Systems and methods for rapidly enabling brew-based wireless handsets for content development
View Patent ↗An application development system comprises a test-enable authority configured to store test-enable software for a plurality of mobile communication devices. In order to develop new applications, e.g. BREW applications, for a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device should be “test-enabled.” Mobile communication devices can be test-enabled using test-enable software that can, for example, be downloaded from the test-enable authority by a software developer. In one aspect, the test-enable software can install on the developer's computer, run a predetermined number of times and then uninstall. This allows communication device manufacturers to control the number of test-enabled communication devices in the market. In addition, this can save time, money, and effort for communication device manufacturers as well as developers.
1. A remote mobile communication device content development system, comprising:
an internet communication link;
a plurality of off the shelf portable communication devices that are not test enabled and not loaded with an application software being developed;
a development authority, including:
a storage media configured to store test-enable software that allows an off the shelf portable communications device to load an application from a developer, and that has been uploaded to the storage media, the test-enable software configured to automatically place the plurality of off the shelf portable communication device in a test-enable mode;
a content developer including a computer and having an I/O system coupled to the plurality of off the shelf portable communication devices through the I/O system, and having the development authority provide the test-enable software to the content developer by the internet communications link so that the content developer can download in a single run the test enable software to the plurality of off the shelf portable communication devices serially so that the plurality of off the shelf portable communication devices are test enabled so that an application developer is then allowed to load an application onto the plurality of off the shelf portable communications devices; and
loading the application onto the plurality of off the shelf portable communications devices after test-enabling then so that the application can be tested on the plurality of off the shelf portable communications devices.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the software comprises a command.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the copy of the test-enable software downloaded to the content developer is configured to run a preset number of times.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the preset number of times is one.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the test enable software is configured to uninstall after it is run the preset number of times.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the test-enable software is configured to allow the content developer to test-enable a certain number of mobile communication devices.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the test enable software is configured to uninstall after the certain number of mobile communication devices have been test-enabled.
8. A method of developing content for a communication device comprising:
obtaining a plurality of off the shelf mobile communication devices;
delivering test-enabling software for enabling a test bit over an internet communication link automatically from a server, the test-enabling software configured to automatically provide a test enable permission to place the plurality of communication devices in a test-enable mode for software development in a single run of the test enable software;
running the test-enabling software; and
downloading an application onto the test-enabled communication device that provides for software development.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the test enabling software comprises a command.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communication link comprises the internet.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communication link comprises a landline communication link.
12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising paying a fee to a communication device manufacturer.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the content developed comprises a BREW application.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the test-enable software test-enables a limited number of communication devices.
15. A system for developing content comprising:
a server;
test-enabling software automatically uploaded to the server over a first internet communication link;
a computer capable of automatically downloading the test-enabling software from the server over a second internet commutation link;
a plurality of communication devices coupled to the computer, wherein the test-enabling software is downloaded to automatically in a single run placing the plurality of communication devices in a test enable mode to allow later downloading of an application to be tested on the plurality of communications devices when each of the plurality of communications devices are coupled in serial order to the computer; and
downloading the application to be tested on each of the plurality of communication devices.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the test-enabling software comprises a command.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first and second communication link comprises the internet.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first communication link and the second communication comprises the internet.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first and second communication link comprises a landline communication link.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the communication device anc the computer are one unified device.