Patent ID: 8433273

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a processor; a mixer; and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to measure a signal level of a received signal at an input of the apparatus, stepwise adjust a gain of at least a front-end section and a baseband section of the apparatus with one of a low gain step and a high gain step when the signal level of the received signal at the input of the apparatus exceeds a given sensitivity level, and adjust the front-end section with at least one further gain step when the signal level of the received signal is below the given sensitivity level so that an operation of the front-end section is non-linear, wherein the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, further cause the apparatus at least to decrease an emitter impedance and increase a collector impedance of the mixer.