Patent ID: 8369853

Claim:
In an access terminal operating in a wireless communication system, and having at least a first air interface that operates according to a first air interface protocol and a second air interface that operates according to a second air interface protocol, a method comprising: engaging in a communication session on the first air interface via one or more wireless access areas that are among a first plurality of wireless access areas, including a first wireless access area and a second wireless access area; during the communication session, engaging in periodic intervals of scanning on the second air interface for communication from one or more wireless access areas that are among a second plurality of wireless access areas; making a determination of whether the second plurality of wireless access areas is the same as the first plurality of wireless access areas; in a time interval between a previous periodic interval and a next periodic interval, responsive to an occurrence during the time interval of a handoff of the communication session from the first wireless access area to the second wireless access area, choosing a particular wireless access area by (i) if the determination is that the second plurality of wireless access areas is the same as the first plurality of wireless access areas, selecting the second wireless access area as the particular wireless access area, and (ii) if the determination is that the second plurality of wireless access areas is not the same as the first plurality of wireless access areas, selecting the particular wireless access area based on a respective signal strength detected on the second air interface from each of one or more of the second plurality of wireless access areas; and in the next periodic interval, scanning on the second air interface for communication from the particular wireless access area.