Systems and methods for automatic level control

An automatic level control (ALC) system for communications signals, the system comprising:

• a multi-threshold programmable ALC controller;
• and
• at least one signal path that includes:
• a digital step attenuator configured to receive an analog communications signal and attenuate the analog communications signal in response to an attenuation adjustment signal from the multi-threshold programmable ALC controller;
• and
• an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive the analog communications signal as attenuated by the digital step attenuator and generate samples of the attenuated analog communications signal, wherein the multi-threshold programmable ALC controller receives the samples;
• wherein the multi-threshold programmable ALC controller comprises a plurality of clip detectors that function in parallel, wherein each of the plurality of clip detectors are programmed with a respective amplitude and time threshold, wherein based on which of the plurality of clip detectors determine that the samples exceed their respective amplitude and time threshold, the multi-threshold programmable ALC controller generates the attenuation adjustment signal to the digital step attenuator.