Method and apparatus for increasing receiver immunity to interference

• US 5,732,341 A
• Filed: 08/31/1995
• Issued: 03/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wheatley, Charles E. III
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCAL, LESLIE C
• Application Number:
  US08/522,467
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 455/13.4, 455/63, 455/67.1, 455/219, 455/226.1, 455/226.2, 455/232.1, 455/240.1, 455/234.1, 455/245.1, 455/245.2, 455/250.1, 455/254, 455/268
• US Class Current: 455/234.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7239 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by putting into parallel or not, by choosing between amplifiers and shunting lines by one or more switch(es)
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 1/0088 using discontinuously variable devices, e.g. switch-operated
• 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: H03G 3/3068 Circuits generating control signals for both R.F. and I.F. stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/109 by improving strong signal performance of the receiver when strong unwanted signals are present at the receiver input
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/70755 Setting of lock conditions, e.g. threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7097 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

The process of the present invention adjusts the input gain by a predetermined amount. The receiver processing measures the gain change in the IF sisal power. If the change is less than the predetermined amount, the CDMA signal and jammers are below the noise floor and, therefore, the gain is increased. If the IF signal power change is equal to the predetermined amount, the CDMA signal is above the noise floor and the interference is minimal. Therefore, in this case, gain adjustment is not necessary, but increasing gain will improve sensitivity. If the IF signal power change is greater than the predetermined amount, the interference is evident and the gain is reduced to reduce the intermodulation products. This process is used until the receiver is operating at the best compromise between interference and noise figure.

Claims

1. A method for circuit gain adjustment, the circuit having a signal with power, the method comprising the steps of:

varying the circuit gain a predetermined amount;

determining a magnitude of a change in the power of the signal in response to the varying of the circuit gain; and

adjusting the circuit gain in response to the magnitude of the change in the power of the signal, the step of adjusting comprising the steps of;

decreasing the circuit gain when the magnitude of the change in the power of the signal is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

increasing the circuit gain when the magnitude of the change in the power of the signal is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined amount is about 3 dB and the predetermined threshold is about 9 dB.

3. A method for adjusting the power of a received signal having a plurality of frames in a circuit having a variable gain, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the received signal at a radio frequency;

converting the received signal from the radio frequency to an intermediate frequency;

filtering the received signal;

varying the gain of the circuit by a predetermined amount;

determining a magnitude of a change in the power of the received signal in response to varying the gain; and

adjusting the gain of the circuit in response to the magnitude of the change in the power of the received signal, said step of adjusting comprising the steps of;

decreasing the gain of the circuit when the magnitude of the change in the power of the received signal is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

increasing the gain of the circuit when the magnitude of the change in the power of the received signal is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the predetermined amount is about 3 dB and the predetermined threshold is about 9 dB.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of determining magnitude of a change in the power of the received signal is performed before said step of converting the received signal from the radio frequency to an intermediate frequency.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of determining a magnitude of a change in the power of the received signal is performed after said step of converting the received signal from the radio frequency to an intermediate frequency.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of determining a magnitude of a change in the power of the received signal is performed after said step of filtering the received signal.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of repeating said varying, determining, and adjusting steps at a predetermined rate.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said predetermined rate is about 10 times per second.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said predetermined rate is once per frame.

11. A method for increasing immunity of a radiotelephone to radio frequency interference, said radiotelephone having an antenna for receiving radio signals having a received power level, an attenuator, a variable gain receive amplifier, a gain controller, and a receive power detector, the method comprising the steps of:

said gain controller varying said received power level of said received radio signals by a predetermined amount;

said receive power detector detecting a magnitude of a change in said received power level of said received radio signals in response to said gain controller varying said received power level; and

said gain controller adjusting a gain of said variable gain receive amplifier in response to said magnitude of said detected received power level change, said adjusting comprising the steps of;

said gain controller decreasing said gain of said variable gain receive amplifier when said detected received power level change is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

said gain controller increasing said gain of said variable gain receive amplifier when said detected received power level change is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said varying step comprises attenuating said received radio signals with said variable attenuator.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said varying step comprises adjusting said gain of said variable gain receive amplifier.

14. A system for adjusting the power of a received signal having a plurality of frames in a circuit having a variable gain, the system comprising:

means for receiving the received signal at a radio frequency;

means for converting the received signal from the radio frequency to an intermediate frequency;

means for filtering the received signal;

means for varying the gain of the circuit by a predetermined amount;

means for determining a magnitude of a change in the power of the received signal in response to the varied gain; and

means for adjusting the gain of the circuit in response to the magnitude of the change in the power of the received signal, the means for adjusting including;

means for decreasing the gain of the circuit when the magnitude of the change in the power of the received signal is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

means for increasing the gain of the circuit when the magnitude of the change in the power of the received signal is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined amount is about 3 dB and the predetermined threshold is about 9 dB.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the means for determining a magnitude of a change in the power of the received signal determines the magnitude of the change before the means for converting converts the received signal from the radio frequency to an intermediate frequency.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the means for determining a magnitude of a change in the power of the received signal determines the magnitude of the change after the means for converting converts the received signal from the radio frequency to an intermediate frequency.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the means for determining a magnitude of a change in the power of the received signal determines the magnitude of the change after the means for filtering filters the received signal.

19. An apparatus for increasing immunity of a radiotelephone to radio frequency interference, comprising:

an antenna for receiving radio signals;

a variable gain receive amplifier for amplifying said received signals;

a gain controller for varying a received power level of said received signals by a predetermined amount by adjusting a gain of said variable gain receive amplifier; and

a receive power detector for detecting a magnitude of a change in said received power level of said received signals in response to said gain adjustment;

wherein said gain controller adjusts said gain of said variable gain receive amplifier in response to said magnitude of said change in said received power level, said gain controller decreasing said gain of said variable gain receive amplifier when said change in said received power level is greater than a predetermined threshold, and said gain controller increasing said gain of said variable gain receive amplifier when said change in said received power level is less than or equal to said predetermined threshold.

20. An apparatus for increasing immunity of a radiotelephone to radio frequency interference, comprising:

an antenna for receiving radio signals;

a variable attenuator for attenuating said received signals;

a gain controller for varying a received power level of said received signals by a predetermined amount by adjusting an attenuation of said variable attenuator; and

a receive power detector for detecting a magnitude of a change in said received power level of said received signals in response to said attenuation adjustment,

wherein said gain controller adjusts said attenuation of said variable attenuator in response to said magnitude of said change in said received power level, said gain controller increasing said attenuation of said variable attenuator when said change in said received power level is greater than a predetermined threshold, and said gain controller decreasing said attenuation of said variable attenuator when said change in said received power level is less than or equal to said predetermined threshold.