AUTOMATISK FORSTAERKNINGSREGULERING

There is provided a method of digital Automatic Gain Control (AGC) in a receiver having limited dynamic range, particularly for discontinuous signals. The method is characterized by detecting the level of a received and AGC'd discontinuous signal, comparing the level of the AGC'd signal relative to the dynamic range of the receiver, and adjusting the AGC to establish a desired relationship between the AGC'd signal and the dynamic range limitation. There is also provided a method of handoff in a TDMA cellular-type transmission system utilizing this method of AGControl. The method for Automatic Gain Control (AGC) of discontinuous signals in a receiver having limited dynamic range is further characterized by: digitizing (A/D) a received and AGC'd discontinuous signal and converting the digitized samples to a power sample to sense the power of and detect the level of the signal, comparing the level of the AGC'd signal relative to the dynamic range of the receiver; and coarsely-adjusting by either progressively attenuating the signal until it falls within the dynamic range of the receiver or by progressively gain-amplifying the signal until it falls within the limited dynamic range of the receiver and finely-adjusting the AGC of the received signal until optimum use of the full (albeit limited) dynamic range of the signal processing stages is about 6-12 dB below maximum to establish a desired relationship between the AGC'd signal and the dynamic range limitation.