System and method for performing serialization of devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10102500-B2
Application number	US-201514961599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Jul 10, 2009
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A serialization service module is provided for configuring an asset management system to provide a secure means of generating, assigning to chips (or other electronic objects or devices), and tracking unique serial numbers. To provide this service, a controller connects through a secure, encrypted connection to appliances at a manufacturer's location. Agents can then request serial number values from an appliance by product name. The serial numbers are generated by the appliance, metered, and provided to the agents. The serial numbers are then injected sequentially into each die in a chip manufacturing process using the agent. A log is reported to the controller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
communicatively connecting an appliance to one or more agents to enable said appliance to provide electronic assets comprising configuration information to said one or more agents for enabling said one or more agents to apply said electronic assets to devices, said appliance being communicatively connectable through a network interface to a controller that is geographically remote from said appliance, said one or more agents being separate from said controller and from said appliance;
said appliance using a serialization schema to generate serial numbers for at least one agent to apply said serial numbers to a particular type of device bound to said appliance;
upon receiving a request for one or more serial numbers for said particular type of device from a requesting agent, said appliance providing, through an electronic interface with said one or more agents, the electronic interface being independent of said network interface;
receiving, from said requesting agent, an agent log of electronic assets and devices to which said electronic assets were applied;
storing an appliance log; and
sending said agent log and said appliance log to said controller.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the serialization schema defines generation of serial numbers within a subset of serial numbers able to be represented in a serial number field.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said agent log comprises log data from said requesting agent indicative of application of serial numbers to said particular type of device.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising providing said log data to said controller to enable said controller to monitor said providing.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said log data comprises a location on a die associated with said serial numbers or a time stamp associated with a time at which said serial numbers were added to said device.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising sending a log report to said controller indicative of receipt of said serialization schema.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from said controller, values indicating a credit count corresponding to a number of serial numbers; and
metering, within a hardware security module, said serial numbers, said metering comprising:
decreasing, based on providing said one or more serial number, said credit count; and
stopping, based on said credit count falling below a determined value, providing said one or more serial number.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said serialization schema is stored within a hardware security module, and wherein said appliance generates said serial numbers within the hardware security module.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said electronic interface comprises local communications network connecting said appliance and said one or more agents.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said serialization schema defines a range of serial numbers by:
defining a range of base values allowed in said schema,
defining a format for said base values, and
defining a total number of characters for each serial number.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said serial numbers are generated by:
for each base value:
determining the base value is within said range,
representing said base value in said format,
truncating or padding a resultant string according to said total number of characters, and
inserting, based on an indication that a static string is to be inserted, said static string in said resultant string to obtain said serial number.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed cause an appliance to:
communicatively connect said appliance to one or more agents to enable said appliance to provide electronic assets comprising configuration information to said one or more agents for enabling said one or more agents to apply electronic assets to devices, said appliance being communicatively connectable through a network interface to a controller that is geographically remote from said appliance, said one or more agents being separate from said controller and from said appliance;
use a serialization schema to generate serial numbers for at least one agent to apply said serial numbers to a particular type of device bound to said appliance; and
upon receiving a request for one or more serial numbers for said particular type of device from a requesting agent, provide from said appliance through an electronic interface with said one or more agents, the electronic interface being independent of said network interface;
receive, from said requesting agent, an agent log of electronic assets and devices to which said electronic assets were applied;
store an appliance log; and
send said agent log and said appliance log to said controller.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 12 , further comprising instructions for sending a log report to said controller indicative of receipt of said serialization schema.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein said serialization schema defines a range of serial numbers by:
defining a range of base values allowed in said schema,
defining a format for said base values, and
defining a total number of characters for each serial number.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 14 , wherein said serial numbers are generated by:
for each base value:
determining the base value is within said range,
representing said base value in said format,
truncating or padding a resultant string according to said total number of characters, and
inserting, based on an indication that a static string is to be inserted, said static string in said resultant string to obtain said serial number.

16. An appliance device comprising a processor, memory and being communicatively connectable to a controller and one or more agents, said processor, when operating:
communicatively connects said appliance to one or more agents to enable said appliance to provide electronic assets comprising configuration information to said one or more agents for enabling said one or more agents to apply said electronic assets to devices, said appliance being communicatively connectable through a network interface to a controller that is geographically remote from said appliance and said one or more agents being separate from said controller and from said appliance;
uses a serialization schema to generate serial numbers for at least one agent configured to apply said serial numbers to a particular type of device bound to said appliance;
upon receiving a request for one or more serial numbers for said particular type of device from a requesting agent, provides from said appliance through an electronic interface with said one or more agents, the electronic interface being independent of said network interface;
receive, from said requesting agent, an agent log of electronic assets and devices to which said electronic assets were applied;
store an appliance log; and
send said agent log and said appliance log to said controller.

17. A method comprising:
communicatively connecting a controller to an appliance via a network interface, said controller providing configuration information to said appliance, wherein said configuration information and communicatively connecting to said appliance enables electronic assets to be provided by said appliance to one or more agents to enable said

Assignees

• Certicom Corp

Inventors

• Fung Eric
• Neill Brian
• Tse Chi Chiu

Classifications

• G06Q10/04

  Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202) · CPC title

• G06Q10/0875 Primary

  Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials · CPC title

• G06Q10/06

  Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling · CPC title

• G06Q50/04

  Manufacturing · CPC title