Processing system with RF data bus and method for use therewith

• US 8,069,295 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2010
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Primary Examiner(s): KNOLL, CLIFFORD H
• Application Number:
  US12/941,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 710/306, 710/316, 370342-345, 370347-349, 375/219, 375/222
• US Class Current: 710/306
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A processing system includes a plurality of first circuit modules. A plurality of second circuit modules are coupled to an RF data bus via a 60 GHz communications. The RF data bus receives first data from at least one of the plurality of first circuit modules, and transmits the first data via 60 GHz communications to at least one of the plurality of second circuit modules.

Claims

1. A processing system comprising:

a plurality of first circuit modules;

a wired data bus, connected to the plurality of first circuit modules;

an RF data bus that operates over a 60 GHz communication path and is coupled to receive first data from at least one of the plurality of first circuit modules via the wired data bus, and to transmit the first data over the 60 GHz communication path to at least one of the plurality of second circuit modules; and

a plurality of second circuit modules coupled to the RF data bus via the 60 GHz communication path.

2. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the RF data bus operates via a millimeter wave modem that includes:

a first protocol conversion module coupled to convert the first data to a millimeter wave protocol for transmission over the RF data bus; and

a millimeter wave transceiver coupled to transmit the first data over the 60 GHz communication path.

3. The processing system of claim 2 wherein the millimeter wave modem is further coupled to receive second data from at least one of the plurality of second circuit modules via the RF data bus, and to send the second data over the wired data bus to at least one of the plurality of first circuit modules.

4. The processing system of claim 3 wherein the millimeter wave transceiver is coupled to receive the second data over the 60 GHz communication path, and wherein the millimeter wave modem includes:

a second protocol conversion module coupled to convert the second data from a millimeter wave protocol for transmission over the wired data bus.

5. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the RF data bus includes a RF data bus controller having:

an interface for communicating RF data bus access requests and allocations; and

a controller module coupled to;

receive an access request to the RF data bus via the interface;

determine RF data bus resource availability; and

when sufficient RF data bus resources are available to fulfill the access request, allocate, via the interface, at least one RF data bus resource in response to the access request.

6. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the 60 GHz communication path includes a wave guide.

7. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the 60 GHz communication path includes a free space communication path.

8. A processing system comprising:

a plurality of first circuit modules including a processing module and a memory module;

a wired data bus, connected to the plurality of first circuit modules;

an RF data bus that operates via 60 GHz communications;

a plurality of second circuit modules coupled to the RF data bus via the 60 GHz communications;

wherein the RF data bus is coupled to receive first data from at least one of the plurality of first circuit modules via the wired data bus, and to transmit the first data via the 60 GHz communication path to at least one of the plurality of second circuit modules.

9. The processing system of claim 8 wherein the RF data bus includes a millimeter wave modem that includes:

a first protocol conversion module coupled to convert the first data to a millimeter wave protocol for transmission over the RF data bus; and

a millimeter wave transceiver coupled to transmit the first data via the 60 GHz communications.

10. The processing system of claim 9 wherein the millimeter wave modem is further coupled to receive second data from at least one of the plurality of second circuit modules via the RF data bus, and to send the second data over the wired data bus to at least one of the plurality of first circuit modules.

11. The processing system of claim 10 wherein the millimeter wave transceiver is coupled to receive the second data via the 60 GHz communications, and wherein the millimeter wave modem includes:

a second protocol conversion module coupled to convert the second data from a millimeter wave protocol for transmission over the wired data bus.

12. The processing system of claim 8 wherein the RF data bus includes a RF data bus controller having:

an interface for communicating RF data bus access requests and allocations; and

a controller module coupled to;

receive an access request to the RF data bus via the interface;

determine RF data bus resource availability; and

when sufficient RF data bus resources are available to fulfill the access request, allocate, via the interface, at least one RF data bus resource in response to the access request.

13. The processing system of claim 8 wherein the 60 GHz communications travel via a wave guide.

14. The processing system of claim 8 wherein the 60 GHz communications travel via a free space communication path.

15. A processing system comprising:

a plurality of first circuit modules;

an RF data bus that operates over a 60 GHz communication path;

a plurality of second circuit modules, including a processor and a memory, coupled to the RF data bus via the 60 GHz communication path; and

a millimeter wave modem coupled to receive first data from at least one of the plurality of first circuit modules and to transmit the first data over the RF data bus to at least one of the plurality of second circuit modules.

16. The processing system of claim 15 wherein the millimeter wave modem includes:

a first protocol conversion module coupled to convert the first data to a millimeter wave protocol for transmission over the RF data bus; and

a millimeter wave transceiver coupled to transmit the first data over the 60 GHz communication path.

17. The processing system of claim 16 wherein the millimeter wave modem is further coupled to receive second data from at least one of the plurality of second circuit modules via the RF data bus, and to send the second data to at least one of the plurality of first circuit modules.

18. The processing system of claim 15 wherein the RF data bus includes a RF data bus controller having:

an interface for communicating RF data bus access requests and allocations; and

a processing module coupled to;

receive an access request to the RF data bus via the interface;

determine RF data bus resource availability; and

when sufficient RF data bus resources are available to fulfill the access request, allocate, via the interface, at least one RF data bus resource in response to the access request.

19. The processing system of claim 15 wherein the 60 GHz communication path includes a wave guide.

20. The processing system of claim 15 wherein the 60 GHz communication path includes a free space communication path.