Transmitter power control system

• US 5,267,262 A
• Filed: 10/08/1991
• Issued: 11/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wheatley, Charles E. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US07/773,067
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 455/33.1, 455/54.1, 455/59, 455/69, 455/73, 455/226.1-226.3, 455/38.3, 379/58-60, 379/63, 370/18, 375/1, 380/34
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/06 TPC algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/10 Open loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/12 Outer and inner loops
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/40 during macro-diversity or soft handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A power control system for a cellular mobile telephone system in which system users communicate information signals between one another via at least one cell site using code division multiple access spread spectrum communication signals. The power control system controls transmission signal power for each cellular mobile telephone in the cellular mobile telephone system wherein each cellular mobile telephone has an antenna, transmitter and receiver and each cell-site also has an antenna, transmitter and receiver. Cell-site transmitted signal power is measured as received at the mobile unit. Transmitter power is adjusted at the mobile unit in an opposite manner with respect to increases and decreases in received signal power. A power control feedback scheme may also be utilized. At the cell-site communicating with the mobile unit, the mobile unit transmitted power is measured as received at the cell-site. A command signal is generated at the cell-site and transmitted to the mobile unit for further adjusting mobile unit transmitter power corresponding to deviations in the cell site received signal power. The feedback scheme is used to further adjust the mobile unit transmitter power so that mobile unit transmitted signals arrive at the cell-site at a desired power level.

Claims

1. A first station transceiver having a receiver for receiving and demodulating a second station transmitted spread spectrum communication signal, and a transmitter for transmitting a first station spread spectrum communication signal to said second station, said transceiver having a power control system for controlling signal power of said first station spread spectrum communication signal about a predetermined power level as received at said second station, wherein said second station measures signal power of said first station spread spectrum communication signal as received at said second station, generates power adjustment commands according to variations in said measured signal power with respect to said predetermined power level and transmits said power adjustment commands in said second station spread spectrum communication signal, said power control system comprising:

control processor means coupled to said receiver for receiving said power adjustment commands and generating a corresponding closed loop power level control signal;

automatic gain control means coupled to said receiver for measuring signal power of said second station spread spectrum communication signal as received by said receiver, and providing a corresponding power measurement signal;

conversion means coupled to said receiver for determining signal power of said second station spread spectrum communication signal as received by said receiver and generating an open loop power level set signal with respect to predetermined level setting parameters;

comparator means for comparing said power measurement signal and said open loop power level signal, and providing a corresponding open loop power level control signal; and

amplifier means for receiving said open loop and closed loop power level control signals, receiving and amplifying said first station spread spectrum communication signal at a gain determined by said open loop and closed loop power level control signals, and providing said amplified first station spread spectrum communication signal to said transmitter for transmission to said second station.

2. The transceiver of claim 1, wherein said receiver has an analog receiver portion and a digital receiver portion, said automatic gain control means coupled to said analog receiver portion for measuring wideband signal power of said received second station spread spectrum communication signal.

3. The transceiver of claim 2 wherein said digital receiver portion despreads said received second station spread spectrum communication signal and extracts therefrom said power adjustment commands and, wherein each power adjustment command affects a change in said closed loop power level control signal with said amplifier means responsive to each change in said closed loop power level control signal so as to provide a corresponding change in said gain.

4. The transceiver to claim 3 wherein each change in said gain of said amplifier means corresponds to a predetermined dB change in signal power of said first station spread spectrum communication signal.

5. The transceiver of claim 1 wherein an increase in measured second station spread spectrum communication signal power corresponds to an increase in said open loop power control level signal with said amplifier means responsive thereto for decreasing said gain, and a decrease in measured second station spread spectrum communication signal power corresponds to a decrease in said open loop power control level signal with said amplifier means responsive thereto for increasing said gain.

6. The power control system of claim 1 wherein said amplifier means comprises:

first variable gain amplification means for receiving said closed loop power level control signal and amplifying said first station spread spectrum communication signal at a first gain level determined by said closed loop power level control signal; and

second variable gain amplification means for receiving said open loop power level control signal and amplifying said first gain level amplified first station spread spectrum communication signal at a second gain level determined by said open loop power level control signal.

7. The power control system of claim 1 further comprising normalization means for receiving said second station spread spectrum communication signal and said open loop power level control signal, amplifying said second station spread spectrum communication signal at another gain level determined by said open loop power level control signal to provide a normalized second station spread spectrum communication signal to said automatic gain control means and said conversion means.

