Patent ID: 8059604

Claim:
A method for measuring signal strength of signals received wirelessly over different communication networks in a heterogeneous network by a mobile communication apparatus, comprising: using a first transmission interface, for periodically measuring a signal received over a first one of the communication networks at a predetermined first period; using a signal obtained from the first transmission interface to determine a signal strength, and determining whether the signal strength is changed or not; and selectively performing the following steps, according to the determination result of the signal strength: if the change of the signal strength is lower than a threshold, resetting a period for measuring a signal of a non-active second transmission interface, whose signal coverage is larger than the first transmission interface, from a predetermined second period to a longer third period, the second transmission interface being used by the mobile communication apparatus for communicating over a second one of the communication networks; or if the change of the signal strength is larger than the threshold, periodically measuring the signal according to the predetermined first period of the first transmission interface and periodically measuring the signal according to the predetermined second period of the second transmission interface respectively.