Automatic gain controller

A receiver comprising:

• an input to receive a received signal, a first amplifier configured to receive the received signal and provide a first amplified signal based thereon, a mixer configured to receive the first amplified signal and provide an intermediate frequency signal based thereon and a second amplifier configured to receive the intermediate frequency signal and provide a second amplified signal based thereon for demodulation;
• a first overload detector coupled to an output of the first amplifier and prior to the mixer and configured to provide a first overload signal indicative of a first frequency range of the first amplified signal having one or more frequency components exceeding a first maximum signal power threshold;
• a second overload detector coupled to an output of the second amplifier and configured to provide a second overload signal indicative of a second frequency range, narrower than the first frequency range, of the second amplified signal having one or more frequency components exceeding a second maximum signal power threshold;
• and
• an automatic gain controller configured to, based on the first overload signal and the second overload signal, provide for control of a respective gain of one or both of the first amplifier and the second amplifier.

A method of operation of an automatic gain controller for a receiver having at least a first amplifier configured to receive a received signal and provide a first amplified signal based thereon, a mixer configured to receive the first amplified signal and provide an intermediate frequency signal based thereon and a second amplifier configured to receive the intermediate frequency signal and provide a second amplified signal based thereon, the method comprising:

• based on
• i) a first overload signal indicative of a first frequency range of the first amplified signal having one or more frequency components exceeding a first maximum signal power threshold, and
• ii) a second overload signal indicative of a second frequency range, narrower than the first frequency range, of the second amplified signal having one or more frequency components exceeding a second maximum signal power threshold,
• providing for control of a respective gain of one or both of the first amplifier and the second amplifier.