System and method for detecting and locating contraband devices in a secure environment
First Claim
1. A system designed to locate a detected contraband device in a controlled environment, comprising:
- a memory that stores a plurality of previous alerts, each previous alert of the plurality of previous alerts having been received from one of a plurality of first mobile devices and being indicative of a detection of a wireless transmission to or from a corresponding contraband device, and each having a corresponding geographic location that identifies where the corresponding contraband device was detected and a corresponding timestamp that identifies when the corresponding contraband device was detected;
a network interface configured to;
receive a current alert from a second mobile device, the current alert signifying that the second mobile device has detected a wireless transmission sent or received by the detected contraband device, and the current alert including an alert timestamp and an alert location; and
an application server configured to;
compare the current alert to the plurality of previous alerts;
determine, based on the comparison, a subset of alerts from among the stored plurality of previous alerts that are related to the received current alert by at least one of location or timestamp, wherein a previous alert is determined to be related to the current alert by timestamp in response to the corresponding timestamp of the previous alert being within a predetermined time period of the alert timestamp of the current alert, and wherein the previous alert is determined to be related to the current alert by location in response to the corresponding geographic location of the previous alert being within a predetermined distance of the alert location of the current alert; and
determine a contraband device location based at least on the alert location and the locations corresponding to the subset of alerts.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is a growing problem in correctional facilities in which contraband devices may be smuggled into a correctional facility. These devices are not subject to the typical monitoring and control provided by the inmate communication system provided by the correctional facility, and thus pose a significant security risk. The present disclosure provides details of a system and method that leverages the sanctioned mobile devices and the wireless infrastructure of the inmate communication system to scan for and triangulate the location of contraband devices. The mobile and wireless infrastructure devices scan for transmissions indicative of a contraband device and send alerts to each other and to a central monitoring system. The central monitoring system then leverages multiple alerts to determine a location of the contraband device using multiple triangulation techniques. The triangulation may also be performed by the mobile devices themselves.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system designed to locate a detected contraband device in a controlled environment, comprising:
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a memory that stores a plurality of previous alerts, each previous alert of the plurality of previous alerts having been received from one of a plurality of first mobile devices and being indicative of a detection of a wireless transmission to or from a corresponding contraband device, and each having a corresponding geographic location that identifies where the corresponding contraband device was detected and a corresponding timestamp that identifies when the corresponding contraband device was detected; a network interface configured to; receive a current alert from a second mobile device, the current alert signifying that the second mobile device has detected a wireless transmission sent or received by the detected contraband device, and the current alert including an alert timestamp and an alert location; and an application server configured to; compare the current alert to the plurality of previous alerts; determine, based on the comparison, a subset of alerts from among the stored plurality of previous alerts that are related to the received current alert by at least one of location or timestamp, wherein a previous alert is determined to be related to the current alert by timestamp in response to the corresponding timestamp of the previous alert being within a predetermined time period of the alert timestamp of the current alert, and wherein the previous alert is determined to be related to the current alert by location in response to the corresponding geographic location of the previous alert being within a predetermined distance of the alert location of the current alert; and determine a contraband device location based at least on the alert location and the locations corresponding to the subset of alerts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for locating a detected contraband device at a server, comprising:
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receiving, at the server, a current alert from a mobile device, the alert signifying that the mobile device has detected a wireless transmission sent or received by the contraband device, and the alert including an alert timestamp and an alert location; compare the current alert to a plurality of previously-stored alerts; determining a subset of alerts from among the plurality of previously-stored alerts stored at the server that are related to the current alert by at least one of location or timestamp, each of the previously-stored alerts of the plurality of previously-stored alerts having been received from one of a plurality of mobile devices and having a corresponding geographic location that identifies where a corresponding contraband device was detected and a corresponding timestamp that identifies when the corresponding contraband device was detected, wherein a previous alert is determined to be related to the current alert by timestamp in response to the corresponding timestamp of the previous alert being within a predetermined time period of the alert timestamp of the current alert, and wherein the previous alert is determined to be related to the current alert by location in response to the corresponding geographic location of the previous alert being within a predetermined distance of the alert location of the current alert; and determining a contraband device location based at least in part on the alert location and the locations corresponding to the subset of alerts. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A mobile device, comprising:
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a memory that stores a plurality of previous alerts, each previous alert of the plurality of previous alerts having been received from one of a plurality of external mobile devices and being indicative of a detection of a wireless transmission to or from a corresponding contraband device, and each including a corresponding geographic location that identifies where the corresponding contraband device was detected and a corresponding timestamp that identifies when the corresponding contraband device was detected; a radio interface circuit, coupled to an antenna, configured to; scan a frequency band for an unauthorized transmission; and detect a contraband monitoring device based on the scan; and a processor configured to; in response to detecting a contraband monitoring device; generate a current alert including an alert timestamp and an alert location; compare the current alert to the plurality of previous alerts; determine a subset of alerts from the plurality of previous alerts that are related to the current alert by at least one of location or timestamp, wherein a previous alert is determined to be related to the current alert by timestamp in response to the corresponding timestamp of the previous alert being within a predetermined time period of the alert timestamp of the current alert, and wherein the previous alert is determined to be related to the current alert by location in response to the corresponding geographic location of the previous alert being within a predetermined distance of the alert location of the current alert; and determine a contraband device location based at least on the alert location and the locations corresponding to the alerts of the subset of previous alerts. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification