Patent ID: 7653392

Claim:
A method for wireless network discovery and selection, the method comprising: obtaining periodically a plurality of parameter values for a plurality of parameters of one or more network layers on a mobile client device, associated with accessing a plurality of heterogeneous wireless networks; determining whether to request update(s) for one or more of the heterogeneous wireless networks, based at least in part on the obtained parameter values; requesting an update for each of the heterogeneous wireless networks determined to have an update requested; and selecting a first of the heterogeneous wireless networks for the mobile client device to access, based at least in part upon the updates received for the heterogeneous wireless networks, thereby replacing a second of the heterogeneous wireless networks currently accessed by the mobile client device; wherein the obtaining periodically a plurality of parameter values is for a plurality of Physical Layer (PHY) and/or Media Access Control (MAC) layer parameters of the client device; and wherein the PHY and/or MAC layer parameters comprise two or more selected from a group comprised of a received signal strength parameter, a power consumption parameter, a required bandwidth parameter, and a network availability parameter.