Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer data routing – Least weight routing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-02
2002-03-05
Banankhah, Majid A. (Department: 2151)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer data routing
Least weight routing
C709S241000, C709S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06353846
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
(Not Applicable)
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to resource management and more particularly to resource managed electronic systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, electronic and manufacturing systems have been designed and implemented to perform specific pre-defined functions. Such functions have typically been analyzed as part of the system development and design so that the proper resources, e.g. software and hardware are integrated into the final system which are adequate to allow the system to perform the pre-defined function for which it was intended. Significantly, however, as systems have developed a greater degree of microprocessor control and software dependence, there has arisen a potential for greater flexibility in the various functions which may be performed. If the necessary hardware resources are available to the system and proper software is provided, a variety of different functions may be provided using the same equipment. One example of such a system would be a spacecraft or earth satellite for which mission requirements may vary over time. It is desirable in such cases to reconfigure the spacecraft or earth satellite in such case to perform a new function. The need to reconfigure the spacecraft or electronic system in this way may be the result of obsolescence of an older technology or simply the changing functionality needed on a day to day basis. In any case, there exists the potential need to reconfigure the operation of an existing electronic system without exceeding the capabilities of the available resources which comprise the system.
Another type of electronic system which often needs to be reconfigured for varying functions are communications radios. It may be noted that recent developments in radio technology have resulted in continuing advances and ever changing requirements in the field of communications. This is particularly true in the field of certain types of military and civilian communications equipment which must be capable of providing communications using a variety of different air interfaces, tranceive frequencies, modulation techniques, encoding schemes, messaging protocols, and the like. In the past, a variety of purpose built communications equipment has been manufactured to satisfy the needs for each application. Such equipment has typically included a unique combination of various customized RF circuitry, modulation and demodulation components, specialized signal processing components, some form of output driver for communicating with a user and related data processing equipment. Some of these components were implemented as software whereas others have been implemented as hardware. As technology advances, however, it has been found that such systems can quickly become obsolete, requiring the purchase of new equipment necessary to ensure compatibility with state of the art communication systems. Such has been the case with certain cellular telephone technologies, for example. Alternatively, a particular communication system which may be configured for operation in one geographic area and/or service requirement may be unsuitable for use in another geographic area or service requirement due to differences in algorithms used or other system specific issues. Alternatively, a radio may concurrently need to provide one or more different types of communication functions.
One solution which has been proposed to address these issues as concerns communications equipment is the software definable radio (SDR). Such systems would utilize a limited amount of generic radio hardware and related computer processing hardware to implement many of the radio component functions as software algorithms running on special purpose digital processors. General purpose transceivers could then be built that would be capable of downloading any necessary software algorithms or radio component functions, for example, over the airwaves. This new breed of radio would be capable of reconfiguring themselves in this way so as to talk with to any other radio, regardless of its signal format. Theoretically, such radio units would never become obsolete. Significantly, however, in the case of the modern multi-band multi-functional radios which are presently required for many military and commercial applications, the resource management problem which arises in creating or reconfiguring an SDR is complex. Such systems may provide a dozen or more communication links simultaneously for various purposes, each having unique requirements with regard to radio component functionality. For example, required multi-band multi-functional communications terminals, may provide programmable modulation and demodulation, as well as link, network, user interface and message processing capabilities. Each communication link may require certain RF components, antenna interface components, signal processing components, decoding components, encryption algorithms, output drivers, and the like. Moreover, in certain cases, a multi-band multi-functional SDR may need to be reconfigured rapidly to perform a new set of functions. This might occur, for example, in the case of an aircraft communications suite wherein the aircraft is to be used in several different operating areas, for several different missions or for several phases of the same mission. In such cases, a difficulty arises in that the SDR possesses limited resources. For example, the communications terminal may have only a limited number of programmable microprocessors, multi-band transceivers, mass storage units, encryption units, and so on.
When the SDR or any other electronic system such as an earth satellite or spacecraft is to be reconfigured for a new set of mission requirements, it is necessary to provide some means for allocating such resources among the various new functions which are required. In the case of the SDR, resources must be allocated among the various radio communication links which are to be established for a mission. In the case of a spacecraft, the equipment needed to perform various functions must be allocated. In either case, the problem is particularly acute in situations where the equipment needed to perform a particular function or provide a particular communication link must share componentry with other functional blocks or communication links so that all may operate concurrently.
Resource sharing can occur in a variety of ways. For example, a multi-band transceiver can be time or band shared between different communication links. Information security (“infosec”) coder/decoder units and message processors can be time shared or multi-tasked to function concurrently for more than one link. RF modules and antenna interface modules can be designed to offer a plurality of RF channels which may be shared among the various virtual communication units which are currently implemented in the SDR. In any case, each virtual communication unit or link will demand a certain portion of a shared module's total available functionality. Significantly, however, the total demands placed on a particular shared module cannot exceed the total available functionality provided by the module.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a resource manager for an electronic system. For convenience, the invention will be described in relation to a resource managed software definable radio (SDR) for providing a desired virtual communication unit or link. However, it should be understood that the resource management system as described herein may be used for any complex reconfigurable electronic or manufacturing system, including for example a spacecraft, earth orbiting satellite or a plurality of factory resources.
In general, the invention concerns a property based decision support system and method for allocating existing resources to implement a functional unit. The system assumes a plurality of resource modules, each providing a component function for implementing a portion of the functional uni
Akerman & Senterfitt
Banankhah Majid A.
Harris Corporation
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