Chipset/Chip/Platform
Chipset is basically a
set of chips (part of phone’s hardware).
From the service
viewpoint the mobile phones with the same
chipset act in the same way, the chipset decides
what interventions are enabled in the mobile
phone. Chipsets are organized into groups called
platforms. According to the platform you
identify which operation is available for your
mobile phone.
Note that sometimes
chipsets are referred to as platforms and
platfroms as platform groups.
Each Sony Ericsson (SE)
mobile phone belongs to a platform according to
the type of chipset in the phone. SE mobile
phone can use Ericsson or non-Ericsson chipset.
For example:
EMP
(Ericsson mobile platforms) PLATFORM – CHIPSET:
- A0 – DB 1xxx
- A1 – DB 2xxx
- A2 – DB 3xxx
Non EMP
- PLATFORM – CHIPSET:
- S1 – Locosto
- S1 – Neptune
- Calypso – ...
Check out the
full list of phones and platforms.
CDA (Customization
data article)
Customization data
article (CDA) is a „number“ that defines which
variant of a specific firmware the phone should
have. In indicates what language-pack / branding
/ bandlocks the phone is flashed with.
For example a generic (unbranded)
K750 for use in Scandinavia will be
CDA102337/12, whilst a Telenor-branded K750 will
be CDA102338/62. Both will be flashed with the
same languages / dictionaries, but the latter
will be flashed with Telenor-branded firmware.
This number is stored
in GDFS / TA.
CID (Caller ID /
Customer ID)
This "number" defines
the version of Sony Ericsson's (SE) protection
present in the phone.
New CIDs are deployed from time to time, for
preventing the phones from beeing unlocked /
flashed / tampered with non-SE service tools.
Current CIDs in use by SE are
16/29/36/37/49/50/51/52/53/80. The OTP (One Time
Programmable memory) and EROM of a phone might
be protected by different CIDs.
Colour
BLUE/BROWN/RED
„Colour“ of the phone
defines what kind of phone we are dealing with:
BLUE phones have been
assembled in the factory but never programmed
with software/ GDFS/ IMEI – it means they are
in their „factory state“
BROWN phones are "developer
phones", used for testing. Less restrictions are
present as these are used for "debugging/beta"
purposes.
RED phones are your
typical retail ones. Highest level of security
is present in this state of phone, it‘s usually
not possible to write into OTP (one time
programmable memory) in this state.
Flashing and
customization
Flashing operation
writes flash files (data) on the flash chip
of the mobile phone. It comes handy when you
want to update the firmware, debrand the phone
from any network branding and/or change the set
of languages in the cell phone.
Customization helps to
adjust the file system for the particular region
/ provider. For example you may flash your
mobile phone with FS for Central Europe (CE) and
then customize it for particular provider.
Custpack
Custpacks are zip-files
containing ORIGINAL customization files. These
serve as basic configuration files for the
handset, which languages to allow, data accounts,
branding etc...
(FTP) File Transfer
Protocol
File Transfer Protocol
is a method to upload and download files over
the Internet or any network.
It is a standard
network protocol that allows users to copy files
between their local system and any system they
can reach on the network. It is a very common
method of moving files between two Internet
sites. FTP is a way to login to another Internet
site for the purposes of retrieving and / or
sending files.
Firmware
Something in-between
hardware and software. Like software, it is
created from source code, but it is closely tied
to the hardware it runs on. Permanent
instructions and data programmed directly into
the circuitry of read-only memory for
controlling the operation of the phone.
Full and permanent
unlock & relock / Unlock-by-patch
Permanent network
unlock causes your mobile phone to be able to
use any SIM card of any provider (not
only the one that you bought your mobile phone
from). On the other hand, relock operation locks
your mobile phone to a specific operator. It
means, that after locking your cell phone, it
will only work with the SIM cards of the one
specific operator.
Unlock can be achieved
via two different ways. While permanent unlock
is based on the recalculation of the security
zone, so called patch unlock (Unlock-by-patch)
accepts the SIM card without recalculating the
security zone, therefore after flashing
the phone with another firmware the locks
are recovered (so unlock is not permanent) and
you would need to unlock your phone again.
However, permanent
unlock is not available for all the platforms
and all mobile phones, so the unlock-by-patch
will just have to do for the time being.
GDFS (Global data
file system)
Global data file system
is a proprietary filesystem used by
Sony-Ericsson
on certain of their
mobile phones.
