Patent ID: 7937751

Claim:
A device shell comprising: a detachable interface to a cartridge that contains communication components, at least one of which is selected from the set of a baseband or Radio-Frequency (RF) section for connection to at least one communication network, the cartridge storing a cartridge number that uniquely identifies the cartridge and conforms to a cartridge code registry numbering scheme, wherein the cartridge number is also stored in a cartridge identification database accessible through the at least one communication network; a shell antenna for wireless communication using the communication components in the cartridge; a coupling within the detachable interface for connection to an antenna connector in the cartridge, wherein the cartridge includes a cartridge antenna for wireless communication using the communication components in the cartridge, and an antenna switch to select either one of the shell antenna or cartridge antenna when the cartridge is coupled to the shell; memory storing a shell number comprising a unique serial number that identifies the device shell and conforms to a shell code registry numbering scheme, wherein the shell number is also stored in a database record as part of a shell identification database accessible through the at least one communication network, the database record also storing device characteristics and usage information of the device shell corresponding to the respective shell number and including information regarding communication using the communication components through either the shell antenna or cartridge antenna, wherein the shell identification database stores information relating to manufacturing, distribution, operation, and continuing usage of the device shell, and wherein the information is used for validation of the cartridge and device shell combination; and a processor that obtains the shell number from the memory and the cartridge number from the cartridge when the cartridge is coupled to the device shell through the detachable interface, and transmits the shell number and cartridge number to a validation server that validates operation of the inserted cartridge with the device shell for communication over the at least one communication network.