Patent ID: 7865156

Claim:
A method of scanning a radio frequency (RF) band for valid RF carrier signals of a predetermined type of network to produce a channel list of valid RF channels, the method comprising the acts of: monitoring an RF channel of the RF band to receive a candidate RF carrier signal; estimating a bandwidth of the candidate RF carrier signal; determining whether the estimated bandwidth of the candidate RF carrier signal is that of the predetermined type of network; if, as identified by the determining, the estimated bandwidth of the candidate RF carrier signal is that of the predetermined type of network, then: detecting whether the candidate RF carrier signal has a predetermined system signal modulated thereon; if, as identified by the detecting, the candidate RF carrier has the predetermined system signal modulated thereon, then decoding system information on the RF channel, saving the system information, and including the RF channel in the channel list as a valid RF channel; if, as identified by the detecting, the candidate RF carrier signal fails to have the predetermined system signal modulated thereon, then refraining from including the RF channel in the channel list as a valid RF channel; if, as identified by the determining, the estimated bandwidth is that of a type of network other than the predetermined type of network, then: aborting further processing on the RF channel, including omitting the step of detecting whether the candidate RF carrier signal has the predetermined system signal modulated thereon; refraining from including the RF channel in the channel list as a valid RF channel; and selecting a next RF channel in the RF band and repeating the acts of monitoring, estimating, and determining, for the next RF channel until the channel list of valid RF channels in the RF band is completed.