Patent ID: 8254332
Filing Date: 2012-08-28
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for radio access technology (RAT) monitoring, in a wireless system environment comprising a wireless communications equipment and at least two different RATs that coexist for providing to said wireless communications equipment access to one or more communications networks for communications service; the wireless communications equipment comprising at least two electronic subsystems, each adapted for establishing and maintaining an active communications connection with a certain one of said at least two different RATs; the wireless communications equipment selecting at least a first RAT, among all the RATs available in a certain geographical area, for establishing said at least one active communications connection, according to at least one monitored characteristic of said at least first RAT; the monitoring method comprising: a second electronic subsystem of said wireless communications equipment initiating a scanning step of at least one characteristic of a second RAT available for communication in said geographical area while a first electronic subsystem of the wireless communications equipment maintains an active communications connection with said first RAT, the second electronic subsystem providing an indication when it initiates the scanning step, performing said scanning step of the at least one characteristic of the second RAT when the wireless communications equipment does not transmit signals through said active communications connection maintained with the first RAT, and utilizing said indication to block the transmission of signals in the active communications connection maintained between the first electronic subsystem of the wireless communications equipment and the first RAT.