SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IN-BOX ELECTRONIC DEVICE PROVISIONING

• US 20120262281A1
• Filed: 04/15/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polycom Incorporated (Plantronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edwards, Bryan, Bahr, John, Santeusanio, Peter, Bodell, Kent Graham, Rolapp, Stephen, Aras, Caglan M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,916,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

Configurable electronic devices contain identifying information in a dual-ported memory. A plurality of un-configured units are assembled into a set. Using identifying information, a provisioning server matches each particular unit to configuration settings needed to appropriately configure that device for use by a specific end user. The configuration settings and/or data may be transmitted to the devices via their embedded RFID systems and stored in their dual-ported memory (via the first memory port). The electronic devices may comprise processor-based systems and, upon system initialization, the configuration data can be read from the memory via a second port thereof and used to configure the device for use by the user. In this way, devices may be configured as a set destined for a particular end user immediately prior to shipment and/or deployment and it is not necessary to separately track customized units prior to assembling them into a set.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a plurality of processor-based systems each of which comprises

a radio-frequency receiver configured to provide identifying information in response to a first radio-frequency signal and to store data received in a subsequent, second radio-frequency signal;

a data storage device in data communication with both the receiver and the processor; and

a medium storing instructions for causing the processor to retrieve the data received in the second radio-frequency signal from the data storage device and to configure the system based on the data;

the method comprising the steps of;

gathering a plurality of the processor-based systems into a co-located set;

sending first radio-frequency signals to the set;

receiving identifying information provided by a first processor-based system in response to a first radio-frequency signal;

matching first configuration data to the identifying information associated with the first processor-based system;

receiving identifying information provided by a second processor-based system in response to a first radio-frequency signal

matching second configuration data to the identifying information associated with the second processor-based system; and

,

sending the first and second configuration data in second radio-frequency signals to the set.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the processor-based systems being configured are teleconferencing endpoints.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the processor-based systems being configured are selected from the group consisting of:

telephones;

video terminals;

mobile communication devices;

personal digital assistants;

personal computers; and

, active personnel identification devices.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the data storage device is a dual-ported random access memory.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the data storage device is a dual-ported flash memory.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the co-located set is on a shipping pallet.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the co-located set is in a shipping container.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein the shipping container is a corrugated paperboard box.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the co-located set comprises a plurality of containers held together with a surrounding shrink-wrap polymer film.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein sending the first radio-frequency signal is performed when the co-located set is being moved.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein the movement is through a portal.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein the movement is through a shipping facility.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the identifying information provided by a first processor-based system comprises the serial number of the device which comprises the first processor-based system.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the identifying information provided by a first processor-based system comprises information identifying an intended user of the device which comprises the first processor-based system.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the identifying information provided by a first processor-based system comprises information identifying an intended data communication network to which the device which comprises the first processor-based system will be connected.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first configuration data comprises an internet protocol address.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first configuration data comprises a telephone number.

18. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining ordering [procurement] information from a prospective end user of the processor-based systems;

correlating the ordering information with configuration data;

entering the correlated ordering information and configuration data into a database; and

,

reading the first configuration data and second configuration data from the database.

19. A device provisioning system for configuring a plurality of processor-based systems each of which comprises:

a processor;

a radio-frequency receiver configured to provide identifying information in response to a first radio-frequency signal and to store data received in a subsequent, second radio-frequency signal;

a data storage device in data communication with both the receiver and the processor for storing the data received in the second radio frequency signal; and

a medium storing instructions for causing the processor to retrieve the data received in the second radio-frequency signal from the data storage device and to configure the processor-based system based on the data;

the device provisioning system comprising;

a radio-frequency transceiver;

a database containing configuration data for the processor-based systems;

an automatic controller connected to the radio-frequency transceiver and in data communication with the database, the controller programmed to;

send first radio-frequency signals from the transceiver to a co-located set comprised of a plurality of the processor-based systems;

receive identifying information provided by a first processor-based system in response to a first radio-frequency signal;

match first configuration data to the identifying information associated with the first processor-based system;

receive identifying information provided by a second processor-based system in response to a first radio-frequency signal

match second configuration data to the identifying information associated with the second processor-based system; and

,

send the first and second configuration data in second radio-frequency signals to the set.