Method and apparatus for controlling a quiet zone for wireless units

• US 6,907,254 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Westfield, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H.
• Application Number:
  US09/803,424
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.4, 455/433, 455/411, 455/456.1, 455/565, 455/422.1, 455/501, 455/516, 455/404.2, 455/457, 370/329, 370/338, 709/219
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

In an IP-based cellular wireless communication system, systems and methods for spatially controlling cellular phone usage are provided. Entry of a cellular phone device into an area of restricted phone access (“quiet zone”) is detected and an IP message identifying the phone sent to a central facility. In one embodiment, an IP message is sent to the phone causing it to change behavior, for example turning off the volume on the ringer. Alternatively, the central facility can process an incoming call for a phone that is determined to be in a quiet zone to reduce intrusion in the quiet zone; for example, it can send the call to a phone mailbox or give the caller a busy signal.

Claims

1. In an IP-based cellular wireless communication system, a method of spatially controlling cellular phone access, the method comprising:

receiving an IP message at a central facility, the IP message being relayed through a radio access network, the IP message including information about whether a cellular phone device is in an area of restricted service access, the IP message including an identifier associated with the cellular phone device;

updating data associated with the cellular phone device in response to receiving the IP message at the central facility.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the central facility is a switching center that controls access to a plurality of cellular base stations.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the updating includes adding the identifier to a table of hushed phones.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein updating includes setting a status associated with the cellular phone in one or more location records to be a hush status.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

sending an IP message to the cellular phone device.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein the IP message sent to the cellular phone device includes a hushing command.

7. A method as in claim 5 wherein the IP message sent to the cellular phone device includes an HTTP web page with selectable buttons associated with hush options.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein the identifier is a Mobile Identification Number.

9. A method as in claim 4 wherein the one or more locator records include a Home Location Register (HLR).

10. A method as in claim 4 wherein the one or more locator records include a Visitor Location Register (VLR).

11. In an IP-based cellular wireless communication system, a method of spatially controlling cellular phone access, the method comprising:

receiving a call for a cellular phone device at a central facility;

determining whether the cellular phone device is in an area of restricted service access, wherein determining whether the cellular phone device is in the area of restricted service access includes determining whether information that the cellular phone device has entered the area of restricted service access has been relayed in an IP message that through a radio access network;

if not, processing the call, wherein processing the call includes forwarding the call to the cellular phone device; and

if so, processing the call, wherein processing the call includes special quiet zone processing.

12. A method as in claim 11 wherein the special quiet zone processing includes sending the call to a phone mail box.

13. In an IP-based cellular wireless communication system, an apparatus for spatially controlling cellular phone access, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving an IP message at a central facility, the IP message being relayed through a radio access network, the IP message including information about whether a cellular phone device is in an area of restricted service access, the IP message including an identifier associated with the cellular phone device; and

means for updating data associated with the cellular phone device in response to receiving the IP message at the central facility.

14. In an IP-based cellular wireless communication system, an apparatus for spatially controlling cellular phone access, the apparatus comprising:

a processing system;

a memory storing code for operating said processing system, said code comprising;

code that receives an IP message at a central facility, the IP message being relayed through a radio access network, the IP message including information about whether a cellular phone device is in an area of restricted service access, the message including an identifier associated with the cellular phone device; and

code that updates data associated with the cellular phone device in response to receiving the IP message at the central facility.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable medium is a CD-ROM, floppy disk, tape, flash memory, system memory, hard drive, or data signal embodied in a carrier wave.

16. A computer program product for spatially controlling cellular phone access in an IP-based cellular wireless communication system, the computer program product comprising:

computer code that receives an IP message at a central facility, the IP message being relayed through a radio access network, the IP message including information about whether a cellular phone device is in an area of restricted service access, the IP message including an identifier associated with the cellular phone device;

computer code that updates data associated with the cellular phone device in response to receiving the IP message at the central facility; and

a computer readable medium that stores the computer code.