Oscillation protected amplifier with base station overload and noise floor protection

1. A method for setting a gain of an amplifier in a booster amplifier operating in a network, the method comprising:

measuring signal power in the booster amplifier, wherein the signal power includes a forward link power and a reverse link power, the forward link power being determined based on a first signal from a base station and the reverse link power being determined based on a second signal from a wireless device;

comparing the forward link power to a first threshold level;

comparing the reverse link power to a second threshold level;

determining a particular gain,

the particular gain being a first gain when the comparison of the forward link power to the first threshold level is a first result and the comparison of the reverse link power to the second threshold level is a second result, and

the particular gain being a second gain when the comparison of the forward link power to the first threshold level is a third result; and

setting the gain of the amplifier to the particular gain.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first threshold level comprises a first base station overload threshold level configured to prevent base station power overload, and

the second threshold level comprises a second base station overload threshold level configured to prevent base station power overload.

3. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the first and/or second gain is determined based on at least one of:

a radiated power of the base station;

a maximum allowable increase in noise permitted in a receiver of the base station;

a gain of a receiving antenna of the base station;

a signal power received from the wireless device;

a gain of an antenna of the booster amplifier; and

a noise power transmitted by the booster amplifier.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second gain is based on characteristics of the base station, the wireless device, and/or the booster amplifier, wherein the signal power in the booster amplifier is determined in part by the base station and/or the wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein gain control performed in connection with the method is unidirectional only.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein gain control performed in connection with the method is bidirectional.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the gain of the amplifier has been set, generating an attenuated output signal.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the gain of the amplifier has been set, generating an amplified output signal.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second threshold levels have a set value.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second threshold levels have a variable value, wherein the value for the first and second threshold levels are determined based on a signal attenuation between the base station and the booster amplifier and/or the booster amplifier and the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first result is the forward link power being greater than the first threshold level and the second result is the reverse link power being greater than second threshold level.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the third result is the forward link power being less than the first threshold level.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular gain is the first gain when the comparison of the forward link power to a third threshold level is a fourth result.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the forward link power to a third threshold level, wherein the particular gain is the first gain when the comparison of the forward link power to the first threshold level is the first result, the comparison of the reverse link power to the second threshold level is the second result, and the comparison to the forward link power to the third threshold level is a fourth result.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying automatic gain control to the gain of the amplifier after setting the gain of the amplifier to the particular gain, wherein the automatic gain control reduces the gain of the amplifier.

16. A method for setting a gain of an amplifier in a booster amplifier operating in a network, the method comprising:

measuring signal power in the booster amplifier, wherein the signal power includes a forward link power and a reverse link power, the forward link power being determined based on a first signal from a base station and the reverse link power being determined based on a second signal from a wireless device;

performing a plurality of subroutines, wherein a first of the subroutines determines a first output based on a comparison of the forward link power to a first threshold level and a second of the subroutines determines a second output in based on a comparison of the reverse link power to a second threshold level;

determining a particular gain based on the first output and the second output; and

setting the gain of the amplifier to the particular gain after determining the particular gain that accounts for each of the recommended gains.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first of the subroutines is performed for noise floor protection and the second of the subroutines is performed for base station overload protection.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first of the subroutines is performed for noise floor protection and the second of the subroutines is performed for base station overload protection.

19. A method for setting a gain of an amplifier operating in a network, the method comprising:

measuring one of an input signal power to the amplifier or an output signal power from the amplifier;

determining a first gain for reducing occurrences of self-oscillation of the amplifier based on one of the input signal power or the output signal power;

determining a second gain based on a maximum output signal power from the amplifier based on an industry and/or government standard;

determining a third gain for limiting an increase in a base station's noise floor; and

setting the gain of the amplifier based on the first gain, the second gain, and the third gain.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising applying automatic gain control to the gain of the amplifier, wherein the automatic gain control reduces the gain.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the automatic gain control ensures linearity of the amplifier.

22. A method for setting a gain of an amplifier in a booster amplifier operating in a network, the method comprising:

measuring signal power in the booster amplifier, wherein the signal power includes a forward link power and a reverse link power;

comparing the forward link power to a noise floor threshold level determined based on conditions of the network;

when the forward link power is greater than the noise floor threshold level, comparing the forward link input power to a first base station overload threshold level based on the conditions of the network;

when the forward link power is less than the first base station overload threshold level, determining a particular gain of the amplifier to be a maximum gain of the amplifier;

when the forward link power is greater than the first base station overload threshold level, comparing the reverse link power to a second base station overload threshold level;

based on the comparison of the reverse link power to the second threshold level, determining the particular gain of the amplifier to be the maximum gain of the amplifier or a gain less than the maximum gain of the amplifier that is determined based on the conditions of the network; and

setting the gain of the amplifier based on the particular gain.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the conditions of the network include one or more of:

a radiated power of a base station;

a maximum allowable increase in noise permitted in a receiver of the base station;

a gain of a receiving antenna of the base station;

a signal power received from a wireless device;

a gain of an antenna of the booster amplifier; and

a noise power transmitted by the booster amplifier.