Transmitter architectures for communications systems

A method for adjusting signal gain in a transmitter having a first gain element and a second gain element, wherein the first gain element responds to a first update clock and the second gain element responds to a second update clock, the first and second update clocks being asynchronous, the method comprising:

• determining a first gain transfer characteristic of the first gain element;
• determining a second gain transfer characteristic of the second gain element;
• receiving a first gain setting value for the first gain element and a second gain setting value for the second gain element;
• adjusting the second gain setting value with a particular gain offset value based on the first gain setting value;
• determining a linearized gain setting value corresponding to the adjusted second gain setting value;
• adjusting a gain of the first gain element with the first gain setting value;
• and
• adjusting a gain of the second gain element with the linearized gain setting value.

A method for adjusting signal gain in a transmitter having a first gain element and a second gain element, wherein the first gain element responds to a first update clock and the second gain element responds to a second update clock, wherein the second update clock is faster than the first update clock and the first and second update clocks are asynchronous, the method comprising:

• receiving a first gain setting value for the first gain element and a second gain setting value for the second gain element;
• generating a first gain control signal representative of the first gain setting value;
• generating a second gain control signal representative of the second gain setting value;
• aligning the first gain control signal with the first update clock;
• detecting a change in gain setting value of the first gain element;
• if a change in gain setting value is detected, aligning the second gain control signal with the first update clock;
• if no change in gain setting value is detected, aligning the second and gain control signal with the second update clock;
• adjusting a gain of the first gain element with the aligned first gain control signal;
• and
• adjusting a gain of the second gain element with the aligned second gain control signal.

A method for providing linear adjustment of output power level from a transmitter, wherein the transmitter includes an element having a plurality of discrete gain settings and an element having a variable gain setting, the method comprising:

• determining a gain transfer function of the transmitter for each of the plurality of discrete gain settings;
• for each of the plurality of discrete gain settings, generating a gain compensation table based on the determined gain transfer function;
• receiving a first gain setting value for the element having a plurality of discrete gain settings, wherein the first gain setting value identifies one of the plurality of discrete gain settings;
• receiving a second gain setting value for the element having variable gain setting;
• retrieving a compensated gain setting value from the gain compensation table corresponding to discrete gain setting identified by the first gain setting value;
• adjusting a gain of the element having the plurality of discrete gain settings with the first gain setting value;
• and
• adjusting a gain of the element having the variable gain setting with the compensated gain setting value.

A method for controlling transients in an output power of a transmitter during a signal transmission, wherein the transmitter includes a first element having a first time response and a second gain element having a second time response, wherein the first time response is faster than the second time response, the method comprising:

• receiving a first command to adjust a gain of the first element;
• receiving a second command to adjust a pain of the second element;
• delaying the first command by a particular time period;
• adjusting the gain of the second gain element in accordance with the second command;
• and
• adjusting the gain of the first gain element in accordance with the delayed first command;
• wherein the particular time period is selected to reduce increase in output power level of the transmitter due to adjustment of the gains of the first and second elements.

A method for controlling transients in an output power of a transmitter during a signal transmission, wherein the transmitter includes a first element having a first time response and a second gain element having a second time response, wherein the first time response is faster than the second time response, the method comprising:

• receiving a first command to adjust a gain of the first element;
• receiving a second command to adjust a gain of the second element;
• delaying the first command by a particular time period;
• adjusting the gain of the second gain element in accordance with the second command;
• and
• adjusting the gain of the first gain element in accordance with the delayed first command;
• wherein the delaying is performed when the first command directs an increase in the gain of the first element.