System for, and method of, providing frequency hopping

Abstract

Successive packets of signals representing data are transmitted at progressive (hopping) frequencies from a controlled (e.g. transmitting) station to a controlling (e.g. receiving) station which processes the signals to recover the data. The frequencies of the signals are selected at the controlling station from a group of frequencies by determining the frequencies in which signals are received by the controlling station from the controlled station at each of the selected frequencies with the highest signal-to-noise ratios. The selection of the frequencies and the prioritization of the selected frequencies for use as the hopping frequencies may be provided once at the beginning of the transmission of data in packets from the controlled station to the controlling station, particularly when the channel conditions are relatively stable. Alternatively, the prioritization may be provided periodically during the transmission of data from the controlled station to the controlling station. The measured rate of errors in each packet at the different selected frequencies can also be used to select particular types of modulations and codings to be provided for the prioritized frequencies. Information relating to the hopping frequencies and the types of the modulations and codes selected by the controlling station are transmitted by the controlling station to the controlled station for use by the controlled station in transmitting data to the controlling station.