# US 2017/0288916 A1 · Method and system for controlling an amplifier of a communications device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0288916 A1 - Document ID: US20170288916A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/087,524 - Filed: 2016-03-31 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31 - Assignees: NXP B.V. - Applicants: NXP B.V. - Inventors: Stefan Mendel; Michael Pieber - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170288916A1 ## CPC - H04L 25/03847: {Shaping by selective switching of amplifying elements} - H03G 3/3078: {Circuits generating control signals for digitally modulated signals} - H04B 17/318: Received signal strength - H04L 25/0262: {Arrangements for detecting the data rate of an incoming signal} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H03G: CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract Embodiments of a method and a system controlling an amplifier of a communications device are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for controlling an amplifier of a communications device involves checking for a data reception at the communications device and freezing a gain of the amplifier if the data reception is detected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling an amplifier of a communications device, the method comprising: checking for a data reception at the communications device; and freezing a gain of the amplifier if the data reception is detected. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising switching the gain of the amplifier between a plurality of predefined gain values if no data reception is detected. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein checking for the data reception at the communications device comprises: demodulating a digital signal that is derived from a radio frequency (RF) signal received at the communications device; and checking for the data reception at the communications device based on a result of demodulating the digital signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein demodulating the digital signal comprises: generating a first signal with a fixed delay from an edge of the digital signal; and generating a second signal that represents differences between a plurality of consecutive samples of the digital signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein generating the second signal comprises: calculating sample differences between the consecutive samples; and normalizing the sample differences to generate the second signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the consecutive samples comprise a first set of two consecutive samples and a second set of two consecutive samples, and wherein calculating the sample differences between the consecutive samples comprises calculating a difference between a sum of the first set of two consecutive samples and a sum of the second set of two consecutive samples. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein checking for the data reception at the communications device comprises: detecting a first edge of the second signal; and detecting a second edge of the first signal in a time duration that the second signal has a particular state; and wherein freezing the gain of the amplifier comprises freezing the gain of the amplifier in response to detecting the second edge of the first signal in the time duration that the second signal has the particular state. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising comparing a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value of a radio frequency (RF) signal received at the communications device with a threshold, wherein switching the gain of the amplifier comprises switching the gain of the amplifier if the RSSI value is larger than or smaller than the threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the RSSI value has a non-linear relationship with an amplitude of the RF signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising obtaining the RSSI value based on an amplitude of a quadrature component of the RF signal. ### Claim 11 A system for controlling an amplifier of a communications device, the system comprising: a data reception detection device configured to check for a data reception at the communications device; and a decision logic circuit configured to freeze a gain of the amplifier if the data reception is detected. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the decision logic circuit is further configured to switch the gain of the amplifier between a plurality of predefined gain values if no data reception is detected. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the data reception detection device comprises a digital demodulator configured to demodulate a digital signal that is derived from a radio frequency (RF) signal received at the communications device, wherein the decision logic circuit is further configured to check for the data reception at the communications device based on a result of demodulating the digital signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the digital demodulator is further configured to: generate a first signal with a fixed delay from an edge of the digital signal; and generate a second signal that represents differences between a plurality of consecutive samples of the digital signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the digital demodulator is further configured to: calculate sample differences between the consecutive samples; and normalize the sample differences to generate the second signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the consecutive samples comprise a first set of two consecutive samples and a second set of two consecutive samples, and wherein the digital demodulator is further configured to calculate a difference between a sum of the first set of two consecutive samples and a sum of the second set of two consecutive samples. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the digital demodulator is further configured to: detect a first edge of the second signal; and detect a second edge of the first signal in a time duration that the second signal has a particular state, and wherein the decision logic circuit is further configured to freeze the gain of the amplifier in response to detecting the second edge of the first signal in the time duration that the second signal has the particular state. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the decision logic circuit is further configured to: compare a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value of a radio frequency (RF) signal received at the communications device with a threshold; and switch the gain of the amplifier if the RSSI value is larger than or smaller than the threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, further comprising an RSSI device configured to obtain the RSSI value based on an amplitude of a quadrature component of the RF signal. ### Claim 20 A method for controlling an amplifier of a communications device, the method comprising: checking for a data reception at the communications device, wherein checking for the data reception at the communications device comprises: generating a first signal with a fixed delay from an edge of the digital signal; generating a second signal that represents differences between a plurality of consecutive samples of the digital signal; detecting a first edge of the second signal; and detecting a second edge of the first signal in a time duration that the second signal has a particular state; and freezing a gain of the amplifier in response to detecting the second edge of the first signal.