Methods and apparatus for controlling a gain state of a wireless receiver operating in an idle mode

• US 20060189288A1
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Jiao, Qingzhong, Young, Tom Yun Sang, Jin, Xin
• Granted Patent: US 7,463,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/232.100
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3052 in bandpass amplifiers (H.F. or I.F.) or in frequency-changers used in a (super)heterodyne receiver H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0283 with sequential power up or power down of successive circuit blocks, e.g. switching on the local oscillator before RF or mixer stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The settling time of a wireless receiver is reduced by providing a previously utilized gain control state value to a low noise amplifier (LNA) of a receiver front end during a warm-up portion of a wake-up period of the wireless receiver which follows a sleep period. One illustrative method includes the steps of receiving a notification signal which indicates that the wireless receiver is to be placed in a sleep mode, reading a gain control state value from a gain controller based on receiving the notification signal, storing the gain control state value in memory, providing the stored gain control state value from the memory to the wireless receiver during a warm-up period of a second wake-up period following the first wake-up period, and providing a gain control state value from the gain controller to the wireless receiver based on a signal level of a currently received signal of the wireless receiver after the warm-up period.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a gain state of a wireless receiver operating in an idle mode, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, during a first wake-up period of the wireless receiver, a notification signal which indicates that the wireless receiver is to be placed in a sleep mode;

reading a gain control state value from a gain controller based on receiving the notification signal;

storing the gain control state value in memory;

providing the stored gain control state value from the memory to the wireless receiver during a warm-up period of a second wake-up period following the first wake-up period; and

after the warm up period of the second wake-up period, providing a gain control state value from the gain controller to the wireless receiver based on a signal level of a currently received signal in the wireless receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

after the step of storing the gain control state value in the memory;

timing a period from the end of the first wake-up period to the beginning of the second wake-up period; and

placing the wireless receiver in the sleep mode.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

after the step of reading the stored gain control state value;

placing the wireless receiver in the sleep mode; and

timing the warm-up period of the second wake-up period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a gain control state value from the gain controller to the wireless receiver based on the signal level comprises the further step of providing a step gain control state value from a plurality of gain control state values based on the signal level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a gain control state value from the gain controller to the wireless receiver based on the signal level comprises the further step of providing a continuously variable gain control state value based on the signal level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a gain control state value from the gain controller to the wireless receiver based on the signal level comprises the further step of providing a step gain control state value from a plurality of gain control state values and a continuously variable gain control state value based on the currently received signal.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the step gain control state value is a constant high gain control state value while the signal level is less than a first predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant high gain control state value and a constant medium gain control state value while the signal level is between a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is a constant medium gain control state value while the signal level is between a second predetermined threshold and third predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant medium gain control state value and a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is between a third predetermined threshold and a fourth predetermined threshold; and

the step gain control state value is a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is greater than a fourth predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein

the step gain control state value is a constant high gain control state value while the signal level is less than a first predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant high gain control state value and a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is between a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold; and

the step gain control signal provides a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is greater than a second predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the continuously variable gain control state value is monotonically non-increasing with respect to the signal level.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the step gain control state value is a constant high gain control state value while the signal level is less than a first predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant high gain control state value and a constant medium gain control state value while the signal level is between a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is a constant medium gain control state value while the signal level is between a second predetermined threshold and third predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant medium gain control state value and a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is between a third predetermined threshold and a fourth predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is greater than a fourth predetermined threshold; and

the continuously variable gain control state value is monotonically non-increasing with respect to the signal level.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the step gain control state value is a constant high gain control state value while the signal level is less than a first predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant high gain control state value and a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is between a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold;

the step gain control signal provides a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is greater than a second predetermined threshold; and

the continuously variable gain control state value is monotonically non-increasing with respect to the signal level.

12. A mobile station, comprising:

a receiver which receives radio frequency (RF) signals through an antenna;

an amplifier of the receiver which is adapted to amplify the RF signals;

a level detector which is adapted to detect a signal level of the RF signals;

a gain controller which is adapted to provide a gain control state value in response to the signal level; and

a processor which is adapted to;

read a gain control state value from the gain controller during a first wake-up period of the receiver;

store the gain control state value in memory;

provide a selection signal for selecting the stored gain control state value from the memory for the receiver during a warm-up period of a second wake-up period following the first wake-up period; and

provide, after the warm-up period of the second wake-up period, a gain control state value from the gain controller to the receiver based on a signal level of a currently received signal in the receiver.

13. The mobile station of claim 12, further comprising:

a multiplexer which provides the stored gain control state value from the memory to the amplifier during the warm-up period of the second wake-up period and provides the gain control state value from the gain controller to the amplifier after the warm-up period of the second wake-up period.

14. The mobile station of claim 12, further comprising:

a notification means which indicates that the wireless receiver is to be placed in a sleep mode; and

the processor being adapted to read the gain control state value from the gain controller and store the gain control state value in the memory based on receiving the indication from the notification means.

15. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the processor further comprising:

a timer for timing a beginning of the second wake-up period and the warm-up period of the second wake-up period; and

the memory for storing a gain control state value at the end of the second wake-up period.

16. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the amplifier comprises a low noise amplifier (LNA).

17. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the gain controller provides a step gain control state value including a plurality of gain state values in response to the signal level.

18. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein:

the step gain control state value is a constant high gain control state value while the signal level is less than a first predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant high gain control state value and a constant medium gain control state value while the signal level is between a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is a constant medium gain control state value while the signal level is between a second predetermined threshold and third predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant medium gain control state value and a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is between a third predetermined threshold and a fourth predetermined threshold; and

the step gain control state value is a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is more than a fourth predetermined threshold.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the step gain control state value is a constant high gain control state value while the signal level is less than a first predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant high gain control state value and a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is between a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold; and

the step gain control signal provides a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is more than a second predetermined threshold.

20. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the gain controller provides a continuously variable gain control state value in response to the signal level.

21. The mobile station of claim 20, wherein the continuously variable gain control state value is monotonically non-increasing with respect to the signal level.

22. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the gain controller provides a step gain control state value from a plurality of gain control state values and a continuously variable gain control state value in response to the signal level.

23. The mobile station of claim 22, wherein:

the step gain control state value is a constant high gain control state value while the signal level is less than a first predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant high gain control state value and a constant medium gain control state value while the signal level is between a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is a constant medium gain control state value while the signal level is between a second predetermined threshold and third predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant medium gain control state value and a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is between a third predetermined threshold and a fourth predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is more than a fourth predetermined threshold; and

the continuously variable gain control state value is monotonically non-increasing with respect to the signal level.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the step gain control state value is a constant high gain control state value while the signal level is less than a first predetermined threshold;

the step gain control state value is subject to hysteresis between a constant high gain control state value and a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is between a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold;

the step gain control signal provides a constant low gain control state value while the signal level is more than a second predetermined threshold; and

the continuously variable gain control state value is monotonically non-increasing with respect to the signal level.

25. A circuit for a wireless receiver, comprising:

a low noise amplifier (LNA) which is adapted to amplify radio frequency (RF) signals in the wireless receiver;

a level detector which is adapted to detect a signal level of the RF signals;

a gain controller which is adapted to provide a gain control state value in response to the signal level; and

a processor which is adapted to read a gain control state value from the gain controller during a first wake-up period of the wireless receiver;

store the gain control state value in memory;

provide a selection signal for selecting the stored gain control state value from the memory during a warm-up period of a second wake-up period following the first wake-up period; and

provide, after the warm-up period of the second wake-up period, a gain control state value from the gain controller to the wireless receiver based on a signal level of a currently received signal in the wireless receiver.