Verifying and mitigating oscillation in amplifiers
A method is provided for detecting and mitigating oscillation in a booster amplifier. The booster amplifier is configured to sample a signal being amplified to determine whether the booster amplifier is oscillating. In addition, the status of the booster amplifier can be verified based on the apparent signal levels of the signals being amplified. The gain of the booster amplifier is then adjusted in accordance with whether the booster amplifier is oscillating or as necessary to maintain gain that is compatible with the system within which the booster amplifier is operating.
1. A method of determining an oscillation amplification margin of a booster amplifier within a wireless network, the method comprising:
amplifying a wireless signal within a wireless network received by a booster amplifier by an amplification factor, the amplification factor being at a first applied amplification factor;
checking for oscillation of the booster amplifier; and
in response to checking for oscillation of the booster amplifier, reducing the first applied amplification factor, the reducing the first applied amplification factor including:
reducing the first applied amplification factor by an amplification factor oscillation margin when the booster amplifier is not oscillating; and
reducing the first applied amplification factor by a particular amount when the booster amplifier is oscillating.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular amount is greater than, less than, or equal to the amplification factor oscillation margin.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the particular amount is greater than the amplification factor oscillation margin, the method further comprises:
checking for oscillation of the booster amplifier when the amplification factor is at a second applied amplification factor less than the first applied amplification factor;
when the booster amplifier is not oscillating, increasing the amplification factor by the amplification factor oscillation margin; and
rechecking for oscillation of the booster amplifier after the increasing the amplification factor.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second applied amplification factor is greater than the first applied amplification factor reduced by the particular amount.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining at least the amplification factor oscillation margin between the amplification factor and an oscillation amplification factor that causes oscillations in the booster amplifier.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amplification factor oscillation margin results in at least an amplification oscillation margin of three decibels.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting the amplification factor to the first applied amplification factor to maintain the amplification factor oscillation margin.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amplification factor oscillation margin is varied based on one or more factors associated with the wireless network.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein checking for oscillation of the booster amplifier includes:
sampling power of the wireless signal in the booster amplifier a plurality of times over a period to obtain a plurality of power samples of the wireless signal;
determining a power ratio of the wireless signal using the plurality of power samples of the wireless signal; and
comparing the power ratio of the wireless signal to a threshold power ratio that is based on a configuration of the wireless network.
10. A method of determining an oscillation amplification margin of a booster amplifier within a wireless network, the method comprising:
amplifying a wireless signal within a wireless network received by a booster amplifier by an applied amplification factor;
increasing the applied amplification factor by an amplification factor oscillation margin;
checking for an oscillation of the booster amplifier when the applied amplification factor is increased by the amplification factor oscillation margin; and
adjusting the applied amplification factor based on whether the booster amplifier is oscillating when checked to maintain at least the amplification factor oscillation margin between the applied amplification factor and an oscillation amplification factor that causes oscillations in the booster amplifier.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein when checking for the oscillation of the booster amplifier indicates an oscillation of the booster amplifier, adjusting the applied amplification includes decreasing the applied amplification factor.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the decrease in the applied amplification factor is less than the amplification factor oscillation margin.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the decrease in the applied amplification factor is more than the amplification factor oscillation margin.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein when checking for the oscillation of the booster amplifier does not indicate oscillation of the booster amplifier, adjusting the applied amplification includes increasing the applied amplification factor.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the increase in the applied amplification factor is less than the amplification factor oscillation margin.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the amplification factor oscillation margin results in at least an amplification oscillation margin of three decibels.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein checking for the oscillation of the booster amplifier includes:
sampling power of the wireless signal within the booster amplifier a plurality of times over a period to obtain a plurality of power samples of the wireless signal;
determining a power ratio of the wireless signal using the plurality of power samples of the wireless signal; and
comparing the power ratio of the wireless signal to a threshold power ratio that is based on a configuration of the wireless network.
18. A method of determining an oscillation amplification margin of a booster amplifier within a wireless network, the method comprising:
amplifying a wireless signal within a wireless network received by a booster amplifier by an amplification factor;
increasing the amplification factor by a first amount;
detecting whether oscillations of the booster amplifier are occurring when the amplification factor is increased by the first amount;
when oscillations of the booster amplifier occur when the amplification factor is increased by the first amount, reducing the amplification factor applied to the wireless signal by a second amount that is greater than the first amount; and
when oscillations of the booster amplifier do not occur when the amplification factor is increased by the first amount, reducing the amplification factor applied to the wireless signal by a third amount that is equal to or less than the first amount.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first amount is an amplification factor margin that is between an operational amplification factor of the booster amplifier and an oscillation amplification factor of the booster amplifier.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first amount amounts to an amplification of at least three decibels.