Mobile forced premature detonation of improvised explosive devices via wireless phone signaling

• US 20070234892A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Krock, Richard, Goldman, Stuart, Rauscher, Karl, Runyon, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 89/1.130
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/12 Means for clearing land minefields; Systems specially adapted for detection of landmines
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0075 the high-energy beam being a radiofrequency beam
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/42 from a remote location, e.g. for controlled mines or mine fields
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 5/04 Rendering explosive charges harmless, e.g. destroying ammunition F42B39/14 and F42B39/20 take precedence ; extracting primers, dismantling ammunition F42B33/04, F42B33/06 ; chemical deactivating of explosives C06B21/0091; Rendering detonation of explosive charges harmless

Abstract

A precautionary measure against wireless phone-triggered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) is described that forces premature detonation of the IED at a safe location, such as a position in advance of a convoy of vehicles or troops, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the IED. Embodiments of the invention provide for transmitting low power alerting signals (e.g., paging, ringing, message waiting, text messages) from a wireless terminal residing on a mobile platform that is operable to navigate a transportation path in advance of a prospective target, to mobile stations within close proximity of the platform defining an “IED detonation zone.” In such manner, mobile stations within the IED detonation zone that are IED triggering devices (as well as mobile stations that are not IED triggering devices) will receive the alerting signals, thereby forcing premature detonation of IEDs in the detonation zone.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying one or more mobile stations registered within a service area of a wireless communication system, the mobile stations potentially comprising Improvised Explosive Device (IED) triggering devices; and

transmitting, from a mobile platform, one or more alerting signals to the mobile stations within a close proximity from the mobile platform defining an IED detonation zone, thereby alerting the mobile stations including any IED triggering devices within the IED detonation zone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting low power alerting signals within a small radius of the mobile platform, the IED detonation zone defining the portion of the service area in which the mobile stations can receive the alerting signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting alert signals comprising one or more of:

paging signals, ringing signals, message waiting signals and text messages, to the mobile stations in the IED detonation zone.

4. The method of claim 1, performed by a wireless terminal defining a local cellular alerting transmitter (LCAT) residing on the mobile platform.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the mobile platform comprises a vehicle operable to navigate a transportation path in advance of a prospective mobile target, the LCAT thereby sweeping the transportation path with alerting signals ahead of the prospective mobile target.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of identifying comprises the LCAT receiving, from a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) of the wireless communication system, the identity of mobile stations registered within a base station coverage area served by the MSC.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of receiving is accomplished coincident to the LCAT registering with the MSC from within the base station coverage area.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of receiving is accomplished coincident to the LCAT querying the MSC from within the base station coverage area.

9. A mobile platform comprising:

a telecommunications receiver for receiving, from a wireless communication system, indicia of one or more mobile stations registered within a service area of a wireless communication system, the mobile stations potentially comprising Improvised Explosive Device (IED) triggering devices;

navigation means for navigating a transportation path; and

an alerting transmitter for transmitting one or more alerting signals to the mobile stations within a close proximity of the mobile platform defining an IED detonation zone, thereby alerting the mobile stations including any IED triggering devices within the IED detonation zone.

10. The mobile platform of claim 9 wherein the alerting transmitter defines a local cellular alerting transmitter (LCAT) operable to transmit low power alerting signals within a small radius of the mobile platform, the IED detonation zone defining the portion of the service area in which the mobile stations can receive the alerting signals.

11. The mobile platform of claim 10 wherein the LCAT is operable to transmit alerting signals comprising one or more of:

paging signals, ringing signals, message waiting signals and text messages, to the mobile stations in the IED detonation zone.

12. The mobile platform of claim 10, driven in advance of a prospective mobile target, wherein the LCAT is operable to sweep the transportation path with alerting signals ahead of the prospective mobile target.

13. An article comprising:

one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media; and

means in the one or more media for sending low power alerting signals in proximity to a vehicle navigating a transportation path, so as to alert any mobile stations comprising Improvised Explosive Device (IED) triggering devices that are situated along said transportation path within said proximity to the vehicle.