Patent Publication Number: US-8523073-B2

Title: Apparatus and method for automatically providing information to a new computer

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority from and is a continuation of previously filed U.S. application Ser. No. 13/273,181, filed Oct. 13, 2011, which claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/542,122, filed Sep. 30, 2011, the subject matter of both prior applications incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The subject technology relates generally to the manufacturing and testing of computing devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     During the manufacturing process, a new computer must be taught certain information about itself (for example, its serial number, memory, speed, operating system, hardware capabilities, and the like). Currently, providing the computer with this information includes manually scanning with a barcode reader a barcode attached to the computer to retrieve a serial number, using that serial number to retrieve information specific to the computer, and then manually loading that information into the computer. 
     SUMMARY 
     The subject technology provides a system and computer-implemented method for automatically providing information to a newly-manufactured computing device. According to one aspect, the system includes activating an integrated camera associated with the computing device as a barcode scanner, waiting for a barcode to be viewed by the integrated camera, and, on the integrated camera viewing a barcode that includes device-specific configuration information, reading the barcode to read the device-specific configuration information, and storing the device-specific configuration information on a system memory of the computing device. In another aspect, the method may include connecting to a configuration system via a network connection, transmitting to the configuration system the serial number, receiving from the configuration system, secondary configuration information about the computing device, and, on receiving the secondary configuration information, automatically storing the secondary configuration information to the system memory. 
     It is understood that other configurations of the subject technology will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various configurations of the subject technology are shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the subject technology is capable of other and different configurations and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the scope of the subject technology. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A detailed description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of a system, including an assembly line, for automatically providing information to newly-manufactured computing devices according to one aspect of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of a computing device, including an integrated camera, and a barcode for automatically providing information to a newly-manufactured computing device according to one aspect of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a process for automatically providing configuration information to a newly-manufactured computing device according to one aspect of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a process for automatically downloading configuration information to a newly-manufactured computing device according to one aspect of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a machine or computer for automatically providing information to a newly-manufactured computing device, including a processor and other internal components, according to one aspect of the subject technology. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of a system, including an assembly line, for automatically providing information to newly-manufactured computing devices according to one aspect of the subject technology. A system  100  may include an assembly line  101  configured to receive for configuration one or more computing devices  102 , a configuration server  103 , and a configuration storage  104  (for example, a database or file system). Assembly line  101  may include a sequential organization of technicians, tools or machines, and/or parts to facilitate the configuration of a one or more devices  102 . Configuration server  103  may be operably connected to the one or more devices  102  at assembly line  101  using a wired or wireless network  105  (for example, a secure WAN, LAN, or the Internet). Each device  102  may be connected using an Ethernet cable to a local area network (LAN) using a local router, or each device  102  may be configured to include a wireless connection to a wireless router. 
     A computing device  102  compatible with assembly line  101  may include, for example, a notebook computer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), smart phone, or the like. Each computing device  102  may include an integrated camera (for example, a camera built into a display of the device). During the configuration of a device  102  at assembly line  101 , the camera of device  102  may be activated and presented with a barcode that includes a serial number associated with the device. The camera may be configured to automatically read the barcode to read and/or store the serial number, and then automatically transmit  106  the serial number to configuration server  103  using network  105 . A configuration server  103  may be configured to receive the serial number scanned at assembly line  101  by the camera, and facilitate the download to the device of further device-specific configuration information associated with the serial number. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram of a computing device, including an integrated camera, and a barcode for automatically providing information to a newly-manufactured computing device according to one aspect of the subject technology. A computing device  201  may include one or more internal memory mediums  202  and an associated camera  203 . Camera  203  may include an integrated camera (for example, built into a display) or may be a component separate from, or configurably mountable to, computing device  201 . An internal memory medium  202  may include firmware instructions  204  that, when executed by a processor associated with computing device  201  (see, for example,  FIG. 4 ), configure computing device  201  to initiate a boot up and to activate camera  203  as a barcode scanner. In one aspect, device  201  is configured to execute firmware instructions  204  when powered on for the first time. 
     When camera  203  is activated as a barcode scanner, a barcode  205  may be positioned to be viewable by camera  203 . For example, barcode  205  may be placed in front of the camera by an assembly line technician, or automatically by machinery at assembly line  101 . Camera  203  may automatically read encoded information from barcode  205  and store the encoded information onto an internal system memory  206 . System memory  206  may be implemented as a secure area or partition on the same internal memory medium  202  that stores firmware instructions  204 , or, in other aspects, implemented as a separate internal memory medium  202 . 
     System memory  206  may be a write-once memory (for example, an EPROM, EEPROM, or other non-volatile memory), wherein, once the information is stored thereon, the information becomes read-only. For example, after storing the device-specific configuration information on system memory  206 , computing device  201  may be configured to set system memory  206  to a read-only state (for example, by applying a voltage to one or more specific pins of an EPROM or EEPROM). 
