Integration of Cellular Phone Detection and Reporting Into a Prison Telephone System

• US 20140120827A1
• Filed: 12/04/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Inventors: JOHNSON, Garth
• Granted Patent: US 9,444,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/32 including a particular configuration of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/40 Jamming having variable characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/80 Jamming or countermeasure characterized by its function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/205 Eavesdropping prevention - indication of insecurity of line or network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• 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

Abstract

The present subject matter is directed to an apparatus and methodology for monitoring for the occurrence of use of unauthorized telecommunications equipment within a designated area. The present subject matter has particular utility to the corrections environment in that it discloses a methodology for detecting and reporting the unauthorized operation of cellular telephones within a corrections facility. The present technology may he used advantageously in combination with inmate telephone systems to transmit information to appropriate personnel in the form of email messages and/or voice communications by way of telephone local or corrections facility external telephone lines. The present technology also provides for recordation and storage of time, date and location information for detected events.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone detection system, comprising:

a first cellular telephone detector associated with a first zone and configured to produce a first detection signal upon detection of a cellular telephone within the first zone;

a second cellular telephone detector associated with a second zone and configured to produce a second detection signal upon detection of the cellular telephone within the second zone;

a cellular telephone detector processor configured to;

receive the first and second detection signals;

determine a location of the cellular telephone based on at least one of the first and second detection signals; and

transmit a notification message.

2. The cellular telephone detection system of claim 1, further comprising:

a jamming device configured to jam the use of the cellular telephone based on a jamming control signal.

3. The cellular telephone detection system of claim 1, wherein the first and second cellular telephone detectors produce the first and second detection signals, respectively, upon detecting a non-cellular two-way communication.

4. The cellular telephone detection system of claim 1, wherein the first cellular detector can adjust the range of the first zone.

5. The cellular telephone detection system of claim 1, the cellular telephone detector processor further configured to determine a location of a cellular telephone by using a triangulation methodology based on relative signals levels associated with the first and second detection signals.

6. The cellular telephone detection system of claim 1, wherein the notification message comprises at least one of an identification of an individual detected cellular telephone transmission, a date and time of the detected cellular telephone transmission, and location information identifying a zone associated with the detected cellular telephone transmission.

7. The cellular telephone detection system of claim 1, wherein the notification message is in a format selected from a group comprising of email messages, telephonic voice messages, and information records.

8. The cellular telephone detection system of claim 6, wherein the location information is supplied based on data stored in the cellular telephone detector processor.

9. The cellular telephone detection system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and detection signals comprises a location of the corresponding cellular telephone detector.

10. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, execution of which by a computing device causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving at least one of a first detection signal from a first cellular telephone detector and a second detection signal from a second cellular telephone detector, the first cellular telephone detector associated with a first zone and configured to produce a first detection signal upon detection of a cellular telephone within the first zone and the second cellular telephone detector associated with a second zone and configured to produce a second detection signal upon detection of the cellular telephone within the second zone;

determining a location of the cellular telephone based on at least one of the first and second detection signals; and

transmitting a notification message based on at least one of the first and second detection signals.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting a jamming control signal that causes the jamming of the use of the cellular telephone.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the first and second cellular telephone detectors produce the first and second detection signals, respectively, upon detecting a non-cellular two-way communication.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, the determining a location of the cellular telephone further comprising using a triangulation methodology based on relative signals levels associated with the first and second detection signals.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the notification message comprises at least one of an identification of an individual detected cellular telephone transmission, a date and time of the detected cellular telephone transmission, and location information identifying a zone associated with the detected cellular telephone transmission.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the notification message is in a format selected from a group comprising email messages, telephonic voice messages, and information records.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, the operations further comprising receiving location information from a first or second cellular telephone detector.

17. A computer-implemented method for monitoring for cellular telephone transmissions, the method comprising:

providing a first cellular telephone detector associated with a first zone and configured to produce a first detection signal upon detection of a cellular telephone within the first zone;

providing a second cellular telephone detector associated with a second zone and configured to produce a second detection signal upon detection of the cellular telephone within the second zone;

receiving at least one of a first detection signal from a first cellular telephone detector and a second detection signal from a second cellular telephone detector;

determining a location of the cellular telephone based on at least one of the first and second detection signals; and

transmitting a notification message based on at least one of the first and second detection signals,

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting a jamming signal that jams the use of the cellular telephone.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising positioning the first and second cellular telephone detectors such that the first and second zones at least partially overlap.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising positioning the first and second cellular telephone detectors such that first and second zones do not overlap.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second cellular telephone detectors produce the first and second detection signals, respectively, upon detecting a non-cellular two-way communication.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the notification message comprises at least, one of an identification of an individual detected cellular telephone transmission, a date and time of the detected cellular telephone transmission, and location information identifying a zone associated with the detected cellular telephone transmission.

23. The method of claim 17, the providing the notification message is in a format selected from a group comprising email messages, telephonic voice messages, and information records.