Systems and methods for controlling wireless communication devices

• US 10,367,599 B1
• Filed: 07/09/2016
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Binj Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Binj Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Noonan, Joseph S., Nadler, Barry, Insler, Jules R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Justin Y
• Application Number:
  US15/206,260
• Time in Patent Office: 1,116 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/42 characterized by the control of the jamming frequency or wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/06 based on characteristics of available antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A method of detecting a transmitting device within an obstruction rich environment is disclosed. The method may involve detecting the transmitting device with a wireless transmission detection facility; communicating signal information relating to the detected transmitting device from the wireless transmission detection facility to a central unit; determining the location of the transmitting device; displaying information of the detection and location of the transmitting device through a user interface; and providing an action facility for causing actions related to the detected transmitting device.

Claims

1. A transmission detection, identification, and reporting system for detecting wireless transmission usage within at least one of a plurality of predetermined zones, the system comprising:

a plurality of wireless transmission detectors capable of detecting a wireless transmission signal associated with at least one of;

a cellular communication and a non-cellular communication, wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless transmission detectors is operatively associated with at least one of said predetermined zones;

an action system configured to;

receive said detected wireless transmission signal from a corresponding one of the at least one of said plurality of wireless transmission detectors;

extract from the detected wireless transmission signal identification information of a wireless device associated with the detected wireless transmission signal;

determine from the detected wireless transmission signal a location of the wireless device associated with the detected wireless transmission signal;

determine whether the wireless device associated with the detected wireless transmission signal is a suspect device, wherein the wireless device is deemed suspect based on the location of the wireless device associated with the detected wireless transmission signal being within one of the plurality of predetermined zones; and

affect a handoff of the determined suspect wireless device, wherein the suspect wireless device is not allowed to operate within the predetermined zone;

generate one or more notifications regarding said suspect wireless device.

2. The transmission detection, identification, and reporting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action system is configured to:

process information associated with the location of the wireless device associated with the wireless transmission signal, wherein the wireless device is associated with at least one of;

people, inmates, personnel, visitors, equipment, resources, weapons, products, incoming goods, and outgoing goods.

3. The transmission detection, identification, and reporting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless device associated with the wireless transmission signal is at least one of:

a cell phone, a mobile phone, a satellite phone, a radio, a transmitter, WI-FI communication device, a laptop computer, a wireless modem, a cordless phone, an RF device, a garage door, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a beeper, a pager, a walkie-talkie, an email device, an instant messenger device, a voice over IP device, and a non-cellular device.

4. The transmission detection, identification, and reporting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the notification comprises at least one of:

an identification of each detected wireless transmission signal within one of the plurality of predetermined zones, a date, a time of transmission detection, an event notification, a personnel under duress notification, an emergency medical condition notification, a call for assistance notification, a fire notification, a call for police notification, a theft notification, the location of the detected wireless transmission and a location information identifying the respective predetermined zone.

5. The transmission detection, identification, and reporting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said location is determined based on a location of at least one of said plurality of wireless transmission detectors.

6. The transmission detection, identification, and reporting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said location is determined based on at least one of:

measuring a highest signal strength, measuring a phase, measuring a time, a cell-sector associated with the at least one said wireless transmission detectors, an assisted-global positioning satellite (GPS) technology, a standard GPS technology, an enhanced-observed time difference technology, a time difference of arrival, a time of arrival, an angle of arrival, a triangulation of signals from a plurality of wireless transmission detectors, a proximity to known locations, a proximity to other radio-transmitters, a map-based location, and a measuring of amplitude of the detected wireless transmission signal associated with corresponding wireless transmission detectors.

7. The transmission detection, identification, and reporting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more notifications is provided to personnel regarding operation of the wireless device.

8. The transmission detection, identification, and reporting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said action system is configured to:

generate said one or more notifications in a format selected from a group comprising;

an email message, a telephonic voice message, and an information record.

9. The transmission detection, identification and reporting system of as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of wireless transmission detectors partially overlap within a same one of the plurality of predetermined zones.

10. The transmission detection, identification, and reporting system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a display system, a cell tower, a jamming system, a satellite system, a Pseudo Tower, a closing a door system, a sealing a room system, a deploying and action signal system, an initiating an alarm system, a computer system, a network of computers, a state machine, a sequencer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, an audio processor, a preprocessor, a microprocessor, a database system, a discrimination system, and a decoding system.

11. The transmission detection, identification, and reporting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action system is configured to:

transmit a polling signal to at least one wireless device in a corresponding one of the at least one predetermined zone.

12. The transmission detection, identification, and reporting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action system is configured to:

receive information associated with at least one wireless device in a corresponding one of the at least one predetermined zone.

13. A management system for detecting and managing a wireless device usage, the system comprising:

a plurality of wireless transmission detectors, associated with a facility, the wireless transmission detectors configured to;

generate a detection signal upon detection of a wireless transmission;

an action facility coupled to said plurality of wireless transmission detectors, said action facility configured to;

receive said detection signal from corresponding ones of said plurality of wireless transmission detectors;

determine an identity of a wireless device associated with the detection signal;

determine whether the wireless device is a suspect device, wherein the wireless device is determined to be suspect based on a location of the wireless device;

initiate a handoff of said wireless device to the management system after determining said wireless device is a suspect device wherein the suspect wireless device is not allowed to operate within the facility; and

generate one or more notifications indicative of the detected wireless transmission.

14. The management system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the action facility comprises:

a user interface, said user interface communicating with at least one additional system.

15. The management system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the detected wireless transmission is associated with at least one of:

a cell phone, a mobile phone, a satellite phone, a radio, a transmitter, a PDA, a beeper, a pager, a WI-FI communication device, a wireless communication device, a laptop computer, a wireless modem, a cordless phone, an RF device, a garage door, a walkie-talkie, an email device, an instant messenger device, a voice over IP device, and a non-cellular device.

16. The management system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said one or more notifications comprises at least one of:

an identification of each detected wireless transmission within one of the plurality of predetermined zones, a date, a time of transmission detection, an event notification, a personnel under duress notification, an emergency medical condition notification, a call for assistance notification, a fire notification, a call for police notification, a theft notification, the location of the detected wireless transmission and a location information identifying the respective predetermined zone.

17. The management system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said location information is based on data associated with a location of at least one of said plurality of said wireless transmission detectors.

18. The management system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said one or more notifications is generated in a format selected from a group consisting of:

an email message, a telephonic voice message, and an information record.

19. The managing system as claimed in claim 13, the action system further configured to:

generate an event notification in response to said detected wireless transmission being associated with an event.

20. The managing system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the event is selected from a group consisting of:

a personnel under duress event, an emergency medical condition event, a call for assistance event, a fire event, a call for police event, and a theft event.

21. The managing system as claimed in claim 19, the action system further configured to:

track said detected wireless transmission.

22. The managing system as claimed in claim 13, the action system further configured to:

determine at least one of;

ownership of said wireless device, an association between people of said wireless transmission, and an association between objects.

23. The managing system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising at least one of:

a display system, a cell tower, a jamming system, a satellite system, a Pseudo Tower, a closing a door system, a sealing a room system, a deploying and action signal system, initiating an alarm system, a computer system, a network of computers, a state machine, a sequencer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, an audio processor, a preprocessor, a microprocessor, a database system, a discrimination system, and a decoding system.

24. The management system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the action system is configured to:

process information associated with the location of the wireless device, wherein the wireless device is associated with at least one of;

people, inmates, personnel, visitors, equipment, resources, weapons, products, incoming goods, and outgoing goods.