Patent ID: 7171216

Claim:
A method for detecting a wireless network, comprising: receiving at a mobile device a signal having data indicative of a location of the mobile device; determining whether the mobile device is within a coverage area of a specified network based on the data, wherein the specified network is overlapped by coverage from a macro network; scanning for the specified network in response to at least determining that the mobile device is within the coverage area of the specified network, wherein a decision as to whether to scan, by the mobile device, for the specified network is based on a distance between the location of the mobile device and a location of the specified network; determining if the specified network is available; continuing to scan until the specified network is available or until the mobile device exits the macro network; and camping on the specified network if signals are received from the specified network at a minimal signal strength, even if other signals are received from the macro network at a signal strength greater than the signals received from the specified network.