Terminal reconfigureability-the OPTiMA framework

Most implementations of software definable radio platforms concentrate on reconfiguration of physical hardware via proprietary application programming interfaces. At the networking level, projects such as the Radio API (GloMo) and the IEEE 1520 are prime examples of the efforts to open up the protocol stacks and to introduce open platforms and service programmability. Software reconfigureable radios will also benefit from open implementations and access to protocol functionalities based on standardised programming interfaces within complete framework. We introduce a novel object-oriented software framework that splits classical layers (protocols) into two distinct parts: 'pro-layers' and active 'pro-interfaces' to achieve software reconfigureability. Benefits of this approach are the facilitation of the exchange of single protocols (pro-layers) during run-time, run-time adaptation between protocols as well as management of protocol extensions. A prototype implementation of the TCP/IP protocol suite within the OPtIMA framework, is first introduced and then the performance results are presented and discussed.