Abstract

Computing devices increasingly provide wireless network connections rather than wired network connections. In order to support the wireless network connections, the computing devices scan for wireless access points (WAPs) in a number of different ways that may avoid needless consumption of power. For example, the computing devices may support periodic preferred network offload (PNO) scans that enable low-power wireless network scans for so-called “preferred networks” while the primary processor is in a low power (or, in other words, stand-by state). The computing devices may also separately enable roaming scans for switching between WAPs associated with the same wireless network (e.g., identified by the same service set identifier – SSID). When roaming scans do not return a WAP that meets various criteria (in terms of, e.g., signal strength), the computing device may perform a full scan in order to identify potential WAP candidates. Rather than periodically perform PNO scans according to a set schedule and regardless of the criteria, the computing devices may only perform PNO and/or roaming scans in certain instances (e.g., when the signal strength is low, the computing device is in motion, etc.). Moreover, rather than separately implement each of the various scans, the computing devices may reuse information obtained from one scan (such as a roaming scan or full scan) for another scan (such as the roaming scan or PNO scan). As such, the computing device may support more efficient wireless network scans (e.g., in terms of power consumed, number of scans, etc.).

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Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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