Programmable radio

A transmitter section for a programmable radio communication system, wherein the transmitter section comprises a radio transmitter and a processor, the processor being configured to:

• execute transmitter firmware;
• execute a transmitter software application;
• and
• operate an interface between the transmitter firmware and the transmitter software application, wherein the interface supports one or more operators, each operator acting on one or more elements, and
• wherein the transmitter firmware comprises instructions for:
• receiving across the interface from the transmitter software application, an operator and an element, associated with a virtual pipe between the transmitter software application and a receiver software application;
• encoding the operator and the element;
• constructing a data packet;
• and
• using the radio transmitter to transmit the radio packet including the encoded operator and element by radio.

A receiver section for a programmable radio communication system, wherein the receiver section comprises radio receiver and a processor, the processor being configured to

• execute receiver firmware;
• execute a receiver software application;
• and
• operate an interface between the receiver firmware and the receiver software application, and
• wherein the receiver firmware comprises instructions for:
• using the radio receiver to receive a data packet including an encoded operator and element;
• deconstructing the data packet;
• decoding the operator and element;
• and
• sending the operator and the element across the interface to the receiver software application, thereby creating a virtual pipe between a transmitter software application and the receiver software application;
• wherein the receiver firmware is configured to use a lookup table to determine said operator and element from a received pipe identifier.

A method of operating a programmable radio communication system having:

• a transmitter section comprising a transmitter and a processor;
• and
• a receiver section comprising a radio receiver and a processor,
• the method comprising the transmitter section:
• executing transmitter firmware on the transmitter section processor;
• executing a transmitter software application on the transmitter section processor;
• operating an interface between transmitter firmware and the transmitter software application, wherein the interface supports one or more operators, each operator acting on one or more elements;
• passing across the interface from the transmitter software application to the transmitter firmware, an operator and an element associated with a virtual pipe;
• using the transmitter firmware to encode the operator and the element;
• constructing a data packet;
• and
• using the radio transmitter to transmit the encoded operator and element by radio,
• the method further comprising the receiver section:
• executing receiver firmware on the receiver section processor;
• execute a receiver software application on the receiver section processor;
• operating an interface between the receiver firmware and the receiver software application;
• using the radio receiver to receive the encoded operator and element;
• using the receiver firmware to deconstruct the data packet and decode the operator and element;
• and
• passing the operator and the element across the interface from the receiver firmware to the receiver software application, thereby creating the virtual pipe between the transmitter software application and the receiver software application wherein the receiver firmware is configured to use a lookup table to determine said operator and element from a received pipe identifier.

A programmable radio communication system, comprising a receiver section wherein the receiver section comprises a radio receiver and a processor, the processor being configured to

• execute receiver firmware;
• execute a receiver software application;
• and
• operate an interface between the receiver firmware and the receiver software application, and
• wherein the receiver firmware comprises instructions for:
• using the radio receiver to receive a data packet including an encoded operator and element;
• deconstructing the data packet;
• decoding the operator and element;
• and
• sending the operator and the element across the interface to the receiver software application, thereby creating a virtual pipe between the transmitter software application and the receiver software application wherein the receiver firmware is configured to use a lookup table to determine said operator and element from a received pipe identifier.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for generating firmware for a programmable radio communication apparatus comprising a radio transmitter or a radio receiver and a processor, said instructions comprising instructions for:

• receiving a definition of an interface which supports one or more operators acting on one or more elements, and
• generating firmware suitable for execution on the processor alongside a software application such that the firmware provides said interface, the firmware comprising instructions (a) for receiving across the interface from the software application an operator and an element, associated with a virtual pipe, for encoding the operator and the element, for constructing a data packet;
• and for using the radio transmitter to transmit the encoded operator and element by radio;
• or (b) for using the radio receiver receiving means to receive an encoded operator and element, for deconstructing the data packet, for decoding the operator and element, and for sending the operator and the element across the interface to the software application wherein the firmware is configured to use a lookup table to determine said operator and element from a received pipe identifier.