Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Digital data processing system initialization or configuration
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-16
2001-03-06
Heckler, Thomas M. (Department: 2787)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Digital data processing system initialization or configuration
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199158
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to configuration of product variants and, more specifically, to a method and apparatus for configuring product variant software for electronic devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the manufacture of electronic devices, it may be common for a manufacturer to provide several or many variants of the same basic products. In certain cases the variant of the product may only differ in the type of software that controls the device.
In the case of mobile phones, for example, the physical design of the phone may be the same for all variants of a product, but some of the basic control features may operate differently. Typically, each customer of the manufacturer, typically a service provider, requires a different variant type having different control features. These basic control features could include wake-up graphics, default network settings, hiding or displaying control menu items, subscriber identity module (SIM), lock setting and encryption/decryption features.
Reworking of variants has become a commonplace practice in the manufacture of large-volume products, such as mobile phones. Because of inaccurate sales forecasts, large numbers of one or more variants may be stored in a distribution center as increased inventory. Existing mobile phones created of one variant type may then need to be converted quickly to a variant of another type for use by another service provider. Also, when a mobile phone is repaired, the repair may be done by replacing the transceiver unit of the phone with a standard transceiver. This standard transceiver unit then would have to be converted quickly and easily to the variant used by the service provider for which the phone was originally intended, or if the phone is placed back in general stock, to one of one or more variants used by other service providers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for configuring an electronic device for operation. The method and apparatus allows a number of electronic devices to be manufactured according to the same or similar product specifications and then to be configured as a particular variant of the product, at the point in time when final identifying data on the device is input to the device. The identifying data is then used to determine a selected set of configuration data from one of a plurality of sets of configuration data that are stored in the device. After the set of configuration data is determined, the device is configured to operate as a variant according to the selected set of configuration data. The identifying data may be, for example, subscriber identity data of a subscriber associated with a particular customer or service provider that requires a particular variant of the product.
In an embodiment of the invention, the method and apparatus is implemented in a mobile telephone that includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) programmed for each user. The mobile telephone includes a memory device in which are stored multiple sets of configuration data where each set of configuration data defines a unique operating configuration of a variant of the mobile telephone. The mobile telephone also includes software that is able to map identifying data in the SIM to a particular service provider and the variants required by the service provider for the user. The software also configures the electronic device accordingly. The identifying data could be, for example, the mobile country code/mobile network code MCC/MNC of a GSM system. When the SIM is initially placed in the mobile telephone, the identifying data is read from the SIM and the mobile station is automatically configured according to the appropriate variant, by matching the identifying data to a variant having a selected set of configuration data and setting flags in a section of the memory device in which the operating code for the mobile station is stored that cause the mobile station to operate according to the selected set of configuration data. The mobile station then operates as the particular variant associated with the configuration data.
In an alternate embodiment, the mobile station may be of a type that does not include a subscriber identity module. In this alternative embodiment, the identifying data utilized to configure the mobile station or a particular variant may be the first SID/SOC subscriber identity/system operator code combination that is programmed into the phone.
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Heckler Thomas M.
Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd.
Rivers Brian T.
LandOfFree
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