Remote service methods for cellular communication systems

The ability to remotely service digital hardware circuits in base station sites on building and hill tops is a requirement for cellular, pager, and personal communication system (PCS) design. A microcontroller technique employing the IEEE Standard 1149.1 JTAG interface and nonvolatile flash memory storage is presented as a method for remote service. The commonly available JTAG interface found in gate array technology allows system engineers to reconfigure communication circuits remotely or by use of a proposed hand-held field loader. The authors describe microcontroller circuits, and system software used to reconfigure a gate array based digital modulator-demodulator (MODEM) in-system. Techniques to reprogram nonvolatile flash storage in-system are also presented. These techniques are well suited for field service of base station sites, and gives prospects for future adaptive and high-reliability wireless communication applications