Method and apparatus for providing wireless diagnostics, authentication, and redundancy of wired circuitry

• US 20030050010A1
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fallenstein, Michael John
• Granted Patent: US 6,944,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing redundancy, diagnostics, and authentication for hardwired circuit boards in an electronic device. The method and apparatus include a first printed circuit board and at least one second circuit board physically and electrically hardwired to the first printed circuit board. A wireless communications system comprising a first transceiver coupled to the first printed board and at least one second transceiver is respectively coupled to the at least one second printed circuit board. The first transceiver communicates with each of the at least one second transceivers via a respective wireless communications path, such that each wireless communications path runs parallel with at least one hardwired signal path between the first printed circuit board and the at least one second circuit boards.

Claims

1. An electronic system, comprising:

a first electronic device;

at least one second electronic device physically and electrically hardwired to the first electronic device by a hardwired connection;

a wireless communications system comprising a first wireless communications device coupled to the first electronic device and at least one second wireless communications device coupled to the at least one second electronic device, where the first wireless communications device and the at least one second wireless communications device are coupled for wireless communication with one another via a wireless connection.

2. The electronic system of claim 1 wherein the wireless connection is selectively enabled as an alternate connection to the hardwired connection between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

3. The electronic system of claim 1 wherein the first wireless communications device and the at least one second wireless communications device are powered by batteries.

4. The electronic system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications system operates under a wireless standard selected from the group comprising Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11 family standards, Open Air industry standards, Shared Wireless Access Protocol (SWAP), and HiperLAN family standards.

5. The electronic system of claim 1 further comprising at least one fault detection circuit respectively coupled to the first electronic device and the at least one second electronic device, wherein the wireless communications system is enabled upon the at least one fault detection circuit detecting a hardwired signal path failure between the first electronic device and the at least one second electronic device.

6. The electronic system of claim 4 further comprising diagnostic circuitry coupled to the first electronic device and the at least one second electronic device, wherein the wireless communications system provides diagnostic information regarding specific hardwired signal paths from the at least one second electronic device to the first electronic device.

7. The electronic system of claim 6 wherein the diagnostic circuitry performs diagnostics to identify a failed hardwired signal path detected by the fault detection circuitry via the wireless communications system.

8. The electronic system of claim 7 wherein the diagnostic circuitry provides instructions to circumvent a failed hardwired signal path via the wireless communications system.

9. The electronic system of claim 6 wherein the diagnostic circuitry performs diagnostics of the at least one second electronic device via the wireless communications system, prior to forming the hardwired signal path to the first electronic device.

10. The electronic system of claim 4 further comprising authentication circuitry coupled to the first electronic device and the at least one second electronic device, wherein the wireless communications system provides authentication information regarding the at least one second electronic device to the first electronic device.

11. The electronic system of claim 10 wherein the authentication circuitry further comprises a security database containing authorization codes for the at least one second electronic device.

12. The electronic system of claim 1 wherein the first electronic device and the at least one second electronic device are printed circuit boards.

13. A method of providing a redundant wireless communications signal path in an electronic system comprising a first printed circuit board, at least one second printed circuit board hardwired to the first printed circuit board, and a wireless communications system having a first wireless communications device coupled to the first printed circuit board and at least one second wireless communications device coupled to the least one second printed circuit board, the method comprising:

detecting a fault along at least one hardwired signal path between the first printed circuit board and the least one second printed circuit board; and

establishing a wireless communications path between the first wireless communications device and the at least one wireless communications device, whereby the wireless communications path is an alternative communications path for the at least one hardwired signal path.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing notification of the fault along at least one hardwired signal path.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein prior to the detecting step, the method further comprises:

transmitting authentication codes from the at least one second transceiver to the first transceiver;

verifying the authentication codes from the at least one second printed circuit board; and

sending an acceptance signal where the authentication codes match.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein prior to the transmitting step, the method further comprises positioning the at least one second printed circuit board in communications range of the electronic system;

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the verifying step further comprises:

sending the authentication codes from the at least one second printed circuit board to processing circuitry on the first printed circuit board; and

matching the authentication codes from the at least one second printed circuit board with a plurality of authentication codes stored in memory on the first printed circuit board.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein after sending the acceptance signal, the method further comprises hardwire coupling the at least one second printed circuit board to the first printed circuit board.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the authentication codes provide identification of the at least one second printed circuit board representing authorizations selected from the group comprising PCB manufacturer, PCB model, PCB serial number, manufacturing date, embedded program code version, date of latest program code update, licensing information, authorized time period for use, and authorized countries.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

transmitting the diagnostic information from the at least one second transceiver to the first transceiver;

checking hardwired signal parameters on the at least one second printed circuit board; and

communicating diagnostic results to an operator.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the checking step further comprises checking, signal timing, voltages, error signals, and absence of signal.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:

providing instructions to circumvent a detected hardwired fault in the at least one second printed circuit board via the first and second transceivers; and

communicating a second diagnostic result to an operator.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising initializing the at least one second printed circuit board upon receiving a satisfactory diagnostic report.

24. An electronic device, comprising:

an interface configured for physically connecting to an electronic system and to provide a hardwired connection with the electronic system; and

at least one wireless communications device configured to provide a wireless communication connection with the electronic system wherein the wireless communication connection provides an alternate signal path for the hardwired connection.

25. The electronic device of claim 24 further comprising diagnostic circuitry configured for testing the hardwired connection.

26. The electronic device of claim 24 further comprising authentication circuitry configured for authenticating proper installation.

27. The electronic device of claim 24 wherein the interface and the least one wireless communications device are components of a printed circuit board selected from one of a motherboard and a peripheral circuit card.

28. The electronic device of claim 24 wherein the wireless communications device is a transceiver.

29. The electronic device of claim 24 further comprising fault detection circuitry configured for testing the hardwired connection.

30. The electronic device of claim 24 wherein the electronic system comprises at least one printed circuit board physically connected to a bus and wherein the interface is configured for a physical connection with the bus.

31. The electronic device of claim 24 wherein the electronic system comprises a motherboard physically connected to the interface via a bus and wherein the motherboard comprises a motherboard wireless communications device in at least selective wireless communication with the at least one wireless communications device.