METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING AND SELECTING A WIRELESS DEVICE OR NETWORK FOR CONNECTION

1 . A computer-based method for identifying and selecting a wireless device for connection, comprising the steps of:

using a computing device to receive data identifying each wireless device available for connection to the computing device in a given location;

querying a database for information about each wireless device identified in the given location;

determining connection requirements for the computing device; and

selecting a wireless device for connection based on an analysis of the information about each wireless device available for connection to the computing device in the given location in view of the determined connection requirements.

2 . The computer-based method as recited in claim 1 , in which querying the database, determining connection requirements for the computing device, and selecting a wireless device for connection are accomplished through execution of a digital computer program resident on a computer-readable medium on the computing device.

3 . The computer-based method as recited in claim 1 , in which received data includes at least an identification of a type of radio associated with each wireless device and a unique identifier of the radio associated with each wireless device.

4 . The computer-based method as recited in claim 3 , in which received data further includes signal strength information.

5 . The computer-based method as recited in claim 3 , in which the information about wireless devices stored in said database includes technical characterstics.

6 . The computer-based method as recited in claim 1 , in which the step of determining connection requirements for the computing device includes an analysis of applications running on the computing device.

7 . The computer-based method as recited in claim 1 , in which the analysis of the information about each wireless device available for connection to the computing device in the given location includes the steps of:

determining whether one or more of the radios associated with the identified wireless devices available for connection provides a sufficient bandwidth;

determining whether one or more of the radios associated with the identified wireless devices available for connection meets minimal latency requirements; and

creating a list of radios that provide a sufficient bandwidth and meet minimal latency requirements.

8 . The computer-based method as recited in claim 7 , in which the analysis of the information about each wireless device available for connection to the computing device in the given location further includes the step of:

sorting the list of radios that provide a sufficient bandwidth and meet minimal latency requirements based on cost of connection.

9 . A computer-based system for identifying and selecting a wireless device for connection, comprising:

a radio management module resident on a computer-readable medium of a computing device for receiving data identifying each wireless device available for connection to the computing device in a given location;

a user analysis module resident on the computer-readable medium of the computing device for monitoring use of the computing device to determine connection requirements; and

a selection module resident on the computer-readable medium of the computing device for querying a database for information about each wireless device identified in the given location and selecting one of the identified wireless devices based on an analysis of the information about each wireless device in the given location in view of the determined connection requirements.