Patent ID: 8428536

Claim:
A receiver, comprising: a first programmable gain element having an input for receiving a radio frequency (RF) input signal, an output, and a control input, said first programmable gain element having gain steps of a first magnitude; a signal processing circuit having an input coupled to said output of said first programmable gain element, and an output; a second programmable gain element having an input coupled to said output of said signal processing circuit, an output, and a control input, said second programmable gain element having gain steps of a second magnitude that is smaller than said first magnitude; said signal processing circuit comprising a third programmable gain element having gain steps of a third magnitude; and a controller having a first output coupled to said control input of said first programmable gain element, and a second output coupled to said control input of said second programmable gain element, wherein said controller adjusts again of the receiver by a first desired gain by changing a sum of gains of said first programmable gain element and said third programmable gain element by a first amount and also changing a gain of said second programmable gain element by substantially a corresponding inverse first amount, and subsequently changing said gain of said second programmable gain element incrementally by steps of said second magnitude to achieve said first desired gain.