Automatic electronic device detection

• US 6,765,492 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Original Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/455,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20030206112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686.6, 340/686.5, 340/573.4, 340/433, 340/988, 222/23, 222/52, 455/404, 455/456, 455/410, 455/404.2, 455/405, 455/456--45, 141/192, 348/135, 348/150, 361/220, 382/103, 700/282, 417/1, 417/20
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/3236 relating to electrostatic charges
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/16 Combustible gas alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/22 including jamming detection and monitoring
• 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 3/68 using passive jamming, e.g. by shielding or reflection shielding of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic field H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/84 related to preventing electromagnetic interference in petrol station, hospital, plane or cinema
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/90 related to allowing or preventing navigation or positioning, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• 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

A system that detects cellular telephone and other electronic use within an unauthorized locations. The location can be detected by GPS or triangulation, and once detected can automatically produce certain operations.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a fuel pump, which include the capability of dispensing fuel;

an alarm detecting unit, detecting an alarm based on unauthorized use of a wireless telephone device, and producing an output that stops dispensing of fuel, based on said detecting; and

a display which displays an alarm indicating that the dispensing of fuel has been stopped because of the unauthorized use of a wireless telephone device.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said alarm detecting unit carries out an electronic detection of an operation of the wireless telephone device.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein said alarm detecting unit includes a device which request status information from a wireless telephone device, and establishes an alarm when status information is returned.

4. A system as in claim 2, wherein said alarm detecting unit automatically determines a position of said wireless telephone device, and bases said alarm on said position.

5. A method, comprising:

using an electronic camera to obtain an electronic image of an area near at least one fuel pump;

detecting electronically, from said electronic image, a portion of the image which indicates a user talking on a wireless telephone; and

causing an alarm responsible to detecting said portion of said image.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said alarm causes an alarm to be displayed on the fuel pump.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein said alarm causes said fuel pump to terminate gas pumping.

8. A method as in claim 5, wherein said detecting comprises using an image processing technique to compare said image with images of known wireless telephones.

9. A method as in claim 8, further comprising a database which stores a plurality of images representing images of known wireless telephones, and said detecting comprises comparing said electronic image to said known images to detect a match.