System and method for coordinating, distributing and processing of data

Dynamically distributing portions of process functionality among plural functional blocks. A plurality of service point functions are interspersed throughout each function block. Each service point function performs a portion of processing. A service point function may correspond to processing associated with a protocol layer. A service point function may be implemented in hardware, software or firmware with any of the multiple function blocks. After completion of each service point function, a sub-path is called to connect the completed service point function with a next service point function to be performed. The sub-path invokes a pointer which provides the next routine (e.g., the service point functionality) to be performed. If any one functional block is becoming overloaded, the system can simply change one sub-path, to route process functionality associated with a particular service point functionality to be performed in another functional block with the same capability programmed or hardwired therein. A collection of sub-paths form a logical processing path for the data. Accordingly, the present invention provides process functionality can be accomplished vertically be interspersing functional processing to any functional block be employing service points and sub-paths. Thus, it is possible to merge heterogeneous protocol translations and functionality (each at different protocol layers) with distributed processing involving multiple processing elements all on a single converged communications device.