Method and apparatus for scaling the dynamic range of a receiver for continuously optimizing performance versus power consumption

• US 20030124999A1
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Parssinen, Aarno, Gustafsson, Mikael, Seppinen, Pauli, Vepsalainen, Jussi, Hamalainen, Miikka
• Granted Patent: US 7,299,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/226.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/109 by improving strong signal performance of the receiver when strong unwanted signals are present at the receiver input

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for operating a RF receiver. The method executes, during operation of the RF receiver, by periodically determining existing RF receiver operational conditions; determining RF receiver performance requirements based at least in part on the determined existing RF receiver operational conditions; and by allocating power consumption between RF receiver functional blocks in accordance with the determined RF receiver performance requirements and in accordance with a behavior model of at least one of the RF receiver as a whole and individual functional blocks of the RF receiver. The method may also monitor the resulting RF receiver signal quality to determine if allocation of power consumption has resulted in an optimum allocation of the power consumption.

Claims

1. A method for operating a radio frequency RF receiver, comprising:

during operation of the RF receiver, periodically determining existing RF receiver operational conditions;

determining RF receiver performance requirements based at least in part on the determined existing RF receiver operational conditions; and

allocating power consumption between RF receiver functional blocks in accordance with the determined RF receiver performance requirements and in accordance with a behavior model of at least one of the RF receiver as a whole and individual functional blocks of the RF receiver.

2. A method as in claim 1, where determining existing RF receiver operational conditions comprises monitoring interfering signals and determining received signal distortion due to at least one of intermodulation and blocking.

3. A method as in claim 1, where determining existing RF receiver operational conditions comprises measuring at least one of the received signal and internal conditions of a transceiver of which the RF receiver is apart.

4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising monitoring resulting RF receiver signal quality to determine if allocating power consumption performed an optimum allocation of the power consumption.

5. A method as in claim 2, where monitoring interfering signals monitors the signals in at least one of the RF, IF and BB sections of the receiver.

6. A method as in claim 3, where measuring the received signal measures the received signal at BB.

7. A method as in claim 6, where measuring the received signal at BB results in a measurement of at least one of RSS, SIR, Ec/Io, BER and BLER.

8. A method as in claim 1, where determining RF receiver performance requirements determines at least the gain of the RF receiver.

9. A method as in claim 1, where determining RF receiver performance requirements determines at least the noise factor of the RF receiver.

10. A method as in claim 1, where determining the RF receiver performance requirements determines at least the third-order input intercept point of the RF receiver.

11. A method as in claim 1, where determining the RF receiver performance requirements determines at least the second-order input intercept point of the RF receiver.

12. A method as in claim 1, where determining the RF receiver performance requirements determines at least the input compression point of the RF receiver.

13. A method as in claim 1, where determining the RF receiver performance requirements determines at least the phase noise of the RF receiver.

14. A method as in claim 1, where determining the RF receiver performance requirements also determines a correct value of gain for the RF receiver.

15. A method as in claim 1, where allocating power consumption between RF receiver functional blocks operates by at least one of:

varying at least one of the biasing current and the power supply voltage, by bypassing at least one stage, by switching between stages, and by changing feedback.

16. A communications device comprising a radio frequency RF receiver, further comprising monitoring circuitry, operable during operation of the RF receiver, for periodically determining existing RF receiver operational conditions and for determining RF receiver performance requirements based at least in part on the determined existing RF receiver operational conditions, said communications device further comprising power control circuitry for allocating power consumption between RF receiver functional blocks in accordance with the determined RF receiver performance requirements and in accordance with a behavior model of at least one of the RF receiver as a whole and individual functional blocks of the RF receiver.

17. A communications device as in claim 16, where said monitoring circuitry measures interfering signals and determines received signal distortion due to at least one of intermodulation and blocking.

18. A communications device as in claim 16, where said monitoring circuitry measures at least one of the received signal and internal conditions of a transceiver of which the RF receiver is apart.

19. A communications device as in claim 16, where said power control circuitry is responsive to resulting RF receiver signal quality for determining if the allocated power consumption is an optimum allocation of the power consumption.

20. A communications device as in claim 16, where said monitoring circuitry monitors a received signal in at least one of the RF, IF and BB sections of said RF receiver, and where monitoring the received signal at BB comprises a measurement of at least one of RSS, SIR, Ec/Io, BER and BLER.

21. A communications device as in claim 16, where said monitoring circuitry operates to determine at least one of:

the gain of the RF receiver, a correct value of the gain of the RF receiver, the noise factor of the RF receiver, the third-order input intercept point of the RF receiver, the second-order input intercept point of the RF receiver, the input compression point of the RF receiver, and the phase noise of the RF receiver.

22. A communications device as in claim 16, where said power control circuitry operates by at least one of:

varying at least one of the biasing current and the power supply voltage, by bypassing at least one stage, by switching between stages, and by changing feedback.