FAST SCANNING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNDER-UTILIZED WLAN AP DISCOVORY

摘要

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for rapidly accessing a WLAN AP with less network load by obtaining information necessary for the search of a WLAN access point (AP) from a cellular base station (BS) so that a terminal uses WLAN service. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a communication method of a terminal includes the steps of: switching a channel into an AP scanning channel, which is for searching for the WLAN AP between the terminal and the WLAN AP; transmitting a WLAN AP search signal on the AP scanning channel; receiving a transmitted WLAN AP response signal after preset offset time passes according to the load state of the WLAN AP from the WLAN AP; and switching the channel into a data transception channel for data communication with the WLAN AP. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the terminal can select the AP with the least load by searching for all WLAN APs around the terminal.