Multi-Processor Platform for Wireless Communication Terminal Having a Partitioned Protocol Stack

Abstract

A multi-mode wireless communication device and multi-mode communication method are disclosed. The multi-mode device includes a first baseband co-processor configured to execute low-level stack operations of a first wireless communications protocol employed within a first wireless communications network. The device also includes a host baseband processor configured to execute a set of protocol stack operations of a second wireless communications protocol employed within a first wireless communications network and higher-level stack operations of the first wireless communications protocol. A data communication channel capable of carrying data received by the multi-mode wireless communication device from the first wireless communications network or sent by the multi-mode wireless communication device through the first wireless communications network is provided between at least the host baseband processor and the first baseband co-processor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-mode wireless communication device, comprising:
 a first processor configured to execute a first portion of stack operations of a first wireless communication protocol, the first portion of stack operations of the first wireless communication protocol including a physical stratum of the first wireless communication protocol; and   a second processor configured to execute a second portion of stack operations of the first wireless communication protocol and a first portion of stack operations of a second wireless communication protocol different from the first wireless communication protocol,   wherein the second portion of stack operations of the first wireless communication protocol includes a protocol stratum of the first wireless communication protocol and a communication stratum common to the first wireless communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol, and   wherein the first portion of stack operations of the second wireless communication protocol includes a protocol stratum of the second wireless communication protocol and the communication stratum.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communication protocol comprises:
 a cellular communication protocol, and   wherein the second wireless communication protocol comprises:   a wireless networking communication protocol.   
     
     
         3 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the physical stratum of the first wireless communication protocol comprises:
 a physical layer module configured to implement bearer-specific stack functions of the first wireless communication protocol; and   a physical stratum buffer associated with the physical layer module.   
     
     
         4 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol stratum of the first wireless communication protocol comprises:
 bearer-specific stack functions of the first wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         5 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication stratum comprises:
 bearer-independent stack functions of the first wireless communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         6 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol stratum of the second wireless communication protocol comprises:
 a medium access control (MAC) layer configured to implement bearer-specific stack functions of the second wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         7 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the second processor is configured to be communicatively coupled to a third processor, the third processor being configured to execute a second portion of stack operations of the second wireless communication protocol, the second portion of stack operations of the first wireless communication protocol including a physical stratum of the second wireless communication protocol. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 7 , wherein the third processor is realized using a chip, the chip being configured to be inserted within the multi-mode wireless communication device. 
     
     
         9 . A chip that is configured to be inserted within a multi-mode wireless communication device, the chip comprising:
 a physical layer module configured to implement a first portion of stack operations of a first wireless communication protocol, the first portion of stack operations of the first wireless communication protocol including a physical stratum of the first wireless communication protocol; and   a physical stratum buffer associated with the physical layer module,   wherein the multi-mode wireless communication device is configured to:
 execute stack operations of a second wireless communication protocol different from the first wireless communication protocol, the stack operations of the second wireless communication protocol including a physical stratum of the second wireless communication protocol, a protocol stratum of the second wireless communication protocol and a communication stratum common to the first wireless communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol, and 
 execute a second portion of stack operations of the first wireless communication protocol, the second portion of stack operations of the first wireless communication protocol including a protocol stratum of the first wireless communication protocol and the communication stratum. 
   
     
     
         10 . The chip of  claim 9 , wherein the first wireless communication protocol comprises:
 a wireless networking communication protocol, and   wherein the second wireless communication protocol comprises:   a cellular communication protocol.   
     
     
         11 . The chip of  claim 9 , wherein the physical stratum of the second wireless communication protocol comprises:
 a physical layer module configured to implement bearer-specific stack functions of the second wireless communication protocol; and   a physical stratum buffer associated with the physical layer module.   
     
     
         12 . The chip of  claim 9 , wherein the protocol stratum of the first wireless communication protocol comprises:
 bearer-specific stack functions of the first wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         13 . The chip of  claim 9 , wherein the communication stratum comprises:
 bearer-independent stack functions of the first wireless communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         14 . The chip of  claim 9 , wherein the protocol stratum of the first wireless communication protocol comprises:
 a medium access control (MAC) layer configured to implement bearer-specific stack functions of the first wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         15 . The chip of  claim 9 , wherein the chip is configured to be inserted within the multi-mode wireless communication device. 
     
     
         16 . A multi-mode wireless communication device, comprising:
 a first processor configured to execute a physical stratum of a first wireless communication protocol; and   a second processor configured to execute:
 a protocol stratum of the first wireless communication protocol, 
 a communication stratum common to the first wireless communication protocol and a second wireless communication protocol different from the first wireless communication protocol, and 
 a protocol stratum of the second wireless communication protocol. 
   
     
     
         17 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 16 , wherein the communication stratum comprises:
 bearer-independent stack functions of the first wireless communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         18 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 16 , wherein the protocol stratum of the second wireless communication protocol comprises:
 a medium access control (MAC) layer configured to implement bearer-specific stack functions of the second wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         19 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 16 , wherein the second processor is configured to be communicatively coupled to a third processor, the third processor being configured to execute a physical stratum of the second wireless communication protocol. 
     
     
         20 . The multi-mode wireless communication device of  claim 19 , wherein the third processor is realized using a chip, the chip being configured to be inserted within the multi-mode wireless communication device.