Patent ID: 6477372
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
A method for allowing a radiotelephone to scan for alternate radiotelephone systems using a single receiver, each radiotelephone system having a plurality of cells for providing radiotelephone service to a radiotelephone within a corresponding geographic area, each cell having paging and voice communication and a radio coverage area established by fixed site base stations, and each base station operable to send paging messages to radiotelephones, the method comprising the steps of:registering the radiotelephone on a radiotelephone system by a base station; establishing by the base station whether to enable alternate technology scanning for the radiotelephone; and if alternate technology scanning is disabled: the radiotelephone receiving paging messages from the base station; the radiotelephone acknowledging to the base station paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone; if alternate technology scanning is enabled; the radiotelephone scanning for an alternate technology; the base station concurrently repeating any paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone during performance of the scanning step; the base station ignoring a lack of acknowledgement from the radiotelephone for paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone.