Transmit Power Management Based on Receiver Parameter and Method for use Therewith

• US 20090059825A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

An RF transceiver includes an RF receiver that receives a received signal from an external device, the RF receiver having an AGC module that generates an automatic gain control (AGC) signal based on a strength of the received signal, and a low noise amplifier that amplifies the received signal based on the AGC signal. A processing module generates a transmit power control signal based on the AGC signal. An RF transmitter generates a transmit signal having a selected power level, wherein the selected power level is based on the transmit power control signal.

Claims

1. An RF transceiver comprising:

an RF receiver that receives a received signal from an external device, the RF receiver including;

an AGC module that generates an automatic gain control (AGC) signal based on a strength of the received signal; and

a low noise amplifier, coupled to the AGC module, that amplifies the received signal based on the AGC signal;

a processing module, coupled to RF receiver, that generates a transmit power control signal based on the AGC signal; and

an RF transmitter, coupled to the processing module, that generates a transmit signal having a selected power level, wherein the selected power level is based on the transmit power control signal.

2. The RF transceiver of claim 1 wherein the RF transmitter is capable of operating at one of a plurality of power levels, including the selected power level.

3. The RF transceiver of claim 2 wherein the processing module generates the transmit power control signal by comparing the AGC signal to a plurality of thresholds.

4. The RF transceiver of claim 2 wherein the processing module adjusts the transmit power control signal based on the AGC signal.

5. The RF transceiver of claim 4 wherein the processing module filters the AGC signal to generate a filtered AGC signal and adjusts the transmit power control signal in response to the filtered AGC signal.

6. The RF transceiver of claim 1 wherein the RF transmitter includes at least one adjustable gain power amplifier having a transmit gain that is based on the transmit power control signal.

7. The RF transceiver of claim 1 wherein the RF transmitter includes a plurality of power amplifiers and a switching network coupled to the plurality of power amplifiers, the switching network coupling the transmit signal from the plurality of power amplifiers based on the transmit power control signal.

8. The RF transceiver of claim 7 wherein the plurality of power amplifiers are configured in series.

9. The RF transceiver of claim 7 wherein the plurality of power amplifiers are configured in parallel.

10. The RF transceiver of claim 1 wherein the RF receiver, the processing module and the RF receiver are implemented on a system on a chip integrated circuit.

11. The RF transceiver of claim 1 wherein the RF transceiver and the RF transmitter operate in accordance with at least one of, a wireless local area network protocol, a pico area network protocol, a wireless telephony protocol, and a wireless data protocol.

12. An method comprising:

receiving a received signal from an external device;

generating an automatic gain control (AGC) signal based on a strength of the received signal;

amplifying the received signal based on the AGC signal;

generating a transmit power control signal based on the AGC signal; and

generating a transmit signal having a selected power level, wherein the selected power level is based on the transmit power control signal.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein generating the transmit power control includes comparing the AGC signal to a plurality of thresholds.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

adjusting the transmit power control signal based on the AGC signal.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

filtering the AGC signal to generate a filtered AGC signal; and

wherein adjusting the transmit power control signal includes adjusting the transmit power control signal in response to the filtered AGC signal.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein generating the transmit signal includes adjusting a transmit gain of at least one adjustable gain amplifier based on the transmit power control signal.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein generating the transmit signal includes selecting at least one of a plurality of series configured power amplifiers based on the transmit power control signal.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein generating the transmit signal includes selecting at least one of a plurality of parallel configured power amplifiers based on the transmit power control signal.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving the received signal operates in accordance with at least one of, a wireless local area network protocol, a pico area network protocol, a wireless telephony protocol, and a wireless data protocol.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein generating the transmit signal operates in accordance with at least one of, a wireless local area network protocol, a pico area network protocol, a wireless telephony protocol, and a wireless data protocol.