INTELLIGENT ASYMMETRIC SERVICE DENIAL SYSTEM FOR MOBILE CELLULAR DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20070254632A1
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dishman, John, BEADLE, Edward, Divito, Walter
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

The system and method prevents reception of calls to a mobile cellular device within a relatively small area or zone, with minimal inconvenience to the public by also permitting outgoing transmissions. The mobile cellular device has a wirelessly settable parameter associated therewith enabling establishment of an inbound call. A selective call blocker includes a receiver, a transmitter, and a selective call blocking controller cooperating with the receiver to determine the wirelessly settable parameter. The selective call blocking controller also cooperates with the transmitter to wirelessly change the wirelessly settable parameter to selectively block an inbound call to the mobile cellular device and without defeating the capability of the mobile cellular device to establish an outbound call.

Claims

1. A selective call blocker for at least one mobile cellular device in a desired zone and otherwise capable of an inbound call or an outbound call with at least one cellular base station, the at least one mobile cellular device having at least one wirelessly settable parameter associated therewith enabling establishment of an inbound call, the selective call blocker comprising:

a receiver;

a transmitter; and

a selective call blocking controller cooperating with said receiver to determine the at least one wirelessly settable parameter associated with the at least one mobile cellular device enabling establishment of an inbound call, and said selective call blocking controller cooperating with said transmitter to wirelessly change the at least one wirelessly settable parameter to selectively block an inbound call to the at least one mobile cellular device and without defeating the capability of the at least one mobile cellular device to establish an outbound call.

2. The selective call blocker according to claim 1 further comprising:

an additional transmitter associated with said receiver to define an uplink relay transceiver; and

an additional receiver associated with said transmitter to define a downlink relay transceiver.

3. The selective call blocker according to claim 2 wherein said selective call blocking controller cooperates with said uplink and downlink relay transceivers to relay an outbound call from the at least one mobile cellular device to the at least one cellular base station.

4. The selective call blocker according to claim 2 wherein said selective call blocking controller cooperates with said uplink and downlink relay transceivers to provide a handover of the at least one mobile cellular device to the selective call blocker from the at least one cellular base station, when the at least one mobile cellular device enters the desired zone.

5. The selective call blocker according to claim 2 further comprising a directional antenna associated with said downlink relay transceiver.

6. The selective call blocker according to claim 5 wherein the directional antenna comprises at least one of a horn and a patch antenna having a radiation pattern that does not substantially interfere with signals outside the desired zone.

7. The selective call blocker according to claim 1 wherein the selective call blocking controller cooperates with said receiver and transmitter to detect wireless system characteristics outside the desired zone.

8. The selective call blocker according to claim 7 wherein the desired zone comprises a mobile compartment, and the selective call blocking controller detects wireless system characteristics outside the desired zone at a scan rate that is based upon movement of the mobile compartment.

9. The selective call blocker according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wirelessly settable parameter comprises at least one of a frequency, a power level, and a coding parameter.

10. The selective call blocker according to claim 1 wherein the desired zone comprises a vehicle compartment.

11. The selective call blocker according to claim 1 wherein the desired zone comprises a geographically stationary zone.

12. The selective call blocker according to claim 1 wherein said transmitter has a desired power to provide a power advantage within the desired zone over the at least one cellular base station.

13. A selective call blocker for at least one mobile cellular device in a desired zone and otherwise capable of an inbound call or an outbound call with at least one cellular base station, the at least one mobile cellular device having at least one wirelessly settable parameter associated therewith enabling establishment of an inbound call, the selective call blocker comprising:

a transceiver unit; and

a selective call blocking controller cooperating with said transceiver unit to determine the at least one wirelessly settable parameter associated with the at least one mobile cellular device enabling establishment of an inbound call, to wirelessly change the at least one wirelessly settable parameter to selectively block an inbound call to the at least one mobile cellular device, and to relay an outbound call from the at least one mobile cellular device to the at least one cellular base station.

14. The selective call blocker according to claim 13 further comprising a directional antenna associated with said transceiver unit.

15. The selective call blocker according to claim 13 wherein the at least one wirelessly settable parameter comprises at least one of a frequency, a power level, and a coding parameter.

16. The selective call blocker according to claim 13 wherein the desired zone comprises a vehicle compartment.

17. The selective call blocker according to claim 13 wherein said transceiver unit has a desired power to provide a power advantage within the desired zone over the at least one cellular base station.

18. A method for selectively blocking calls for at least one mobile cellular device in a desired zone and otherwise capable of an inbound call or an outbound call with at least one cellular base station, the at least one mobile cellular device having at least one wirelessly settable parameter associated therewith enabling establishment of an inbound call, the method comprising:

determining the at least one wirelessly settable parameter associated with the at least one mobile cellular device enabling establishment of an inbound call; and

wirelessly changing the at least one wirelessly settable parameter to selectively block an inbound call to the at least one mobile cellular device and without defeating the capability of the at least one mobile cellular device to establish an outbound call.

19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising relaying an outbound call from the at least one mobile cellular device to the at least one cellular base station.

20. The method according to claim 18 wherein wirelessly changing comprises operating a directional antenna associated with a downlink relay transceiver.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein operating comprises operating the directional antenna and downlink relay transceiver with a desired power to provide a power advantage within the desired zone over the at least one cellular base station.

22. The method according to claim 18 wherein the at least one wirelessly settable parameter comprises at least one of a frequency, a power level, and a coding parameter.

23. The method according to claim 18 wherein the desired zone comprises a vehicle compartment.