Slice based architecture for a multifunction radio

A generic multifunction slice building block comprising:

• an antenna interface;
• n bi directional wideband transceivers, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, each of the n bi directional wideband transceivers being coupled to the antenna interface and being capable of supporting a wide range of radio functions;
• m programmable processors, where m is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, the m programmable processors being coupled to the n bi directional wideband transceivers to control operation of, and to process data transmitted and data received through, the n bi directional wideband transceivers, and operable to support one or more radio function threads from a set of radio functions through the n bi directional wideband transceivers;
• and
• a user data interface for providing control, status, and input/output data between the m programmable processors and a user, wherein
• the generic multifunction slice building block is combinable with other like generic multifunction slice building blocks to form a programmable electronic radio system capable of performing the set of radio functions.

A programmable electronic radio system capable of being re-programmed to perform a desired set of radio functions, comprising:

• a generic multifunction slice building block including
• an antenna interface,
• n bi directional wideband transceivers, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, each of the n bi directional wideband transceivers being coupled to the antenna interface and being capable of supporting a wide range of radio functions,
• m programmable processors, where m is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, the m programmable processors being coupled to the n bi directional wideband transceivers to control operation of, and to process data transmitted and data received through, the n bi directional wideband transceivers, and operable to support one or more radio function threads from a set of radio functions through the n bi directional wideband transceivers, and
• a user data interface for providing control, status and input/output data between the m programmable processors and a user;
• at least one antenna pre-conditioner connected to the antenna interface of the slice;
• at least one antenna that is coupled to the antenna pre-conditioner;
• and
• a general input/output structure that delivers information to and receives information from the multifunction electronic radio system through the user data interface.

An electronic radio system capable of being re-programmed to perform one or more of a desired set of radio functions, the electronic radio system having an architecture defined by a plurality of resource assets comprising:

• at least one multifunction slice including
• an antenna interface,
• at least one bi directional wideband transceiver coupled to the antenna interface,
• at least one processor coupled to the bi directional wideband transceiver to control operation of, and to process data transmitted and data received through, the bi directional wideband transceiver, and
• a user data interface;
• an antenna pre-conditioner connected to the antenna interface of the multifunction slice;
• at least one antenna that is coupled to the antenna pre-conditioner;
• a user input/output bus structure that delivers information to and receives information from the electronic radio system through the user data interface;
• and
• a master processor for providing control over the multifunction slice to program and re-program assignment of function threads to the plurality of resource assets by instructing the multifunction slice to configure signal interconnections between the plurality of resource assets by using only required ones of the plurality of resource assets to implement complete function threads.