Filtered wireless communications

• US 7,236,766 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tylu Wireless Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Freeburg, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; CongVan
• Application Number:
  US11/095,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20060223491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/445, 455/450, 455/509, 455/428, 370/229, 370/330, 370/431
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• 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 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a method and apparatus for filtered wireless communications is provided. The method provides a filtered wireless zone. Signaling channels normally serving a geographic vicinity are scanned, with the channel identity and the system identity of each signaling channel recorded. A transmitter-receiver is commanded to such channel. A signaling channel marker is radiated. A new signaling channel assignment message is sent, sending handsets to a new capture channel. An appropriate signal is radiated to keep the handsets locked to the new capture channel. The transmitter-receiver then ceases radiating on the first channel, and proceeds to the second external signaling channel previously recorded. The transmitter-receiver repeats this process for all the external signaling channels previously located.

Claims

1. A filtered wireless zone comprising:

a system control connected to a signaling channel receiver outside the filtered wireless zone and a system signaling channel transmitter-receiver within the filtered wireless zone;

the signaling channel receiver arranged to receive a signaling channel of one or more cell sites in a geographic vicinity;

the system signaling channel transmitter-receiver arranged to cover the filtered wireless zone with a signal;

a signal channeling marker signal transmitted by the system signaling channel transmitter-receiver in the filtered wireless zone; and

a new signaling channel assignment message transmitted by the system signaling channel transmitter-receiver in the filtered wireless zone, thereby sending handsets to a new capture channel;

whereby when a handset has been so captured a call for that handset is routed to voice-mail or other processing, as previously configured for that handset;

further whereby when a handset that has been so captured attempts to place a call, the call attempt is blocked;

further whereby if a handset that has been so captured attempts to place an emergency call, the call is routed to an emergency call line.

2. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the signaling channel receiver is arranged to receive the signaling channel of all cell sites in the geographic vicinity.

3. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the signaling channel receiver is arranged to receive the signaling channel of one or more mobile telephone switching offices in the geographic vicinity.

4. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the signal channeling marker signal comprises a new system identity that corresponds to a unique identity.

5. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the signal channeling marker signal comprises the identity of the ordinary system it is supplanting.

6. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the strength of the signal arranged to cover the filtered wireless zone is higher than signal strengths normally received in the filtered wireless zone.

7. The filtered wireless zone of claim 6 further wherein the higher strength of the signal is extended by using a plurality of tunable system signaling channel transmitter-receivers.

8. The filtered wireless zone of claim 6 further wherein the higher strength of the signal is achieved by attenuating the received energy from outside systems.

9. The filtered wireless zone of claim 8 further wherein attenuation is obtained by shielding.

10. The filtered wireless zone of claim 8 further wherein further wherein attenuation is obtained by active cancellation.

11. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further comprising a signaling channel priority structure.

12. The filtered wireless zone of claim 11 further wherein the signaling channel priority structure comprises assigning a priority flag to the data stream emitted by each signaling channel.

13. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further including a signal transmitted by the system signaling channel transmitter-receiver in the filtered wireless zone to keep the handsets locked to the new capture channel.

14. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the transmitter-receiver ceases radiating on the channel and proceeds to another channel, sending the handset registered there to its capture channel, joining those already captured.

15. The filtered wireless zone of claim 14 further wherein the transmitter-receiver ceases radiating on a channel and proceeds to another channel for all the external signaling channels previously located.

16. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the transmitter-receiver repeats the scanning and sequential capturing processes.

17. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the signal comprises Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) signals.

18. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the signal comprises Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) signals.

19. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the signal comprises Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) signals.

20. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the signal comprises Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) signals.

21. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the signal comprises transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) signals.

22. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further comprising a signal notifying an identified handset regarding the filtered wireless zone.

23. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the zone is stationary.

24. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the zone is outdoors.

25. The filtered wireless zone of claim 1 further wherein the zone is mobile.

26. A method of creating a filtered wireless zone comprising:

scanning signaling channels serving a geographic vicinity;

recording channel identity and system identity of each signaling channel;

commanding a transmitter-receiver to such channel, causing the transmitter-receiver to radiate a signaling channel marker; and

transmitting a new signaling channel assignment message, sending handsets to a new capture channel;

whereby when a handset has been so captured a call for that handset will be routed to the voice-mail or other processing, as previously configured for that handset;

further whereby when a handset that has been so captured attempts to place a call, the call attempt is blocked;

further whereby when a handset that has been so captured places an emergency call, the call is routed to an emergency call line.

27. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further wherein the step of causing the transmitter-receiver to radiate a signaling channel marker comprises including in that marker a new system identity that corresponds to a unique identity.

28. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further wherein the step of causing the transmitter-receiver to radiate a signaling channel marker comprises including in that marker the identity of the ordinary system it is supplanting.

29. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further including the transmitter-receiver ceasing radiating on the channel and proceeding to another channel, sending the handset registered there to its capture channel, joining those already captured.

30. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 29 further including repeating the step of the transmitter-receiver ceasing radiating on a channel and proceeding to another channel, sending the handset registered there to its capture channel, joining those already captured.

31. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further including the transmitter-receiver continuing to repeat the scanning and sequential capturing processes.

32. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further including ensuring the strength of the signals are higher than signal strengths normally serving the filtered wireless zone.

33. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 32 further wherein the step of ensuring the strength of the signals are higher than signal strengths normally serving the filtered wireless zone comprises a plurality of tunable system signaling channel transmitter-receivers.

34. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 32 further including attenuating the received energy from outside systems.

35. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 34 further wherein the step of attenuating the received energy from outside systems is obtained by shielding.

36. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 34 further wherein the step of attenuating the received energy from outside systems is obtained by active cancellation.

37. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further comprising providing a signaling channel priority structure.

38. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 37 further assigning a priority flag to the data stream emitted by each signaling channel.

39. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further including radiating a signal to keep the handsets locked to the new capture channel.

40. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further including the signal comprising Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) signals.

41. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further including the signal comprising Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) signals.

42. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further including the signal comprising Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) signals.

43. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further including the signal comprising Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) signals.

44. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further including the signal comprising transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) signals.

45. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further comprising notifying an identified handset regarding the filtered wireless zone.

46. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further comprising establishing the zone as stationary.

47. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further comprising establishing the zone as outdoors.

48. The method of creating a filtered wireless zone of claim 26 further comprising establishing the zone as mobile.