Patent ID: 6785556
Filing Date: 2004-08-31
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A detachable software configurable wireless radio frequency (â€œRFâ€ ) modem for facilitating wireless data communications according to a plurality of modes of operation, said RF modem constructed to plug into a host computing device having a storage unit and a central processing unit (â€œCPUâ€ ) operative to download software into said RF modem in response to a trigger signal generated by said RF modem, to enable said RF modem to change from a present mode of operation to a selected alternate mode of operation, said RF modem comprising:an antenna for receiving or transmitting an electromagnetic RF signal; a software configurable RF front end coupled to said antenna for performing RF conversion; a software configurable baseband processor coupled to said RF front end for performing baseband processing; a software configurable modem CPU coupled to said baseband processor and said RF front end for performing protocol stack control and for facilitating said RF modem mode change; and a modem reconfiguration trigger for detecting that at least one predetermined criterion has been met and for generating said trigger signal in response thereto that identifies said selected alternate mode of RF modem operation, said modem CPU operating in response to said downloaded software to reconfigure said RF front end, said baseband processor and said modem CPU so as to cause said RF modem to operate according to said selected alternate mode of operation.