Multi-processor platform for wireless communication terminal having partitioned protocol stack

A method performed in a wireless communication device disposed for communication with first and second wireless communications networks in accordance with first and second wireless communication protocols, respectively, said method comprising:

• executing low-level stack operations of said first wireless communications protocol within a first baseband co-processor;
• executing a set of protocol stack operations of a second wireless communications protocol and higher-level stack operations of said first wireless communications protocol within a host baseband processor;
• and
• establishing a data communication channel between said host baseband processor and said first baseband co-processor capable of carrying data received by said wireless communication device from said first wireless communications network or sent by said wireless communication device through said first wireless communications network.

A multi-mode wireless communication device, comprising:

• a first bearer-specific processor configured to execute low-level stack operations of a first wireless communications protocol employed within a first wireless communications network;
• a second bearer-specific processor configured to execute low-level stack operations of a second wireless communications protocol employed within a second wireless communications network;
• a primary processor configured to execute higher-level stack operations common to said first and second wireless communications protocols;
• a radio transceiver;
• and
• means for communicating data between said radio transceiver, said primary processor, said first bearer-specific processor and said second bearer-specific processor.

A multi-mode wireless communication device, comprising:

• a first integrated circuit configured to execute low-level stack operations of a first wireless communications protocol employed within a first wireless communications network;
• a second integrated circuit configured to execute low-level stack operations of a second wireless communications protocol employed within a second wireless communications network;
• a third integrated circuit configured to execute higher-level stack operations of said first wireless communications protocol and of said second wireless communications protocol;
• a first data communications channel between said first integrated circuit and said third integrated circuit;
• and
• a second data communications channel between said second integrated circuit and said third integrated circuit.