System coordinated wlan scanning

Abstract

The invention proposes a scan control device, wherein in the scan operation a network detection is performed, the device comprising a request receiving means for receiving at least one request for providing scan information, and a scan control means for performing a scan operation independently from receiving the scan information requests. The invention also proposes a corresponding method and a computer program product.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to   receive at least one request from a at least one application to provide scan information, and   process a plurality of latency parameters, each of the latency parameters indicating a requested interval for performing scan operations for one of the at least one application,   wherein an interval for performing the scan operations is based on a smallest value of the latency parameters;   wherein, when a scan operation is required, perform the scan operation and perform subsequent scan operations according to the interval,   wherein, in the scan operations, a network detection is performed; and   provide the scan information obtained from the scan operations to the at least one application.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the interval is adapted when a new request for scan information from the at least one application is processed. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to operate in a low power mode and, when the apparatus is in the low power mode, a limit is set for a frequency of the scan operations. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a scan control module implemented in an application programming interface (API) configured to allow the applications to register for scan events or issue a scan request that will be pending on a network subsystem until one of the scan operations is performed. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, based on connection quality, the scan operation is automatically performed immediately and the scan information is provided to the at least one application. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the network detection comprises a scan for at least one access network. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, at least to provide the scan information as a scan event. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the requests from the at least one application to provide scan information further comprises a latency parameter indicating a maximum latency value. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the maximum latency value indicates a maximum delay time by which a scan operation may be delayed. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a wireless local area network apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a wireless local area network (WLAN) device, at least one request from a at least one application to provide scan information, and   processing a plurality of latency parameters, each of the latency parameters indicating a requested interval for performing scan operations for one of the at least one application,   wherein an interval for performing the scan operations is based on a smallest value of the latency parameters;   wherein, when a scan operation is required, performing the scan operation and performing subsequent scan operations according to the interval,   wherein, in the scan operations, a network detection is performed; and   providing the scan information obtained from the scan operations to the at least one application.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the interval is adapted when a new request for scan information from the at least one application is processed. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising setting a limit for a frequency of the scan operations when the WLAN device is operating in a low power mode. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the WLAN device further comprises a scan control module implemented in an application programming interface (API) configured to allow the applications to register for scan events or issue a scan request that will be pending on a network subsystem until one of the scan operations is performed. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising, based on connection quality, automatically performing the scan operation immediately and providing the scan information to the at least one application. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the network detection comprises a scan for at least one access network. 
     
     
         17 . A computer program, embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program configured to control a processor to perform a process, comprising:
 receiving at least one request from at least one application to provide scan information, and   processing a plurality of latency parameters, each of the latency parameters indicating a requested interval for performing scan operations for one of the at least one application,   wherein an interval for performing the scan operations is based on a smallest value of the latency parameters;   wherein, when a scan operation is required, performing the scan operation and performing subsequent scan operations according to the interval,   wherein, in the scan operations, a network detection is performed; and   providing the scan information obtained from the scan operations to the at least one application.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program according to  claim 17 , wherein the interval is adapted when a new request for scan information from the at least application is processed. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program according to  claim 17 , further comprising allowing the at least one application to register for scan events or issue a scan request that will be pending on a network subsystem until one of the scan operations is performed. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program according to  claim 17 , wherein the providing further comprises providing the scan information as a scan event.