Hysteresis nonlinear state machine with overlapping thresholds for automatic frequency control

A method and apparatus for non-linear frequency control tracking of a control loop of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) in a wireless mobile device receiver is provided. A channel metric based on one or more channel quality indicators associated with a received radio frequency channel is determined and a state metric associated with the current operating state of the control loop are determined. One or more state metric threshold value associated with the determined channel metric, providing hysteresis between operating states, are determined wherein each state metric threshold value is associated with a transition to a possible operating state of the control loop. The control loop transitions from the current operating state to the operating state associated with an exceeded state metric threshold value. Coefficients are provided to an adaptive loop filter of the control loop, wherein the coefficients are associated with the transitioned operating state.