Serial numbers

This document describes the serial numbers of the ARRIS IP-STBs. There are two different serial number formats

One format holds ten digits (no letters). Only the first nine digits are significant. The last digit is a control digit. Products with this type of serial number is e g the IP-STB 900, the VIP1903 series. The value set is 0-9999999999.

The other format gives a serial number formed of 12 digits/letters: ABCCDDEEFFFF. A = Manufacturer ID (= M), B = Country code, C = Year (last two digits), D = Week, E = Production line, F = Production counter (0000 - ZZZZ). Products with this type of serial number is e g the VIP1200 series.

Serial intervals

Serial number intervals are used for making certain IP-STBs to embark on a certain action, such as receive a remote reboot command or receive a certain IIP distribution.

Targets including serial numbers may be specified in the IIP distribution file as well as in the remote reboot request file.

Element	Required	Comment	Value set
SerialIntervalStart	No	No IP-STBs with serial number less than SerialIntervalStart will receive this IIP. SerialIntervalEnd must be specified if this element is specified, no open intervals are allowed.	10 digits OR 12 digits/letters. Examples: 1234567890, M90603FA0284
SerialIntervalEnd	No	No IP-STBs with serial number larger than SerialIntervalEnd will be affected. SerialIntervalStart must be specified if this element is specified, no open intervals are allowed.	10 digits OR 12 digits/letters. Examples: 1234567899, M90603FAAAAB

So how can the IP-STB read a 12-digit serial number interval?

Well, first it makes sure that the Manufacturer Id, Country Code and Production Line letters are the same in both SerialIntervalStart and SerialIntervalEnd. Then they are removed from the serial number. This will give us a new number which has 8 digits/letters (CCDDFFFF). The FFFF part is then transformed into a 6 digit integer giving us a 10 digit integer which is comparable. This is a description of the FFFF notation:

Start	End	Quantity
0001	9999	9999
A000	A999	1000
B000	B999	1000
through
C000	Z999	24 x 1000 = 24000
AA00	AA99	100
AB00	AB99	100
through
AC00	AZ99	24 x 100 = 2400
BA00	BA99	100
BB00	BB99	100
through
BC00	ZZ99	(24 x 100) + (24 x 26 x 100) = 64800

1. All numerics will count from 0 to 9.
2. Alpha characters are inserted on the left-most position.
3. Upon reaching max numeric (9 in all numeric positions), the right-most alpha character will be incremented from A through Z.
4. Upon reaching max numeric (9 in all numeric positions) while all alpha characters are Z, the next left-most numeric position will become a character position, and all characters will reset to A and all remaining numerics will reset to 0.

Total counting ability is as specified below. The counter is reset (to 0001) every week.

Start	End	Quantity
0001	9999	9999
A000	Z999	26000
AA00	ZZ99	67600
AAA0	ZZZ9	175760
AAAA	ZZZZ	456976