Process and device for monitoring the transmission power of a mobile terminal, for example a cellular mobile telephone, in particular capable of operating according to the UMTS standard

• US 20020176513A1
• Filed: 04/01/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microelectronic Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics NV
• Inventors: Gouessant, Philippe, Arnaud, Thierry
• Granted Patent: US 7,096,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/297
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/226 using past references to control power, e.g. look-up-table
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/44 in connection with interruption of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

The transmission power of a cellular mobile telephone is adjusted as a function of received power information. The celluar mobile telephone is equipped with a variable-gain amplifier that covers the transmission power range, and the gain and supply voltage of the amplifier are tuned as a function of the received power information.

Claims

1. Process for monitoring the transmission power of a remote terminal, such as a cellular mobile telephone, in a span of predetermined powers, in which the transmission power is adjusted as a function of power information items received by the terminal, characterized in that the terminal is equipped with a variable-gain amplification means (MAGV) capable of covering the said span of powers, and in that the value of the gain and of the supply voltage of the amplification means are tuned as a function of the said power information items (TPC).

2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the amplification means comprises at least two individually selectable power amplifiers (PA1, PA2) capable together of covering the entire span of powers, respectively possessing two different specific zones of operation and a common zone of operation (ZFC), in that one of the amplifiers is associated with each point of the power span, in that in the presence of a received power information item (TPC) corresponding to a point of the common zone, a check is made so as to verify whether this power information item corresponds to the amplifier currently selected, and in the contrary case the power amplifier associated with the said power information item is selected, and in that the value of the supply voltage of the selected amplifier is tuned as a function of the said power information item.

3. Process according to claim 2, characterized in that one at least of the amplifiers has variable gain, and in that the value of the gain of the selected amplifier is tuned as a function of the said power information item.

4. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the amplification means comprises at least two individually selectable power amplifiers (PA1, PA2) capable together of covering the entire span of powers, respectively possessing two different specific zones of operation and a common zone of operation (ZFC), in that one of the amplifiers is associated with each point of the power span, in that in the presence of a received power information item (TPC) corresponding to a point of the common zone, a check is made so as to verify whether this power information item corresponds to the amplifier currently selected, and in the contrary case a switching time span (PCM) is defined, extending from the instant of reception of the said power information item over a predetermined duration compatible with the limits of the said common zone, the temporal limits of an interruption time span (PIT) lying in the said switching span are defined as a function of a predetermined criterion for interrupting transmission (CRF), adjustment of the transmission power with the amplifier currently selected is continued, possibly on the basis of new power information items received, until the occurrence of the said interruption span, then, if the last power information item received before the occurrence of the said interruption span still does not correspond to the amplifier currently selected, the transmission is disabled during the said interruption span, the power amplifier associated with the said last power information item is selected, and transmission is reactivated with the new selected amplifier.

5. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that one at least of the amplifiers has variable gain, and in that the value of the gain of the selected amplifier is tuned as a function of the power information items.

6. Process according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the information transmitted is formed of fragments and is conveyed within successive frames each subdivided into a predetermined number of intervals (SLi), in that the duration of the switching span (PCM) is of the order of a few intervals, for example 4 to 8 intervals, and in that the duration of the interruption time span (PIT) is of the order of a few fragments, for example 2 to 4 fragments.

7. Process according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the transmission interruption criterion (CRF) comprises the choice of at least one predetermined particular event which may occur in the course of a transmission and has a predetermined impact on the binary error rate in case of interruption of transmission during the occurrence of this particular event, in that the characteristics of the transmission are analysed in such a way as to detect the possible presence of this predetermined particular event within the said switching span, and in that if this presence is effective, the said interruption time span (PIT) is placed during the occurrence of this particular event.

8. Process according to claim 7, characterized in that the transmission interruption criterion comprises the choice of a group of several predetermined particular events which may occur in the course of a transmission, and the ordering of these particular events according to a predetermined order of priority as a function of their respective impacts on the binary error rate in case of interruption of transmission during the occurrence of these particular events, in that the characteristics of the transmission are analysed by considering the said order of priority in such a way as to detect the possible presence, during the said switching span (PCM), of a predetermined particular event of the said group, and in that the said interruption time span (PIT) is placed during the occurrence of the first particular event thus detected in the order of priority.

9. Process according to claim 8, characterized in that the information transmitted comprises data and monitoring indications, and is conveyed within successive frames each subdivided into a predetermined number of intervals, in that the monitoring indications comprise feedback information (FBI) and transport format combination indicators (TFCI), and in that the group of particular events consists, in descending order of priority:

of the empty intervals (TPG) during a compressed mode of transmission,

of the intervals in the course of which the transmission has to be interrupted in a gated mode of transmission,

of the parts (P1INS, P2INS) of the silence intervals (INS) in a discontinuous mode of transmission, in the course of which neither feedback information (FBI) nor transport format combination indicators (TFCI) are transmitted,

of the parts of the intervals in the course of which data having a high spreading factor are transmitted without transmitting either feedback information (FBI) or transport format combination indicators (TFCI),

of the parts of the intervals in the course of which data having a low spreading factor are transmitted without transmitting either feedback information (FBI) or transport format combination indicators (TFCI),

of the parts of the intervals in the course of which feedback information (FBI) or transport format combination indicators (TFCI) are transmitted.

10. Remote terminal of a wireless communication system, comprising reception circuitry, transmission circuitry, a power amplification stage connected between the transmission circuitry and the antenna, and a processing stage able to adjust the output power of the amplification stage as a function of power information items received regularly by the reception circuitry, characterized in that the power amplification stage comprises a variable-gain amplification means (MAGV) capable of covering the said span of powers, and in that the processing means are able to tune the value of the gain and of the supply voltage of the amplification means as a function of the said power information items.

