Power saving in a device compatible with cellular and WLAN networks

Abstract

A mobile communication device is able to communicate with wireless local area network and with a cellular network. A communication system is able to route a communication session between the mobile communication device and another communication device either by way of the wireless local area network or the cellular network. The communication system is able to trigger the mobile communication device via the cellular network to search for and attempt to connect to the wireless local area network. The mobile communication device, in response to reception of signaling via the cellular network, is able to activate a wireless local area network interface of the mobile communication device and to establish a connection to the wireless local area network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method in a mobile communication device, the method comprising:
 in response to recognizing that a user of the device is initiating a communication session to another communication device via a cellular network, activating a wireless local area network interface of the mobile communication device and searching for and attempting to establish a connection to a wireless local area network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to the attempting, establishing a connection to a particular wireless local area network; and   establishing said communication session with the other communication device via the particular wireless local area network.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 in response to determining that the connection is lost, establishing the communication session with the other communication device via the cellular network.   
     
     
         4 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer in a mobile communication device result in:
 in response to recognizing that a user of the device is initiating a communication session to another communication device via a cellular network, activating a wireless local area network interface of the mobile communication device and searching for and attempting to establish a connection to a wireless local area network.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 4 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further result in:
 in response to the attempting, establishing a connection to a particular wireless local area network; and   establishing said communication session with the other communication device via the particular wireless local area network.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further result in:
 in response to determining that the connection is lost, establishing the communication session with the other communication device via the cellular network.   
     
     
         7 . A mobile communication device comprising:
 a processor;   a cellular communication interface coupled to the processor;   a wireless local area network interface coupled to the processor; and   a memory configured to store code which, when executed by the processor, causes the mobile communication device, in response to recognizing that a user of the device is initiating a communication session to another communication device via a cellular network, to activate the wireless local area network interface and to search for and attempt to establish a connection to a wireless local area network.   
     
     
         8 . The mobile communication device of  claim 7 , wherein the code, when executed by the processor, further causes the mobile communication device, in response to the attempting, to establish a connection to a particular wireless local area network, and to establish the communication session with the other communication device via the particular wireless local area network. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the code, when executed by the processor, further causes the mobile communication device, in response to determining that the connection is lost, to establish the communication session with the other communication device via the cellular network.