Self-booting software defined radio module

• US 7,404,074 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SCA Technica, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SCA Technica, Inc.
• Inventors: Murotake, David K
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yanchus, III, Paul B
• Application Number:
  US10/618,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,835 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0003 Software-defined radio [SDR] systems, i.e. systems wherein components typically implemented in hardware, e.g. filters or modulators/demodulators, are implented using software, e.g. by involving an AD or DA conversion stage such that at least part of the signal processing is performed in the digital domain digital baseband systems H04L25/00; digital modulation/demodulation H04L27/00; CDMA H04B1/707; TDMA H04B7/2643; image transmission H04N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0028 wherein the AD/DA conversion occurs at baseband stage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes

Abstract

The invention in the simplest form is a self-booting software defined radio (SDR) module which may be embodied as a PCMCIA, Compact Flash, or other plug in form factor module. The performance characteristics of the module, may include the radio frequency (RF) carrier frequency, instantaneous RF bandwidth, carrier modulation and demodulation, symbol coding and decoding, security, and network protocol that can be altered and saved by means of computer software transferred to the module from a host device such as a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, lap top computer or other programming device.

Claims

1. A self-booting software defined radio (SDR) module that interfaces with a host system, said module comprising:

a modulation/demodulation section with a stored run-time kernel, wherein a processing unit of said modulation/demodulation section executes said run time kernel;

an interface mechanism coupling said host system to said module, wherein said host system provides a plug-and-play capability and a set of reconfiguration information, and wherein said interface mechanism is a plug-and-play interface mechanism;

a front end unit receiving communications signals and processing said communications signals using said reconfiguration information; and

a multi-port crossbar coupled to said front end unit.

2. A self-booting software defined radio (SDR) module that interfaces with a host system, said module comprising:

a modulation/demodulation section with a stored run-time kernel, wherein a processing unit of said modulation/demodulation section executes said run time kernel;

an interface mechanism coupling said host system to said module, wherein said host system provides a plug-and-play capability and a set of reconfiguration information, and wherein said interface mechanism is a plug-and-play interface mechanism; and

a front end unit receiving communications signals and processing said communications signals using said reconfiguration information;

said

modulation/demodulation section comprising a high speed fabric.

3. A software reconfigurable radio/wireless module employing a software communications architecture (SCA), comprising:

at least one processor unit;

at least one memory unit coupled to said processor unit by a control bus;

a plurality of reconfigurable elements;

an interface mechanism for transferring reconfiguration information from a host device to said reconfigurable elements, wherein said interface mechanism is a plug-and-play interface mechanism;

at least one radio frequency interface block; and

at least one multi-port reconfigurable crossbar switch with bi-directional ports coupling to said radio frequency interface block and to said processor unit.

4. The software reconfigurable radio/wireless module according to claim 3, wherein said radio frequency interface comprises at least one switchably coupled antenna.

5. The software reconfigurable radio/wireless module according to claim 3, wherein said multi-port crossbar switch uses a serial digital interface.

6. The software reconfigurable radio/wireless module according to claim 3, wherein said reconfigurable elements comprise reconfigurable transceivers.

7. The software reconfigurable radio/wireless module according to claim 3, wherein said multi-port crossbar switch uses a serial digital interface.

8. A switched fabric software defined radio module, comprising:

at least two reconfigurable logic devices on said module, wherein said reconfigurable logic devices are each comprising;

a front end unit for transmission and reception of information signals;

a processing unit;

a memory section;

a crossbar switch; and

an internal fabric interface, wherein said processing unit, said memory section, and said crossbar switch are coupled to said internal fabric interface.

9. The switched fabric software defined radio module according to claim 8, wherein said crossbar switch is configured as a ring.

10. The switched fabric software defined radio module according to claim 8, wherein said devices further comprises a software communications architecture (SCA) run time kernel.