Handoff of a multimedia call session using background network scanning

A mobile access device supporting hand-off of a stream of user multimedia information using background network scanning, the device comprising:

• at least one wireless interface communicating a first stream of user multimedia information with a first wireless network while scanning at least a portion of radio frequency spectrum to detect a radio frequency signal of a second wireless network, wherein the first wireless network supports one or both of:
• a first set of services and/or a first quality of service, wherein the mobile access device determines one or more performance characteristics of the first wireless network during communication of the first stream of user multimedia information, and wherein the mobile access device, responsive to the detection, determines one or more performance characteristics of the second wireless network by automatically establishing communication via the second wireless network of a second user multimedia information stream;
• storage comprising at least one user-defined criteria employed in selecting one of the first and second wireless networks;
• software comparing the one or more performance characteristics of the first wireless network and the one or more performance characteristics of the second wireless network and for deciding to hand off the user multimedia information between the first wireless network and the second wireless network;
• and
• wherein after the comparing and deciding, the mobile access device hands off the communication of user multimedia information between the first wireless network and the second wireless network based upon the at least one user-defined criteria and the comparison of the one or more performance characteristics of the first wireless network and the one or more performance characteristics of the second wireless network, and wherein the hand-off is synchronized with a predetermined event in the stream of user multimedia information.

One or more circuits configured to operate in a handheld communication device supporting hand-off of a multimedia call session using background network scanning, the one or more circuits comprising:

• at least one processor operably coupled to circuitry configured to communicate via a first wireless network and a second wireless network, the at least one processor operable to, at least:
• communicate a first user multimedia information stream via the first wireless network having one or both of:
• a first set of services and/or a first quality of service;
• determine one or more performance characteristics of the first wireless network during communication of the first user multimedia stream;
• detect a radio frequency signal of the second wireless network using the background network scanning of at least one portion of radio frequency spectrum;
• responsive to the detection, determine one or more performance characteristics of the second wireless network by automatically establishing communication via the second wireless network of a second user multimedia information stream;
• compare the one or more performance characteristics of the first wireless network and the one or more performance characteristics of the second wireless network;
• decide to hand-off communication of the multimedia call session to the second wireless network based on the comparing;
• and
• after the comparing and deciding, hand-off communication of the multimedia call session to the second wireless network, wherein the hand-off is synchronized to a predetermined event in one or both of:
• the first user multimedia information stream and/or the second user multimedia information stream.