Manufacturing method for wireless communications devices employing potentially different versions of integrated circuits

• US 6,253,076 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Boesch, Ronald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US09/257,579
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/556, 455/557, 455/558, 455/550, 455/67.1, 455/67.4, 341/134, 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 340/825.22, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/5.25, 340/5.8, 340/5.61, 340/5.1, 710/10, 713/1, 235/375, 235/486, 235/494, 235/385, 297/00, 297/09, 297/40, 298/32
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/006 Identification G06F11/2289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

During production, a wireless communications device manufacturer determines the version of specific integrated circuits being used by interpreting the response signals generated by the integrated circuits in response to an electronic query. The device manufacturer preferably establishes a cross reference list of response signals and computer chip versions for the affected computer chip type. Each integrated circuit chip manufacturer then designs and manufactures their respective integrated circuit chips to generate their corresponding response signal when a particular predetermined query is received by the chip. During subsequent device production, a factory system is connected to the device and sends the query signal. The computer chip detects this query and, in response, the integrated circuit generates the pre-defined response signal. The factory system compares this generated response signal to the cross-reference list of assigned response signals to determine the integrated circuit version being used. The factory system then selects the appropriate factory settings based on the integrated circuit version identified and loads those factory settings into the wireless communications device. In addition, the factory system may optionally send an activation code to the integrated circuit chip based on the version of integrated circuit chip identified to enable the additional function available on that version of integrated circuit chip.

Claims

1. A method of establishing factory settings for a wireless communications device, the wireless communications device having at least one integrated circuit of a type having multiple possible versions, comprising:

a) sending a predetermined input signal to the integrated circuit;

b) responding to said input signal by said integrated circuit generating a predetermined response signal indicative of the version of said integrated circuit;

c) identifying the version of said integrated circuit based on said generated response signal;

d) selecting one or more appropriate factory settings for said wireless communications device based on said identified version of said integrated circuit;

e) loading said selected factory settings in said wireless communications device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said factory settings include an activation signal enabling one or more functions of said integrated circuit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said possible versions of said integrated circuits belong to either a first group having an additional function which may be selectively enabled or a second group not having said additional function and wherein said factory setting includes an activation signal enabling said additional function if the identified version belongs to said first group and not including said activation signal if the identified version belongs to said second group.

4. The method of claim 1 further including installing said integrated circuit in the wireless communications device before said sending of said input signal.

5. The method of claim 1 further including assigning a unique response signal to each integrated circuit version before said sending of said input signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said versions correspond to different manufacturers of said integrated circuit.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said versions correspond to different revision levels of said integrated circuit from the same manufacturer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit is an ASIC.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said integrated circuit is an ASIC for conditioning signals in a wireless communications device by adjusting one or more characteristics of the signal selected from the group consisting of frequency, amplitude, and modulation.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said input signal is electronically sent to the integrated circuit.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said factory settings include calibration information for said wireless communications device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said wireless communications device is a cellular telephone.

13. A method of establishing factory settings for a wireless communications device, the wireless communications device having at least one integrated circuit, comprising:

a) establishing a plurality of versions for the integrated circuit, wherein at least one of said versions includes functionality not present in another one of said versions;

b) establishing a list having a plurality of allowed response signals;

c) assigning to each version at least one of said response signals from said list;

d) thereafter, electronically querying said integrated circuit to prompt the generation of a response signal by said integrated circuit;

e) comparing said response signal generated by said integrated circuit to said list of response signals to identify the version of said integrated circuit;

f) selecting one or more factory settings for said wireless communications device based on said identified version of said integrated circuit;

g) loading said selected factory settings in said wireless communications device; and

h) activating said functionality if said response signal corresponds to an integrated circuit version having said functionality.

14. The method of claim 13 further including installing said integrated circuit in the wireless communications device before said querying.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said integrated circuit is an ASIC.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said integrated circuit is an ASIC for conditioning signals in a wireless communications device by adjusting one or more characteristics of the signal selected from the group consisting of frequency, amplitude, and modulation.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said input signal is electronically sent to the integrated circuit.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said factory settings include calibration information for said wireless communications device.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein said wireless communications device is a cellular telephone.