Cell phone detection and identification

• US 8,390,450 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Griffin, Robert, Stevens, John K., Waterhouse, Paul, August, Jason, Cassidy, James
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US11/768,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20090219156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 340/330, 340/539.13, 340/572.1, 455/404.2, 455/410
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A security tag affixed to a mobile phone for monitoring, tracking, and securing the mobile phone within a protected region. The security tag includes: a tag antenna operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding one megahertz; a tag transceiver operatively connected to the device antenna, the transceiver operable to receive radio signals at the low radio frequency and generate data signals at the said low radio frequency, in response thereto; and a microcontroller operatively coupled with the transceiver, the microcontroller being configured to cause the transceiver to emit a signal when the mobile phone is exiting the protected region.

Claims

1. A combination of a security tag and a mobile phone for monitoring, tracing, and securing the mobile phone within a protected physical location, wherein the security tag is affixed to the mobile phone and comprises:

a tag antenna operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding one megahertz;

a tag transceiver operatively connected to the tag antenna, the transceiver operable to receive radio signals at the low radio frequency and generate data signals at the said low radio frequency, in response thereto;

a microcontroller operatively coupled with the transceiver, the microcontroller being configured to cause the transceiver to emit a signal when the mobile phone is exiting the protected physical region, and

a memory having stored thereon a security program for controlling access to data stored in the mobile phone, wherein the security program permits access to stored data in the mobile phone when the mobile phone is within the protected physical region and restricts access to stored data in the mobile phone when the mobile phone is outside the protected physical region.

2. The combination of claim 1, further comprising a storage medium comprising a security program for causing the microcontroller to generate a signal when the mobile phone is moved out of the protected region.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein some of the signals are transmitted at a low radio frequency not exceeding 150 kilohertz.

4. The combination of claim 2, further comprising an identification storage section, the identification storage section comprising identification data about the mobile phone, the identification data comprising a unique identifier associated with said mobile phone.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the microcontroller is configured to cause the tag transceiver to provide the signal when the mobile phone is exiting the protected region without a corresponding external security tag in proximity of the mobile phone.

6. The combination of claim 4, wherein the identification data comprises an internet protocol address, and wherein the microcontroller is operable for communication with an internet router using said internet protocol address, such that at least a portion of the identification data can be transmitted through the internet router to be viewable through a web browser at a remote location.

7. The combination of claim 4 wherein the identification data is inserted by the microcontroller upon receipt of a directive sent as a signal from a trusted source.

8. The combination of claim 4 wherein the identification storage section further comprises network identification data.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein the security tag is operable to transmit and receive signals from other security tags within its network.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is operable to emit a warning signal when the mobile phone is being removed from the protected region.

11. The combination of claim 1 further comprising at least one energy source.

12. The combination of claim 1 wherein the security program is embodied as an application specific integrated circuit.

13. The combination of claim 1 wherein the security program is embodied within the microcontroller.

14. The combination of claim 1 wherein the low radio frequency does not exceed 300 kilohertz.

15. The combination of claim 1 further comprising:

a memory for storing data; and

a timing device operatively connected to the transceiver, the timing device operable to;

activate said transceiver at selected time intervals, and create timestamps that are tied to status events, wherein a temporal history of the status events can be stored in the memory.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein the timing device comprises a crystal providing random phase modulation for enabling a selective read of a specific security tag within a network of security tags, without prior knowledge of its identification.

17. The combination of claim 15 further comprising at least one sensor for detecting at least one condition, wherein the at least one sensor is operable to emit an on-demand transmission signal when the at least one condition is detected and wherein the microcontroller is able to detect and read said signal from the at least one sensor, and further is able to take appropriate action based on the signal received.

18. The combination of claim 17 wherein the at least one sensor is a global positioning signal sensor for locating the mobile phone.

19. The combination of claim 18 further comprising:

at least one switch, each switch comprising a plurality of modes, wherein the at least one switch remains set to enable mode for a predetermined interval of time, responsive to signals from a base station, and wherein the at least one switch is set to disable mode once the predetermined interval of time has elapsed.

20. The combination of claim 18 further comprising a heat-generating device for causing erasure of data in the mobile phone and wherein the microcontroller is further configured for actuating the heat-generating device in response to receiving an erase signal, said erase signal emitted if the mobile phone is removed from the protected region.

21. The combination of claim 18 wherein the at least one energy source is maintained in sleep mode until activated by the microcontroller to set a switch to indicate that access to the mobile phone should be restricted.