11. Terminal according to claim 10, characterized in that the amplification means comprises at least two individually selectable power amplifiers (PA1, PA2) capable together of covering the entire power span, respectively possessing two different specific zones of operation and a common zone of operation, in that the power amplification stage furthermore comprises selection means (MWS) able, in response to a selection information item, to link the output of the transmission circuitry to the input of the power amplifier corresponding to the said selection information item, and in that the processing stage (ETNE) comprises:

a correspondence table (MM) associating one of the amplifiers with each point of the power span,

monitoring means (MCT) able, in the presence of a power information item received corresponding to a point of the common zone, to verify whether this power information item corresponds to the amplifier currently selected, and

control means able, if this power information item does not correspond to the amplifier currently selected, to deliver to the selection means the selection information item corresponding to the power amplifier associated with this power information item, and in that the control means are also able to tune the value of the supply voltage of the selected amplifier.

12. Terminal according to claim 11, characterized in that one at least of the amplifiers has variable gain, and in that the control means are able to tune the value of the gain of the selected amplifier as a function of the said power information item.

13. Terminal according to claim 10, characterized in that the amplification means comprises at least two individually selectable power amplifiers (PA1, PA2) capable together of covering the entire power span, respectively possessing two different specific zones of operation and a common zone of operation, and selection means (MWS) able, in response to a selection information item, to link the output of the transmission circuitry to the input of the power amplifier corresponding to the said selection information item, and in that the processing stage (ETNE) comprises:

a correspondence table (MM) associating one of the amplifiers with each point of the power span,

monitoring means (MCT) able, in the presence of a power information item received corresponding to a point of the common zone, to verify whether this power information item corresponds to the amplifier currently selected, and in the contrary case to define a switching time span (PCM) extending from the instant of reception of the said power information item over a predetermined duration compatible with the limits of the said common zone, and to define, as a function of a predetermined criterion for interrupting transmission, the temporal limits of an interruption time span (PIT) lying in the said switching span, and

control means (MCD) able to authorize the continuation, possibly on the basis of new power information items received, of the adjustment of the transmission power with the amplifier currently selected until the occurrence of the said interruption span, then, if the last power information item received before the occurrence of the said interruption span still does not correspond to the amplifier currently selected, to disable the transmission during the said interruption span, to deliver to the selection means the selection information item corresponding to the power amplifier associated with the said last power information item, and to reactivate the transmission with the new selected amplifier, and in that the control means are also able to tune the value of the supply voltage of the selected amplifier.

14. Telephone according to claim 13, characterized in that one at least of the amplifiers has variable gain, and in that the control means are able to tune the value of the gain of the selected amplifier as a function of the said power information item.

15. Terminal according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the information transmitted is formed of fragments and is conveyed within successive frames each subdivided into a predetermined number of intervals, in that the duration of the switching span (PCM) is of the order of a few intervals, for example 4 to 8 intervals, and in that the duration of the interruption time span (PIT) is of the order of a few fragments, for example 2 to 4 fragments.

16. Terminal according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the transmission interruption criterion (CRF) comprises the choice of at least one predetermined particular event which may occur in the course of a transmission and has a predetermined impact on the binary error rate in case of interruption of transmission during the occurrence of this particular event, in that the monitoring means analyse the characteristics of the transmission in such a way as to detect the possible presence of this predetermined particular event within the said switching span, and in that if this presence is effective, the monitoring means place the said interruption time span during the occurrence of this particular event.

17. Terminal according to claim 16, characterized in that the transmission interruption criterion comprises the choice of a group of several predetermined particular events which may occur in the course of a transmission, and the ordering of these particular events according to a predetermined order of priority as a function of their respective impacts on the binary error rate in case of interruption of transmission during the occurrence of these particular events, in that the monitoring means analyse the characteristics of the transmission by considering the said order of priority in such a way as to detect the possible presence, during the said switching span, of a predetermined particular event of the said group, and in that the monitoring means place the said interruption time span during the occurrence of the first particular event thus detected in the order of priority.

18. Terminal according to claim 17, characterized in that the information transmitted comprises data and monitoring indications, and is conveyed within successive frames each subdivided into a predetermined number of intervals, in that the monitoring indications comprise feedback information (FBI) and transport format combination indicators (TFCI), and in that the group of particular events consists, in descending order of priority:

of the empty intervals during a compressed mode of transmission,

of the intervals in the course of which the transmission has to be interrupted in a gated mode of transmission,

of the parts of the silence intervals in a discontinuous mode of transmission, in the course of which neither feedback information (FBI) nor transport format combination indicators (TFCI) are transmitted,

of the parts of the intervals in the course of which data having a high spreading factor are transmitted without transmitting either feedback information (FBI) or transport format combination indicators (TFCI),

of the parts of the intervals in the course of which data having a low spreading factor are transmitted without transmitting either feedback information (FBI) or transport format combination indicators (TFCI),

of the parts of the intervals in the course of which feedback information (FBI) or transport format combination indicators (TFCI) are transmitted.

19. Terminal according to one of claims 10 to 18, characterized in that the power amplification stage comprises a chopped supply which is controllable and capable of delivering the said tuneable supply voltage of the amplification means.

20. Terminal according to one of claims 10 to 19, characterized in that it comprises means (MCPS) able to monitor the power transmitted by the variable-gain amplification means on the basis of the signal present at the output of the amplification means and of the preset power information item received by the terminal.

21. Terminal according to one of claims 10 to 20, characterized in that it is a cellular mobile telephone.