Expandable, modular communications apparatus with interchangeable device authentication
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a standardized electronic interface;
an interchangeable device that comprises a device controller, a first memory bearing a first electronic serial number, and a connector adapted to mate with to the standardized electronic interface; and
a communications system that comprises a second memory bearing a second electronic serial number, a wireless wide area network terminal, and a control processor executing an authentication agent that is configured to transmit a report comprising the first electronic serial number and the second electronic serial number to an authentication administrator via the wireless wide area network terminal, and to receive, via the wireless wide area network terminal, an authorization command that directs the authentication agent to a) enable one or more authorized functions of the interchangeable device if the first and the second electronic serial numbers verified by the authentication administrator or b) inactivate the interchangeable device if the first and the second electronic serial numbers are not verified by the authentication administrator.
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Abstract
A communications apparatus including a communications device for wide area network communications and position location, as an example, and one or more interchangeable devices capable of interfacing with the communications device through a standard interface, is described. Also described is an apparatus and method for activating and authenticating the communications device/interchangeable device combinations, thereby providing device compatibility and security.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a standardized electronic interface; an interchangeable device that comprises a device controller, a first memory bearing a first electronic serial number, and a connector adapted to mate with to the standardized electronic interface; and a communications system that comprises a second memory bearing a second electronic serial number, a wireless wide area network terminal, and a control processor executing an authentication agent that is configured to transmit a report comprising the first electronic serial number and the second electronic serial number to an authentication administrator via the wireless wide area network terminal, and to receive, via the wireless wide area network terminal, an authorization command that directs the authentication agent to a) enable one or more authorized functions of the interchangeable device if the first and the second electronic serial numbers verified by the authentication administrator or b) inactivate the interchangeable device if the first 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, 12, 13, 14)
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15. 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 an interchangeable device attached 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 authentication agent to a) enable one or more authorized functions of the interchangeable device if the first and the second electronic serial numbers are located in the database or b) inactivate the interchangeable device if the first and the second electronic serial numbers are not located in the database. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. 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 read by the authentication agent from a second memory on an interchangeable device attached to 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 authorized functions of the interchangeable device if the first and the second electronic serial numbers are verified by the authentication administrator or b) inactivate the interchangeable device if the first and the second electronic serial numbers are not verified by the authentication server. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification