Millimeter wave probing of components via a probe device and methods for use therewith

• US 8,184,543 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2008
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Min
• Application Number:
  US12/326,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20100135164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

Probe data is directly communicating between a probe device and a component of an external device via a wireless millimeter wave communication path. A probe application is executed in accordance with the probe data, for diagnostics and testing, to update component software, and to upload other files and applications to the component.

Claims

1. A probe device comprising:

a millimeter wave transceiver for directly communicating probe data relating to performance of an integrated circuit of an external device via a wireless millimeter wave communication path to a wireless transceiver of the integrated circuit; and

a processing device, coupled to the millimeter wave transceiver, for executing a probe application in accordance with the probe data to probe the integrated circuit with connections made exclusively via the wireless millimeter wave communication path.

2. The probe device of claim 1 wherein the probe data includes diagnostics data received via the millimeter wave communication path from a test module of the integrated circuit of the external device.

3. The probe device of claim 2 wherein the probe data includes executable data sent to the integrated circuit of the external device in response to the diagnostics data.

4. The probe device of claim 1 wherein the probe data includes a test command generated by the probe application and sent by via the millimeter wave communication path to a test module of the integrated circuit of the external device.

5. The probe device of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit of the external device includes one of:

a processor, a memory manager, a memory, an input/output manager, and an input/output device.

6. The probe device of claim 1 wherein the probe data includes security data sent from the probe device to authenticate the probe device to the integrated circuit of the external device.

7. The probe device of claim 6 wherein the integrated circuit of the external device provides conditional access based on the security data.

8. The probe device of claim 7 wherein the probe data includes executable data sent to the integrated circuit of the external device in accordance with the conditional access.

9. The probe device of claim 1 wherein the probe data includes a media file.

10. The probe device of claim 1 wherein the millimeter wave communication path includes a 60 GHz frequency band.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a millimeter wave transceiver of an integrated circuit for directly communicating probe data of the integrated circuit with a probe device via a wireless millimeter wave communication path, wherein the connections between the probe device and the integrated circuit are made exclusively via the wireless millimeter wave communication path; and

a test/diagnostic interface, coupled to the millimeter wave transceiver, for storing diagnostic data corresponding to the integrated circuit, and for retrieving the diagnostic data for communication as probe data to the probe device.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the probe data further includes executable data sent to the test/diagnostic interface in response to the diagnostics data.

13. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the probe data includes a test command received from the probe device and wherein the test/diagnostic interface executes the test command to perform a test on the at least one component.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the integrated circuit includes at least one of:

a processor, a memory manager, a memory, an input/output manager, and an input/output device.

15. The probe device of claim 11 further comprising;

a conditional access module, coupled to the test/diagnostic interface, to authenticate the probe device based on security data;

wherein the probe data includes security data sent from the probe device via the millimeter wave communication path.

16. An electronic device comprising:

an integrated circuit;

a millimeter wave transceiver for directly communicating probe data of the integrated circuit with a probe device via a wireless millimeter wave communication path, wherein the connections between the probe device and the integrated circuit are made exclusively via the wireless millimeter wave communication path;

a device interface, coupled to the millimeter wave transceiver, for communicating the probe data with the integrated circuit; and

a conditional access module, coupled to the device interface, to authenticate the probe device based on security data;

wherein the probe data includes security data sent from the probe device via the millimeter wave communication path.

17. The probe device of claim 16 wherein the probe data includes executable data sent to integrated circuit in accordance with the conditional access.

18. The probe device of claim 16 wherein the probe data includes a media file.

19. A method comprising:

directly communicating probe data between a probe device and an integrated circuit of an external device via a wireless millimeter wave communication path to a wireless transceiver of the integrated circuit; and

executing a probe application in accordance with the probe data to probe the integrated circuit with connections made exclusively via the wireless millimeter wave communication path.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the probe data includes diagnostics data received via the millimeter wave communication path from a test module of the integrated circuit of the external device.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the probe data includes executable data sent to the integrated circuit of the external device in response to the diagnostics data.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the probe data includes a test command generated by the probe application and sent by via the millimeter wave communication path to a test module of the integrated circuit of the external device.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the probe data includes security data sent from the probe device, the method further comprising:

authenticating the probe device to the integrated circuit of the external device, based on the security data.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

providing conditional access to the integrated circuit of the external device based on the security data.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the probe data includes executable data sent to the integrated circuit of the external device in accordance with the conditional access.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein the probe data includes a media file.