Contactless Programming and Testing of Memory Elements

• US 20090295548A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Reunamaki, Jukka, Ronkka, Risto
• Granted Patent: US 8,384,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for contactless programming of a memory element of an electronic device having a wireless short range communications interface. The method comprises performing an interrogation for detecting the presence of said wireless short range communications interface, receiving, responsive to said interrogation, data from said wireless interface, said data indicating a hardware configuration of said electronic device, selecting programming data for programming said memory element based on said hardware configuration, and transmitting said selected programming data to be received by said wireless short range communications interface. The method further comprises detecting an interrogation, transmitting, responsive to said interrogation, data via said wireless interface, said data indicating a hardware configuration of said electronic device, receiving programming data at said wireless short range communications interface, and programming said memory element according to said programming data. The invention also provides devices for performing the inventive method.

Claims

1. Method, comprising:

transmitting an interrogation signal for providing power to a passive wireless short range communications interface of an electronic device having a memory element, for triggering said passive wireless short range communications interface to respond to said interrogation signal;

receiving, responsive to said interrogation signal, data from said passive wireless short range communications interface, said data including at least information about a hardware configuration of said electronic device;

selecting programming data for programming said memory element based on said hardware configuration; and

transmitting said selected programming data to be received by said wireless short range communications interface.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said programming data are selected from the group comprising:

firmware;

operating system software;

application software;

logistic data;

configuration data; and

media content.

11. Method according to claim 1, used in manufacturing, logistics or service procedures of said electronic device.

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein said manufacturing of said electronic device comprises assembling of hardware components including said memory element, and wherein said method is performed before, during or after said assembly step.

13. Computer program product comprising program code means stored on a computer readable medium for carrying out the method of claim 1 when said program product is run on a computer or network device.

3. Method, comprising:

receiving power from an interrogation signal at a passive wireless short range communications interface of an electronic device having a memory element;

transmitting, responsive to said interrogation signal, data via said passive wireless short range communications interface, said data including at least information about a hardware configuration of said electronic device;

receiving programming data at said passive wireless short range communications interface;

programming said memory element according to said programming data; and

wherein said power supplied by said interrogation signal is used for transmitting, said receiving and said programming are performed.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein said programming data further include programming routines, and wherein said programming step is performed according to said programming routines.

5. Method according to claim 3, further comprising:

performing a testing procedure on said memory element and/or said electronic device; and

transmitting results of said testing via said passive wireless short range communications interface.

6. Method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an interrogation signal;

reading out data from said memory element; and

transmitting said read out data via said wireless short range communications interface;

wherein said reading out and said transmitting is performed with power supplied by said interrogation signal.

7. Method according to claim 3, further comprising

denying further programming access via said short range communications interface to said memory element.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein said wireless short range communications interface comprises an antenna, and wherein said denying comprises

disabling said antenna.

9. Method according to claim 7, wherein said denying comprises

disabling said wireless short range communications interface.

10. Method according to claim 7, wherein said denying comprises:

disabling IC interfaces connected to said wireless short range communications interface;

or

disabling subsystems connected to said IC interfaces.

14. Device, comprising:

a wireless short range communications interface;

a data storage for storing programming data;

a controller connected with said wireless short range communications interface and said data storage;

wherein said controller is adapted for transmitting, via said wireless short range communications interface, an interrogation signal for providing power to a passive wireless short range communications interface of an electronic device having a programmable memory element, for triggering said passive wireless short range communications interface to respond to said interrogation signal, for receiving, responsive to said interrogation, data via said wireless interface, said data including at least information about a hardware configuration of said electronic device, for selecting programming data from said data storage based on said hardware configuration, and for transmitting said selected programming data via said wireless short range communications interface.

15. Device according to claim 14, wherein said programming data are selected from the group comprising:

firmware;

operating system software;

application software;

logistic data;

configuration data; and

media content.

16. Electronic device, comprising:

a memory element;

a passive wireless short range communication interface adapted for receiving an interrogation signal; and

a controller;

wherein said passive wireless short range communication interface is adapted for providing power to said controller for enabling operation thereof, the power being supplied to said passive wireless short range communication interface by said interrogation signal; and

wherein said controller is adapted for transmitting, responsive to said interrogation, data via said wireless interface, said data including at least information about a hardware configuration of said electronic device, for receiving programming data at said passive wireless short range communications interface, and for programming said memory element according to said programming data.

17. Device according to claim 16, wherein said programming data further include programming routines, and wherein said controller is further adapted for extracting said programming routines from said programming data and perform said programming according to said programming routines.

18. Device according to claim 16, wherein said controller is adapted for performing a testing procedure on said memory element and/or said electronic device, and for transmitting results of said testing.

19. Device according to claim 16, wherein said controller is adapted for denying further programming access via said short range communications interface to said memory element.

20. Device according to claim 16, wherein said wireless short range communications interface comprises a detachable antenna.

21. Device according to claim 16, wherein said wireless short range communications interface is adapted to be disabled, and wherein said controller is adapted for disabling said wireless short range communications interface subsequent to a programming of said memory element.

22. Device according to claim 21, wherein said device comprises IC interfaces connected to said wireless short range communications interface and subsystems connected to said IC interfaces, and wherein said controller is adapted for performing said denying by disabling said IC interfaces or said subsystems.

23. Device according to claim 16, wherein said memory element is selected from the group comprising:

a flash ROM memory;

an EEPROM memory;

a logic register;

a fuse; and

a RAM memory.

24. Device according to claim 16, wherein said passive wireless short range communications interface is an RFID interface.