Method and apparatus for switching between multiple waveforms

• US 7,440,517 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mykrolis Corporation (Entegris Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mykrolis Corporation (Entegris Incorporated)
• Inventors: Haddadin, Osama, Henne, Roland R., Hansen, Brad T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghayour; Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Panwalkar; Vineeta S
• Application Number:
  US10/944,685
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 375/316, 375/340, 375/343, 375/222, 375/259, 375/295, 375/322, 375/324, 375/354, 375/371, 375/373, 375/219, 375/358
• US Class Current: 375/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0008 arrangements for allowing a transmitter or receiver to use more than one type of modulation negotiating modulation type for two-way transmission paths H04L5/1453

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for demodulating multiple waveforms, with different modulation formats, in the same hardware by providing a software-configurable demodulator that configures itself in response to varying input waveform types. The system reconfigures its logic to accommodate the format of the signals being received and further allows for reconfiguration of demodulator functional block interfaces to remove downtime during multiple waveform processing.

Claims

1. A method for demodulating a plurality of input waveforms within a first and second demodulator time frame, respectively, within software configurable hardware, the software configurable hardware defined by a plurality of functional blocks, the functional blocks having input nodes, output nodes, and a plurality of feedback nodes, the plurality of feedback nodes defining feedback loops within the hardware, the method comprising:

receiving a first input waveform;

determining a first modulation format type of the first input waveform;

generating a first configuration instruction based on said first modulation format type to the software configurable hardware;

configuring the software configurable hardware in accordance with said first modulation format type specified by said first configuration instruction;

receiving a second input waveform;

determining a second modulation format type of the second input waveform;

generating a second configuration instruction based on said second modulation format type to the software configurable hardware;

configuring the software configurable hardware in accordance with said second modulation format type specified by said second configuration instruction;

determining if said software configurable hardware contains at least one feedback node of said plurality of feedback nodes; and

opening said at least one feedback node during said second demodulator time frame if said first configuration instruction is different from said second configuration instruction thereby allowing concurrent demodulation of multiple waveforms.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein opening said at least one feedback node further includes:

closing said at least one feedback node during a successive demodulator time frame when said first input waveform exits a feedback loop associated with said feedback node.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein determining the first and second modulation format type of said first and said second input waveforms, respectively, further includes processing header information of said first and said second input signals.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein generating said first and said second configuration instructions further includes concurrently storing said first and said second configuration instructions.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the steps of configuring said software configurable hardware during said first and said second demodulation time frames further includes the steps of downloading said stored modulation format configuration data to said software configurable hardware, said modulation configuration data reconfiguring the plurality of functional blocks to demodulate said first and said second input signals.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein determining if said software configurable hardware contains said at least one feedback node further comprises:

searching the plurality of functional blocks for said at least one feedback node.

7. A system in which information is transmitted from a send side to a receive side over a communications channel, the receive side including software configurable logic, the system comprising:

means for determining a plurality of modulation format types; and

means for demodulating the transmitted information, said means for demodulating further comprising means for generating instructions for performing said demodulating based on modulation format configuration data, said means for generating instructions responsive to said means for determining said plurality of modulation format types, said means for determining demodulating further including means for determining feedback loops contained within said software configurable logic, said software configurable logic capable of a plurality of concurrent demodulation configurations corresponding to said modulation format configuration data and said feedback loops.

8. A system as in claim 7, wherein said means for determining said plurality of modulation format types is a host processor, said host processor extracting header information from said transmitted information, said host processor determining said modulation format from said header information.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein said means for demodulating said transmitted information further includes:

a configuration controller; and

a configuration RAM responsive to said configuration controller, wherein said host processor outputs said plurality of modulation format types to said configuration controller, said configuration controller selects from said configuration RAM at least one demodulation mode, the at least one demodulation mode reconfiguring said software configurable logic.

10. A program storage device tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine for demodulating multiple waveforms within software configurable hardware, the software configurable hardware defined by a plurality of functional blocks, the functional blocks having input nodes, output nodes, and a plurality of feedback nodes, the plurality of feedback nodes defining plurality of feedback loops within the hardware, the instructions comprising:

determining a modulation format type of a first input signal during a first demodulation time frame;

generating a first configuration instruction to the software configurable hardware during said first demodulation time frame, based on said modulation format type;

configuring the software configurable hardware during said first demodulation time frame to the modulation format type specified by said first configuration instruction, wherein the software configurable hardware includes logic elements whose functionality is capable of being changed in software;

determining a modulation format type of a second input signal during a second demodulation time frame;

generating a second configuration instruction to the software configurable hardware during said second demodulation time frame, based on said second modulation format type;

configuring the software configurable hardware during said second demodulation time frame to the modulation format type specified by said second configuration instruction, wherein the software configurable hardware includes logic elements whose functionality is capable of being changed in software;

determining if said software configurable hardware at said second demodulator time frame contains at least one feedback node of said plurality of feedback nodes; and

opening said at least one feedback node during said second demodulator time frame if said first configuration instruction is different from said second configuration instruction, thereby allowing concurrent demodulation of multiple waveforms.