Patent ID: 8483750

Claim:
A method in a mobile communication device for communications, the method comprising: operating for communications via a first wireless network with use of a first transceiver portion; performing one or more scanning operations with use of a second transceiver portion for identifying a set of cell identifications corresponding to a plurality of stations of one or more second wireless networks available in a coverage region of the first wireless network; storing the set of cell identifications in association with an identification of the first wireless network; while operating for communications with use of the second transceiver portion: maintaining the first transceiver portion in a low power state; performing one or more scanning operations with use of the second transceiver portion for identifying a current set of cell identifications, the current set of cell identifications corresponding to a serving station of the mobile device and one or more neighboring stations of the mobile device; comparing cell identifications of the current set with cell identifications of the stored set; and when the number or percentage of matching cell identifications of the current and stored sets meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, exiting the first transceiver portion from the low power state and enabling operation of the first transceiver portion for identifying the first wireless network for communications.