Data stored in the GDFS includes hardware
customization data (e.g. radio channel
parameters, settings for display, audio
circuitry, calibration data, etc.), security/identification
data (IMEI, lock codes, etc.) and user data -
sounds, pictures, SMS, phonebook, calendar and
so on. Some of GDFS units ("files"), or
sometimes parts of them, are protected by
checksums that are stored in other GDFS units.
See also TA.
GDFS Backup
It’s a minor operation
processed automatically with our software as a
part of other operations, creates backup of
initial data (calibration data).
GDFS Reconstruction
Operation that
causes the reconstruction of GDFS (Global
data file system), all damaged data, security
zone recalculation (it’s a part of GDFS that
contains SIM locks, signatures, etc.). For GDFS
restoration the backup from other phone is used,
which causes destruction of all unique data (e.g.
calibration data).
IMEI (International
Mobile Equipment Identity)
International Mobile
Equipment Identity, a 14-digit number which
includes information of the origin, model, and
serial number of the device. The IMEI is a
number unique to every GSM mobile phone and it
is used by the GSM network to identify valid
devices and therefore can be used to stop a
stolen or blocked phone from accessing the
network. It is usually found printed on the
phone underneath the battery or accessed by
dialing *#06# on your mobile phone. In SE phones
the IMEI is stored in two places, the OTP
(One Time Programmable memory) and GDFS
(Global data file system).
The model and origin
comprise the initial 8-digit portion of the IMEI,
known as the "Type Allocation Code/TAC". The
remainder of the IMEI is manufacturer-defined,
with a "Luhn check digit" at the end (which is
never transmitted). The "Luhn check digit" is
calculated from the rest of the IMEI.
(OTP) One Time
Programmable memory
It is a form of digital
memory where the setting of each bit is locked
by a
fuse or
antifuse. Such
memory is used to store programs permanently.
The programming is applied after the device is
constructed.
Operation
Operation in this case
is a set of steps and acts that produces some
change in your mobile phone. All depends on what
you want to do with your mobile phone and how
you want to customize it. You can unlock or
relock it (Full and permanent network unlock
& relock / Unlock by patch), do flashing
or customization, reconstruct the GDFS (GDFS
reconstruction), browse, upload, download or
delete the file system (Phone filesystem
browsing & management), reset your user code
(User code reset), and a lot of other
various operations.
Phone filesystem
browsing & management
This operation
enables you to browse, download, upload and
delete the file system. Our application will
communicate with your favourite FTP (file
transfer protocol) connected to
ftp://localhost
and enable browsing, download, upload and delete
(please note
that if the mobile phone is “red”, application
will not enable downloading, only uploading).
(ROM) Read only
memory / (EROM) extended read only memory
Read only memory is
recorded when the phone is made and it can not
be edited.
EROM/SEMCBOOT is
extended ROM, first level of memory that can be
edited although it has a certain level of
protection present. For A1 platforms EROM
contains primary certificate.
Server
Server is a computer that provides a specific
kind of service to client software running on
other computers. The term can refer to a
particular piece of software, such as a WWW
server, or to the machine on which the software
is running.
Security zone
Security zone is a
small part of GDFS / TA containing all
information about SIM-locks, together with their
signatures.
SIM-lock
SIM-lock is a parameter
inside the mobile phone, which tells to phone,
what GSM network it can be used with. If the
SIM-lock state is "unlocked", you can use the
phone with any network in your country of any
operator. If SIM-lock state is "locked", it
means that you can use only SIMcard of the
operator who has locked the phone to his network.
SIM card
Subscriber Identity
Module card is a well known small printed
circuit board that must be inserted in any GSM-based
mobile telephone when signing on as a subscriber.
It contains subscriber details, security
information and memory for a personal directory
of numbers.
TA (Trim area)
It's the same as
GDFS, but in S1 platforms. A2 platforms have
continued using the term TA as well as GDFS,
moving part of the data from GDFS to TA. TA is a
little bit simpler, and GDFS little bit more
difficult.
It is often still
referred to as GDFS
Testpoint
Piece of hardware that
is used for testing purposes – phone diagnostics,
change of phone functioning, etc…
User code reset
Operation for
resetting the user code. User code in your
mobile phone serves as the protection against an
unauthorized access (it protects your list of
contacts, or prevents using other than your SIM
card on your phone). In case you forget the
number then this operation comes handy – it will
reset the user code to four zeros, so that you
can set it up again. |