Wirelessly programming memory devices

• US 20040266417A1
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Janas, David
• Application Number:
  US10/607,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20040266417A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes wirelessly programming a memory device with firmware code for a client device. The programming may occur during manufacture of the client device by establishing a wireless link between the memory device and a programmer. The client device may be a wireless device such as a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, and the like.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

wirelessly programming a memory device with firmware code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory device is embedded in a client device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly re-programming the memory device with modified firmware.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein wirelessly re-programming the memory device comprises sending modified firmware via an over-the-air transmission.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory device includes a trusted seed.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising using the trusted seed to validate the memory device before wirelessly programming the memory device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly programming a plurality of memory devices in parallel.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of memory devices is embedded in one of a plurality of client devices.

9. A method comprising:

programming a boot seed into a memory device, the boot seed including code to initiate a wireless link to receive virgin programming of the memory device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein programming the boot seed occurs during production of the memory device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the code includes instructions to enable a processor coupled to the memory device to initiate the wireless link.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the memory device comprises a nonvolatile memory.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the virgin programming comprises firmware of a wireless device including the memory device.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the boot seed comprises a trusted boot seed.

15. A system comprising:

a first storage device to store code to enable a wireless link to receive virgin programming of a second storage device coupled to the first storage device; and

a dipole antenna coupled to the first storage device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first storage device and the second storage device comprise a single memory device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the single memory device comprises a flash memory.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the code comprises a trusted boot loader.

19. An article comprising a machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to:

enable wireless communication of the system; and

wirelessly receive virgin programming of a memory device of the system.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein the virgin programming comprises firmware of the system, the system comprising a wireless device.

21. The article of claim 19, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to enable the wireless communication with a programmer via a secure link.

22. The article of claim 19, wherein the instructions comprise secure code stored in a portion of the memory device.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a first storage device to store code to enable wireless communication of the apparatus to receive virgin programming of a memory device of the apparatus.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a processor coupled to the first storage device to execute the code.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first storage device and the memory device comprise a flash memory.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus comprises a cellular telephone.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the cellular telephone lacks firmware until the virgin programming is received.