Cellular modem processing

• US 9,198,224 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2012
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Inventors: Vaglica, John J., Chun, Christopher K. Y., Corleto-Mena, Jose G., Cruz, Arnaldo R., Tao, Jianping, Vu, Mieu V., Elledge, Mark E., Khawand, Charbel, Goldberg, Arthur M., Hayes, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US13/366,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20120183029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,388 Days
• Field of Search: 455/557, 455/84, 455/418, 455/419, 455/556.1, 455/420, 455/414.1, 455/403, 455/407, 455/422.1, 455/425, 455/73, 455/456.6, 455/556.2, 455/550.1, 455/333, 455/552.1, 370/252, 370/347, 370351-356, 370/335, 370493-495, 370/329, 370/337, 370/348, 711/170, 711/173, 713200-201, 713150-154, 713/166, 705 64- 69, 380272-273, 380/275
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

A cellular mobile station including a modem processor and memory. The memory includes instructions for the modem processor to perform layer 1 processor operations, layer 2 processor operations, and layer 3 processor operations. The modem processor executes the instructions to perform processor operations for the cellular mobile station to communication data as per a cellular communications protocol. In one example, the mobile station includes different levels of memory to provide different deterministic access times.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit for a cellular mobile station, the cellular mobile station communicating as per a cellular communication protocol, the integrated circuit comprising:

a cellular modem processor, the cellular modem processor to execute instructions to perform a layer 1 processor operations of the cellular communication protocol, instructions to perform a layer 2 processor operation of the cellular communication protocol, and instructions to perform a layer 3 processor operation of the cellular communication protocol when the integrated circuit is operational; and

a second processor;

at least one memory;

wherein the second processor performs untrusted processor operations, wherein untrusted processor operations are not performed by the cellular modem processor.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein processor operations which have not been validated to be nonmalicious are not performed by the cellular modem processor.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 2 wherein processor operations which have not been validated to be nonmalicious are performed by the second processor.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the second processor does not perform modem processor operations.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 2 wherein the second processor does not perform modem processor operations.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 3 wherein the second processor does not perform modem processor operations.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the cellular modem processor performs all layer 1 processor operations and all layer 2 processor operations performed by the integrated circuit.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 2 wherein the cellular modem processor performs all layer 1 processor operations and all layer 2 processor operations performed by the integrated circuit.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 3 wherein the cellular modem processor performs all layer 1 processor operations and all layer 2 processor operations performed by the integrated circuit.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 4 wherein the cellular modem processor performs all layer 1 processor operations and all layer 2 processor operations performed by the integrated circuit.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein processor operations which have not been validated to be nonmalicious are performed by the second processor.

12. A method of performing processor operations comprising:

performing a plurality of layer 1 processor operations in accordance with a cellular communication protocol by a cellular modem processor,

performing a layer 2 processor operation in accordance with the cellular communication protocol by the cellular modem processor; and

performing a layer 3 processor operation in accordance with the cellular communication protocol by the cellular modem processor,

performing processor operations by a second processor located on the same integrated circuit as the cellular modem processor, wherein the processor operations performed by the second processor include an untrusted processor operation, wherein untrusted processor operations are not performed by the cellular modem processor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein processor operations which have not been validated to be nonmalicious are not performed by the cellular modem processor.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the processor operations performed by the second processor include a processor operation not validated to be nonmalicious.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the second processor does not perform modem processor operations.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the second processor does not perform modem processor operations.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the processor operations performed by the second processor include a processor operation not validated to be nonmalicious.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the cellular modem processor performs all layer 1 processor operations and all layer 2 processor operations performed by the integrated circuit.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the second processor does not perform modem processor operations.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the second processor executes application instructions.