US Patent 7881343 Multi-network overlaid cell detection

A communications system includes a wireless telephony network and a wireless Local Area Network (LAN), both accessible by a mobile communications device (16). To facilitate transitioning of the mobile communications device to the wireless LAN from the wireless telephony network, the wireless LAN includes a beacon transmitter, which generates a synchronization channel having a pattern unique to the wireless LAN. The Wireless LAN synchronization channel is received at a first receiver in the mobile communications device together with a synchronization channel from the wireless telephony. The wireless LAN synchronization channel enables the mobile communication device to synchronize with, for transitioning to, the wireless LAN.