     Barcode  205  may be encoded with information related to the computing device  201 . For example, barcode  205  may include a serial number of device  201 , along with secondary configuration information related to, for example, memory, speed, operating system, hardware capabilities, and the like. In this regard, barcode  205  may be a matrix 2D barcode having the serial number and secondary configuration information encoded thereon. On reading barcode  205 , computing device  201  may receive configuration information about itself. 
     In one aspect, barcode  204  may be encoded with limited information, such as a serial number. On reading a serial number from barcode  205 , computing device  201  may be configured to connect to configuration system  207  (for example, including configuration computer  103 ) to retrieve the previously described information. Firmware instructions  204 , when executed, may cause the processor to connect to configuration system  207 , including storage  208  for storing configuration information (for example, configuration storage  104 ), by means of a connection through a network (for example, network  105 ). Computing device  201  may transmit to configuration system  207  the serial number read from barcode  205  to receive the previously described secondary configuration information about the computing device. To this end, configuration system  207  and/or storage  208  may be configured to store the previously described secondary configuration information for one or more computing devices  201 , indexed by serial numbers. On configuration system  207  receiving a serial number, configuration system  207  may perform a lookup of the secondary configuration information and then transmit the secondary configuration information to computing device  201  for storage at system memory  206 . 
     In another aspect, activating camera  203 , reading barcode  205 , storing the serial number and/or secondary configuration information to system memory  206 , and the like, may be the result of executing instructions from a location different than internal memory medium  202 . In one example, computing device  201  may include a memory medium  209  (for example, a hard drive, removable flash drive, USB drive, or the like) for storing a factory boot image  210 . Boot image  210  may not include standard operating system features (for example, a browser), but, rather, may include a limited feature set for configuring and/or testing the hardware systems of a computing device (for example, physical memory addresses and hardware functions, network capability, and the like). Boot image  210  may be responsible for, among other things, configuring device  201 . Computing device  201  may be configured, on a power up, to access and load the previously described firmware instructions  204  from internal memory medium  202  and to initiate a further boot up of the device by loading and executing a boot image  210 . Boot image  210 , when executed, may then activate camera  203  and wait to read configuration information from a barcode  205 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a process for automatically providing configuration information to a newly-manufactured computing device according to one aspect of the subject technology. According to one aspect, computing device (for example, computing device  101 ) may be configured with configuration instructions that, when executed on a start up of the computing device, automatically configure the device to load configuration information. In a first process  301 , a boot-up of the computing device is initiated (for example, for the first time). In a second process  302 , a camera associated with the computing device is activated as a barcode scanner. In some aspects, the camera may be integrated into the display of the computing device. In a third process  303 , the camera remains idle and waits for a barcode to be positioned to be viewable by the camera. On the camera viewing a barcode that includes device-specific configuration information, in a fourth process  304 , the camera reads the barcode to read the device-specific configuration information, and then, in a fifth process  305 , the computing device stores the device-specific configuration information in a system memory. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a process for automatically downloading configuration information to a newly-manufactured computing device according to one aspect of the subject technology. In some aspects, the device-specific configuration information includes a serial number. The instructions, when executed, may cause the computing device to, in a sixth process  401 , connect to an configuration system through a network connection. In a seventh process  402 , the computing device sends the serial number to the configuration system. In an eighth process  403 , in response to receiving the serial number at the configuration system, secondary configuration information about the computing device is sent from the configuration system to the computing device. In a ninth process  404 , the secondary configuration information is stored to the computing device. 
     Therefore, using the subject technology, a new computing device, in an assembly line, may be activated to load and execute initiation instructions stored thereon to activate a camera associated with the new device as a barcode scanner. A barcode, including information related to the new device, may be positioned to be viewable by the camera. On the camera viewing the barcode, the information is read by the camera and stored on a system memory of the computing device. In some aspects, the device may connect to an configuration system to download secondary configuration information based on the information related to the computing device, and then store the secondary configuration information on a system memory of the computing device. In a further aspect, a technician working in the assembly line may verify that the information was stored to the system memory. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a machine or computer for automatically providing information to a newly-manufactured computing device, including a processor and other internal components, according to one aspect of the subject technology. In some aspects, a computerized device  500  (for example, computing device  102 , configuration server  103 , or the like) includes several internal components such as a processor  501 , a system bus  502 , read-only memory  503 , system memory  504 , network interface  505 , I/O interface  506 , and the like. In one aspect, processor  501  may also be communication with a storage medium  507  (for example, a hard drive, database, or data cloud) via I/O interface  506 . In some aspects, all of these elements of device  500  may be integrated into a single device. In other aspects, these elements may be configured as separate components. 
