# US 11,122,508 B2 · Wi-fi process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,122,508 B2 - Document ID: US11122508B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/587,639 - Filed: 2019-09-30 - Published: 2020-04-02 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-14 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Suresh Nagaraj - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11122508B2 ## CPC - H04W 52/0254: {detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device} - H04B 1/3805: with built-in auxiliary receivers - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04W 48/16: Discovering, processing access restriction or access information - H04W 52/0229: {where the received signal is a wanted signal} - H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W 52/0245: {according to signal strength} - H04W 88/08: Access point devices - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A method and apparatus for a wireless device that can adapt a rate of related wireless network unit scans for adjacent networks is disclosed. In one embodiment, the wireless device can include a wireless network unit and a co-located geo-location signal receiver, and a processor. The processor can determine the position and speed of the wireless device from data received from the geo-location signal receiver. The processor can configure the wireless network unit to adapt the rate of related wireless network scans based upon determined speed and position. In one embodiment, the wireless network unit scans can be wireless scans for other nearby networks for roaming or location based services. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: determining, at a wireless device, a position of the wireless device based at least in part on location signals received at the wireless device; determining, at the wireless device, a change of the position of the wireless device based at least in part on the location signals; and adjusting, at the wireless device, one or more network scanning periods based at least in part on the change of the position of the wireless device and a predetermined distance, wherein the predetermined distance is based at least on an operating environment of the wireless device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: setting the one or more network scanning periods to an initial scanning period. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more scanning periods are associated with one or more roam scans. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more scanning periods are associated with one or more location scans. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the one or more network scanning periods comprises: comparing the change of the position of the wireless device with a second predetermined distance; and in response to the change of the position of the wireless device being less than the second predetermined distance, increasing the one or more network scanning periods. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the one or more network scanning periods comprises: comparing the change of the position of the wireless device with the predetermined distance; and in response to the change of the position of the wireless device being greater than the predetermined distance, decreasing the one or more network scanning periods. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is determined based at least in part on one or more signal blockers in the operating environment or a power associated with an access point. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the one or more network scanning periods comprises: comparing the change of the position of the wireless device with the predetermined distance; in response to the change of the position of the wireless device being greater than the predetermined distance, decreasing the one or more network scanning periods; in response to the change of the position of the wireless device being less than the predetermined distance, comparing the change of the position of the wireless device with a second predetermined distance, wherein the second predetermined distance is different from the predetermined distance; and in response to the change of the position of the wireless device being less than the second predetermined distance, increasing the one or more network scanning periods. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the one or more network scanning periods comprises using a telescopic scanning period. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the one or more network scanning periods comprises adjusting the one or more network scanning periods in response to the change of position of the wireless device indicating a displacement of the wireless device that is greater than or less than the predetermined distance. ### Claim 11 A wireless device, comprising: a geo-location signal receiver configured to determine a position of a wireless device based at least in part on location signals; a processor configured to: determine whether the position of the wireless device has changed; and in response to determining that the position of the wireless device has changed, adjust one or more network scanning periods based at least in part on the change of the position of the wireless device and a predetermined distance, wherein the predetermined distance is based at least on an operating environment of the wireless device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to set the one or more network scanning periods to an initial scanning period. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the one or more scanning periods are associated with one or more roam scans. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the one or more scanning periods are associated with one or more location scans. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The wireless device of claim 11, wherein to adjust the one or more network scanning periods, the processor is configured to: compare the change of the position of the wireless device with a second predetermined distance; and in response to the change of the position of the wireless device being less than the second predetermined distance, increase the one or more network scanning periods. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The wireless device of claim 11, wherein to adjust the one or more network scanning periods, the processor is configured to: compare the change of the position of the wireless device with the predetermined distance; and in response to the change of the position of the wireless device being greater than the predetermined distance, decrease the one or more network scanning periods. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The wireless device of claim 16, wherein the predetermined distance is determined based at least in part on one or more signal blockers in the operating environment or a power associated with an access point. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The wireless device of claim 11, wherein to adjust the one or more network scanning periods, the processor is configured to: compare the change of the position of the wireless device with the predetermined distance; in response to the change of the position of the wireless device being greater than the first predetermined distance, decrease the one or more network scanning periods; in response to the change of the position of the wireless device being less than the predetermined distance, compare the change of the position of the wireless device with a second predetermined distance, wherein the second predetermined distance is different from the predetermined distance; and in response to the change of the position of the wireless device being less than the second predetermined distance, increase the one or more network scanning periods. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The wireless device of claim 11, wherein to adjust the one or more network scanning periods, the processor is configured to use a telescopic scanning period. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The wireless device of claim 11, wherein to adjust the one or more network scanning periods, the processor is configured to adjust the one or more network scanning periods in response to the change of position of the wireless device indicating a displacement of the wireless device that is greater than or less than the predetermined distance.