Scanning and decoding methods and apparatus for mobile communication devices

A communication device, comprising;

• a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;
• one or more processors coupled to the RF transceiver;
• memory coupled to the one or more processors;
• the one or more processors being operative to:
• for each broadcast control channel of a plurality of broadcast control channels associated with a plurality of wireless communication networks:
• measure, on the broadcast control channel, a signal strength level of an RF signal of a wireless communication network;
• receive and decode control information which is broadcasted on the broadcast control channel and store the broadcasted control information in the memory, the broadcasted control information including a broadcasted network identification which uniquely identifies the wireless communication network;
• repeat the measuring on the broadcast control channel at least one time so that at least one other signal strength level of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel is identified;
• complete an averaging function with the signal strength level and the at least one other signal strength level for calculating an averaged signal strength level of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel;
• wherein the receiving, decoding, and storing for said broadcast channel are performed in between the repeated acts of measuring signal strength levels of the RF signal on said broadcast control channel, and prior to completion of the averaging function for calculating the averaged signal strength level;
• and
• read the stored broadcasted network identifications that were received, for use in performing a network selection technique for selecting and registering with one of the wireless communication networks corresponding to one of the stored broadcasted network identifications.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a storage medium;
• computer program instructions stored in the storage medium;
• the computer program instructions being executable by one or more processors for performing a network selection method by:
• for each broadcast control channel of a plurality of broadcast control channels associated with a plurality of wireless communication networks:
• measuring, on the broadcast control channel, a signal strength level of a radio frequency (RF) signal of a wireless communication network;
• receiving and decoding control information which is broadcasted on the broadcast control channel and storing the broadcasted control information in memory, the broadcasted control information including a broadcasted network identification which uniquely identifies the wireless communication network;
• repeating the act of measuring on the broadcast control channel at least one time so that at least one other signal strength level of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel is identified;
• completing an averaging function with the signal strength level and the at least one other signal strength level for calculating an averaged signal strength level of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel;
• wherein the receiving, decoding, and storing for said broadcast channel are performed in between the repeated acts of measuring signal strength levels of the RF signal on said broadcast control channel, and prior to completion of the averaging function for calculating the averaged signal strength level;
• and
• reading the stored broadcasted network identifications that were received, for use in performing a network selection technique for selecting and registering with one of the wireless communication networks corresponding to one of the stored broadcasted network identifications.