Uplink power control in aggregated spectrum systems

A method for communication, comprising:

• in a wireless communication terminal, modulating data to produce a composite, aggregated-spectrum signal comprising at least first and second signals in respective first and second spectral bands, amplifying the modulated data in at least two of the signals using a common Power Amplifier (PA) having a power constraint, and transmitting the modulated data in the first and second signals from the wireless communication terminal to a base station at respective first and second power levels, wherein the first and second power levels are controlled individually;
• while communicating with the base station, adjusting the second power level so as to modify a ratio between the first power level and the second power level;
• and
• setting the power levels of the at least two of the signals so as to comply with the power constraint of the PA.

A wireless communication terminal, comprising:

• a transmitter, which is arranged to modulate data to produce a composite, aggregated-spectrum signal comprising at least first and second signals in respective first and second spectral bands, and to transmit the modulated data in the first and second signals from the wireless communication terminal to a base station at respective first and second power levels, wherein the first and second power levels are controlled individually;
• a receiver, which is arranged to receive from the base station one or more instructions to set the first power level while communicating with the base station;
• a processor, which is configured to set the first power level so as to modify a ratio between the first power level and the second power level, wherein the first power level is set based on the instructions;
• and
• a Power Amplifier (PA), which is comprised in the transmitter and is operative to amplify the modulated data in at least two of the signals, wherein the PA has a power constraint, and wherein the processor is configured to set the power levels of the at least two of the signals so as to comply with the power constraint of the PA.

A wireless communication terminal, comprising:

• a transmitter, which is arranged to modulate data to produce a composite, aggregated-spectrum signal comprising at least first and second signals in respective first and second spectral bands and to transmit the modulated data in the first and second signals from the wireless communication terminal to a base station at respective first and second power levels, wherein the first and second power levels are controlled individually;
• a processor, which is configured to adjust the second power level while communicating with the base station so as to modify a ratio between the first power level and the second power level;
• and
• a Power Amplifier (PA), which is comprised in the transmitter and is operative to amplify the modulated data in at least two of the signals, wherein the PA has a power constraint, and wherein the processor is configured to set the power levels of the at least two of the signals so as to comply with the power constraint of the PA.

A method for communication, comprising:

• in a wireless communication terminal, modulating data to produce a composite, aggregated-spectrum signal comprising at least first and second signals in respective first and second spectral bands, each of which includes a plurality of sub-carriers, amplifying the modulated data in at least two of the signals using a common Power Amplifier (PA) having a power constraint, and transmitting the modulated data in the first and second signals from the wireless communication terminal to a base station at respective first and second power levels, wherein the first and second power levels are controlled individually;
• while communicating with the base station, receiving from the base station and processing downlink signals governing a first transmission parameter of the modulated data transmitted on the sub-carriers in the first signal separately from a second transmission parameter of the modulated data transmitted on the sub-carriers in the second signal, so as to modify a ratio between the first power level and the second power level;
• and
• setting the power levels of the at least two of the signals so as to comply with the power constraint of the PA.

A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

• a transmitter for transmitting modulated data from the wireless communication terminal to a base station over at least first and second signal carriers in a composite, aggregated spectrum during a time interval;
• a power control module for controlling a power characteristic of the modulated data transmitted on the first signal carrier separately from the power characteristic of the modulated data transmitted on the second signal carrier, wherein the first and second power characteristics are controlled individually so as to modify a ratio between the first power characteristic and the second power characteristic;
• and
• a Power Amplifier (PA), which is comprised in the transmitter and is operative to amplify the modulated data in at least two of the signals, wherein the PA has a power constraint, and wherein the power control module is configured to set the power characteristics of the at least two of the carriers so as to comply with the power constraint of the PA.

A base station, comprising:

• a receiver, which is arranged to receive from a wireless communication terminal a composite, aggregated-spectrum signal comprising at least first and second carriers, over which data has been modulated and which have been transmitted during a communication time interval at respective first and second power levels, wherein the first and second power levels are controlled individually, the wireless communication terminal comprising a Power Amplifier (PA), which is operative to amplify the modulated data in at least two of the carriers, wherein the PA has a power constraint;
• a processor, which is configured to produce one or more instructions to set the first power level separately from setting the second power level so as to modify a ratio between the first power level and the second power level and which is configured to set the power levels of the at least two of the carriers so as to comply with the power constraint of the PA;
• and
• a transmitter, which is arranged to transmit the one or more instructions to the wireless communication terminal.

A communication system, comprising:

• a base station;
• and
• a wireless communication terminal, comprising:
• a transmitter, which is arranged to modulate data to produce a composite, aggregated-spectrum signal comprising at least first and second signals in respective first and second spectral bands, and to transmit the modulated data in the first and second signals from the wireless communication terminal to the base station at respective first and second power levels, wherein the first and second power levels are controlled individually;
• a receiver, which is arranged to receive from the base station one or more instructions to set the first power level;
• a processor, which is configured to set the first power level so as to modify a ratio between the first power level and the second power level, wherein the first power level is set based on the instructions;
• and
• a Power Amplifier (PA), which is comprised in the transmitter and is operative to amplify the modulated data in at least two of the signals, wherein the PA has a power constraint, and wherein the processor is configured to set the power levels of the at least two of the signals so as to comply with the power constraint of the PA.

A communication system, comprising:

• a base station;
• and
• a wireless communication terminal, comprising:
• a transmitter, which is arranged to modulate data to produce a composite, aggregated-spectrum signal comprising at least first and second signals in respective first and second spectral bands, and to transmit the modulated data in the first and second signals from the wireless communication terminal to the base station at respective first and second power levels, wherein the first and second power levels are controlled individually;
• a processor, which is configured to adjust the second power level so as to modify a ratio between the first power level and the second power level;
• and
• a Power Amplifier (PA), which is comprised in the transmitter and is operative to amplify the modulated data in at least two of the signals, the PA has a power constraint, and the processor is configured to set the power levels of the at least two of the signals so as to comply with the power constraint of the PA.

A method for communication, comprising:

• in a wireless communication terminal, modulating data to produce a composite, aggregated-spectrum signal comprising at least first and second signals in respective first and second spectral bands, amplifying the modulated data in at least two of the signals using a common Power Amplifier (PA) having a power constraint, and transmitting the modulated data in the first and second spectral bands from the wireless communication terminal to a base station at respective first and second power levels, wherein the first and second power levels are controlled individually;
• while communicating with the base station, receiving at the wireless communication terminal downlink signals from the base station;
• setting the first power level based on the second power level and on measurements performed on the downlink signals so as to modify a ratio between the first power level and the second power level;
• and
• setting the power levels of the at least two of the signals so as to comply with the power constraint of the PA.

A wireless communication terminal, comprising:

• a transmitter, which is arranged to modulate data to produce a composite, aggregated-spectrum signal comprising at least first and second signals in respective first and second spectral bands, and to transmit the modulated data in the first and second signals from the wireless communication terminal to a base station at respective first and second power levels, wherein the first and second power levels are controlled individually;
• a receiver, which is arranged to receive downlink signals from the base station;
• a processor, which is configured to perform measurements on the downlink signals and to set the first power level based on the second power level and on the measurements so as to modify a ratio between the first power level and the second power level;
• and
• a Power Amplifier (PA), which is comprised in the transmitter and is operative to amplify the modulated data in at least two of the signals, wherein the PA has a power constraint, and the processor is configured to set the power levels of the at least two of the signals so as to comply with the power constraint of the PA.