Patent ID: 7277703

Claim:
Apparatus for a radio communication system having a mobile node selectably operable to communicate by way of an active radio network and subsequently selectably operable to communicate by way of a selected target radio network, the selected target radio network identified in a formal scan list that lists a first set of potential target radio networks, said apparatus for facilitating selection of the selected target radio network, said apparatus comprising: a signal detector adapted to receive indications of the potential target radio networks listed in the formal scan list, said signal detector for detecting, during selected time intervals, signals communicated by the potential target radio networks; a modified scan list creator adapted to receive indications of the potential target radio networks which have signals detected by said signal detector, said modified scan list creator configured to create a modified scan list that identifies the potential target radio networks associated with the signals detected by said signal detector, the potential target radio networks identified in the modified scan list are a subset of the first set of potential target radio networks; a selector adapted to receive indications of the potential target radio networks for the modified scan list, said selector for selecting the selected target radio network therefrom according to a selection schemes; wherein the mobile node is selectably operated in a slotted mode in which the mobile node operates in a reduced power state during first selected time periods and in an increased power state, relative to the reduced power state, during second selected time periods, and wherein the selected time intervals during which said signal detector detects the signals communicated by the potential target radio networks comprise portions of the second selected time periods.