WO2009086672A1

WO2009086672A1 - Network interface card for wimax system

Info

Publication number: WO2009086672A1
Application number: PCT/CN2007/003964
Authority: WO
Inventors: Junping Guo; Bin Yang
Original assignee: Zte Corporation
Priority date: 2007-12-29
Filing date: 2007-12-29
Publication date: 2009-07-16

Abstract

A network interface card (NIC) for WiMAX system is provided. The NIC includes: a hardware sub-system used for baseband and RF processing, which includes an interface module which meets requirement of predetermined standard serial data bus and is used for data exchange between host and NIC; a processing sub-system, which is used for managing the NIC and supporting the processes it executes; a physical interface sub-system, which has a predetermined physical structure and is connected to interface module and is the physical interface between host and NIC. The invention enables efficient integration of WiMAX technology and Express interface technology and presents the advantages of faster speed, less cost, a simple, compact structure, greater compatibility with host, logical layout, stronger functionality and convenience of use.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of communications, and in particular, to a global access for ί: wave access

(Network of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, WiMAX) system. BACKGROUND Currently, in the communication and information service industries, wired information networks occupy a dominant position, and wired information networks can provide good information services for hundreds of millions of users around the world. However, the need for wired support in wired information networks limits the geography and timeliness of people using Internet services. The existing uplink and downlink rates and bandwidths provided by wireless access technologies are far from meeting the requirements of people, resulting in the use of wireless. The user accessing the service is in a waiting state for a long time, and the user's body-face is lowered. As we all know, mobile communication is one of the fastest growing industries in the world today. Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) is a wireless broadband technology that is a wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN) technology and a new air interface standard for microwave and millimeter wave bands. . In order to support mobile features, WiMAX Forum has added new technical features such as handover, quality of service (QoS), multiple input and multiple output (MIMO), adaptive modulation and coding (AMC), and security to IEEE 802.16d, forming 802.16. c It can be used in portable and mobile scenarios, and also supports fixed scenarios, where mobile data services are the main application aspects in mobile scenarios. Among the various wireless network cards that are currently publicly launched, most of them are based on CDMA IX technology.

PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card, however, this kind of network card not only has many problems such as slow Internet access speed and unstable performance, but also can not adapt to laptops or other Hosts because most of them use the more outdated PCMCIA interface technology. Trends and trends in the development of (host) interfaces. Today, the USB interface-based Express interface technology represents the development trend of Host interfaces such as notebook computers. To this end, the wireless Internet technology that combines the latest WiMAX technology tailored for mobile Internet services with the Express interface technology that represents the development trend of the interface will become an inevitable trend in the development of mobile Internet. However, no technology has been proposed to combine WiMAX technology with Express interface technology. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a network card for a microwave access global interworking system, so as to realize an effective combination of the Express interface technology and the global interoperability technology for microwave access. . A network card for a microwave access global interworking system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a hardware subsystem for implementing baseband processing and radio frequency processing, and an interface module having a serial data bus satisfying a predetermined specification, and an interface module for Data transfer with the host; processing subsystem, connected to the hardware subsystem for managing the network card, and supporting the processing performed by the network card; and a physical interface subsystem having a predetermined specification structure and connected to the interface module As a physical interface between the network card and the host. The hardware subsystem may further include: a baseband processing module and a radio frequency module and an antenna unit that are matched with each other, wherein the baseband processing and the radio frequency module that are matched with each other implement the above-mentioned baseband processing and radio frequency processing by combining the antenna units. Moreover, the above baseband processing and radio frequency processing include allocating a PHY (physical layer) and a MAC (Media Access Control Layer), providing independent firmware or software to the allocated PHY, loading and using firmware, controlling channel bandwidth and data rate, signaling, Peripheral management, data processing, and control of subsystems. The antenna unit includes a primary antenna and a secondary antenna, wherein the primary antenna is a two-way transceiver antenna connected to the transmitting branch and the receiving branch of the radio frequency module; the auxiliary antenna is a one-way receiving antenna connected to the receiving branch of the radio frequency unit. In addition, the processing subsystem includes: a host side processing subsystem, including a host driver and a management control module, configured to manage the network card, wherein the management control module includes at least an open mobile alliance module; and a device side processing subsystem, including The firmware, the physical interface subsystem driver module, the chip boot module, and the firmware download module are used to support the processing performed by the network card. In addition, the above predetermined specifications include: USB 2.0 protocol specification, PCI Express protocol specification. Moreover, the structure of the above predetermined specifications includes: a 34 mm fast network card structure. Through the above technical solution of the present invention, the WiMAX technology can be effectively combined with the Express interface technology, and has the advantages of high speed, low cost, compact structure, good compatibility with the host, reasonable layout, powerful function, and convenient use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are set to illustrate,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network card for a WiMAX system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a processing subsystem in a network card according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. Schematic diagram of powering up and running firmware for the NIC system of the WiMAX system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In this embodiment, a network card for a WiMAX system is provided to implement an effective combination of an Express interface technology and WiMAX. FIG. 1 shows the structure of a network card for a microwave access global interworking system according to the present embodiment. The interface module 108 mainly refers to the circuit of the interface; and the physical interface subsystem not shown in FIG. 1 mainly refers to the shape of the interface, which is supported by the interface module 108 when implementing data transmission. Wherein, from a protocol perspective, the predetermined specification of the interface module 108 may be a USB 2.0 protocol specification and a PCI Express protocol specification. From a structural point of view, the structure of the predetermined specification of the physical interface subsystem may be a 34 mm fast network card structure. As shown in FIG. 1, the network card for the microwave access global interworking system according to the embodiment includes: a hardware subsystem for implementing baseband processing and radio frequency processing, and an interface module having a serial data bus satisfying a predetermined specification. 108, used for data transmission with the host; processing subsystem (not shown in Figure 1), used to manage the network card, and support the processing performed by the network card; and interface subsystem, as the network card and host (Host The physical interface between them is connected to the interface module 108. The hardware subsystem may further include: a baseband processing module 101 and a radio frequency module 104 and an antenna unit 109 that are matched with each other; wherein the baseband processing 101 and the radio frequency module 104 that are matched with each other pass The above-described baseband processing and radio frequency processing are implemented in conjunction with the antenna unit 109. Moreover, the above baseband processing and radio frequency processing include allocating PHY and MAC, providing independent firmware or software to the allocated PHY, adding and using firmware, controlling channel bandwidth and data rate, signaling, peripheral management, data processing, and The subsystem controls. The antenna unit 109 includes a main antenna 110 and an auxiliary antenna 111. The main antenna 110 is a bidirectional transmitting and receiving antenna, and is connected to the transmitting branch 106 and the receiving branch 107 of the radio frequency module 104. The auxiliary antenna 111 is a unidirectional receiving antenna and is connected to the radio frequency. The receiving branch 107 of unit 104. In addition, the processing subsystem (described later with reference to FIG. 2) includes: a host-side processing subsystem, including a host driver and a management control module, configured to manage the network card, wherein the management control module includes at least an Open Mobile Alliance. The module and the device-side processing subsystem include firmware, a physical interface subsystem driver module, a chip boot module, and a firmware download module for supporting processing performed by the network card. In practical application, the specific structure: ^Bottom: The baseband module 101 of the WiMAX wireless Express network card according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 provides a host USB and port interface, and adopts a DDR RAM 102 port serial EEPROM 103 scheme. The RF module 101 is paired with the baseband module 104. The baseband module 101 employs a high performance OFDM modulation mode, preferably OFDM-256 (IEEE 802.16d) and OFDMA (IEEE 802.16e) PHY and MAC allocation, providing independent firmware/software for these PHYs, and can support Programmatic control of channel bandwidth and data rate, support for a wide range of applications and adjustments, and support for firmware from the host side to RAM and protocol stack and application layer operation. The baseband module 101 supports a maximum bandwidth of 10MHz, can be programmed for MAC and software applications, and integrates a 10/100 MAC, an online encryption process and a TDM interface controller enabling IP-based applications and voice applications. In addition, the module provides analog input and output interfaces to the RF module 104 and a digital interface to the Ethernet port PHY. In addition, the WIMAX baseband module 101 provides firmware/software for the OFDMA PHY. The radio frequency module 104 of the WiMAX wireless Express network card according to the embodiment of the present invention in FIG. 1 can support the 2x 1 radio frequency antenna interface 105, supports the frequency band defined by the WiMAX standard, and preferably can perform QPSK:, 16QAM, and 64QAM. Modulation. The RF module 104 includes two portions, a transmit branch 106 and a receive branch 107. The module can adopt the common RF module currently used, and has the characteristics of powerful function, high integration, low power consumption, and good scalability. The interface module 108 satisfies the serial data bus of the USB 2.0 specification or the PCI Express protocol specification for data transmission, and the interface subsystem conforms to the physical specification of the 34 mm Express card, which together implement the connection of the network card to a host such as a computer.

