WIRELESS SIGNAL TRANSCEIVER WITH AUTOMATIC MODE CHANGE, AND METHOD

1 . A wireless signal transceiver, comprising:

wireless signal transmission means for transmitting and receiving signals in one or more wireless networks;

a microprocessor and memory;

wherein the memory comprises a scan mode program, the execution of which by the microprocessor causes the wireless signal transceiver to

receive and store in the memory one or more predefined wireless network identifiers; and

enable one scan mode at a time from a set of scan modes, wherein the set of scan modes comprises:

an active scan mode of a wireless network, in which the wireless signal transceiver repeatedly transmits a probe request message on one or more channels, until the wireless signal transceiver receives a probe response message from the wireless network, which case results in a successful active scan, or until a fulfillment of a predetermined set of criteria terminates the active scan, which case results in a failed active scan;

a passive scan mode of the wireless network, in which the wireless signal transceiver does not send anything to or via the wireless network but waits for a received wireless network identifier from at least one of the one or more wireless networks;

wherein the scan mode program, when executed by the microprocessor, causes the wireless signal transceiver to enable the active scan mode in response to a successful active scan or to a reception of a wireless network identifier that matches at least one of the predefined wireless network identifiers stored in the memory of the wireless signal transceiver; and

wherein the scan mode program, when executed by the microprocessor, causes the wireless signal transceiver to enable the passive scan mode in response to a failed active scan.

2 . The wireless signal transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises a positioning program, the execution of which by the microprocessor causes the wireless signal transceiver to act as a signal transmitter and/or a signal receiver in a positioning system which comprises, in addition to the wireless signal transceiver, a plurality of access points and a positioning server which positions the wireless signal transceiver based on received signal quality observations from signal transmissions between the wireless signal transceiver and the plurality of access points.

3 . The wireless signal transceiver of claim 1 , further comprising a motion sensor and a motion sensing program, wherein execution of the motion sensing program by the microprocessor causes the wireless signal transceiver to reduce or eliminate transmissions if the motion sensor indicates that the wireless signal transceiver is in motion.

4 . The wireless signal transceiver of claim 1 , further comprising one or more environmental indication sensors configured to indicate environmental conditions that correspond to an application domain; and wherein the wireless signal transceiver is configured to disable transmissions in response to an indication of said environmental conditions.

5 . The wireless signal transceiver of claim 4 , wherein said one or more environmental indication sensors comprises at least one environmental indication sensor which is responsive to one or more of temperature, humidity, air pressure, sound and electromagnetic signals.

6 . The wireless signal transceiver of claim 4 , wherein the application domain is an airplane.

7 . The wireless signal transceiver of claim 5 , wherein said electromagnetic signals include a predetermined network identifier.

8 . The wireless signal transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the scan mode program, when executed by the microprocessor, causes the wireless signal transceiver to enable the passive scan mode for a predefined minimum time, in response to said failed active scan.

9 . The wireless signal transceiver of claim 8 , wherein the predefined minimum time is specific to each network identifier.

10 . The wireless signal transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the wireless network is a wireless local-area network as defined in standard IEEE 802.11, and the network identifier is an SSID string.

11 . A method for operating a wireless signal transceiver, which comprises wireless signal transmission means for transmitting and receiving signals in one or more wireless networks; and a microprocessor and memory; the method comprising:

receiving and storing in the memory one or more predefined wireless network identifiers; and

enabling one scan mode at a time from a set of scan modes, wherein the set of scan modes comprises:

an active scan mode of a wireless network, in which the wireless signal transceiver repeatedly transmits a probe request message on one or more channels, until the wireless signal transceiver receives a probe response message from the wireless network, which case results in a successful active scan, or until a fulfillment of a predetermined set of criteria terminates the active scan, which case results in a failed active scan;

a passive scan mode of the wireless network, in which the wireless signal transceiver does not send anything to or via the wireless network but waits for a received wireless network identifier from at least one of the one or more wireless networks;

enabling the active scan mode in response to a successful active scan or to a reception of a wireless network identifier that matches at least one of the predefined wireless network identifiers stored in the memory of the wireless signal transceiver; and

enabling the passive scan mode in response to a failed active scan.