Spread spectrum adaptive power control using a base station

• US 6,721,350 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lomp, Gary R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghebretinsae, Temesghen
• Application Number:
  US10/071,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20020122512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 375/130, 375/345, 370/335, 370/342, 455/522, 455/135, 455/69
• US Class Current: 375/130
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3047 for intermittent signals, e.g. burst signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/707 using direct sequence modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/709 Correlator structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7093 Matched filter type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7115 Constructive combining of multi-path signals, i.e. RAKE receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/712 Weighting of fingers for combining, e.g. amplitude control or phase rotation using an inner loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2201/70707 Efficiency-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/00 Code division multiplex systems for frequency hopping H04B1/713
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/0003 Code application, i.e. aspects relating to how codes are applied to form multiplexed channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/10 Code generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/16 Code allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/22 taking into account previous information or commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/221 using past power control commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/225 Calculation of statistics, e.g. average, variance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/228 using past power values or information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/36 with a discrete range or set of values, e.g. step size, ramping or offsets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/362 Aspects of the step size
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 : Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 : using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/54 : Signalisation aspects of the TPC commands, e.g. frame structure

Abstract

In response to the base station receiving a received signal, the received signal having a first spread-spectrum signal and an interfering signal. An automatic gain control (AGC) circuit generates an AGC-output signal which is despread by a despreader and then processed as a received-power level. A power command signal is generated using a threshold test and the received-power level.

Claims

1. A base station comprising:

an automatic-gain-control (AGC) circuit, responsive to a received signal, for generating an AGC-output signal, with the received signal including a plurality of spread-spectrum user signals and an interfering signal;

for each of the plurality of spread spectrum user signals;

a correlator coupled to the AGC circuit for despreading the AGC-output signal using a code of that spread spectrum user signal;

a power-measurement circuit coupled to the correlator, for processing the despread AGC-output signal as a received-power level;

a comparator coupled to the power-measurement circuit for generating a comparison signal using a threshold and the received-power level; and

a power-command circuit coupled to the comparator and responsive to the comparison signal for generating a power-command signal; and

an antenna; and

a transmitter coupled to the antenna and the power-command circuit for transmitting the power-command signals; and

wherein each of the spread spectrum user signals having an associated setpoint of a signal to noise ratio based on a service option, and at least one of the spread spectrum user signals having a different setpoint from another of the spread spectrum user signals.

2. The base station of claim 1 wherein the power-command signals are transmitted as second spread-spectrum signals.

3. The base station of claim 1 wherein a power control scheme of the base station is based on a signal to noise ratio of the spread-spectrum user signals.

4. The base station of claim 1 wherein the power-measurement circuit is responsive to processing the received signal with the despread AGC-output signal, for generating the received-power level.

10. The base station of claim 1 further comprising for each of the spread spectrum user signals, a first weighting device and a first offset device for weighting and offsetting an AGC control signal and a second weighting device and a second offset device for weighting an offsetting the received power level and using the weighted and offset AGC control signal and the weighted and offset received power level in the comparison.

5. A base station comprising:

automatic-gain-control (AGC) means, responsive to a received signal, with the received signal including a plurality of spread-spectrum user signals and an interfering signal, for generating an AGC-output signal and an AGC-control signal;

for each of the plurality of spread spectrum user signals;

correlator means for despreading the AGC-output signal as a despread

AGC-output signal using a code of that spread spectrum user signal;

power means for processing the despread AGC-output signal as a receiving-power level; and

comparator means for generating a comparison signal using a threshold and the received-power level; and

modulator means for converting the comparison signals to a power command signals; and

transmitter means for transmitting the power-command signals; and

wherein each of the spread spectrum user signals having an associated setpoint of a signal to noise ratio based on a service option, at least one of the spread spectrum user signals having a different setpoint from another of the spread spectrum user signals.

6. The base station of claim 5 wherein the power-command signals are transmitted as second spread-spectrum signals.

7. The base station of claim 5 wherein a power control scheme of the base station is based on a signal to noise ratio of the spread-spectrum user signals.

8. The base station of claim 5 wherein the power-measurement circuit is responsive to processing the received signal with the despread AGC-output signal, for generating the received power level.

9. The base station of claim 5 wherein the AGC means includes an automatic-gain-control circuit.

11. The base station of claim 5 further comprising for each of the spread spectrum user signals, a first weighting device and a first offset device for weighting and offsetting an AGC control signal and a second weighting device and a second offset device for weighting an offsetting the received power level and using the weighted and offset AGC control signal and the weighted and offset received power level in the comparison.