Patent ID: 7234061
Filing Date: 2007-06-19
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a computerized device, a method for verifying that a module is from an approved vendor, the module including an externally readable memory pre-programmed with vendor data and a first magic code, the method comprising the steps of: reading the memory of the module to obtain the vendor data and first magic code therefrom; generating a second magic code based on the vendor data; and outputting a magic code valid signal when the second magic code matches the first magic code, and a magic code invalid signal when the second magic code does not match the first magic code; wherein the vendor data includes a module serial number, the module serial number being unique to the module when the module is from an approved vendor, and wherein the step of generating includes the step of: forming the second magic code based on the module serial number; and further comprising the steps of: obtaining a second serial number from a second module, the second module serial number being unique to the second module when the second module is from an approved vendor; and outputting a serial number valid signal when the module serial number of the vendor data does not match the second serial number from the second module, and a serial number invalid signal when the serial number of the vendor data matches the second serial number from the second module, and wherein: the modules are respective first and second communications transceiver components; the vendor data and first magic code are obtained from a non-volatile memory in the first communications transceiver component; the vendor data includes data from a vendor name field, a vendor identification number field, and an error-checking field; and the generating and outputting steps are performed as part of a magic code verification routine upon successful completion of an error-checking routine performed on the vendor data; and further comprising the steps of: performing the error-checking routine on the vendor data; if during the magic code verification routine the first magic code does not match the second magic code, then identifying the first communications transceiver component as not being from an approved vendor; if during the magic code verification routine the first magic code does match the second magic code, then repeating the preceding steps for the second communications transceiver component; and further wherein: the serial number valid signal indicates that the first communications transceiver component has been identified as being from an approved vendor; the serial number invalid signal indicates that the first communications transceiver component has been identified as not being from an approved vendor; and the step of outputting the serial number valid signal and serial number invalid signal is performed only if the first magic code matches the second magic code during the magic code verification routine for both the first and second communications transceiver components.