Configuration of unpowered devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12585472-B2
Application number	US-202218050121-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2022
Priority date	Oct 27, 2022
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to configurable electronic devices, packaging therefor, electronic device products, as well as methods and systems for configuring configurable electronic devices whilst unpowered. The electronic device includes a housing and a configuration system contained therein. The housing bears a first visual indicia indicative of a location for applying an external electromagnetic field to the electronic device for configuring the same in an unpowered state. The packaging includes a main enclosure for removably retaining the electronic device therein, at least part of the main enclosure being composed of a material transparent to the external electromagnetic field, and a second visual indicia which is born on an outward-facing surface of the main enclosure. The second visual indicia is indicative of the location for applying the external electromagnetic field and disposed in proximity to the first visual indicia when the electronic device is received within the packaging.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An electronic device product, comprising:
an electronic device comprising a housing and a configuration system contained within the housing, the housing bearing on an outer surface thereof a first visual indicia indicative of a location for applying an external electromagnetic field to the electronic device for configuring the electronic device in an unpowered state; and a packaging, comprising:
a main enclosure for removably retaining therein the electronic device, at least part of the main enclosure being composed of a material transparent to the external electromagnetic field to enable said configuring of the electronic device in the unpowered state; and
a second visual indicia born on an outward-facing surface of the main enclosure, the second visual indicia indicative of the location for applying the external electromagnetic field to the electronic device and disposed in proximity to the first visual indicia when the electronic device is received within the packaging.

2 . The electronic device product of claim 1 , wherein the main enclosure is entirely composed of the material transparent to the external electromagnetic field.

3 . The electronic device product of claim 1 , wherein the second visual indicia comprises a portion of the main enclosure which is composed of a first material different from at least a second material composing a remainder of the main enclosure.

4 . The electronic device product of claim 3 , wherein the first material is transparent visually and to the external electromagnetic field, the first visual indicia being visible through the portion of the main enclosure.

5 . The electronic device product of claim 1 , wherein the main enclosure defines an indentation in the outward-facing surface thereof for removably receiving an external device producing the external electromagnetic field.

6 . The electronic device product of claim 5 , wherein the indentation is disposed proximate to the second visual indicia.

7 . The electronic device product of claim 5 , wherein the second visual indicia is disposed within the indentation.

8 . The electronic device product of claim 5 , wherein the second indicia comprises at least part of the indentation.

9 . The electronic device product of claim 5 , wherein at least part of the indentation is transparent visually, the first visual indicia being visible through the at least part of the indentation.

10 . The electronic device product of claim 1 , wherein the second visual indicia being disposed in proximity to the first visual indicia comprises the second visual indicia overlapping with the first visual indicia when the electronic device is received within the packaging.

11 . The electronic device product of claim 1 , comprising a seal applied to a portion of the main enclosure to securely retain therein the electronic device, wherein the seal is transparent to the external electromagnetic field.

12 . The electronic device product of claim 11 , wherein the second visual indicia is disposed on the seal.

13 . The electronic device product of claim 1 , wherein the packaging comprises a brace disposed within the main enclosure for removably securing the electronic device therewithin.

14 . The electronic device product of claim 13 , wherein the brace removably securing the electronic device therewithin comprises enforcing a pose of the electronic device within the main enclosure.

15 . The electronic device product of claim 13 , wherein the brace forms part of the main enclosure.

16 . The electronic device product of claim 1 , wherein the packaging comprises a printed unique resource locator born on the main enclosure, the unique resource locator indicating a target address at which an application associated with the electronic device is obtainable.

17 . The electronic device product of claim 1 , the electronic device comprising:
a primary memory powerable by a power source coupled thereto; a configuration memory for storing configuration data, the configuration memory separate from the primary memory; an antenna coupled to the configuration memory to provide power thereto when subjected to an external electromagnetic field and to transmit configuration data obtained via a data stream to the configuration memory for storage therein; and a primary controller powerable by the power source and coupled to the primary memory and to the configuration memory, the primary controller configured for, upon powering on of the electronic device via the power source:
querying the configuration memory to determine a presence of the configuration data; and
responsive to said determining the presence of the configuration data, loading the configuration data into the primary memory to cause the electronic device to operate in accordance with the configuration data.

18 . The electronic device product of claim 17 , wherein the primary controller is configured for, upon said powering on of the electronic device and responsive to determining an absence of the configuration data, causing the electronic device to operate in accordance with alternative configuration data, wherein the alternative configuration data is one of default configuration data, past configuration data, and backup configuration data.

19 . The electronic device product of claim 17 , wherein the primary controller is configured for, upon said powering on of the electronic device, validating a digital signature associated with the configuration data, wherein said loading the configuration data into the primary memory is responsive to the digital signature associated with the configuration data being validated.

20 . The electronic device product of claim 17 , wherein the primary controller is configured for, following said loading the configuration data into the primary memory, communicating a message to a remote server identified in the configuration data.

21 . The electronic device product of claim 17 , wherein the primary controller is configured for, following said loading the configuration data into the primary memory:
performing a validation of the configuration data; and loading alternative configuration data into the primary memory to cause the electronic device to operate in accordance with the alternative configuration data responsive to the configuration data failing the validation.

22 . The electronic device product of claim 17 , wherein the housing contains at least some of the primary memory, the configuration memory, the antenna, and the primary controller, and wherein the first visual indicia borne on the housing is positioned for causing the antenna to be subjected to the external electromagnetic field when the external electromagnetic field is applied in proximity to the first visual indicia.

23 . The electronic device product of claim 17 , wherein the configuration memory is configured for providing a confirmation via the antenna to an external device when queried, the confirmation relating to a configuration status of the electronic device.

24 . The electronic device product of claim 23 , wherein the confirmation provides an indication of the configuration data stored in the configuration memory.

25 . A packaging for an electronic device configurable in an unpowered state via a configuration system thereof, at least the configuration system being contained in a housing of the electronic device, the housing comprising

Assignees

• Genetec Inc

Inventors

• Cote Louis-Martin
• Leduc Mathieu

Classifications

• H04B5/70

  specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• H04B1/08

  Constructional details, e.g. cabinet · CPC title

• G06F1/18

  Packaging or power distribution · CPC title

• G06F9/44505

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title

• G06F1/263

  Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title