Qualification and selection of the frequency channels for an adaptive frequency hopping method by means of field strength measurement

A method for qualification of the transmission quality of frequency channels in a radio system which uses a frequency hopping method with at least two units in the radio system communicating via the frequency channels, and data being transmitted in time slots in a time pattern using a time slot method, comprising:

• determining an influence of interference sources in a measurement time slot in which no data signals are received from another unit by measuring a field strength at frequencies associated with two or more frequency channels, wherein determining the field strength further comprises setting a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit to output frequencies of the two or more respective channels within the measurement time slot for the field strength measurement;
• and
• using the determined field strength for qualification decisions relating to the frequency channels,
• wherein setting the PLL circuit to the output frequencies comprises changing a first output frequency to a second output frequency in a substantially continuous manner.

A method for qualification of the transmission quality of frequency channels in a radio system which uses a frequency hopping method with at least two units in the radio system communicating via the frequency channels, and data being transmitted in time slots in a time pattern using a time slot method, comprising:

• determining an influence of interference sources in a measurement time slot in which no data signals are received from another unit by measuring a field strength at frequencies associated with two or more frequency channels, wherein determining the field strength further comprises setting a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit to output frequencies of the two or more respective channels within the measurement time slot for the field strength measurement;
• and
• using the determined field strength for qualification decisions relating to the frequency channels,
• wherein a range of output frequencies set by the PLL circuit is within a bandwidth of the PLL circuit, such that the PLL circuit tracks without another initial transient process.