Patent ID: 8233849

Claim:
A radio frequency (RF) transmitter having multiple constant output power levels to transmit multiple encoding protocols comprises: baseband transmit processing module operably coupled to encode outbound data into outbound baseband signals in accordance with one of a plurality of encoding protocols, wherein each of the plurality of encoding protocols includes multiple data rates; mixing module operably coupled to convert the outbound baseband signals into outbound RF signals; power amplifier operably coupled to amplify the outbound RF signals prior to transmission to produce amplified outbound RF signals; transmit power sensing module operably coupled to sense the amplified outbound RF signals to provide a transmit signal strength indication (TSSI); and transmit power control module operably coupled to the transmit power sensing module, the baseband transmit processing module, the mixing module, and the power amplifier, wherein the transmit power control module functions to: convert the TSSI into a digital TSSI value; determine an estimated transmit power from the digital TSSI value based on P out — est =(b o +b 1 *TSSI)/(1+a 1 )*TSSI, where P out — est is the estimated transmit power, b o b 1 and a 1 are least square parameters corresponding to functioning of the transmit power sensing module; compare the estimated transmit power with a desired power level; and adjust a gain setting of at least one of the baseband transmit processing module, the mixing module, and the power amplifier when the estimated transmit power compares unfavorably with the desired power level, such that the estimated transmit power approximates the desired power level, in order to control power levels when transmitting at a first power level for a first encoding protocol and transmitting at a second power level for a second encoding protocol.