Patent ID: 7451441

Claim:
A method to install software features into an electronic device, the method comprising: storing at least one product configuration matrix (PCM) in the electronic device, the PCM including information representative of at least one software feature that can be installed in the electronic device; reading the PCM information; comparing the read PCM information with information from a configuration control file (CCF); and for a match between the PCM information and the CCF information, obtaining a software feature that corresponds to the match and installing that software feature into the electronic device, wherein said reading the PCM information includes reading an alphanumeric string, wherein said comparing the read PCM information with information from the CCF includes: comparing each position in the alphanumeric string with a corresponding position in a mask in the CCF; and for at least one position of the alphanumeric string that matches with a corresponding position in the mask, determining from the CCF a first location indicative of where a corresponding software feature is available and a second location in the electronic device where that software feature is to be installed, and wherein said obtaining and installing that software feature into the electronic device respectively include obtaining that software feature from the first location and installing the obtained software feature in the second location.