Virtual machine interface for hardware reconfigurable and software programmable processors

• US 8,595,753 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Chen, Song, Hesky, Kenneth M., Joag, Raju R., Medlock, Joel D., Woodthorpe, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN H
• Application Number:
  US13/223,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20120030692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 719/328, 718/1, 713/100
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a virtual machine interface (VMI) and an application programming interface (API) usable in conjunction with a reconfigurable wireless network communication apparatus. The reconfigurable wireless network communication apparatus comprises a plurality of hardware kernels. The apparatus can be reconfigured to support different or modified communication protocols over time. The VMI comprises a library of software objects. By configuring VMI software objects, a programmer selects the communication protocol used by the reconfigurable wireless network communication apparatus. The API of the present invention provides higher level management of the communication protocol used by a reconfigurable wireless network communication apparatus. The API comprises a library of high level software objects that further abstract hardware details of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for reconfiguring a wireless network communication apparatus comprising:

providing, by a virtual machine interface, a library of software calls for application programs;

calling a plurality of software objects, said software objects having information as to types and numbers of software objects required to perform a particular communication protocol;

translating the application programs by an application translation layer into lower level machine code that is required to control the reconfigurable wireless network communication apparatus, said translating step indirectly manipulating software objects in the virtual machine interface; and

assigning relevant parameter values to the software objects in accordance with the particular communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calling step comprises providing an application program with information as to the type of communication protocol of interest.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the calling step comprises making calls to software objects in an application program interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the calling step comprises making calls directly to software objects in a virtual machine interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising issuing machine readable instructions to the reconfigurable wireless network communication apparatus for execution.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising initially selecting a communication protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein there is at least one hardware kernel assigned to the wireless network communication apparatus for each software object.

8. An apparatus for reconfiguring a wireless network communication apparatus comprising:

a processor running an application program configured to call a plurality of software objects, said software objects having information as to types and numbers of software objects required to perform a particular communication protocol; and

an application translator configured to translate application programs into lower level machine code that is required to control the reconfigurable wireless network communication apparatus, said application translator being configured to indirectly manipulate software objects in a virtual machine interface, wherein the virtual machine interface is configured to provide a library of software calls for the application programs;

wherein relevant parameter values are assigned to the software objects in accordance with the particular communication protocol.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the application program is further configured to make calls to software objects in an application program interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the application program is further configured to make calls directly to software objects in a virtual machine interface.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a virtual machine configured to issue machine readable instructions to the reconfigurable wireless network communication apparatus for execution.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a communication protocol is initially selected.

13. The apparatus of claims 8, wherein there is at least one hardware kernel assigned to the wireless network communication apparatus for each software object.

14. A non-transitory digital storage medium having stored thereon a computer program with a program code for performing, when the program is executed on a computer, a method for reconfiguring a wireless network communication apparatus, comprising:

providing, by a virtual machine interface, a library of software calls for application programs;

calling a plurality of software objects, said software objects having information as to types and numbers of software objects required to perform a particular communication protocol;

translating the application programs by an application translation layer into lower level machine code that is required to control the reconfigurable wireless network communication apparatus, said translating step indirectly manipulating software objects in the virtual machine interface; and

assigning relevant parameter values to the software objects in accordance with the particular communication protocol.