Stationary forced premature detonation of improvised explosive devices via wireless phone signaling

• US 7,536,170 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Runyon, James Philip, Goldman, Stuart Owen, Rauscher, Karl F, Krock, Richard E
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/232,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20070232304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041-4042, 455/567, 455/420, 340/539.26, 701/65, 379/45, 89/11.3, 102/403
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0075 the high-energy beam being a radiofrequency beam
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 5/04 Rendering explosive charges harmless, e.g. destroying ammunition F42B39/14 and F42B39/20 take precedence ; extracting primers, dismantling ammunition F42B33/04, F42B33/06 ; chemical deactivating of explosives C06B21/0091; Rendering detonation of explosive charges harmless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A precautionary measure against wireless phone-triggered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS) is described that forces premature detonation of the IED at a safe location, such as an unmanned checkpoint, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the IED. Embodiments of the invention provide for transmitting directionalized, low power alerting signals (e.g., paging, ringing, message waiting, text messages) from a stationary wireless terminal advantageously positioned a safe distance from a prospective target area, to mobile stations within a portion of a wireless service area defining an “IED detonation zone.” In such manner, mobile stations within the IED detonation zone that are IED triggering devices (as well as mobile stations that are not IED triggering devices) will receive the alerting signals, thereby forcing premature detonation of IEDs in the detonation zone.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying one or more mobile stations registered within a service area of a wireless communication system, the mobile stations potentially comprising Improvised Explosive Device (IED) triggering devices; and

transmitting, from a stationary platform, one or more directionalized, low power alerting signals to the mobile stations within a portion of the service area defining an IED detonation zone, thereby alerting the mobile stations including any IED triggering devices within the IED detonation zone, the IED detonation zone defining the portion of the service area in which the mobile stations can receive the alerting signals;

performed by a wireless terminal defining a directionalized local cellular alerting transmitter (DLCAT) residing at the stationary platform, where the DLCAT is not part of a telecommunication infrastructure system with which the mobile stations have subscribed for wireless communication services, the alerting signals transmitted by the DLCAT are directory number specific signals associated with respective mobile stations within the IED detonation zone.

wherein the directionalized, low power alerting signals have a power low enough such that only mobile stations within the IED detonation zone will receive the alerting signals so that any mobile stations outside the IED detonation zone will not receive the alerting signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting alert signals comprising one or more of:

paging signals, ringing signals, message waiting signals and text messages, to the mobile stations in the IED detonation zone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying comprises the DLCAT receiving, from a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) of the wireless communication system, the identity of mobile stations registered within a base station coverage area served by the MSC.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of receiving is accomplished coincident to the DLCAT registering with the MSC from within the base station coverage area.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of receiving is accomplished coincident to the DLCAT querying the MSC from within the base station coverage area.

6. A wireless terminal comprising:

a telecommunications receiver for receiving, from a wireless communication system, indicia of one or more mobile stations registered within a service area of a wireless communication system, the mobile stations potentially comprising Improvised Explosive Device (IED) triggering devices; and

an alerting transmitter for transmitting one or more directionalized, low power alerting signals to the mobile stations within a portion of the service area defining an IED detonation zone, thereby alerting the mobile stations including any IED triggering devices within the IED detonation zone, the IED detonation zone defining the portion of the service area in which the mobile stations can receive the alerting signals;

the telecommunications receiver and alerting transmitter both being located adjacent the IED detonation zone, and the directionalized, low power alerting signals having a power low enough such that only mobile stations within the IED detonation zone will receive the alerting signals so that any mobile stations outside the IED detonation zone will not receive the alerting signals;

wherein the alerting transmitter defines a directionalized, local cellular alerting transmitter (DLCAT) operable to transmit directionalized, low power alerting signals to the mobile stations within the service area, the IED detonation zone defining the portion of the service area in which the mobile stations can receive the alerting signals, where the DLCAT is not part of a telecommunication infrastructure system with which the mobile stations have subscribed for wireless communication services, the alerting signals transmitted by the DLCAT are directory number specific signals associated with respective mobile stations within the IED detonation zone.

7. The wireless terminal of claim 6 wherein the DLCAT is operable to transmit alerting signals comprising one or more of:

paging signals, ringing signals, message waiting signals and text messages, to the mobile stations in the IED detonation zone.

8. The wireless terminal of claim 6, wherein the DLCAT resides at a stationary platform located a predetermined safe distance from a prospective target area.