Patent EP0814568A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0814568A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Wireless telephone intermodulation performance enhancement techniques
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1997-06-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-06-09
Abstract
Abstract An improved radio receiver includes two variable attenuators (107,117), a variable-current RF signal amplifier (111), and a controller (135) which controls the amount of attenuation provided by the variable attenuators, and/or the current (via 113) consumed by the variable-current RF signal amplifier, in response to signals received by the RF signal amplifier. The controller adjusts the variable attenuators, and/or the RF signal amplifier, to achieve a minimum symbol error rate and/or to maximize the signal-to-noise and interference ratio for a desired signal, irrespective of the levels of any interfering signals received by the RF signal amplifier. In this manner, the variable attenuators, and/or the variable current RF signal amplifier, are adjusted to obtain just the right amount of intermodulation performance for a given set of receiving conditions. This technique saves operating current and minimizes noise figure because, in practice, interference conditions do not persist all of the time, and are usually of temporary duration.
Inventors
- 👤 Victor A. Abramsky
- 👤 Andrzej Partyka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:34
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/06; H04B1/10; H04B1/109; H03; H03G; H03G3/00; H03G3/20; H03G3/30; H03G3/3052; H03G3/3068
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A radio receiver having an antenna input terminal, an RF signal amplifier, and a mixer, CHARACTERIZED BY: (a) a first adjustable attenuator coupled between the antenna input terminal and the RF signal amplifier; (b) a second adjustable attenuator coupled between the RF signal amplifier and the mixer; and (c) processing means for controlling the first adjustable attenuator and for controlling the second adjustable attenuator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
The radio receiver of Claim 1 further comprising a current regulator, coupled to the RF signal amplifier, for regulating the amount of DC current consumed by the RF signal amplifier, and wherein the processing means is adapted to control the current regulator.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for use with a radio receiver having an antenna input terminal, an RF signal amplifier, a mixer, processing means for controlling a first adjustable attenuator and for controlling a second adjustable attenuator, wherein the first adjustable attenuator is coupled between the antenna input terminal and the RF signal amplifier, and wherein the second adjustable attenuator is coupled between the RF signal amplifier and the mixer, THE METHOD INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: (a) the receiver receiving noise and a plurality of signals including a desired signal; (b) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the first attenuator to improve reception of the desired signal; and (c) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the second attenuator to improve reception of the desired signal; wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed in any order or substantially simultaneously.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for use with a radio receiver having an antenna input terminal, an RF signal amplifier, a mixer, processing means for controlling a first adjustable attenuator and for controlling a second adjustable attenuator, wherein the first adjustable attenuator is coupled between the antenna input terminal and the RF signal amplifier, and wherein the second adjustable attenuator is coupled between the RF signal amplifier and the mixer, THE METHOD INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: (a) the receiver receiving noise and a plurality of signals including a desired signal; (b) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the first attenuator to minimize the symbol error rate (SER) of the desired signal; and (c) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the second attenuator to minimize the symbol error rate (SER) of the desired signal; wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed in any order or substantially simultaneously.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for use with a radio receiver having an antenna input terminal, an RF signal amplifier, a mixer, processing means for controlling a first adjustable attenuator and for controlling a second adjustable attenuator, wherein the first adjustable attenuator is coupled between the antenna input terminal and the RF signal amplifier, and wherein the second adjustable attenuator is coupled between the RF signal amplifier and the mixer, THE METHOD INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: (a) the receiver receiving noise and a plurality of signals including a desired signal; (b) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the first attenuator to maximize the signal-to-noise (C/N) ratio of the desired signal; and (c) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the second attenuator to maximize the signal-to-noise (C/N) ratio of the desired signal; wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed in any order or substantially simultaneously.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
176 words
A method for use with a radio receiver having an antenna input terminal, an RF signal amplifier, an amplifier current regulator coupled to the RF signal amplifier for regulating the amount of DC current consumed by the RF signal amplifier, a mixer, a first adjustable attenuator coupled between the antenna input terminal and the RF signal amplifier, a second adjustable attenuator coupled between the RF signal amplifier and the mixer, processing means for controlling the first adjustable attenuator, the second adjustable attenuator, and the current regulator, THE METHOD INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: (a) the receiver receiving noise and a plurality of signals including a desired signal; (b) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the first attenuator to improve reception of the desired signal; (c) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the second attenuator to improve reception of the desired signal; and (d) the processor adjusting the current regulator to improve reception of the desired signal; wherein steps (b), (c), and (d) are performed in any order, and/or steps (b), (c), and (d) are performed substantially simultaneously.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
188 words
A method for use with a radio receiver having an antenna input terminal, an RF signal amplifier, an amplifier current regulator coupled to the RF signal amplifier for regulating the amount of DC current consumed by the RF signal amplifier, a mixer, a first adjustable attenuator coupled between the antenna input terminal and the RF signal amplifier, a second adjustable attenuator coupled between the RF signal amplifier and the mixer, processing means for controlling the first adjustable attenuator, the second adjustable attenuator, and the current regulator, THE METHOD INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: (a) the receiver receiving noise and a plurality of signals including a desired signal; (b) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the first attenuator to minimize the symbol error rate (SER) of the desired signal; (c) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the second attenuator to minimize the symbol error rate (SER) of the desired signal; and (d) the processor adjusting the current regulator to minimize the symbol error rate (SER) of the desired signal; wherein steps (b), (c), and (d) are performed in any order, and/or steps (b), (c), and (d) are performed substantially simultaneously.