System and method for covertly disabling improvised explosive devices

• US 8,010,038 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Coyne, Michael, Davidson, Walter Lee, Valentine, Eric Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson; Keith
• Application Number:
  US12/212,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20100068988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 455/1, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/500.1, 455/517, 455418-420, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/445, 89/11.3, 102/401, 102/418, 102/427
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/24 for communication related to weapons
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/32 including a particular configuration of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/42 characterized by the control of the jamming frequency or wavelength
• 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 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/92 related to allowing or preventing remote control

Abstract

A method and system of disabling a remote improvised explosive device (IED) that is triggered by a cell phone. A portable wideband network system, installed in a vehicle, is used to determine operator frequency or frequencies active on a route along which the vehicle will travel. The vehicle includes a wideband transmitter for raising a radio frequency noise floor across all of the active cellular frequencies in a limited area surrounding the portable wideband network system during passage along the route. A notch filter is used by the system for filtering a particular frequency from the noise floor. The power level of the portable wideband network system is increased so that the strongest signal at the particular frequency in the limited area is provided by the portable system'"'"'s base station. All mobile terminals in the limited area around the vehicle are connected to the portable system and the portable system prevents call completion of any of the connected mobile terminals.

Claims

1. A method of disabling a remote improvised explosive device (IED), the IED utilizing a cell phone as a trigger device, the method comprising the steps of:

determining an operator frequency or frequencies active on a route along which a portable wideband network system will travel;

raising a radio frequency noise floor, across all of the active cellular frequencies in a limited area surrounding the portable wideband network system during passage along the route;

filtering a particular frequency from the noise floor using a notch filter;

increasing the power level of the portable wideband network at the particular frequency so that the portable wideband network system transmits the strongest signal on the particular frequency in the limited area around the portable wideband network;

connecting all mobile terminals in the limited area to the portable wideband network system; and

preventing call completion of any connected mobile terminals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable wideband network system comprises:

a Mobile switching Services Center (MSC);

a Base Station Controller (BSC);

a Base Transceiver Station (BTS); and

a Visitor Location Register (VLR).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the portable wideband network system further comprises a wideband radio frequency generator for raising the radio frequency noise floor.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing mobile terminals in the limited area to camp on the portable wideband system without completing the call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the limited area is determined by antenna configuration and the portable wideband network system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the portable wideband network system in a sweep of a targeted area, suspected of having an IED.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of filtering a particular frequency is accomplished either manually, automatically or both.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable wideband transmitter comprises a multi-sector antenna, the multi-sector antenna providing directional information regarding any connected mobile phone.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising

determining an identity of the any connected mobile terminals and

determining call history of the any connected mobile terminals.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the location of a targeted mobile terminal.

11. An apparatus for disabling a remote improvised explosive device (IED), the IED utilizing a cell phone as a trigger device, the apparatus comprising:

a portable network system;

a vehicle for carrying the portable network system;

means for determining an operator frequency or frequencies active on a route along which the portable network system will travel;

transmitter means for raising a radio frequency noise floor across all of the active cellular frequencies in a limited area surrounding the portable network system during passage along the route;

a notch filter for filtering a particular frequency from the noise floor;

means for maintaining the power level of the portable network system at the particular frequency so that the portable network system transmits the strongest signal on the particular frequency in the limited area around the portable wideband network;

connecting all mobile terminals in the limited area to the portable network system; and

preventing call completion of any connected mobile terminals.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the portable network system is a portable wideband network system, the apparatus further comprising:

a wideband radio frequency noise generator;

a Mobile switching Services Center (MSC);

a Base Station Controller (BSC);

a Base Transceiver Station (BTS); and

a Visitor Location Register (VLR).

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising

means for determining an identity of a targeted, connected mobile terminal and

means for determining calling history of the targeted connected mobile terminal.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for determining the location of a targeted mobile phone.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for determining a called number from the targeted, connected mobile terminal and

means for tracing the called number to determine if a phone associated with the called number is stolen, is a prepaid phone, whether the called number has received any previous calls, and how long the called number has been activated, wherein according to the results of the tracing, if the called number has been called infrequently or not at all, the called number has made no calls, the time since activation does not correlate with probable usage, means for immediately notifying a predetermined authority for tracking and investigating the calling number and called number owner.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the portable wideband network system further comprises a wideband transmitter for raising the radio frequency noise floor.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for allowing mobile terminals in the limited area to camp on the portable wideband system without completing the call.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the limited area is determined by antenna configuration and the portable wideband network system.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for moving the portable wideband network system in a sweep of a targeted area, suspected of having an IED.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for filtering a particular frequency either manually, automatically or both.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the portable wideband network system further comprises a multi-sector antenna, the multi-sector antenna providing directional information regarding any connected mobile phone.