Device customization while remaining in an integral outer package using NFC or RFID to update or upgrade firmware prior to initial power-up

A method of customizing a device, comprising:

• prior to initial power-up of the device, transmitting to a near frequency communication chip added to the device and separate from hardware of the device, via a wireless communication channel, customization assignment data identifying at least one customization module for recordation in a memory of the near frequency communication chip, the hardware of the device including firmware, device storage, and at least one processor that executes the firmware, wherein the customization assignment data that was recorded remains unmoved from the memory of the near frequency communication chip prior to initial power-up of the device is only accessible to firmware once the device is powered up, and wherein after and/or in response to an initial power-up, the firmware accesses the customization assignment data that is recorded in the memory of the near frequency communication chip and selects the identified at least one customization module from a plurality of customization modules stored in the device storage using the recorded customization assignment data and effectively programs and/or configures the device's firmware by causing the at least one processor to use the selected at least one customization module during operation of the device to cause the device to be customized with a particular device customization per the recorded customization assignment data, and wherein the access of the recorded customization assignment data caused by the firmware is sufficient as an interaction between the hardware and the recorded customization assignment data for causing the device to be customized with the particular device customization.

A customizable device comprising:

• a communication chip added to the customizable device and separate from hardware of customizable device, the hardware of the customizable device including firmware, device storage, and at least one processor that executes the firmware, the communication chip having a memory and being configured to:
• prior to initial power-up of the customizable device, receive at the communication chip via a wireless electronic communication channel, customization assignment data identifying at least one customization module;
• and
• prior to initial power-up of the customizable device, record the customization assignment data in the memory of the communication chip, wherein the customization assignment data that was recorded remains unmoved from the memory of the communication chip prior to initial power-up of the customizable device and is only accessible to the firmware once the customizable device is powered up;
• the firmware, upon execution by the at least one processor is configured to:
• read the customization assignment data recorded in the memory of the communication chip;
• after and/or in response to an initial power-up of the customizable device, select the identified at least one customization module from a plurality of customization modules using the recorded customization assignment data that was read from the memory of the communication chip, the plurality of customization modules being stored in the device storage, each of the customization modules including programmed instructions configured to cause the customizable device to have a different device customization;
• and
• effectively program and/or configure the firmware by causing the at least one processor to use the selected at least one customization module during operation of the customizable device to cause the customizable device to be customized with a particular device customization of the different device customizations per the recorded customization assignment data, wherein the access of the recorded customization assignment data caused by the firmware is sufficient as an interaction between the hardware and the recorded customization assignment data for causing the customizable device to be customized with the particular device customization.

A customization system comprising:

• at least one memory configured to store instructions;
• and
• at least one processing device disposed at an operating location of the at least one processing device and in communication with the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processing device upon execution of the instructions is configured to:
• prior to initial power-up of a device, transmit to a near frequency communication chip of the device added to the device and separate from hardware of the device, via a wireless communication channel, customization assignment data identifying at least one customization module for recordation in a memory of the near frequency communication chip, the hardware of the device including firmware, device storage, and the at least one processing device that executes the firmware, wherein the customization assignment data that was recorded remains unmoved from the memory of the near frequency communication chip prior to initial power-up of the device is only accessible to firmware once the device is powered up, and wherein after and/or in response to an initial power-up, the firmware accesses the customization assignment data that is recorded in the memory of the near frequency communication chip and selects the identified at least one customization module from a plurality of customization modules stored in the device storage using the recorded customization assignment data and effectively programs and/or configures the device's firmware by causing the at least one processing device to use the selected at least one customization module during operation of the device to cause the device to be customized with a particular device customization per the recorded customization assignment data, wherein the access of the recorded customization assignment data caused by the firmware is sufficient as an interaction between the hardware and the recorded customization assignment data for causing the device to be customized with the particular device customization.