System and method for monitoring transmitting portable electronic devices

• US 8,576,064 B1
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Mitchell, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US11/807,551
• Time in Patent Office: 2,352 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/505, 340/539.11, 340/518, 340/525, 340/539.26, 340/565, 340/945, 340/572.1, 455/456.1, 455/540
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00155 Individual entertainment or communication system remote controls therefor, located in or connected to seat components, e.g. to seat back or arm rest
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for monitoring transmitting portable electronic devices (T-PEDs). The system may comprise one or more of the following features: (a) a plurality of radio frequency (RF) sensors; (b) a processing unit; and (c) a T-PED detection notification system. The RF sensors may be distributed throughout a given space in a substantially uniform arrangement so as to provide a nodal environment whereby the RF transmissions of a given T-PED may be associated with one or more RF sensors thereby allowing the monitoring system to calculate the location of the T-PED. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the RF sensors are integrated within the distributed network of an in-flight entertainment system of an aircraft.

Claims

1. A passenger entertainment system comprising:

one or more display terminals;

one or more transmitting portable electronic device (T-PED) radio frequency (RF) sensors integrated within a display terminal of the one or more display terminals;

at least one processing unit configured for;

comparing at least one transceiving parameter selected from a modulation, an interleave, a channel coding, a power, and a gain of one or more RF signals received from at least one T-PED to at least one allowable transceiving parameter; and

a T-PED compliance notification device configured for providing at least one of a visual notification and an audible notification of one or more RF signals received from the at least one T-PED having at least one prohibited transceiving parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of T-PED RF sensors comprises:

a cognitive radio.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of T-PED RF sensors are substantially uniformly distributed about a region to be monitored.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the region to be monitored is an aircraft cabin.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is integrated into a display terminal of the one or more display terminals.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database comprising allowable T-PED transceiving parameters.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the allowable T-PED transceiving parameters include an allowable range of a T-PED transceiving parameter for a first geographic region and an allowable range of the T-PED transceiving parameter for a second geographic region.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the T-PED compliance notification device includes a device distinct from a T-PED.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the T-PED compliance notification device includes a display terminal of the one or more display terminals having an integrated T-PED RF sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a T-PED RF sensor of the one or more of T-PED RF sensors is configured for scanning across multiple frequencies.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a T-PED RF sensor of the plurality of T-PED RF sensors comprises:

a first channel configured for receiving signals within a first frequency range; and

a second channel configured for receiving signals within a second frequency range different that the first frequency range.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transceiving parameter is selected from a modulation, an interleave, and a channel coding of one or more RF signals received from at least one T-PED.

13. A method for monitoring transmitting portable electronic devices (T-PED), the method comprising the steps:

receiving one or more radio frequency (RF) signals from at least one T-PED via one or more RF sensors integrated within a display terminal;

comparing at least one transceiving parameter selected from a modulation, an interleave, a channel coding, a power, and a gain of one or more RF signals received from at least one T-PED to at least one allowable transceiving parameter;

and

providing at least one of a visual notification and an audible notification of one or more RF signals received from the at least one T-PED having at least one prohibited transceiving parameter.

14. The system of method of claim 13, wherein the providing at least one of a visual notification and an audible notification of a T-PED having at least one prohibited transceiving parameter includes:

providing a visual notification on a display terminal including an integrated RF sensor that received one or more prohibited RF signals from at least one T-PED.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the calculating an estimated location of the T-PED comprises:

comparing a signal received from a first T-PED RF sensor to a signal received from a second T-PED RF sensor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the providing a notification of the location of the T-PED comprises:

providing a notification of the location of the at least one T-PED according to the comparison of the signal received from the first T-PED RF sensor to the signal received from the second T-PED RF sensor.

17. The system of method of claim 13, further comprising:

calculating an estimated location of a T-PED having at least one prohibited transceiving parameter.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one transceiving parameter is selected from a modulation, an interleave, and a channel coding of one or more RF signals received from at least one T-PED.