Systems and methods for identification of mobile phones in a restricted environment

• US 8,532,616 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cognyte Technologies Israel Ltd. (Cognyte Software Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nelkenbaum, Yossi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D
• Application Number:
  US13/096,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20110319010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/436, 455/461
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/68 Circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/16 with lock-out or secrecy provision in party-line systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Methods and systems for identifying mobile communication terminals that are used in an unauthorized manner in a restricted environment. A monitoring system monitors mobile communication terminals that operate in the vicinity of a restricted environment, such as a prison. A profiling system analyzes the communication of the solicited terminals, and produces respective activity profiles of the terminals. Based on the activity profiles, the profiling system identifies communication terminals that are operated illegitimately. Various actions can be taken with respect to such illegitimate terminals. In a prison application, the profiling system identifies communication terminals that are operated illegitimately by prisoners.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring mobile communication terminals, which are located in a vicinity of a restricted environment;

producing, using a processor of a computing device, respective activity profiles of the monitored communication terminals; and

based on the activity profiles, identifying a communication terminal that is operated illegitimately in the restricted environment,

wherein identifying the communication terminal comprises applying an identification criterion to an activity profile of the communication terminal, and identifying the communication terminal as operating illegitimately responsively to meeting the criterion,

wherein identifying the communication terminal comprises applying an identification criterion to an activity profile of the communication terminal, and identifying the communication terminal as operating illegitimately responsively to meeting the criterion, and

wherein the identification criterion regards the communication terminal as illegitimate when the communication terminal communicates in a repetitive pattern.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring the communication terminals comprises operating a dummy communication network, comprising one or more base stations, in the vicinity of the restricted environment, and soliciting the communication terminals to communicate with the dummy communication network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring the communication terminals comprises interfacing with a public communication network over which the communication terminals communicate.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the restricted environment comprises a prison, and wherein the identified communication terminal is operated illegitimately by a prisoner.

5. The method according to claim 1, and comprising controlling communication with the identified communication terminal.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying the communication terminal comprises classifying at least some of the monitored communication terminals to a first class of illegitimately-operated communication terminals, a second class of legitimately-operated communication terminals belonging to staff of the restricted environment, and a third class of legitimately-operated communication terminals that do not belong to the staff.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein classifying the monitored communication terminals comprises associating a given monitored communication terminal with one of the classes, and controlling communication with the given communication terminal based on a class with which it is associated.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein controlling the communication comprises blocking the communication when the given communication terminal is associated with the first class, and allowing the communication when the given communication terminal is associated with one of the second and third classes.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein controlling the communication comprises providing a private network service to the given communication terminal when the given communication terminal is associated with the second class.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring the communication terminals comprises operating a dummy communication network in the vicinity of the restricted environment and soliciting the communication terminals to communicate with the dummy communication network, and wherein the identification criterion regards the communication terminal as legitimate when the communication terminal is handed-off to the dummy communication network from another network, and as illegitimate when the communication terminal is switched-on in the dummy communication network.

11. The method according to claim 1, and comprising accepting feedback, which indicates whether the identified communication terminal is illegitimate, and adapting the identification criterion responsively to the feedback.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying the communication terminal comprises holding at least one list selected from a group of lists consisting of a white list containing communication terminals that are known to be legitimately-operated and a black list containing communication terminals that are known to be illegitimately-operated, and identifying the communication terminal using the at least one list.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein identifying the communication terminal comprises applying an identification criterion to an activity profile of the communication terminal, and comprising automatically adapting the criterion by using the at least one list as a training set.

14. Apparatus, comprising:

an interface, which is configured to communicate with a communication network so as to monitor mobile communication terminals that communicate over the communication network and are located in a vicinity of a restricted environment; and

a processor, which is configured to receive information regarding the monitored communication terminals from the communication network via the interface, to produce respective activity profiles of the monitored communication terminals using the information, and to identify, based on the activity profiles, a communication terminal that is operated illegitimately in the restricted environment,

wherein to identify the communication terminal comprises applying an identification criterion to an activity profile of the communication terminal, and identifying the communication terminal as operating illegitimately responsively to meeting the criterion, and

wherein the identification criterion regards the communication terminal as illegitimate when the communication terminal communicates in a repetitive pattern.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the communication network comprises a dummy communication network that includes one or more base stations, operates in the vicinity of the restricted environment and solicits the communication terminals to communicate with the dummy communication network.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the communication network comprises a public communication network over which the communication terminals communicate.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the restricted environment comprises a prison, and wherein the identified communication terminal is operated illegitimately by a prisoner.