EXPANDABLE, MODULAR COMMUNICATIONS APPARATUS WITH WIRELESS INTERCHANGEABLE DEVICE AUTHENTICATION
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- a standardized electronic interface;
a wireless interchangeable device that is physically interfaced to the standardized interface, the wireless interchangeable device comprising a short range wireless transceiver and a first electronic serial number memory, the short range wireless transceiver providing a wireless communication link via which the first electronic serial number memory receives a tag device electronic serial number from a tag device;
a communications system that is physically interfaced to the standardized electronic interface, the communications system comprising a communication system memory bearing a second electronic serial number, a wireless wide area network terminal, and a control processor executing an authentication agent, the authentication agent transmitting, via the wireless wide area network terminal, a report comprising the tag electronic serial number and the second electronic serial number to an authentication administrator and receiving, via the wireless wide area network terminal, an authorization command that directs the authentication agent to either enable one or more authorized functions of the system if the tag and the second electronic serial numbers are verified by the authentication administrator or disable the one or more functions of the system if the tag and the second electronic serial numbers are not verified by the authentication administrator.
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Abstract
Communications systems and methods can include wide area network communication capabilities provided by a communications module or device and additional functionality provided by one or more interchangeable devices that interface with the communications module. One or more of the interchangeable devices can communicate with the communications module or device via a short range wireless signal, such as for example that of an RFID, WiFi, or Zigbee system. Authentication of the communication device in combination with the one or more interchangeable devices can be included to provide device compatibility and security verification.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a standardized electronic interface; a wireless interchangeable device that is physically interfaced to the standardized interface, the wireless interchangeable device comprising a short range wireless transceiver and a first electronic serial number memory, the short range wireless transceiver providing a wireless communication link via which the first electronic serial number memory receives a tag device electronic serial number from a tag device; a communications system that is physically interfaced to the standardized electronic interface, the communications system comprising a communication system memory bearing a second electronic serial number, a wireless wide area network terminal, and a control processor executing an authentication agent, the authentication agent transmitting, via the wireless wide area network terminal, a report comprising the tag electronic serial number and the second electronic serial number to an authentication administrator and receiving, via the wireless wide area network terminal, an authorization command that directs the authentication agent to either enable one or more authorized functions of the system if the tag and the second electronic serial numbers are verified by the authentication administrator or disable the one or more functions of the system if the tag and the second electronic serial numbers are not verified by the authentication administrator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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receiving, at an authentication administrator via a wireless wide area network connection, a report from an authentication agent on a communication system, the report comprising a first electronic serial number corresponding to the communication system and a second electronic serial number corresponding to a tag device that communicates wirelessly with a wireless interchangeable device that is physically interfaced to the communication system; comparing the first and the second electronic serial numbers with a database of electronic serial numbers; and transmitting, to the communication system via the wireless wide area network, an authorization command that directs the authorization agent to a) enable one or more functions of the communication system if the first and the second electronic serial numbers are verified by the authentication administrator or b) disable one or more functions of the communication system if the first and the second electronic serial numbers are not located in the database. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 18)
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16. A method comprising:
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transmitting a report from an authentication agent executed on a communication system to an authentication administrator via a wireless wide area network terminal on the communication system, the report comprising a first electronic serial number read by the authentication agent from a first memory on the communication system and a second electronic serial number that is received at a wireless interchangeable device via a wireless link from a tag device, the wireless interchangeable device being physically interfaced to the communication system via a standardized interface on the communication system; receiving, via the wireless wide area network terminal, an authorization command that directs the authorization agent to a) enable one or more functions of the communication system if the first and the second electronic serial numbers are verified by the authentication administrator or b) disable one or more functions of the communication system if the first and the second electronic serial numbers are not verified by the authentication server. - View Dependent Claims (17, 19, 20)
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Specification