Patent ID: 8019299

Claim:
A method for selecting a preferred channel for radio communication from a plurality of consecutive integer frequencies including preferred channels and non-preferred channels, such that frequency synthesizer settling times of the preferred channels are faster than frequency synthesizer settling times of the non-preferred channels, the method comprising: determining a plurality of integer values for use by a frequency divider to divide a fixed input signal, a frequency of the fixed input signal being an integer multiple of each of the plurality of integer values; dividing the fixed input signal by one of the plurality of integer values to determine a reference frequency, which is proportional to a frequency synthesizer settling time; determining a corresponding integer value for the reference frequency, such that a multiplication of the reference frequency by the corresponding integer value results in one of the consecutive integer frequencies; multiplying the reference frequency by its corresponding integer value to generate an integer frequency from one of the plurality of consecutive integer frequencies; and when the integer frequency corresponds to a preferred channel: scanning the preferred channel for radio activity; and selecting the preferred channel for at least one of transmission and reception of a radio signal at the integer frequency responsive the radio activity.