Control of device operation within an area

• US 20050232580A1
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Briancon, Alain Charles Louis, Purkayastha, Debashish, Thommana, John, Goldberg, Steven Jeffrey, Herschaft, Richard Dan
• Application Number:
  US11/077,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20050232580A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/257
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91328 the copy protection signal being a copy management signal, e.g. a copy generation management signal [CGMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 the copy protection signal being a watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91392 using means for preventing making copies of projected video images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for selectively regulating devices. In a wireless communication system, a regulation zone is defined. Devices within a regulation zone (e.g. an electronic do-not-disturb (EDND) zone) are regulated by generating and transmitting inhibiting signals into or near the regulation zone. The inhibiting signals may be messages instructing devices to disable one or more of their sensing components or actual interference signals that prevent sensing components from functioning properly or watermarks that mark illicit recordings so that such illicit recordings are precluded from being transmitted over the network.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication system, a method for selectively regulating a plurality of recording devices, the method comprising:

(a) defining a regulation zone;

(b) generating inhibiting signals encoded with sensing inhibiting information; and

(c) broadcasting the sensing inhibiting signals to regulate recording devices within the regulation zone.

2. The method of claim of claim 1 wherein the inhibiting signals are encoded to enable at least one sensing function of at least one recording device wherein the one sensing function is disabled by the inhibiting signals in other recording devices.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the inhibiting signals are encoded to disable at least one sensing function of at least one recording device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the inhibiting signals affect only those recording devices without or not utilizing a means for overriding said signals.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the inhibiting signals are further encoded to disable the at least one sensing function of at least one recording device for a limited period of time.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the inhibiting signals are encoded to partially disable at least one sensing function of at least one recording device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the inhibiting signals are encoded with a combination of enabling and disabling information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the inhibiting signals only affect those recording devices with particular identifiers.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the inhibiting signals are detected by sensing components configured to detect inhibiting signals and to provide sensing functions to the recording devices.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the sensing components are image sensing components.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the sensing components are audio sensing components.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the sensing components are configured to sense electromagnetic intensity.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the sensing components are configured to sense acoustical intensity

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the inhibiting signals are interference signals.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the interference signals cause sensing components embedded in the recording devices to function improperly.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the interference signals are generated in frequency bands to which sensing components are highly sensitive and to which humans have a low sensitivity.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the interference signals are electromagnetic signals.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the interference signals are audio signals.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) broadcasting signal-override information to authorized recording devices, said information being used to override the inhibiting signals of step (c).

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(a1) determining the coordinates of the regulation zone;

(a2) registering the coordinates of the regulation zone with a base station; and

(c1) in the base station, broadcasting sensing inhibiting signals for regulating recording devices located in the regulation zone.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the inhibiting signals are electronic do-not-disturb requests.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the inhibiting signals are interference signals.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein step (c1) further comprises:

(c11) maintaining a list of authorized recording devices, wherein the inhibiting signals deactivate unauthorized recording devices located in the regulation zone.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the deactivated recording devices are activated once they are outside of the regulation zone.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the regulation zone is mobile, said method further comprising periodically determining and registering the coordinates of the regulation zone.

26. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

(d) in the recording devices;

(d1) receiving the inhibiting signals;

(d2) determining the coordinates of a field of usage of said recording devices;

(d3) determining whether the field of usage is in the regulation zone; and

(d4) disabling sensing components as requested by the inhibiting signals when the field of usage is in the regulation zone.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the recording devices are configured to inhibit their field of usage to prevent said field of usage from entering the regulation zone.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

(d11) storing the inhibiting signals; and

(d12) periodically updating the stored signals.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the base station monitors the location of the recording devices and determines if the field of usage of said recording devices is in the regulation zone.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the base station utilizes code division multiple access (CDMA) or wideband (CDMA) coupled with smart antennas to monitor the recording devices.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the base station utilizes Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) coupled with smart antennas to monitor the recording devices.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the base station utilizes Wireless Local Area Network standards coupled with smart antennas to monitor the recording devices.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein the base station utilizes global positioning technology to monitor the recording devices.

34. In a wireless communication system, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured to selectively regulate recording devices, the WTRU comprising:

(a) means capable of defining a regulation zone;

(b) means capable of generating signals encoded with sensing inhibiting information; and

(c) means capable of broadcasting the sensing inhibiting signals to regulate recording devices located within the regulation zone.