Selection of a preferred access point from among a plurality of access points

A method for selecting one of a plurality of access points as a serving access point with a preference over other types of access points, the method comprising:

• scanning for access points within communication range of a wireless communication device and recording link quality metrics for each access point that is detected during scanning;
• determining, when scanning is complete at the wireless communication device, whether a particular link quality metric of a particular preferred access point that has the highest link quality metric is greater than an upper link quality metric threshold;
• when the particular link quality metric is determined to be greater than the upper link quality metric threshold, creating a preferred candidate list that comprises only preferred access points that communicate over a particular preferred frequency band that is specified in a band selection preference setting and a non-preferred side candidate list that comprises non-preferred access points that do not communicate using the particular preferred frequency;
• determining whether a current serving access point of the wireless communication device is a preferred access point that communicates using the particular preferred frequency band specified in the band selection preference setting;
• and
• communicating, from the wireless communication device when the current serving access point for the wireless communication device is not a preferred access point, a roam message to the particular preferred access point that has the largest link quality metric.

A wireless communication device, comprising:

• a memory module;
• an RF module comprising a transmitter and a receiver;
• and
• a processor coupled to the RF module, wherein the processor is designed to operate in conjunction with the RF module to scan for access points within communication range of a wireless communication device and to record link quality metrics for each access point that is detected during scanning in an overall candidate list stored in the memory module, and when the processor completes scanning, wherein the processor is further designed to:
• determine whether a particular link quality metric of a particular preferred access point that has the highest link quality metric is greater than a high link quality metric threshold;
• create a preferred candidate list that is stored at the memory module when the particular link quality metric is determined to be greater than the high link quality metric threshold, wherein the preferred candidate list comprises only preferred access points and excludes non-preferred access points;
• determine whether a current serving access point of the wireless communication device is a preferred access point;
• and
• generate a roam message that is destined for the particular preferred access point that has the largest link quality metric when the current serving access point for the wireless communication device is not a preferred access point.