Method for providing multiple certified radio modules with a baseband

• US 20030067902A1
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Skeba, Kirk W.
• Application Number:
  US09/960,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20030067902A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first identification (ID) at a computer system from a server via a transmission medium, comparing the first ID with a second ID stored at a first analog front end coupled to the computer system, and certifying a first software-defined radio for operation if the first ID matches the second ID.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first identification (ID) at a computer system from a server via a transmission medium;

comparing the first ID with a second ID stored at a first analog front end coupled to the computer system; and

certifying a first software-defined radio for operation if the first ID matches the second ID.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising disabling the first software-defined radio if the first ID does not match the second ID.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the first ID in a memory device within a baseband unit at the computer system prior to comparing the first ID with the second ID.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising downloading a protocol corresponding with the first software-defined radio.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first ID and the wireless protocol are received as a component of a signed manifest.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

validating the signed manifest; and

executing the protocol at a baseband unit if the manifest is validated.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a third identification (ID) at the computer system from the server via the transmission medium;

comparing the third ID with a fourth ID stored at a second analog front end coupled to the computer system; and

certifying a second software-defined radio for operation if the third ID matches the fourth ID.

8. A computer system comprising a first software-defined radio including:

a baseband unit; and

a first analog front-end coupled to the baseband unit;

the first software-defined radio being certified for operation by authenticating a first identification (ID) received at the baseband unit with a second ID stored at the first analog front end.

9. The computer system of claim 8 further comprising:

an input/output (I/O) bus coupled to the baseband unit; and

a network controller coupled to the I/O bus.

10. The computer system of claim 9 wherein the first ID is received from a server computer via a transmission medium coupled to the network controller.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein a protocol corresponding to the first software-defined radio is also received from the server computer.

12. The computer system of claim 9 wherein the baseband unit comprises:

an I/O interface coupled to the I/O bus;

a digital signal processor (DSP) coupled to the I/O interface; and

a second bus coupled to the DSP.

13. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the baseband unit further comprises:

a volatile memory coupled to the DSP; and

a non-volatile memory coupled to the DSP.

14. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the analog front end comprises:

analog-digital/digital-analog (AD/DA) conversion logic coupled to the second bus;

modulation logic coupled to the AD/DA conversion logic;

a transceiver coupled to the modulation logic; and

an antenna coupled to the transceiver.

15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the analog front end comprises a non-volatile memory that stores the second ID.

16. The computer system of claim 12 further comprising a second software-defined radio including:

the baseband unit; and

a second analog front-end coupled to the baseband unit;

the second software-defined radio being certified for operation by authenticating a third ID received at the baseband unit with a fourth ID stored at the second analog front end.

17. A network comprising:

a first client computer;

a transmission medium coupled to the first client computer; and

a server computer, coupled to the transmission medium, that transmits first identification (ID) data to the first client computer upon receiving a request from the client computer to certify a first software-defined radio implemented at the first client computer.

18. The network of claim 17 further comprising a second client computer coupled to the transmission medium, the server computer transmits the first ID data to the second client computer upon receiving a request from the second client computer to certify the first software-defined radio implemented at the second client computer.

19. The network of claim 17 wherein the server computer transmits second ID data to the first client computer upon receiving a request from the first client computer to certify a second software-defined radio implemented at the first client computer.

20. A method comprising:

receiving a request at a server computer to certify a first software-defined radio implemented at a first client computer; and

transmitting first identification (ID) data corresponding to the first software-defined radio to the first client computer.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

receiving a request at the server computer to certify the first software-defined radio implemented at a second client computer; and

transmitting the first ID data to the second client computer.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

receiving a request at the server computer to certify a second software-defined radio implemented at the first client computer; and

transmitting second ID data corresponding to the second software-defined radio to the second client computer.

21. The method of claim 21 further comprising transmitting a radio protocol corresponding to first software-defined radio to the to the first client.