Method and apparatus for provisioning a device

• US 8,442,433 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Feng, Liu, Huitao
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALES, APRIL GUZMAN
• Application Number:
  US11/093,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20060229027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,967 Days
• Field of Search: 455/73, 455/41.2, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/5.91, 340/5.92, 340/539.13, 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/572.7, 235/375, 235/380, 235/385, 235/451, 235/74, 235/379, 235/383, 235/492, 343/893, 463/40, 707/104.1, 707/999.104, 400/76, 400/61, 400/70
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

An article (100) has a device (122), and a radio frequency identification (RFID) module (102) coupled to the device. The RFID module is programmed to receive (210) provisioning instructions from a wireless source (142), and transfer (212) to the device the provisioning instructions when said device is enabled.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a radio frequency identification module physically coupled to a portable device through a direct hardwire interface and being in proximity to the portable device, wherein the radio frequency identification module is programmed to;

transmit to a wireless source provisioning information of the portable device responsive to a received request from the wireless source;

receive provisioning instructions from the wireless source when the portable device is disabled, the wireless source being remote from the portable device;

store the provisioning instructions in a memory of the radio frequency identification module while the portable device is disabled; and

transfer to the portable device the provisioning instructions upon detecting that the portable device is enabled, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise provisioning data for configuring operation of an electronic component of the portable device; and

a portable device, wherein the portable device is programmed to;

receive from a provisioning source by way of a port of the portable device an update of software responsive to receiving from the radio frequency identification module the provisioning instructions; and

replace at least a portion of previous software stored in the portable device with the update of software.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless source determines whether the portable device requires updating based on the provisioning information transmitted to the wireless source.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable device is one among an inventory item or an after-market item.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification module comprises a controller, a wireless transceiver, a battery, and a memory, and wherein the radio frequency identification module is powered by the battery.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification module powers down after storing the provisioning instructions and while the portable device is disabled.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the provisioning instructions include one among a group of items comprising updated software version, updated software instructions, updated operating parameters, and updated customer settings, and wherein the direct hardwire interface is one among a serial interface or a parallel interface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable device is programmed to:

receive the provisioning instructions from the radio frequency identification module; and

provision itself according to the provisioning instructions.

8. A method comprising:

transmitting to a wireless source provisioning information of a portable device responsive to a received request from the wireless source;

receiving provisioning instructions from the wireless source, wherein the provisioning instructions comprising provisioning data for configuring operation of an electronic component of the portable device, and wherein the wireless source communicates by way of an RF transmitter;

receiving from a provisioning source by way of an internet connection an update of software according to the provisioning instructions; and

replacing at least a portion of previous software stored in the portable device with the update of software.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising the steps of:

determining at the wireless source whether the provision information requires updating; and

transmitting, from the wireless source to a radio frequency identification module, the provisioning instructions if the provisioning information requires updating.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising transferring, from a radio frequency identification module to the portable device, the provisioning instructions by way of communicating the provisioning instructions over a direct hardwire interface between the radio frequency identification module and the portable device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a radio frequency identification module receives the provisioning instructions from the wireless source when the portable device is disabled.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the direct hardwire interface is one among a serial interface and a parallel interface.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the provisioning instructions include one among a group of items comprising updated software version, updated software instructions, updated operating parameters, and updated customer settings.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing the provisioning instructions in the radio frequency identification module when the portable device is disabled; and

provisioning the device according to the provisioning instructions.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions for:

transmitting, from a radio frequency identification module to a wireless source, provisioning information of a portable device responsive to a received request from the wireless source;

receiving, at the radio frequency identification module, provisioning instructions from the wireless source when the portable device is disabled, wherein the provisioning instructions comprise provisioning data for configuring operation of an electronic component of the portable device, and wherein the wireless source is remote from the portable device;

transferring from the radio frequency identification module to the portable device the provisioning instructions, wherein the transferring of the provisioning instructions is by way of a direct hardwire interface connecting the radio frequency identification module and the portable device; and

receiving from a provisioning source and by way of a port an update of software according to the provisioning instructions; and

replacing at least a portion of previous software stored in the portable device with the update of software.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15, further comprising computer instructions for:

determining at the wireless source whether the provision information requires updating; and

transmitting from the wireless source to the radio frequency identification module the provisioning instructions if the provisioning information requires updating, wherein the radio frequency identification module powers down after storing the provisioning instructions and while the portable device is disabled.

17. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15, comprising computer instructions for:

provisioning the portable device according to the provisioning instructions.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 17, comprising computer instructions for requesting from the portable device a software update from a provisioning source according to the provisioning instructions.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a radio frequency identification module physically coupled to a portable device, the radio frequency identification module being coupled to the portable device through a direct hardwire interface and being in proximity to the portable device, wherein the radio frequency identification module is programmed to;

transmit, to a wireless source, provisioning information of the portable device responsive to a received request from a wireless source; and

receive provisioning instructions from the wireless source that is remote from the portable device; and

a portable device, wherein the portable device is programmed to;

receive from a provisioning source by way of an internet connection an update of software responsive to receiving from the radio frequency identification module the provisioning instructions; and

replace at least a portion of previous software stored in the portable device with the update of software.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the wireless source determines whether the provision information requires updating based on the provisioning information transmitted to the wireless source.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the radio frequency identification module is powered by radio frequency (RF) energy emitted by the wireless source, and wherein the radio frequency identification module receives the provisioning instructions from the wireless source when the portable device is disabled.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the radio frequency identification module comprises a battery and is powered by said battery.