System coordinated WLAN scanning

A WLAN apparatus, comprising:

• a processor in a WLAN host device;
• and
• a memory in the WLAN host device, the memory including computer program code and a plurality of applications seeking scan results,
• the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to
• receive a plurality of requests from more than one application to provide scan information,
• receive a plurality of maximum latency values indicating maximum delay times by which a scan operation may be delayed,
• perform the scan operation, wherein in the scan operation, a network detection is performed, and
• wherein the scan operation is performed independently from receiving the plurality of requests from more than one application to provide the scan information such that the timing of performing the scan operation is independent from the timing of the requests and the scan operation is not performed every time one of the requests from more than one application is received;
• allow the multiple applications to register for delayed scan results as the scan requests for scan information,
• send to the multiple applications the scan results based on a parameter included in the scan request, indicating the maximum latency value to execute the scan operation, and the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the WLAN apparatus at least to extract the maximum latency value from the request to provide scan information to each of the multiple applications simultaneously based on the parameter indicated in each individual scan request per the multiple applications, and
• wherein an interval for performing the scan operation is set based on a minimum value of the maximum latency values,
• execute an application, and
• request the scan information from the apparatus.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a request receiver in a WLAN host device, a plurality of requests from more than one application to provide scan information;
• receiving, by the request receiver, a plurality of maximum latency values indicating a maximum delay by which a scan operation may be delayed;
• and
• controlling, by a scan operation controller, performing of the scan operation independently from receiving the plurality of requests from more than one application to provide scan information, wherein in the scan operation, a network detection is performed,
• wherein the scan operation controller is controlled to perform the scan operation independently from receiving the plurality of requests from more than one application to provide the scan information such that the timing of performing the scan operation is independent from the timing of the plurality of requests and the scan operation is not performed every time one of the requests from more than one application is received, and
• wherein an interval for performing the scan operation is set based on a minimum value of the maximum latency values;
• allowing the multiple applications to register for delayed scan results as the scan requests for scan information,
• sending to the multiple applications the scan results based on a parameter included in the scan request, indicating the maximum latency value to execute the scan operation, and extracting the maximum latency value from the request to provide scan information to each of the multiple applications simultaneously based on the parameter indicated in each individual scan request per the multiple applications.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions configured to control a processor in a WLAN host device to perform a process, the process comprising:

• receiving a plurality of requests from more than one application to provide scan information;
• receiving a plurality of maximum latency values indicating a maximum delay time by which a scan operation may be delayed;
• and
• controlling performing of the scan operation independently from receiving the plurality of requests from more than one application to provide the scan information such that the timing of performing the scan operation is independent from the timing of the plurality of requests from more than one application and the scan operation is not performed every time one of the requests is received, and
• wherein an interval for performing the scan operation is set based on a minimum value of the maximum latency values,
• wherein the request receiving and the controlling are carried out in a scan control module;
• allowing the multiple applications to register for delayed scan results as the scan requests for scan information,
• sending to the multiple applications the scan results based on a parameter included in the scan request, indicating the maximum latency value to execute the scan operation, and extracting the maximum latency value from the request to provide scan information to each of the multiple applications simultaneously based on the parameter indicated in each individual scan request per the multiple applications.