A modular computational engine for communications processing

embedded computational hardware has become prevalent in recent years for communications signal processing for reasons including size and cost. The availability of competing processor architectures from vendors allows a high degree of choice for communications system designers, and some traditional processor vendors have targeted this market aggressively. However whilst one particular computational device may well suit a given application, it seldom suits a broad range of other applications. From a design perspective, this is inefficient either system developers familiar with one processor from a project choose to use it for the next project despite some likely degree of mismatch, or they are faced with a costly leaning curve implied in the adoption of a different, but better matched architecture.