The antenna unit 109 of the WiMAX wireless Express network card can adopt two external antennas, including the transmitting and receiving bidirectional main antenna 110, and the auxiliary antenna 111 for receiving only. At the same time, two RF test sockets are also provided, and the test socket can also be used as a remote device. The interface of the antenna. 2 shows a processing subsystem of a WiMAX wireless Express network card in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the host side processing subsystem and the device side processing subsystem are specifically included. The host side processing subsystem is composed of a Host driver 202, an operating system application program interface (OS API) 203, an OS upper application layer 204, a chip API 205, an encapsulation layer 206, a management control module 207, and a graphical user interface module 208. The Host driver 202 can include an operating system kernel (OS enel) 209 and a WiMAX Drive 210 (WiMAX driver). The Host driver 202 and the management control module 207 are connected by an encapsulation layer 206. The management control module 207 includes a plurality of modules, such as an OMA submodule 211, a management control submodule 212, and a database submodule 213. The Host driver provides the NIC with the drivers needed to run on the Host, thereby coordinating the device hardware and software. The management control module 207 is configured to support an upper graphical user interface module 208, which may include a CM (Connect Manager Connection Manager) 214 and a DM (Device Manager Device Manager) 215.

The OMA submodule 211 of the WiMAX Wireless Express Network Card can perform the following advanced functions: (1) configure the device to match network parameter settings; (2) device dialog and monitoring support, QoS and performance feedback; (3) install new applications, Open new service items; (4) Backup, restore, erase, LOCK:, and unlock the device files or parameters; (5) Value-added services; (6) Enhance the characteristics of mobile devices to personalize them. The module also performs upgrade processing of baseband part firmware, read-only file subsystems, software applications, configuration files, and more. The firmware or parameter upgrade can be downloaded by FOTA (Fiware Over The Air) or other methods, and the firmware or parameters can be upgraded in differential mode, overall mode or other feasible methods.

The CM 213 (Connect Manager) sub-module is used to implement user connection management and is a UI application that directly faces the user. At the same time, it cooperates with the OMA-DM function to complete the operation service of the operator. For example, the user accesses the network by clicking a button on the CM, completes the configuration and saving of the Credential (user name/password), selects the manual or automatic login mode, supports multi-user access, displays the working status of the device, and displays the device running. Parameters and information, complete the device customer service wizard and other functions. The device side processing subsystem 216 of the network card is composed of firmware (Firmware) 218, an interface (e.g., Express interface) drive module 218, a chip boot bootstrap module (not shown;), a firmware download module (not shown), and the like. It is mainly used to implement WiMAX access, link establishment, etc., similar software or protocol stack functions of other standard terminals, as well as driver for Express interface, booting of WiMAX main chip, firmware download when subsystem is powered on. And other functions. Preferably, the present invention can be constructed in consideration of both thermal design, safety design, electromagnetic compatibility design, component optimization and derating design, redundant design, in-machine test design, and the like, and in the graphical user interface module 208 The design aspect can consider the friendliness of the user interface. Therefore, the present invention functions as a data access device, and the physical interface adopts a standard 34 mm Express card structure, and draws on the experience and general-purpose devices of other Express cards disclosed in the market to perform data using a serial data bus that satisfies the USB 2.0 specification. Transmission, can be directly applied to laptops or other hosts, enabling the host to easily access WiMAX systems; providing a complete solution in the hardware subsystem, providing a complete commercial subsystem solution in the software subsystem, in the structure The subsystem meets the physical specifications of the 34mm Express card. It is not difficult to see that the present invention is simple in structure, easy to carry, easy to use, fast in network speed (can provide downlink data transmission capability of 10 Mbps/upstream 3 Mbps), simple and convenient operation, low cost and powerful function (remote firmware OTA (Over The Air) upgrades and management maintenance, as well as updates on parameters and statistical feedback on user information). The card combines WiMAX's latest technology, 802.16e and Express interface technology, to meet Wave 2 features, with friendly CM (Connect Manager) features and support for OMA-DM based on OMA1.2, FUMO1.0 standards for firmware OTA remote upgrades And parameter maintenance functions, and support for compatibility with a variety of common host operating systems, such as Win 2000, Win XP, Win Vista. Mac OS X (10.4 and Later), Linux (redhat & Mandrake) and other operating systems, Good versatility and market effectiveness, but also external remote antenna. In summary, the main advantages of the present invention are:

(1) Based on the new WiMAX technology, it integrates many advanced technologies such as handover, QoS, MIMO, AMC, HARQ, security, etc., adopts high-performance OFDM modulation mode, and supports OFDM-256 (IEEE 802.16d) and OFDMA (IEEE 802.16). e) PHY and MAC allocation, can provide downlink 10Mbps / uplink 3Mbps powerful data transmission capability; (2) the network card uses the serial data bus technology that meets the USB2.0 specification for data transmission, The physical interface is a 34mm Express interface, which adapts to the development trend of Host or laptop interface and conforms to the trend of technology development. After adopting the Express interface, the size of the card itself is very small, and the width is about 34mm, which is convenient for users to use and carry;

