Patent ID: 8862253

Claim:
A gain control module comprises: an amplifier having a first input, a second input, and an output; a least significant bit (LSB) gain stage to produce a LSB gain on an output based on an LSB portion of a gain control signal, wherein the LSB gain stage receives an input signal, wherein a number of taps in the LSB gain stage varies and is determined in response to a number of bits in the LSB portion of the gain control signal, and a ratio between the number of taps in the LSB gain stage to the number of bits in the LSB portion of the gain control signal is greater than a one to one ratio; and a most significant bit (MSB) gain stage having a first input, a second input, and an output, the MSB gain stage to produce an MSB gain on the output of the MSB gain stage based on an MSB portion of the gain control signal, wherein the first input of the MSB gain stage is coupled to the output of the LSB gain stage, the output of the MSB gain stage is coupled to the first input of the amplifier, and the second input of the MSB gain stage is coupled to the output of the amplifier, wherein the gain control module amplifies the input signal in accordance with the gain control signal, wherein a number of taps in the MSB gain stage varies and is determined in response to a number of bits in the MSB portion of the gain control signal, and a ratio between the number of taps in the MSB gain stage to the number of bits in the MSB portion of the gain control signal is greater than a one to one ratio.