Patent ID: 8019336

Claim:
A multifunction slice building block comprising: an antenna interface; n bi directional wideband transceivers, where n is a positive integer greater than 1, each of the n bi directional wideband transceivers being coupled to the antenna interface, the n bi directional wideband transceivers being capable of supporting one or more radio functions from a set of radio functions; m programmable processors, where m is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, each of the m programmable processors being coupled to all the n bi directional wideband transceivers to control operation of, and to process data transmitted and data received through, each of the n bi directional wideband transceivers, and operable to simultaneously support one or more radio function threads corresponding to the one or more radio functions from the 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 multifunction slice building block is combinable with other multifunction slice building blocks to form a programmable electronic radio system that is capable of performing all the radio functions in the set of radio functions, the programmable electronic radio system includes a master processor for controlling the multifunction slice building and the other multifunction slice building blocks to implement all the radio functions in the set of radio functions through the one or more functions threads in each of the multifunction slice building block and the other multifunction slice building blocks, and one of the m programmable processors from the multifunction slice building block and the other multifunction slice building blocks in the programmable electronic radio system can be designated as the master processor or as a replacement master processor if the master processor fails.