Frequency hopping communication system

15) A multi-subband frequency-hopping transmitter for transmitting an input stream of data, comprising:

• input data conversion means for converting the input data stream into a plurality of parallel data sub-streams using serial-to-parallel conversion, each of the parallel data sub-streams carrying a different portion of the input data stream;
• waveform generating means for generating a frequency-hopping carrier waveform for each of the parallel data sub-streams, each of the frequency-hopping carrier waveforms having a different hopping frequency;
• modulating means for modulating each of the frequency-hopping carrier waveforms with a corresponding data sub-stream using a modulation format to produce the frequency-hopping subband signals;
• an RF transmitting unit outputting the frequency-hopping subband signals for transmitting via a radio link to a receiver;
• wherein each of the frequency-hopping carrier waveforms has a distinct frequency hopping sequence and a frequency hopping range, the frequency hopping ranges being such that at least two of the frequency hopping ranges have at least one common frequency.

30) A method of adaptively allocating a frequency hopping range in an RF transmission system with frequency hopping in the presence of an interfering RF signal, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining a plurality of RF frequency regions within an operating frequency band of the RF transmission system;
• determining, for each of the plurality of RF frequency regions, an external RF energy parameter using spectrally-resolved RF power measurements of the interfering RF signal;
• computing a probability value for each of the plurality of RF frequency regions from the external RF energy parameters;
• and,
• selecting one or more RF frequency regions from the plurality of the RF frequency regions using a pseudo-random selection algorithm and the assigned probability values, to form the frequency hopping range.