Power output control of a car kit by a coupled wireless device

• US 6,600,929 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1999
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Panton, William, Toncich, Stanley S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERSINO, RAYMOND B
• Application Number:
  US09/387,143
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 455/522, 455/69, 455/70, 455/127, 455/13.4, 455/126, 455/557, 455/569, 455/423, 455/425
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/288 taking into account the usage mode, e.g. hands-free, data transmission, telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

Transmit power of an external antenna unit coupled to a wireless device is controlled by obtaining an output power measurement of the information signal transmitting from an antenna unit, which when operating with wireless network technology may also be referred to as an outdoor unit. The output power measurement is used by a hand held device, to adjust the power of the transmitted information signal. The output power measurement is determined by obtaining an output power measurement, modulating the power measurement onto a carrier, and transmitting the modulated measurement signal to hand held device. The modulated measurement signal is received by a cradle or hand held wireless device and demodulated. The hand held device uses the measurement to adjust the transmit power of the information signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for obtaining an output power measurement of an information signal, wherein said output power measurement is sent from an external antenna unit to a hand held wireless device, comprising:

a power detector for detecting output power from the external antenna unit, wherein said power detector has a power detector output;

a logic unit for converting said detected output power into a digital power measurement, wherein said logic unit is coupled to said power detector output; and

a modulator for modulating said digital power measurement for transmission to said hand held device, wherein said modulator is coupled to said logic unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said logic unit further comprises means for sending design specification parameters from the antenna unit to the hand held device and wherein said design specification parameters comprise one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of maximum gain deviation, power detector minimum accurate power, power amplifier supply voltage, power amplifier hi/low bias versus frequency, maximum effective isotropic radiated power versus frequency, maximum effective isotropic radiated power backoff, and gain compression.

3. An apparatus for controlling transmit power of an information signal in a hand held device using an output power measurement received from an antenna unit, comprising:

a demodulator having a demodulator input and a demodulator output for demodulating a received measurement signal comprising said output power measurement;

one or more handheld transmit components for initiating said information signal from said handheld device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

a hand held logic unit for determining an appropriate transmit power of said information signal, wherein said hand held logic unit is coupled to said demodulator output; and

wherein at least one of said handheld transmit components is coupled to said hand held logic unit.

5. A communications network interface device for transmission of an information signal, comprising:

an external antenna unit, including;

at least one antenna unit transmit component, wherein said antenna unit transmit component outputs said information signal,

an output power measurement feedback circuit, comprising;

a power detector for detecting output power from said antenna unit, wherein said power detector has a power detector input and a power detector output, said power detector input being connected to said one of said antenna unit transmit components that outputs said information signal,

a first logic unit for converting said output power into a digital power measurement, wherein said first logic unit is coupled to said power detector output, and

a modulator for modulating said digital power measurement for transmission to a hand held device, wherein said modulator is coupled to said first logic unit, and

at least one antenna unit receive component;

a cradle coupled to said antenna unit, said cradle including a demodulator for demodulating formatted messages and having a demodulator input and a demodulator output; and

said hand held device, including;

a second logic unit for determining an appropriate transmit power of said information signals, wherein said second logic unit is coupled to said demodulator output, and

at least one handheld transmit component for initiating said information signal from said handheld device, wherein said handheld transmit component is coupled to said second logic unit.

6. The communications network interface device of claim 5, wherein said first logic unit further comprises a means for sending design specification parameters from the antenna unit to hand held device.

7. The communications network interface device of claim 6, wherein said design specification parameters comprise one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of maximum gain deviation, power detector minimum accurate power, power amplifier supply voltage, power amplifier hi/low bias versus frequency, maximum effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) versus frequency, maximum effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) backoff, and gain compression.

8. A method for obtaining an output power measurement of an information signal, wherein said output power measurement is sent from a antenna unit to a hand held device, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining by said antenna unit a digital output power measurement;

(b) modulating said digital output power measurement; and

(c) transmitting said modulated digital output power measurement to said hand held device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

(d) demodulating said output power measurement; and

(e) adjusting power of said information signal by said hand held device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein step (a) comprises:

detecting output power by a power detector;

detecting temperature by a temperature detector;

multiplexing said detected output power and said detected temperature to output a multiplexed signal;

converting said multiplexed signal to a digital format, wherein said converted multiplexed signal comprises a digital temperature measurement and a digital power measurement;

converting said digital temperature measurement from a voltage format to a temperature format;

converting said digital power measurement from a voltage format to a logarithmic format; and

generating a power estimation.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein step (d) comprises the steps of:

receiving said output power measurement at said hand held device; and

determining whether an adjustment is needed to said information signal power.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (d) further comprises the step of adjusting said information signal power.

13. A method for providing one or more design parameters from an antenna unit to a hand held device, comprising:

sending a design parameter from said antenna unit to said hand held device;

determining whether said design parameter is a final parameter;

if said design parameter is a final parameter, turning on one or more transmit components within said antenna unit, wherein said design parameters comprise one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of maximum gain deviation, power detector minimum accurate power, power amplifier supply voltage, power amplifier hi/low bias versus frequency, maximum effective isotropic radiated power versus frequency, maximum effective isotropic radiated power backoff, and gain compression.