Communications receiver having adaptive dynamic range
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorHossein Dehghan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A communications receiver includes an analog input for receiving an analog signal having a time-varying DC voltage drift. A variable gain amplifier is coupled to the analog input and is adapted to amplify the analog signal based on a gain set by a gain control input to the amplifier. An analog-to-digital (A/D) converter is coupled to an output of the amplifier and is adapted to convert the amplified analog signal to a series of digital values. A drift estimator is coupled to the A/D converter, which generates an estimate of the time-varying DC voltage drift based on the series of digital values. A gain adjuster is coupled between the drift estimator and the amplifier, which adjusts the gain control input based on the drift estimate.
Claims16
A communications receiver comprising:
- an analog input for receiving an analog signal having a time-varying DC voltage drift;
- a variable gain amplifier, which is coupled to the analog input and is adapted to amplify the analog signal based on a gain set by a gain control input to the amplifier;
- an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, which is coupled to an output of the amplifier and is adapted to convert the amplified analog signal to a series of digital values;
- a drift estimator coupled to the A/D converter, which generates an estimate of the time-varying DC voltage drift based on the series of digital values;
- and
- a gain adjuster coupled between the drift estimator and the amplifier, which adjusts the gain control input based on the drift estimate.
A method expanding the effective dynamic range of a communications receiver, which comprises a variable gain amplifier and an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, the method comprising:
- receiving an analog signal having a time-varying DC voltage drift;
- amplifying the analog signal with the amplifier to generate an amplified analog signal;
- setting a gain of the amplifier to a nominal gain level;
- converting the amplified analog signal to a series of digital values with the A/D converter;
- estimating the DC voltage drift based on the series of digital values;
- and
- reducing the gain from the nominal gain level to a reduced gain level during a time window in which the estimated DC voltage drift exceeds a threshold value.
A communications receiver for receiving an analog signal having a time-varying DC voltage drift, the receiver comprising:
- amplifier means for amplifying the analog signal to generate an amplified analog signal;
- means for setting a gain of the amplifier means to a nominal gain level;
- means for converting the amplified analog signal to a series of digital values;
- means for estimating the DC voltage drift based on the series of digital values;
- and
- means for reducing the gain from the nominal gain level to a reduced gain level during a time window in which the estimated DC voltage drift exceeds a threshold value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.