     Processor  501  may be configured to execute code or instructions to perform the operations and functionality described herein, manage request flow and address mappings, and to perform calculations and generate commands. Processor  501  is configured to monitor and control the operation of the components in server  500 . The processor may be a general-purpose microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic device (PLD), a controller, a state machine, gated logic, discrete hardware components, or a combination of the foregoing. One or more sequences of instructions may be stored as firmware on a ROM within processor  501 . Likewise, one or more sequences of instructions may be software stored and read from system memory  505 , ROM  503 , or received from a storage medium  507  (for example, via I/O interface  506 ). ROM  503 , system memory  505 , and storage medium  507  represent examples of machine or computer readable media on which instructions/code may be executable by processor  501 . Machine or computer readable media may generally refer to any medium or media used to provide instructions to processor  501 , including both volatile media, such as dynamic memory used for system memory  504  or for buffers within processor  501 , and non-volatile media, such as electronic media, optical media, and magnetic media. 
     In some aspects, processor  501  is configured to communicate with one or more external devices (for example, via I/O interface  506 ). Processor  501  is further configured to read data stored in system memory  504  and/or storage medium  507  and to transfer the read data to the one or more external devices in response to a request from the one or more external devices. The read data may include one or more web pages and/or other software presentation to be rendered on the one or more external devices. The one or more external devices may include a computing system such as a personal computer, a server, a workstation, a laptop computer, PDA, smart phone, and the like. 
     In some aspects, system memory  504  represents volatile memory used to temporarily store data and information used to manage device  500 . According to one aspect of the subject technology, system memory  504  is random access memory (RAM) such as double data rate (DDR) RAM. Other types of RAM also may be used to implement system memory  504 . Memory  504  may be implemented using a single RAM module or multiple RAM modules. While system memory  504  is depicted as being part of device  500 , those skilled in the art will recognize that system memory  504  may be separate from device  500  without departing from the scope of the subject technology. Alternatively, system memory  504  may be a non-volatile memory such as a magnetic disk, flash memory, peripheral SSD, and the like. 
     I/O interface  506  may be configured to be coupled to one or more external devices, to receive data from the one or more external devices and to send data to the one or more external devices. I/O interface  506  may include both electrical and physical connections for operably coupling I/O interface  506  to processor  501 , for example, via the bus  502 . I/O interface  506  is configured to communicate data, addresses, and control signals between the internal components attached to bus  502  (for example, processor  501 ) and one or more external devices (for example, a hard drive). I/O interface  506  may be configured to implement a standard interface, such as Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS), Fiber Channel interface, PCI Express (PCIe), SATA, USB, and the like. I/O interface  506  may be configured to implement only one interface. Alternatively, I/O interface  506  may be configured to implement multiple interfaces, which are individually selectable using a configuration parameter selected by a user or programmed at the time of assembly. I/O interface  506  may include one or more buffers for buffering transmissions between one or more external devices and bus  502  and/or the internal devices operably attached thereto. 
     Those of skill in the art would appreciate that the various illustrative blocks, modules, elements, components, methods, and algorithms described herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative blocks, modules, elements, components, methods, and algorithms have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application. Various components and blocks may be arranged differently (e.g., arranged in a different order, or partitioned in a different way) all without departing from the scope of the subject technology. 
     It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes disclosed is an illustration of exemplary approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes may be rearranged. Some of the steps may be performed simultaneously. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented. 
     The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. The previous description provides various examples of the subject technology, and the subject technology is not limited to these examples. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. Pronouns in the masculine (e.g., his) include the feminine and neuter gender (e.g., her and its) and vice versa. Headings and subheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limit the invention. 
     The term website, as used herein, may include any aspect of a website, including one or more web pages, one or more servers used to host or store web related content, and the like. Accordingly, the term website may be used interchangeably with the terms web page and server. The predicate words “configured to”, “operable to”, and “programmed to” do not imply any particular tangible or intangible modification of a subject, but, rather, are intended to be used interchangeably. For example, a processor configured to monitor and control an operation or a component may also mean the processor being programmed to monitor and control the operation or the processor being operable to monitor and control the operation. Likewise, a processor configured to execute code can be construed as a processor programmed to execute code or operable to execute code. 
     A phrase such as an “aspect” does not imply that such aspect is essential to the subject technology or that such aspect applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to an aspect may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. An aspect may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as an aspect may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa. A phrase such as an “embodiment” does not imply that such embodiment is essential to the subject technology or that such embodiment applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to an embodiment may apply to all embodiments, or one or more embodiments. An embodiment may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as an “embodiment” may refer to one or more embodiments and vice versa. A phrase such as a “configuration” does not imply that such configuration is essential to the subject technology or that such configuration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to a configuration may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A configuration may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as a “configuration” may refer to one or more configurations and vice versa. 
     The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example or illustration.” Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. 
     All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “step for.” Furthermore, to the extent that the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in the description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.