APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INTERFERING WITH WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES IN RESPONSE TO TRANSMISSION POWER DETECTION

• US 20080268769A1
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: D3T, LLC
• Original Assignee: D3T, LLC
• Inventors: Trinidad, Joveliano C., Brown, Craig S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/32 including a particular configuration of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/415 based on motion status or velocity, e.g. for disabling use of mobile phones in a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/42 characterized by the control of the jamming frequency or wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/43 characterized by the control of the jamming power, signal-to-noise ratio or geographic coverage area
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"

Abstract

An apparatus operable to disable operation of wireless communications devices, for use within a vehicle, includes a drive circuit coupled to at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies in response to the wireless communications device transmitting at a transmission power above a defined power threshold for a defined amount of time. The interference may take the form of a bare carrier wave, or may take the form of noise, and is transmitted at sufficient power to interfere with communication between the wireless communications device and a destination device.

Claims

1. An apparatus operable to disable operation of wireless communications devices, for use within a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least one active antenna element; and

a drive circuit coupled to drive the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies in response to the wireless communications device transmitting at a transmission power above a defined power threshold for a defined amount of time, wherein the interference is at sufficient power to interfere with communication between the wireless communications device and a destination device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit comprises an input port coupleable to receive a signal indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit comprises an input port coupled to a sensor to receive a signal indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit comprises a comparator configured to compare a signal indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device with the defined power threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit comprises a comparator configured to compare a signal indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device with the defined power threshold of approximately 0.1 Watts.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit comprises a comparator configured to compare a signal indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device with a user set power threshold value.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit comprises a timer operable to determine an amount of time the transmission power is above the defined power threshold.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the drive circuit further comprises a second comparator operable to compare the amount of time the transmission power is above the defined threshold with the defined amount of time.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the drive circuit comprises a second comparator operable to compare the amount of time the transmission power is above the defined threshold with the defined amount of time of approximately 100 milliseconds.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit is operable to drive the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least two distinct wireless communications bands of frequencies in response to the transmission power of the wireless communications device being above the defined power threshold for the defined amount of time.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the wireless communications bands of frequencies include at least two selected from the group consisting of an 800 MHz band, a 900 MHz band, an 1800 MHz band, and a 1900 MHz band.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit comprises at least two interference generation circuits, each operable to cause the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within a respective one of at least two wireless communications band of frequencies.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the drive circuit comprises a multiplexer operable to selectively couple a respective one of the at least two interference generation circuits to the active antenna element at a time.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit is reconfigurable to drive the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within a new wireless communications band of frequencies, different from the at least one band of wireless communications frequencies in response to a reconfiguration input.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the active antenna element is a directional antenna element.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the active antenna element is a directional antenna element with a primary axis of radiation, the active antenna element mountable proximate a dashboard of the vehicle with the primary axis of radiation directed into a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a passive antenna element positioned with respect to the active antenna element to produce a directional radiation pattern, wherein the active and the passive antenna elements are mountable proximate a dashboard of the vehicle with a primary axis of the directional radiation pattern directed into a passenger compartment of the vehicle when the active and the passive antenna elements are mounted proximate the dashboard.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the passive antenna element is a portion of a cylinder, with a longitudinally extending slot extending a length thereof.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit is operable to produce a carrier wave within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies, without any signal or noise imposed on the carrier wave.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit is operable to produce noise in at least one wireless communications band of frequencies.

21. An apparatus operable to disable operation of wireless communications devices, for use within a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least one active antenna element; and

a drive circuit coupled to drive the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies in response to the wireless communications device transmitting at a transmission power above a defined power threshold for a defined amount of time while the vehicle is moving above a defined movement threshold, wherein the interference is at sufficient power to interfere with communication between the wireless communications device and a destination device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit comprises:

a first input port coupleable to receive a signal indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device; and

a second input port coupleable to receive a signal indicative of the movement of the vehicle.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit comprises:

a first input port coupled to a sensor to receive a signal indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device; and

a second input port coupled to at least one of a speedometer, tachometer or a rotational encoder to receive a signal indicative of the movement of the vehicle.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit comprises an acceleration sensor operable to provide a signal indicative of the movement of the vehicle

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit comprises:

a first comparator configured to compare a signal indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device with the defined power threshold; and

a second comparator configured to compare a signal indicative of the movement of the vehicle with the defined movement threshold.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit comprises:

a first comparator configured to compare a signal indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device with the defined power threshold of approximately 0.1 Watts; and

a second comparator configured to compare a signal indicative of the movement of the vehicle with the defined threshold value of approximately 5 miles per hour.

27. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit comprises:

a first comparator configured to compare a signal indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device with a user set power threshold value; and

a second comparator configured to compare a signal indicative of the movement of the vehicle with a user set movement threshold value.

28. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit comprises a timer operable to determine an amount of time the transmission power is above the defined power threshold.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the drive circuit comprises a third comparator operable to compare the amount of time the transmission power is above the defined threshold with the defined amount of time.

31. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit is operable to drive the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least two distinct wireless communications bands of frequencies in response to the transmission power of the wireless communications device being above the defined power threshold for the defined amount of time while the vehicle is moving above the defined movement threshold.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the wireless communications bands of frequencies include at least two selected from the group consisting of an 800 MHz band, a 900 MHz band, an 1800 MHz band, and a 1900 MHz band.

33. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit comprises at least two interference generation circuits, each operable to cause the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within a respective one of at least two wireless communications band of frequencies.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the drive circuit comprises a multiplexer operable to selectively couple a respective one of the at least two interference generation circuits to the active antenna element at a time.

35. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit is reconfigurable to drive the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within a new wireless communications band of frequencies, different from the at least one band of wireless communications frequencies in response to a reconfiguration input.

30. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the drive circuit comprises a third comparator operable to compare the amount of time the transmission power is above the defined threshold with the defined amount of time of approximately 100 milliseconds.

36. A method to disable operation of wireless communications devices within vehicles, the method comprising:

determining whether a transmission power of the wireless communications device is above a defined power threshold;

determining a duration of time the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold; and

driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies in response to a determination that the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold for a duration of time that exceeds a defined time limit.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein determining whether the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold for a duration of time that exceeds a defined time limit comprises receiving a signal from a sensor indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device and comparing the signal to the defined power threshold.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein determining whether the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold for a duration of time that exceeds a defined time limit comprises receiving a signal from a timer indicative of the duration of time the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein determining whether the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold for a duration of time that exceeds a defined time limit comprises receiving a signal from a timer indicative of the duration of time the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold of approximately 0.1 Watts.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein determining whether the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold for a duration of time that exceeds a defined time limit includes comparing the duration of time the transmission power is above the defined power threshold with the defined time limit.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein determining whether the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold for a duration of time that exceeds a defined time limit includes comparing the duration of time the transmission power is above the defined power threshold with the defined time limit of approximately 100 milliseconds.

42. The method of claim 36 wherein driving the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises driving the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least two distinct wireless communications bands of frequencies.

43. The method of claim 36 wherein driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises selectively coupling a respective one of at least two interference generation circuits to the active antenna element at a time.

44. The method of claim 36 wherein driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises driving the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within a new wireless communications band of frequencies, different from the at least one band of wireless communications frequencies in response to a reconfiguration input.

45. The method of claim 36 wherein driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises producing a directional radiation pattern from a position proximate a dashboard of the vehicle with a primary axis of the directional radiation pattern directed into a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

46. The method of claim 36 wherein driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises producing interference at sufficient power to interfere with communication between the wireless communications device and a destination device

47. The method of claim 36 wherein driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises producing a bare carrier wave at sufficient power to interfere with communication between the wireless communications device and a destination device.

48. A method to disable operation of wireless communications devices within vehicles, the method comprising:

determining whether the vehicle is moving above a defined movement threshold;

determining whether the wireless communications device is transmitting at a transmission power above a defined power threshold for a defined amount of time; and

driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies in response to a determination that the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold for the defined amount of time while the vehicle is moving above the defined movement threshold.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein determining whether the wireless communications device is transmitting at the transmission power above the defined power threshold comprises receiving a signal from a sensor indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device and comparing the signal to the defined power threshold.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein determining whether the wireless communications device is transmitting at the transmission power above the defined power threshold for the defined amount of time comprises:

receiving a signal from a sensor indicative of the transmission power of the wireless communications device and comparing the signal to the defined power threshold;

receiving a signal from a timer indicative of a duration of time the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold; and

comparing the duration of time the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold with the defined amount of time.

51. The method of claim 48 wherein determining whether the wireless communications device is transmitting at the transmission power above the defined power threshold for the defined amount of time comprises receiving a signal from a timer indicative of a duration of time the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold of approximately 0.1 Watts.

52. The method of claim 48 wherein determining whether the wireless communications device is transmitting at the transmission power above the defined power threshold for the defined amount of time comprises comparing the duration of time the transmission power of the wireless communications device is above the defined power threshold with the defined amount of time of approximately 100 milliseconds.

53. The method of claim 48 wherein determining whether the vehicle is moving above the defined movement threshold comprises receiving a signal from a sensor of the vehicle indicative of a speed of the vehicle and comparing the signal indicative of the speed of the vehicle to a speed threshold.

54. The method of claim 48 wherein determining whether the vehicle is moving above the defined threshold comprises receiving a signal from a sensor of the vehicle indicative of an acceleration of the vehicle and comparing the signal indicative of the acceleration of the vehicle to an acceleration threshold.

55. The method of claim 48 wherein determining whether the vehicle is moving above the defined threshold comprises detecting an acceleration of the vehicle and comparing the acceleration of the vehicle to an acceleration threshold.

56. The method of claim 48 wherein driving the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises driving the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least two distinct wireless communications bands of frequencies.

57. The method of claim 48 wherein driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises selectively coupling a respective one of at least two interference generation circuits to the active antenna element at a time.

58. The method of claim 48 wherein driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises driving the at least one active antenna element to produce interference within a new wireless communications band of frequencies, different from the at least one band of wireless communications frequencies in response to a reconfiguration input.

59. The method of claim 48 wherein driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises producing a directional radiation pattern from a position proximate a dashboard of the vehicle with a primary axis of the directional radiation pattern directed into a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

60. The method of claim 48 wherein driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises producing interference at sufficient power to interfere with communication between the wireless communications device and a destination device.

61. The method of claim 48 wherein driving at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies comprises producing a bare carrier wave at sufficient power to interfere with communication between the wireless communications device and a destination device.