System for booting distributed processor architecture by loading boot software via ethernet to sub-unit after main unit is booted and released the sub-unit from reset

1. A method of booting distributed processor architecture of a base station, which distributed processor architecture comprises a main unit and at least one sub-unit connected to the main unit via the Ethernet, the method comprising:

booting the main unit;

releasing the sub-unit from reset by the main unit;

reading, by the control logic of the sub-unit, initialisation parameters of the media access control controller stored in the read-only memory of the sub-unit;

initializing the media access control controller by using read initialization parameters;

loading boot software to the sub-unit via the Ethernet; and

booting the sub-unit with a loaded boot software.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the distributed processor architecture further comprises a main unit and at least one sub-unit connected to it via the Ethernet by using an Internet protocol.

3. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising using the method of booting for booting the whole base station.

4. A method according claim 1 , further comprising using the method of booting for unit-specific booting of at least one of the units of the base station.

5. A method according claim 1 , wherein the main unit and the sub-unit are positioned in the same plug-in unit.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the main unit and the sub-unit are positioned in different plug-in units.

7. A method according claim 1 , wherein the media access control controller of the main unit is connected to a direct physical data transmission connection with the media access control controller of the sub-unit by using the Ethernet.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet connection is implemented by using reduced media independent interface connections.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet connection is implemented by using media independent interface connections.

10. A method according to claims 8 , wherein the Ethernet connection is implemented by a full duplex point-to-point connection.

11. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising using temporary addresses stored in the read-only memory of the sub-unit as the media access control address in the configuration of the media access control controller.

12. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising using identification numbers of the sub-unit as the media access control address in the configuration of the media access control controller.

13. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising signalling, by the sub-unit, to the main unit that the configuration of the media access control controller has been completed by transmitting a hello packet to the main unit.

14. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising, receiving, by the sub-unit, its final media access control address from the main unit in connection with the boot software.

15. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising transmitting, by the main unit, the boot software to the sub-unit when it has received the hello packet from the sub-unit.

16. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising using direct memory access in transmitting data from the media access control controller to the system memory.

17. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising reconfiguring the media access control controller when the sub-unit has been booted.

18. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising loading application software to the sub-unit via the Ethernet together with the boot software.

19. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising loading application software to the sub-unit via the Ethernet.

20. A base station comprising distributed processor architecture, comprising:

a main unit comprising a main processor and a media access control controller connected to the main unit;

at least one sub-unit connected to the main unit via the Ethernet network;

wherein the sub-unit comprises at least one sub-processor and a media access control controller connected to it, a control logic and a read-only memory, where the initialization parameters of the media access control controller have been stored;

wherein the main unit comprises means for booting the main unit, means with which the main unit releases the sub-unit from reset and means for loading boot software to the sub-unit via the Ethernet; and

wherein the sub-unit comprises means with which the control logic of the sub-unit reads the initialization parameters of the media access control controller stored in the read-only memory of the sub-unit, means for initializing the media access control controller by using the read initialization parameters, means for booting the sub-unit with the loaded boot software, and means with which the sub-unit reconfigures the media access control controller.

21. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the distributed processor architecture in the base station comprises a main unit and at least one sub-unit connected to it via the Ethernet by using an Internet protocol.

22. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the main unit and the sub-unit are positioned in the same plug-in unit.

23. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the main unit and the sub-unit are positioned in different plug-in units.

24. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the media access control controller of the main unit is connected to a direct physical data transmission connection with the media access control controller of the sub-unit by using the Ethernet.

25. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the Ethernet connection is implemented by using reduced media independent interface connections.

26. A base station according claim 20 , wherein the Ethernet connection is implemented by using media independent interface connections.

27. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the Ethernet connection is implemented as a full duplex point-to-point connection.

28. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein temporary addresses stored in the read-only memory of the sub-unit are used as the media access control address in the configuration of the media access control controller.

29. A base station according to claim 28 , wherein identification numbers of the sub-unit are used as the media access control address in the configuration of the media access control controller.

30. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the sub-unit is configured to signal the main unit that the configuration of the media access control controller has been completed by sending a hello packet to the main unit.

31. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the sub-unit is configured to receive its final media access control address from the main unit in connection with the boot software.

32. A base station according to claim 30 , where the main unit is configured to transmit the boot software to the sub-unit when it has received the hello packet from the sub-unit.

33. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein direct memory access is used for transmitting data from the media access control controller to the system memory.

34. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the media access control controller is configured to reconfigure when the sub-unit has been booted.

35. A base station according claim 20 , wherein the sub unit is configured to load application software via the Ethernet together with the boot software.

36. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the sub-unit is configured to load application software via the Ethernet.

37. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the sub-unit comprises an application-specific integrated circuit and a sub-processor connected to it.

38. A base station according to claim 37 , wherein the media access control controller is included in the application-specific integrated circuit.

39. A base station according to claim 20 , wherein the media access control controller is included in the processor.