Method and apparatus for selecting scanning rates in a multi-mode communication device

1. A method for selecting scanning rates in a multi-mode communication device, comprising:

at the multi-mode communication device, measuring at least one parameter associated with an interaction between a first network and the multi-mode communication device, wherein the parameter includes a coverage status of the first network at the multi-mode communication device, a signal strength at the multi-mode communication device, a Quality of Service support level of the first network at the multi-mode communication device, or a velocity of the multi-mode communication device; and

in response to measuring the parameter, selecting a scanning rate of the multi-mode communication device for a second, different network that interacts with the multi-mode communication device, wherein selecting the scanning rate of the second, different network comprises decreasing the scanning rate when the velocity is lower than a predetermined threshold, or increasing the scanning rate of the second, different network when the signal strength is lower than a second predetermined threshold;

wherein the first network and the second, different network have independent synchronization procedures.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network is a Local Area Network and the second network is a Wide Area Network.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ranking each member of a set of networks based on measuring at least one parameter associated with an interaction between each network and the multi-mode communication device, wherein the set of networks includes the first network and the second, different network.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the parameters on which the ranking of each member is based include the Quality of Service support level of the network at the multi-mode communication device or the signal strength at the multi-mode communication device.

5. A method for selecting scanning rates in a multi-mode communication device, comprising:

at the multi-mode communication device, measuring at least one parameter associated with an interaction between a first network and the multi-mode communication device;

at the multi-mode communication device, measuring at least one parameter associated with an interaction between a second, different network and the multi-mode communication device,

wherein the at least one parameter associated with the interaction between the first network and the multi-mode communication device or the at least one parameter associated with the interaction between the second, different network and the multi-mode communication device includes a coverage status of the first network or the second, different network at the multi-mode communication device, a signal strength at the multi-mode communication device, a Quality of Service support level of the first network or the second, different network at the multi-mode communication device, or a velocity of the multi-mode communication device; and

in response to measuring the parameters, selecting a scanning rate of the multi-mode communication device for the second network,

wherein selecting the scanning rate for the second network comprises decreasing the scanning rate when the velocity is lower than a predetermined threshold, or increasing the scanning rate when the signal strength at the multi-mode communication device is lower than a second predetermined threshold; and

wherein the first network and the second, different network have independent synchronization procedures.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first network is a Local Area Network and the second, different network is a Wide Area Network.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising ranking each member of a set of networks based on measuring at least one parameter associated with an interaction between each network and the multi-mode communication device, wherein the set of networks includes the first network and the second, different network.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the parameters on which the ranking of each member is based include the Quality of Service support level of the network at the multi-mode communication device or the signal strength at the multi-mode communication device.

9. A multi-mode communication device, comprising:

a first transceiver that interacts with a first network having a first synchronization procedure;

a second transceiver that interacts with a second, different network having a second synchronization procedure that is independent of the synchronization procedure of the first network; and

a processor that is coupled to the first transceiver and coupled to the second transceiver and operable to:

scan for the first network;

scan for the second, different network;

measure at least one parameter associated with the first network, wherein the parameter includes a coverage status of the first network at the multi-mode communication device, a signal strength at the multi-mode communication device, a Quality of Service support level of the first network at the multi-mode communication device, or a velocity of the multi-mode communication device; and

in response to the measuring the parameter, select a scanning rate of the second, different network, wherein selecting the scanning rate of the second, different network comprises decreasing the scanning rate when the velocity is lower than a predetermined threshold, or increasing the scanning rate when the signal strength is lower than a second predetermined threshold.

10. The multi-mode communication device of claim 9 , wherein the first network is a Local Area Network and the second network is a Wide Area Network.

11. The multi-mode communication device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further operable to rank each member of a set of networks based on measuring at least one parameter associated with an interaction between each network and the multi-mode communication device, wherein the set of networks includes the first network and the second, different network.

12. The multi-mode communication device of claim 11 , wherein the parameters on which the ranking of each member is based include the Quality of Service support level of the network at the multi-mode communication device or the signal strength at the multi-mode communication device.