Patent ID: 7555270

Claim:
A method for detecting power in a communication system, comprising: providing a source signal that has a power level within a range; generating a detector signal with a magnitude relative to the power level of the source signal; generating a plurality of amplified detector signals each of which being a product of amplification by a gain of the detector signal, each gain being distinct and having a predetermined gain value; selecting as an output signal one of the plurality of amplified detector signals; switching the selection as output signal to another one of the plurality of amplified detector signals in response to the output signal reaching one of a plurality of thresholds, wherein the plurality of thresholds are predetermined, in a pre-calibration, based on the predetermined gain values and amplitudes of the output signal in order to substantially avoid saturation of an analog-to-digital converter and sense detectable power levels across the range; converting the switched output signal from an analog signal to a digital signal with the analog-to-digital converter; and associating the power level to the output signal, wherein the switching increases the range of power levels that are detectable.