Device customization during order fulfillment utilizing an embedded electronic tag

• US 8,849,708 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kumar Somayajula, Siva Rama, Gopalakrishnan, Varadarajan, Edara, Kiran Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOHARIKAR, ANAND R
• Application Number:
  US13/715,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20140172620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization

Abstract

A method for customizing a device during order fulfillment is described. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag of an electronic device is wirelessly loaded with customization information at an order fulfillment center without disturbing packaging surrounding the electronic device or without powering up the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of customizing an electronic device during order fulfillment, the method comprising:

receiving, from a customer, a request to purchase the electronic device;

receiving, from the customer in association with the request, information comprising wireless network configuration information of a wireless network associated with the customer;

storing, by a processing device, the information received from the customer in association with the request;

selecting the electronic device to fulfill the order from among a plurality of packaged electronic devices;

wirelessly transmitting the information received from the customer into a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag embedded in the electronic device, while the electronic device is still enclosed in associated packaging; and

shipping the electronic device to the customer, wherein the electronic device is configured to, upon being powered up, read the wireless network configuration information from the RFID tag to configure the electronic device to access the wireless network associated with the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network configuration information comprises at least one of wireless local area network (WLAN) configuration information or cellular network configuration information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information further comprises at least one of account login information for allowing the electronic device to access an account using the account login information, location information for allowing the electronic device to determine a location of the electronic device using the location information, or a startup message for allowing the electronic device to display the startup message upon being powered up.

4. A method comprising:

receiving, from a customer, a request to purchase an electronic device;

receiving, from the customer, information to be transmitted into the electronic device, the information comprising a message to be displayed upon startup;

storing, by a processing device, the information received from the customer in association with the request;

selecting a given electronic device to fulfill the request from among a plurality of packaged electronic devices;

wirelessly transmitting the information received from the customer into an electronic tag embedded in the given electronic device, while the given electronic device is still enclosed in associated packaging; and

shipping the given electronic device to the customer, wherein the given electronic device is configured to, upon being powered up, read the information comprising the message to be displayed upon startup from the electronic tag to configure the given electronic device to display the message upon startup.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information is wirelessly transmitted into the electronic tag embedded in the given electronic device without disturbing the associated packaging.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein wirelessly transmitting the information into the electronic tag comprises transmitting the information through packaging completely enclosing the given electronic device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the electronic tag comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the electronic tag comprises a near field communication (NFC) tag.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the electronic tag comprises a passive RFID tag.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein wirelessly transmitting the information into the electronic tag comprises wirelessly powering the electronic tag such that the electronic tag is powered without drawing power to a main processing device of the given electronic device.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein wirelessly transmitting the information into the electronic tag comprises wirelessly powering the electronic tag such that the electronic tag is powered without drawing power from a main battery of the given electronic device.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising encrypting the information before wirelessly transmitting the information into the electronic tag and wherein wirelessly transmitting the information comprises wirelessly transmitting the encrypted information.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, from a customer, a request to purchase an electronic device;

receiving, from the customer, information to be loaded into the electronic device, the information comprising account login information;

storing, by a processing device, the information received from the customer in association with the request;

selecting a given electronic device to fulfill the request, the given electronic device comprising a main processing device and a main battery;

wirelessly transmitting the information received from the customer into an electronic tag embedded in the given electronic device without drawing power to the main processing device or from the main battery; and

shipping the given electronic device to the customer, wherein the given electronic device is configured to, upon being powered up, read the information comprising the account login information from the electronic tag to configure the given electronic device to access an account using the account login information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic tag comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the RFID tag comprising at least one of an RFID processing device or an RFID battery, wherein loading the information into the given electronic device comprises drawing power to the RFID processing device or from the RFID battery.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein wirelessly transmitting the information into the electronic tag comprises wirelessly transmitting the information, while the given electronic device is still enclosed in associated packaging through the packaging.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the given electronic device is configured to access the loaded information with the main processing device when the electronic device is powered up by the main battery.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising encrypting the information with a key before loading the information into the given electronic device, wherein loading the information comprises loading the encrypted information, and wherein the given electronic device is configured to access the loaded information with the main processing device using a corresponding key.