Patent ID: 7548590

Claim:
A method for determining an offset value for a gain of a transmission path, comprising: providing a transmission path comprising a first discrete-value adjustable amplifier with a first amplifier gain step size and having a second discrete-value adjustable amplifier with a second amplifier gain step size; setting a first total gain factor for the transmission path by programming the first amplifier with a first gain factor and the second amplifier with a second gain factor, respectively; supplying a first test signal to the transmission path and ascertaining a level of a first output signal from the transmission path; altering the second gain factor by at least a second amplifier gain step size, and altering the first gain factor so that the total gain factor remains substantially the same as the first total gain factor; supplying a second test signal to the transmission path and ascertaining a level of a second output signal from the transmission path; and determining an offset value for the second amplifier gain by comparing the ascertained levels of the first and second output signals.