(3) The network card adopts a low-cost EEPROM+RAM scheme with obvious advantages. The card itself does not store firmware (the firmware here refers to the terminal software including the protocol stack), but saves the firmware in the Host. Position, when the card is inserted into the Host, when the subsystem is powered on, as shown in Figure 3, the driver will automatically load the firmware into the RAM of the card subsystem, and the card subsystem will start normal operation. Some important parameters and files required for device authentication, authentication, chip bootstrapping, roaming, lock network, etc., such as X.509 certificate, calibration RF parameters, CIS, etc., are stored in the EEPROM. Because these parameters or files are relatively small, smaller EEPROMs are sufficient to store them. For example, a 32K Bytes EEPROM can meet the needs under normal conditions. This automatic loading mode of firmware fundamentally eliminates the existence of Flash and greatly reduces the cost of the card subsystem.

(4) The network card software layout is scientific, reasonable allocation, system refinement, with clear division of labor during team development, good definition of modules, easy integration, and easy to locate and solve bugs. The software subsystem is divided into a host side processing subsystem and a device side processing subsystem. The host side processing subsystem is mainly composed of a host driver and a management control program. The host driver implements the driver for the Express interface and the driver for the specific WiMAX chip in the operating system environment compatible with the above-mentioned card; and the management control program implements the functions of the user UI to manage the device and detect and debug the device, and the specific structure can be as Figure 2;

(5) The NIC supports OMA-DM function. The OMA-DM function follows OMA1.2 and FUMO 1.0, which makes it easy for operators to remotely manage devices, perform firmware OTA upgrades and parameter updates, for example, update roaming lists, and can perform Statistics of user information, for example, the time query for connecting to the network, and the number of times the website is viewed. From the computer management and maintenance of the terminal, the operator's after-sales cost and pressure are greatly reduced. And it reduces the product development cycle, shortens the time to market, improves product quality, enhances product competitiveness, and helps establish product brands;

(6) Thanks to the connection management sub-module in the user interface (GUI) module, the network card has a friendly CM (Connect Manager) tool, which facilitates the user to connect and manage the Internet, facilitating the service operation and specification of the operator;

(7) Thanks to the Express IO Driver module, the network card has its powerful Express IO Driver support is compatible with Win 2000, Win XP> Win Vista, Mac OS X (10.4 and Later). Linux (redhat & Mandrake) and other operating systems, with strong compatibility to facilitate the use of many users, thus winning a broader Market side. The present invention aims at the development and major breakthroughs in new communication technologies, the maturity and improvement of bus and interface technologies, and the growing demand for mobile Internet. The invention combines the latest technology of WiMAX 802.16e with the serial data bus Express interface technology based on the USB2.0 specification or the PCI Express protocol specification, and designs a WiMAX wireless Express capable of providing high-speed data transmission capability of 10Mbps/upstream 3Mbps. The interface network card solves the problem that the rate of the access system in the field is low and the shape of the network card is too large. The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention, and various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

A network card for a microwave access global interworking system, characterized in that it comprises:

a hardware subsystem for implementing baseband processing and radio frequency processing, and including an interface module having a serial data bus that satisfies a predetermined specification, the interface module for data transmission with a host;

a processing subsystem coupled to the hardware subsystem for managing the network card and providing support for processing performed by the network card;

The physical interface subsystem has a predetermined specification and is connected to the interface module as a physical interface between the network card and the host. The network card according to claim 1, wherein the hardware subsystem comprises:

a baseband processing module and a radio frequency module that are matched with each other;

Antenna unit

The baseband processing module and the radio frequency module are configured to implement the baseband processing and radio frequency processing by combining the antenna units. The network card according to claim 2, wherein said baseband processing and radio frequency processing comprise allocating a PHY, that is, a physical layer and a MAC, ie, a medium access control layer, providing independent firmware or software to the allocated PHY, loading and using Firmware, control channel bandwidth and data rate, signal transceiving, peripheral management, data processing, and control of subsystems.

The network card according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the antenna unit comprises a primary antenna and an auxiliary antenna, wherein the primary antenna is a bidirectional transmitting and receiving antenna, and is connected to a transmitting branch of the radio frequency module and Receiving a branch; the auxiliary antenna is a unidirectional receiving antenna connected to a receiving branch of the radio frequency unit.

The network card according to claim 1, wherein the processing subsystem comprises:

a host-side processing subsystem, including a host driver and a management control module, configured to manage the network card, where the management control module includes at least an open mobile alliance module; The device side processing subsystem includes firmware, a physical sigma subsystem driver module, a chip boot module, and a firmware download module for supporting processing performed by the network card. . : ,

The network card according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, and 5, wherein the predetermined specification comprises: a USB 2.0 protocol specification, a PCI Express protocol specification.

The network card according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, and 5, wherein the predetermined specification comprises: a 34 mm fast network card structure.