22. The combination of claim 18 wherein the at least one energy source is for activating a heat-generating device to destroy data in the mobile phone.

23. A method for securing data in a mobile phone within a protected physical region, the method comprising steps of:

configuring a signal generating system within the protected physical region, the signal generating system comprising at least one field antenna and a base station operable to generate a low frequency radio signal not exceeding one megahertz;

configuring the mobile phone with a security tag, the security tag comprising;

a low frequency transceiver,

a microcontroller,

an antenna operable at said low frequency, and

a security program for secure use within the protected physical region;

monitoring the mobile phone within the protected physical region;

enabling user access to the mobile phone and data stored therein when the mobile phone is within the protected physical region; and

restricting user access to the mobile phone and data stored therein when the mobile phone is outside of the protected physical region.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising installing a portal comprising a router, a loop antenna, and a processor at an exit from the protected physical region, wherein said portal communicates with the security tag.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising emitting a warning when the mobile phone is in close proximity to the portal.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the portal emitting a warning when the mobile phone attempts to exit the protected region without a corresponding external security tag in close proximity to the mobile phone.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising steps of:

the portal checking data contained in the external security tag;

comparing the data to identification data from the security tag; and

emitting a warning if the two sets of data do not match.

28. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

installing a heat-generating device, said heat-generating device operable by the microcontroller, wherein erasure of the data in the mobile phone is accomplished by activating the heat-generating device to release energy sufficient to destroy the data, and wherein the heat-generating device is activated when the mobile phone is removed from the protected region.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein the base station transmits interrogation signals to the security tag and waits for a timely response from the security tag, and wherein user access to the mobile phone is restricted when the timely response is not received at the base station.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the interrogation signals are transmitted periodically.

31. The method of claim 23 further comprising transmitting interrogation signals to the security tag with the at least one field antenna.

32. The method of claim 23 further comprising using the security tag for transmitting identification signals to the base station at timed intervals and if the base station fails to receive an identification signal at the timed interval, the base station transmits a signal restricting access to the data in the mobile phone.

33. The method of claim 23 further comprising steps of:

loading an encryption/decryption program in the security tag, along with a key, and restricting user access by transmission of a signal to the microcontroller causing said microcontroller to modify the key.

34. The method of claim 23 wherein restricting user access further comprises requiring the user to provide a security code transmitted by the base station and changing said security code if the mobile phone is removed from the protected region.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the security code is updated periodically and wherein the updated security code is transmitted to the security tag only if the mobile phone is within the protected region.

36. The method of claim 23 wherein the security tag is configured to emit a warning signal when it is removed from the protected region.

37. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of configuring the mobile phone comprises installing a battery in the security tag, said battery being in a sleep state until activated by the microcontroller, wherein activating the battery causes a release of energy, the energy destroying data in the mobile phone.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising a step of:

installing a squib device in the security tag, wherein the battery activates the squib device, and said squib device releases heat to destroy data in the mobile phone.

39. The method of claim 23, further comprising a step of locating the security tag device using global positioning system signals.

40. The method of claim 23, further comprising steps of:

installing a timing device in the security tag; and

setting at least one switch, wherein the at least one switch remains set to enable mode for a predetermined interval of time, responsive to signals from the base station, and wherein the at least one switch is set to disable mode once the predetermined interval of time passes.

41. A system for tracking, monitoring, and securing at least one mobile phone within a protected physical region, the system comprising:

a networked security tag affixed to each mobile phone, the security tag operable to receive and transmit low frequency radio signals not exceeding one megahertz;

a base station operable to generate the low frequency radio signals throughout substantially an entirety of the protected physical region, the base station comprising logic circuitry, a radio modem circuit, and an antenna; and

at least one field antenna for radiating the low frequency radio signals driven by the base station,

wherein the security tag comprises;

a tag antenna;

a tag transceiver operatively connected to the tag antenna, the transceiver operable to receive radio signals at the low radio frequency and generate data signals at the said low radio frequency, in response thereto;

a microcontroller operatively coupled with the transceiver, the microcontroller being configured to cause the transceiver to emit a signal when the mobile phone is exiting the protected physical region; and

a memory having stored thereon a security program for controlling access to data stored in the mobile phone when the mobile phone is within the protected physical region and restricting access to stored data in the mobile phone when the mobile phone is outside the protected physical region.

42. The system of claim 41 further comprising a computer for monitoring the at least one mobile phone.

43. The system of claim 41 further comprising a portal configured to read data from the security tag, the portal comprising a loop antenna, a router, and a processor.