Lucent Technologies Inc.

Edward Ellis Eibling

Mathew Thomas

Lily H Zhu

Wen-Yi Kuo

Carl Francis Weaver

Miguel Dajer

Mark Y McKinnon

Raafat Edward Kamel

Gregg Scott Nardozza

Charles W Boettcher

Rulon G Van Dyke

Matthijs A Visser

Kyung Hwan Ko

Asif Dawoodi Ganhi

The input (and output) power of a multi-carrier amplifier can be controlled to allow the amplifier to operate at high RF power levels and still remain within a power rating profile. The amplifier (or amplifiers) power is controlled using an aggregate scaling factor. The aggregate scaling factor is generated from a plurality of amplifier scaling factors. Each amplifier scaling factor is generated based on a comparison of a time-averaged total power and a corresponding threshold.

Methods and devices for controlling RF, multi-carrier amplifier signal power

The power level of at least one forward-link signal is determined for a measurement interval, where the measurement interval has a duration smaller than or equal to the time period in which at least one power-indicative signal characteristic can change. For example, a power-indicative signal characteristic used can be the information rate of the signal, which can change once per frame. In this case the measurement interval would be smaller than or equal to a frame. Preferably, the measurement interval is smaller than the time period in which any of the power-indicative signal characteristics can change. The power level of the signal is based on the signal's power-indicative signal characteristics during the measurement interval. In one embodiment of the invention, the signal's power-indicative signal characteristics include the information rate, and the gain of the signal. The power-indicative signal characteristics can also include whether the information contained in a traffic signal is control information or voice and/or data information, whether the signal is setting up a call or is part of an established call, and whether the call is in a soft handoff. Each forward-link signal is a part of a signal set. The signal set can include: all or some of the signals corresponding to a sector of the cell containing the base station; or all or some of the signals amplified by the base station's amplifier. The power level of each signal that is in the signal set is summed to obtain the power level of the signal set.

Aggregate power measurement

A DPRAM is placed in the RF path before the digital to analog converter, to provide dynamic path gain compensation to the digital signal prior to conversion to an analog signal. The DPRAM stores corrections to the signal to compensate for amplitude losses in the signal arising from heat and non-linearities. The DPRAM has two sets of identical addresses. A logic switch, alternately directs an input signal to one of the two sets of addresses. Pre-calculated signal values which compensate for path gain are stored in one of the two sets of addresses in the DPRAM. The signal input to the DPRAM is directed to the other block. The value of the signal input to the DPRAM will determine the address to which the new value can be found. It is this new value which is actually input to the DAC and from which an analog signal is created. The updated values written to the DPRAM are the signal values with path gain compensation that is independently calculated and applied to the RF signal by a Dynamic Path Gain Compensation Controller ('DPGCC'). The DPGCC may apply any known algorithms to compute the path gain compensation and adjust the signal accordingly. In one advantageous embodiment the DPGCC accounts for thermal losses and non-linearity and takes into consideration overdrive protection constraints.

Dynamic path gain compensation for radios in wireless communication systems

Presented is a method for reducing the peak to average ratio where the signal is multiplied prior to digital to analog conversion and subsequently subject to the full scale of a digital to analog converter, disproportionably amplifying the average signal more than peak signals, reducing the ratio of the peak signal to the average signal.

Method and apparatus for peak-to-average signal reduction for radio frequency transmitters

A method that adjusts the power level of a set of forward-link signals of a base station responsive to the loading of the forward link as determined by a power level measurement of the signal set. One power level measurement is a pilot fraction of the forward link. Other power level measurements, such as the signal set's power level, can be used, alone or in combination, instead of or in addition to the pilot fraction of the forward link to adjust the power level of the signal set. The power level of the signal set can be changed in any manner, including by scaling it by a scaling factor, or by increasing the power level by a fixed or a variable amount. The power level measurement of the signal set is obtained during a current time period. The scaling factor that will be used in the subsequent time period is determined using the power level measurement. In one embodiment of the invention, the scaling factor can be obtained from a look-up table that is based on the power level measurement. If the cell containing the base station includes several sectors, the power level of the signal set in a sector is adjusted when the power level measurement in that sector indicates that the power level should be adjusted.

Apparatus and method for controlling the transmission power of the forward link of a wireless communication system

A DPRAM is placed in the RF path before the digital to analog converter, to provide dynamic path gain compensation to the digital signal prior to conversion to an analog signal. The DPRAM stores corrections to the signal to compensate for amplitude losses in the signal arising from heat and non-linearities. The DPRAM has two sets of identical addresses. A logic switch, alternately directs an input signal to one of the two sets of addresses. Pre-calculated signal values which compensate for path gain are stored in one of the two sets of addresses in the DPRAM. The signal input to the DPRAM is directed to the other block. The value of the signal input to the DPRAM will determine the address to which the new value can be found. It is this new value which is actually input to the DAC and from which an analog signal is created. The updated values written to the DPRAM are the signal values with path gain compensation that is independently calculated and applied to the RF signal by a Dynamic Path Gain Compensation Controller (&ldquo;DPGCC&rdquo;). The DPGCC may apply any known algorithms to compute the path gain compensation and adjust the signal accordingly. In one advantageous embodiment the DPGCC accounts for thermal losses and non-linearity and takes into consideration overdrive protection constraints.

A method that initiates call blocking responsive to a call-quality measurement of the forward link. The call-quality measurement is a measurement of how well a mobile terminal is able to receive the forward link. One call-quality measurement is a pilot fraction of the forward link, which is a ratio of the pilot's power level to the power level of a set of forward-link signals of a base station. Call blocking is initiated when an average pilot fraction is below a pilot-fraction blocking threshold. The pilot's power level is obtained for a time period, and the signal set's power level is obtained for the same time period. The pilot fraction is determined for the time period, and then used to determine the average pilot fraction for the time period. The average pilot fraction for the current time period is based on a pilot fraction for the current time period, and an average pilot fraction for a previous time period. When the average pilot fraction is below the pilot-fraction blocking threshold, call blocking is initiated. The pilot-fraction blocking threshold is preferably based on: 1) the pilot fraction when the base station is at full load; 2) the size, shape, and terrain of the cell; and 3) the aggressiveness of the overload control. In the preferred embodiment, the signal set includes all of the signals generated by the base station, alternatively, the signal set can include fewer than all the signals generated by the base station. If the cell includes several sectors, the call blocking is initiated on a sector basis when the average pilot fraction of the sector is below the pilot-fraction blocking threshold. Other call-quality measurements, such as the forward link's frame error rate, the number of dropped calls, or the Power Measurement Report Message (PMRM), can be used, alone or in combination, instead of or in addition to the pilot fraction of the forward link to determine whether call blocking should be initiated. Determining whether call blocking should be initiated using one of the other call-quality measurements is performed in a similar manner as for the pilot fraction. Initiating call blocking using several call-quality measurements involves initiating call blocking when any one of the call-quality measurements indicates that call blocking should be initiated. Alternatively, call blocking can be initiated when several of the call quality measurements indicate that call blocking should be initiated.

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Convent Station, NJ, United States of America

Edward Ellis Eibling