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for use with a radio receiver having an antenna input terminal, an RF signal amplifier, an amplifier current regulator coupled to the RF signal amplifier for regulating the amount of DC current consumed by the RF signal amplifier, a mixer, a first adjustable attenuator coupled between the antenna input terminal and the RF signal amplifier, a second adjustable attenuator coupled between the RF signal amplifier and the mixer, processing means for controlling the first adjustable attenuator, the second adjustable attenuator, and the current regulator, THE METHOD INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: (a) the receiver receiving noise and a plurality of signals including a desired signal; (b) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the first attenuator to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal; and (c) the processor adjusting the attenuation of the second attenuator to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal; and (d) the processor adjusting the current regulator to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal; wherein steps (b), (c), and (d) are performed in any order, and/or steps (b), (c) and (d) are performed substantially simultaneously.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of Claim 7 wherein magnitude and direction of changes in symbol error rate (SER) are determined by dithering the attenuations of the first and second attenuators and by dithering the current regulated by the current regulator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of Claim 8 wherein magnitude and direction of changes in signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal are determined by dithering the attenuations of the first and second attenuators and by dithering the current regulated by the current regulator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of Claim 9 wherein the dithering is performed by incrementing and/or decrementing the attenuations of the first and second attenuators, and by incrementing and/or decrementing the current regulated by the current regulator, such that the increments and/or decrements of the first and second attenuators, and the increments and/or decrements of the current, are proportional to the sensitivity of the SER to incremental changes in, respectively, the attenuations of the first and second attenuators, and the current regulated by the current regulator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method of Claim 10 wherein the dithering is performed by incrementing and/or decrementing the attenuations of the first and second attenuators, and by incrementing and/or decrementing the current regulated by the current regulator, such that the increments and/or decrements of the first and second attenuators, and the increments and/or decrements of the current, are proportional to the sensitivity of the signal-to-noise ratio to incremental changes in, respectively, the attenuations of the first and second attenuators, and the current regulated by the current regulator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of Claim 7 wherein the processor adjusts the third-order intercept point of the radio receiver based upon the symbol error rate (SER) of the radio receiver.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of Claim 7 wherein the processor adjusts the third-order intercept point of the radio receiver based upon the signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal as received by the radio receiver.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of Claim 8 wherein the processor adjusts the third-order intercept point of the radio receiver based upon the symbol error rate (SER) of the radio receiver and/or based upon the signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal as received by the radio receiver.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of Claim 7 wherein the processor adjusts the third-order intercept point of the radio receiver based upon a set of fuzzy logical rules applied to the signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal, and/or the symbol error rate (SER) of the desired signal.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
201 words
A method of estimating the amount of intermodulation distortion present in a radio receiver having an RF signal amplifier, an antenna input terminal, a mixer, a first adjustable attenuator coupled between the antenna input terminal and the RF signal amplifier, a second adjustable attenuator coupled between the RF signal amplifier and the mixer, an adjustable current regulator for adjusting the DC current consumption of the RF signal amplifier, and a processor for adjusting the first and second adjustable attenuators, for adjusting the adjustable current regulator, for measuring the signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal, and for measuring the signal strength of the desired signal, THE METHOD INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: (a) the processor measuring the received signal strength and the signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal; (b) the processor estimating the amount of the receiver-generated thermal noise based on the present amounts of attenuation provided by the first and second adjustable attenuators, the present amount of current regulated by the adjustable current regulator, and the present gain state of any other variable gain component in the receiver, and adjusting first and second adjustable attenuators and the adjustable current regulator in response to the measurements of received signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of Claim 17 wherein the radio receiver is adapted for use with a CDMA (code division multiple access) wireless telephone system and the processor includes means for measuring the neighbor pilot strength of a CDMA RF carrier signal, the method further including the step of the processor estimating intermodulation distortion performance based upon measurements of the neighbor pilot strength.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of Claim 18 wherein the radio receiver includes a rake receiver having a plurality of rake fingers, each rake finger including signal strength measuring means for measuring the signal strength of the desired signal during a corresponding time duration, the method further including the step of the processor estimating intermodulation distortion performance based upon measurements of signal strength at each of a plurality of rake fingers.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of RF interference rejection for use with a radio receiver having an RF signal amplifier, an antenna input terminal, a mixer, a first adjustable attenuator coupled between the antenna input terminal and the RF signal amplifier, a second adjustable attenuator coupled between the RF signal amplifier and the mixer, an adjustable current regulator for adjusting the DC current consumption of the RF signal amplifier, and a processor for adjusting the first and second adjustable attenuators, for adjusting the adjustable current regulator, for measuring the signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal, and for measuring the signal strength of the desired signal, THE METHOD INCLUDING THE STEPS OF the processor adjusting the intermodulation distortion performance of the radio receiver by: (a) the processor measuring the received signal strength and the signal-to-noise ratio of the desired signal; (b) estimating receiver-generated thermal noise; (c) the processor adjusting first and second adjustable attenuators and the adjustable current regulator in response to the measurements of received signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of Claim 20 wherein the radio receiver is adapted for use with a CDMA (code division multiple access) wireless telephone system and the processor includes means for measuring the neighbor pilot strength of a CDMA RF carrier signal, the method further including the step of the processor estimating intermodulation distortion performance based upon measurements of the neighbor pilot strength.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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