Patent ID: 7711366

Claim:
A method for managing network connections between a communications device and at least two networks having different types, the method comprising: receiving, at a first network interface module, a first device detection signal associated with a first one of the networks, wherein: the first network has a first type; and the first device detection signal is generated in response to the communications device coming into proximity to the first network; generating, at the first network interface module, a first presence signal associated with the first network, wherein the first presence signal varies in response to a condition of a first connection between the communications device and the first network; evaluating, at a network selection module in communication with the first network interface module, the first presence signal to assess whether the condition of the first connection permits an ongoing communication facilitated by the first network; and initiating, at the network selection module, a handover of the ongoing communication to a second network when the condition of the first connection does not permit the ongoing communication to continue using the first network, wherein the second network has a second type that is different than the first type.