Method and system for controlling signal transmission of a wireless communication device

1. A wireless communication element comprising:

a transmit path configured to convert a digital signal into a wireless communication signal, the transmit path including a power amplifier configured to amplify a power level of the wireless communication signal according to an amplifier control signal;

an antenna coupled to the transmit path and configured to transmit the wireless communication signal; and

a control path coupled to the antenna and the power amplifier, the control path configured to:

sense one or more digital feedback signals indicative of the power level of the wireless communication signal transmitted from the transmit path to the antenna;

determine a change in the power level based on the one or more digital feedback signals indicative of the power level, the change associated with one or more perturbations of the amplifier control signal; and

adjust transmission of the wireless communication signal according to the change in the power level.

2. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the control path is further configured to:

determine that the power amplifier is operating in approximately a saturated state based on the change in the power level; and

adjust the transmission of the wireless communication signal by adjusting the control signal in response to determining that the amplifier is operating in approximately the saturated state.

3. The wireless communication element of claim 2 , wherein the control path is further configured to:

compare the change in the power level with a threshold value; and

determine that the power amplifier is operating in approximately the saturated state based on the comparison between the change in the power level and the threshold value.

4. The wireless communication element of claim 2 , wherein the control path is further configured to delay adjusting the control signal for a period of time upon determining that the power amplifier is operating in approximately the saturated state.

5. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the control path is further configured to:

detect a blocker associated with the wireless communication signal based on the change in the power level; and

adjust the transmission of the wireless communication signal in response to detecting the blocker.

6. The wireless communication element of claim 5 , wherein the control path is further configured to:

compare the change in the power level with a change in the control signal associated with the one or more perturbations of the control signal; and

detect the blocker based on the comparison between the change in the power level and the change in the control signal.

7. The wireless communication element of claim 5 , wherein the control path is further configured to delay adjusting the transmission of the wireless communication signal for a period of time upon detecting the blocker.

8. A wireless communication device configured to control transmission of a wireless communication signal comprising:

an amplifier controller communicatively coupled to a power amplifier configured to amplify a power level of a wireless communication signal based on a gain of the power amplifier, the amplifier controller configured to:

generate an amplifier control signal configured to control the gain of the power amplifier, the amplifier control signal including one or more perturbations; and

communicate the amplifier control signal to the power amplifier;

a signal measurement path communicatively coupled to the power amplifier and configured to:

sense one or more digital feedback signals indicative of the power level of the wireless communication signal amplified by the power amplifier; and

generate a digital measurement signal associated with the power level of the wireless communication signal based on the one or more digital feedback signals indicative of the power level; and

a saturation detector communicatively coupled to the signal measurement path and configured to:

receive the digital measurement signal from the signal measurement path;

detect a change in the power level based on the digital measurement signal, the change associated with the one or more perturbations of the amplifier control signal; and

determine that the power amplifier is operating in approximately a saturated state based on the change in the power level.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 8 , wherein the saturation detector is further configured to:

compare the change in the power level with a threshold value; and

determine that the power amplifier is operating in approximately the saturated state based on the comparison between the change in the power level and the threshold value.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 8 , wherein the saturation detector is communicatively coupled to the amplifier controller and further configured to communicate an amplifier adjustment signal to the amplifier controller in response to determining that the power amplifier is operating in approximately the saturated state, the amplifier adjustment signal indicating an adjustment in the amplifier control signal.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the saturation detector is further configured to delay communicating the amplifier adjustment signal for a period of time upon determining that the power amplifier is operating in approximately the saturated state.

12. A wireless communication device configured to control transmission of a wireless communication signal comprising:

an amplifier controller communicatively coupled to a power amplifier configured to amplify a power level of a wireless communication signal based on a gain of the power amplifier, the amplifier controller configured to:

generate an amplifier control signal configured to control the gain of the power amplifier, the amplifier control signal including one or more perturbations; and

communicate the amplifier control signal to the power amplifier;

a signal measurement path communicatively coupled to the power amplifier and configured to:

sense one or more digital feedback signals indicative of the power level of the wireless communication signal amplified by the power amplifier; and

generate a digital measurement signal associated with the power level of the wireless communication signal based on the one or more digital feedback signals indicative of the power level; and

a blocker detector communicatively coupled to the signal measurement path and configured to:

receive the digital measurement signal from the signal measurement path;

detect a change in the power level based on the digital measurement signal, the change associated with the one or more perturbations of the amplifier control signal; and

detect a blocker associated with the wireless communication signal based on the change in the power level.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the blocker detector is further configured to:

compare the change in the power level with a change in the control signal associated with the one or more perturbations of the control signal; and

detect the blocker based on the comparison between the change in the power level and the change in the control signal.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the blocker detector is further configured to adjust transmission of the wireless communication signal in response to detecting the blocker.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the blocker detector is further configured to delay adjusting the transmission of the wireless communication signal for a period of time upon detecting the blocker.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the blocker detector is configured to adjust transmission of the wireless communication signal by delaying transmission of the wireless communication signal.

17. A method in a wireless communication device for controlling transmission of a wireless communication signal comprising:

sensing one or more digital feedback signals indicative of a power level of a wireless communication signal, the power level of the wireless communication signal amplified by a power amplifier according to an amplifier control signal;

determining a change in the power level based on the one or more digital feedback signals indicative of the power level, the change associated with one or more perturbations of the amplifier control signal; and

adjusting transmission of the wireless communication signal according to the change in the power level.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

determining that the power amplifier is operating in approximately a saturated state based on the change in the power level; and

adjusting the transmission of the wireless communication signal by adjusting the control signal in response to determining that the amplifier is operating in approximately the saturated state.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

comparing the change in the power level with a threshold value; and

determining that the power amplifier is operating in approximately the saturated state based on the comparison between the change in the power level and the threshold value.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising delay adjusting the control signal for a period of time upon determining that the power amplifier is operating in approximately the saturated state.

21. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

detecting a blocker associated with the wireless communication signal based on the change in the power level; and

adjusting the transmission of the wireless communication signal in response to detecting the blocker.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

comparing the change in the power level with a change in the control signal associated with the one or more perturbations of the control signal; and

detecting the blocker based on the comparison between the change in the power level and the change in the control signal.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising delaying adjusting the transmission of the wireless communication signal for a period of time upon detecting the blocker.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein adjusting the transmission of the wireless communication signal comprises delaying transmission of the wireless communication signal.