8. In a remote station transceiver having a receiver for receiving a base station transmitted spread spectrum communication signal, and a transmitter for transmitting to said base station a remote station generated spread spectrum communication signal, a power control circuit for controlling transmission signal power of said remote station spread spectrum communication signal, comprising:

communication signal, comprising;

an automatic gain control circuit coupled to said receiver, said automatic gain control circuit receiving and performing an analog measurement of signal power of said base station spread spectrum communication signal as received by said receiver and generating a resultant first power signal;

a conversion circuit coupled to said receiver, said conversion circuit performing a digital measurement of signal power of said base station spread spectrum communication signal as received by said receiver and generating a resultant second power signal;

a comparison circuit coupled to said automatic gain control circuit and said conversion circuit, said comparison circuit differentially integrating said first and second power signals and generating a resultant a first control signal; and

an amplifier circuit coupled to said comparison circuit and said transmitter, said amplifier circuit receiving said first control signal, and receiving and amplifying said remote station spread spectrum communication signal at a gain determined by said first control signal.

9. The power control circuit of claim 8 wherein said amplifier circuit further receives an input of a second control signal and amplifies said remote station spread spectrum communication signal at an additional gain determined by said second control signal.

10. The power control circuit of claim 9 wherein said amplifier circuit comprises first and second variable gain amplifiers each having a signal input and output, and a control input, said second variable gain amplifier receiving at said second variable gain amplifier signal input said remote station spread spectrum communication signal and said second variable gain amplifier signal output coupled to said first variable gain amplifier signal input, said first and second variable gain amplifier control inputs for respectively receiving said first and second control signals.

11. The power control system of claim 10 further comprising an third variable gain amplifier having a signal input and output, and a control input, said third variable gain amplifier signal input coupled to said receiver and said third variable gain amplifier signal output coupled to said automatic gain control circuit and said conversion circuit, said third variable gain amplifier control input coupled to said comparison circuit, said third variable gain amplifier receiving said second station spread spectrum communication signal and said first control signal, and amplifying said second station spread spectrum communication signal at said gain determined by said first control signal to provide a normalized second station spread spectrum communication signal to said automatic gain control circuit and said conversion circuit.

12. The power control circuit of claim 9 wherein said power control circuit controls transmission signal power of said remote station spread spectrum communication signal about a predetermined power level as received at said base station with said base station measuring signal power of said remote station spread spectrum communication signal as received at said base station, generating power adjustment commands according to variations in said base station measured signal power of said remote station spread spectrum communication signal with respect to said predetermined power level and transmitting said power adjustment commands in said base station spread spectrum communication signal, said receiver demodulating said base station spread spectrum communication signal and said transceiver further having a control processor coupled to said receiver for receiving from said demodulated base station spread spectrum communication signal said power adjustment commands, said control processor accumulating values corresponding to said power adjustment commands with respect to a predetermined value, and generating said second control signal.

13. The power control system of claim 8 further comprising an additional amplifier circuit coupled between said receiver and said automatic gain control circuit and between said receiver and said conversion circuit, said additional amplifier circuit also coupled to said comparison circuit, said additional amplifier circuit receiving said second station spread spectrum communication signal and said first control signal, and amplifying said second station spread spectrum communication signal at said gain determined by said first control signal to provide a normalized second station spread spectrum communication signal to said automatic gain control circuit and said conversion circuit.

14. In a first station transceiver having a receiver for receiving a second station transmitted spread spectrum communication signal, and a transmitter for transmitting to said second station a first station generated spread spectrum communication signal, a method for controlling transmission signal power of said first station spread spectrum communication signal comprising the steps of:

performing an analog measurement of signal power of said base station spread spectrum communication signal as received by said receiver to generate a resultant first power signal;

performing a digital measurement of signal power of said base station spread spectrum communication signal as received by said receiver to generate a resultant second power signal;

differentially integrating said first and second power signals to generate a resultant first control signal; and

amplifying said remote station spread spectrum communication signal at a gain determined by said first control signal.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of amplifying said remote station spread spectrum communication signal at an additional gain determined by a second control signal.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of amplifying said base station spread spectrum communication signal as received by said receiver at said determined by said first control signal to provide a normalized base station spread spectrum communication signal upon which said analog and digital signal power measurements are performed.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of amplifying said base station spread spectrum communication signal as received by said receiver at said determined by said first control signal to provide a normalized base station spread spectrum communication signal upon which said analog and digital signal power measurements are performed.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said base station measures signal power of said remote station spread spectrum communication signal as received at said base station, generates power adjustment commands according to variations in base station measured signal power of said remote station spread spectrum communication signal with respect to a predetermined power level and transmits said power adjustment commands in said base station spread spectrum communication signal, and said receiver demodulates said base station spread spectrum communication signal and said transceiver further having a control processor coupled to said receiver for receiving from said demodulated base station spread spectrum communication signal, said method further comprising the steps of:

extracting said power adjustment commands from said demodulated base station spread spectrum communication signal; and

generating said second control signal.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of accumulating values corresponding to said power adjustment commands with respect to a predetermined value from which said second control signal is generated.