Patent ID: 8929852
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method in a communication network for managing a wireless communication device configured to search for an available wireless communication system from among a plurality of wireless communication systems in accordance with a first priority order, the method comprising: detecting, at a processing unit, at least one external event, wherein the external event does not involve operation of the communication network and does not involve operation of the wireless communication device; and responsive to the detecting, (a) determining, based at least in part on the detected external event, a period of time that is associated with the detected external event, and (b) causing the wireless communication device to (i) search, for the determined period of time, for an available wireless communication system from among the plurality of wireless communication systems in accordance with a second priority order instead of the first priority order, the second priority order being different than the first priority order, and (ii) upon expiration of the determined period of time, search for the available wireless communication system from among the plurality of wireless communication systems in accordance with the first priority order instead of the second priority order, wherein the plurality of wireless communication systems includes a wireless communication system of a first type and a wireless communication system of a second type, wherein the wireless communication system of the first type uses a first air interface protocol, and the wireless communication system of the second type uses a second air interface protocol instead of the first air interface protocol, and wherein causing the wireless communication device to search, for the determined period of time, for an available wireless communication system from among the plurality of wireless communication systems in accordance with the second priority order instead of the first priority order comprises giving the wireless communication system of the first type a higher priority than the wireless communication system of the second type.