Simultaneous data packet processing

Abstract

A packet controller for simultaneous processing of data packets transmitted via a plurality of communication channels includes a plurality of inputs to receive a respective plurality of signals, such that each of the plurality of signals is indicative of a presence of a data packet on a respective one of the plurality of communication channels, a clock source to supply a periodic clock signal, a plurality of independent processing modules coupled to the respective plurality of inputs to simultaneously process the plurality of signals, such that each of the plurality of independent processing modules implements a respective state machine driven by the periodic clock signal to process the respective signal independently of every other one of the plurality of processing modules, and an output to transmit an output signal indicative of a presence of at least one data packet on one or more of the plurality of communication channels.

1 . A radio interface circuit for use in a wireless communication network analyzer that simultaneously captures communications on a plurality of radio frequency (RF) carriers, the radio interface circuit comprising:
 an RF input to receive a signal associated with the plurality of RF carriers from an antenna;   a splitting module communicatively coupled to the RF input to split the received signal into a plurality of signals; wherein the splitting module includes a plurality of outputs at which the splitting module outputs the respective plurality of signals;   a plurality of radio transceivers, each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of outputs to process the plurality of signals in parallel and generate a respective plurality of data streams; and   a processing unit communicatively coupled to the plurality of radio transceivers to process data associated with the plurality of data streams.   
     
     
         2 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising an amplifier disposed downstream of the RF input and upstream of the splitting module to amplify the received signal prior to splitting the received signal at the splitter. 
     
     
         3 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the splitting module includes:
 a first-stage splitter having an input coupled to the RF input, and a multiplicity of outputs; and   a multiplicity of second-stage splitters, each having an input coupled to a respective one of the multiplicity of outputs of the first-stage splitter, and a plurality of outputs; wherein the pluralities of outputs of the multiplicity of second-stage splitters define the plurality of outputs of the splitting module.   
     
     
         4 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the splitting module further includes a multiplicity of second-stage amplifiers, each disposed between a respective one of the multiplicity of outputs and a respective one of the multiplicity of second-stage splitters. 
     
     
         5 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a packet controller coupled to the plurality of radio transceivers and to the processing unit, the packet controller configured to simultaneously process data packets included in the plurality of data streams to generate an output data stream, and to provide the output data stream to the processing unit. 
     
     
         6 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a clock source to generate a clock signal and provide the clock signal to each of the plurality of radio transceivers. 
     
     
         7 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a packet controller including:
 a plurality of inputs, each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of radio transceivers;   a clock source to supply a periodic clock signal;   a plurality of independent state machines, each driven by the periodic clock signal and coupled to a respective one of the plurality of inputs to simultaneously process a respective one of the plurality of data streams; and   a multiplexer coupled to the plurality of independent state machines to provide an output data stream that includes data packets from the plurality of data streams; wherein the output data stream is provided to the processing unit.   
     
     
         8 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a packet controller including:
 a plurality of inputs to receive a respective plurality of data packet start signals from the plurality of radio transceivers, each of the plurality of data packet start signals being indicative of a start of reception of a data packet by a respective one of the plurality of radio transceivers;   a plurality of independent processing modules coupled to the respective plurality of inputs to simultaneously process the plurality of data packet start signals, wherein each of the plurality of independent processing modules implements a respective state machine driven by a periodic clock signal to process a respective data packet start signal independently of every other one of the plurality of processing modules; and   an output to transmit an output signal indicative of a presence of at least one data packet on one or more of the plurality of RF carriers.   
     
     
         9 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 8 , wherein the packet controller further comprises a mode selection input to receive a selection signal from the processing unit to select between at least a receive mode and a control mode of operation of the packet controller, wherein:
 the receive mode corresponds to receiving data packets from the plurality of radio transceivers and forwarding the received data packets to the processing unit, and   the control mode corresponds to receiving control data from the processing unit and forwarding the received control data to a specified one of the plurality of radio transceivers.   
     
     
         10 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of inputs is a first plurality of inputs and the output is a first output, and wherein the packet controller further-comprises:
 a second plurality of inputs to receive a respective plurality of data packet signals from the respective plurality of radio transceivers, each of the plurality of data packet signals conveying the data packet received by the respective one of the plurality of radio transceivers on the respective one of the plurality of RF carriers;   a multiplexer coupled to the plurality of independent processing modules; and   a second output coupled to the multiplexer to transmit the data packets received on the plurality of RF carriers.   
     
     
         11 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the periodic clock signal is a first periodic clock signal provided by a first clock source having a first clock cycle duration;   the packet controller is further configured to receive a second periodic clock signal provided by a second clock source having a second clock cycle duration shorter than the first clock cycle duration;   the first periodic clock signal drives state transitions of each of the plurality of independent processing modules, and   the second periodic clock signal is used to execute instructions in each of the plurality of independent processing modules.   
     
     
         12 . The radio interface circuit of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of inputs is a first plurality of inputs, and the packet controller further comprises a second plurality of inputs to receive a respective plurality of data packet end signals from the plurality of radio transceivers, each of the plurality of data packet end signals being indicative of an end of reception of the data packet by the respective one of the plurality of radio transceivers. 
     
     
         13 . A method for a wireless communication network analyzer to simultaneously capture communications on a plurality of radio frequency (RF) carriers, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the wireless communication network analyzer, an RF input associated with the plurality of RF carriers;   splitting, by the wireless communication network analyzer, the received RF input into a plurality of signals;   providing the plurality of signals to a plurality of radio transceivers of the wireless communication network analyzer;   generating, in parallel by the plurality of radio transceivers, a respective plurality of data streams from the plurality of signals; and   processing, by the wireless communication network analyzer, the respective plurality of data streams to generate process data.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein receiving the RF input comprises receiving the RF input using a single antenna of the wireless communication network analyzer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of:
 splitting the received RF input comprises splitting the received RF input into a plurality of copies of the received RF input;   splitting the received RF input comprises splitting the received RF input using multiple stages of splitting; or   the method further comprises amplifying the received RF input prior to splitting the received RF input.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising generating, by each of the plurality of radio transceivers at least one of: (i) a respective packet start signal indicative of a beginning of a data packet included in a respective data stream, or (ii) a packet end signal indicative of an end of the data packet. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein processing the respective plurality of data streams to generate the process data comprises processing the respective plurality of data streams in parallel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein processing the respective plurality of data streams in parallel comprises simultaneously driving a plurality of state machines using a periodic clock signal to retrieve data packets corresponding to a respective plurality of data packet start signals corresponding to respective data packets included in the plurality of data streams. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of state machines corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of RF carriers and uses a respective one of the plurality of data streams. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein processing the respective plurality of data streams to generate the process data comprises multiplexing the plurality of data streams into a single data stream including the process data.