Method and apparatus for scanning of channels simultaneously with exchanging data in a wireless device

摘要

A wireless device for wireless communication in a wireless area network. The wireless device includes a main radio channel for exchanging data with an access point in the wireless area network, as well as an auxiliary radio channel for scanning for availability of other access points in the wireless area network.

主权项

1. A method for performing a handoff procedure to switch an exchange of data between two different channels, the method comprising:
exchanging data, by a first radio channel of a wireless device, with a first access point over a first channel associated with the first access point, wherein exchanging data with the first access point comprises (i) transmitting, by the first radio channel, data to the first access point, and (ii) receiving, by the first radio channel, data from the first access point; while the first radio channel of the wireless device is exchanging data with the first access point over the first channel,
scanning, by a second radio channel of the wireless device, a first group of channels pursuant to a configurable channel list, wherein the configurable channel list indicates (i) the first group of channels that are enabled to be scanned by the second radio channel, (ii) a second group of channels that are not enabled to be scanned by the second radio channel, and (iii) for each channel in the first group of channels, a corresponding time period for scanning the corresponding channel in the first group of channels, andbased on scanning the first group of channels, identifying, by the second radio channel of the wireless device, a second channel of the first group of channels, wherein the second channel is associated with a second access point; and performing the handoff procedure to switch the exchange of data, by the first radio channel, over the first channel associated with the first access point to the second channel associated with the second access point.