Method of selecting a communication system for operating with a communication device in an idle mode, and communication device

1. A method of selecting a communication system for operating with a communication device during an idle mode of operation of the communication device, the communication device being capable of operating with at least two communication systems, the method comprising:

determining the one communication system of the at least two communication systems with which the communication device has a smallest power consumption when operating in the idle mode of operation, by:

determining operating parameters for each of the at least two communication systems, the operating parameters defining operation of the communication device with each of the at least two communication systems during the idle mode of operation;

determining estimates of power consumption of the communication device when operating with each of the at least two communication systems during the idle mode of operation based on the determined operating parameters; and

determining the communication system for which the determined estimate of power consumption of the communication device is the smallest; and

selecting the determined one communication system for operation with the communication device during the idle mode of operation.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising registering the communication device with the determined communication system.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving signalling information from the determined communication system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating parameters include system parameters received by the communication device from the at least two communication systems.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating parameters further include device parameters corresponding to a configuration of the communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication device comprises a memory for storing a look-up table, the look-up table including the estimates of power consumption for each of the at least two communication systems for different operating parameters.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining and selecting steps are performed by the communication device when the communication device enters the idle mode of operation or when a communication system becomes available to the communication device for communication.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the at least two communication systems is a preferred communication system for the communication device in an active mode of operation.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein in an active mode of operation, the communication device is allocated communication resources and communicates with a communication system to transmit or receive traffic information.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein in an idle mode of operation, the communication device receives signaling information from a communication system and no communication resources are allocated to the communication device for transmitting or receiving traffic information.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising establishing communication with the preferred communication system when traffic information is to be received by or transmitted from the communication device in the active mode of operation.

12. The method of claim 11 , when the preferred communication system is different from the determined communication system, the establishing step comprises the communication device registering with the preferred communication system for communication.

13. A communication device capable of operating with at least two communication systems, the communication device comprising:

a communication section for providing wireless communication with the at least two communication systems; and

a processing unit coupled to the communication section, the processing unit being arranged in operation to:

determine the one communication system of the at least two communication systems with which the communication device has a smallest power consumption when operating in an idle mode of operation; determine operating parameters for each of the at least two communication systems, the operating parameters defining operation of the communication device with each of the at least two communication systems during the idle mode of operation; determine estimates of power consumption of the communication device when operating with each of the at least two communication systems during the idle mode of operation based on the determined operating parameters; and determine the communication system for which the determined estimate of power consumption of the communication device is the smallest; and

select the determined one communication system for operation with the communication device during the idle mode of operation.

14. The communication device of claim 13 , wherein the operating parameters include system parameters received by the communication device from the at least two communication systems.

15. The communication device of claim 13 , wherein the operating parameters further include device parameters corresponding to a configuration of the communication device.

16. The communication device of claim 13 , further comprising a memory for storing a look-up table, the look-up table including the estimates of power consumption for each of the at least two communication systems for different operating parameters.