordinator; and wherein if said another wireless dual-function network device is permanently or temporally disabled on said wireless communication network, then said microprocessor reconfigures the dual-function firmware to operate in said second mode as a replacement wireless network coordinator on said wireless communication network.