System, method, and device for intelligence gathering and position tracking

• US 8,606,230 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2013
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sur-Tec Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sur-Tec Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Corey, Dupriest, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): FAHNERT, FRIEDRICH
• Application Number:
  US13/909,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20130267220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 189 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/410, 455/456.3, 455/556.1, 455/456.1, 455/550.1, 455/558, 455/566, 3423571-3572, 340/566, 381/58, 345211-215, 713/324
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/001 Concealed systems, e.g. disguised alarm systems to make covert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/656 for recording conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A mobile communication device that may be used by an investigator to secretly record a suspect and track the investigator'"'"'s location includes a microphone for detecting sounds, a communication component for transmitting signals or data representative of the sounds to one of the portable computers via the wireless communication network, a display for displaying information related to operation of the device, a computing device, and a computer program implemented by the computing device. The computer program is operable to place the device in a stealth mode in which the display is turned off or otherwise deactivated to make the entire device appear to be turned off while the microphone continues to detect sounds and the communication component continues to transmit signals or data representative of the sounds to a surveillance or support team operating one of the portable computers. The mobile communication device may also include a location-determining component for determining geographic locations of the device and for transmitting location data to the portable computer.

Claims

1. An intelligence gathering device for use by an investigator to gather intelligence information concerning a person being monitored by the investigator, the device comprising:

a wireless phone comprising;

a microphone for detecting sounds;

a communication component for transmitting signals or data representative of the sounds to a computer via a wireless communication network;

a display for displaying information related to operation of the wireless phone;

a computer-readable medium;

a computing device operatively coupled with the microphone, the communication component, the display, and the computer readable medium; and

a computer program stored on the computer-readable medium of the wireless phone, the computer program including a code segment that permits the investigator to place the device in a stealth mode in which the display is operable to be turned off or deactivated, in response to receiving commands from the investigator that would turn the intelligence gathering device off completely when not in the stealth mode, while the microphone continues to detect sounds and the communication component continues to transmit signals or data representative of the sounds to the computer so that the investigator may use the wireless phone to record conversations of the person being monitored.

2. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 1, the computer program further including a code segment to wirelessly receive a gain control instruction from the computer and to adjust a gain setting of the microphone in accordance therewith.

3. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 1, further including a vibration element for vibrating the device.

4. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 3, the computer program including a code segment to wirelessly receive an alert from the computer and to operate the vibration element in response thereto.

5. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 1, further including resident memory for storing the signals or data representative of the detected sounds.

6. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 1, the computing device and the computer program being operable to place the device in the stealth mode only after the investigator enters valid user information and an operator of the computer enters and transmits to the device valid acknowledgment information.

7. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 1, the computing device and the computer program being further operable to discontinue the stealth mode only after the investigator enters valid user information into the wireless phone and an operator of the computer enters and transmits to the wireless phone valid acknowledgment information.

8. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 1, further including a location-determining component for determining a geographic location of the device.

9. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 8, the computer program including a code segment to transmit data representative of the geographic location of the device to the computer while the device is in the stealth mode.

10. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 8, the computing device and the computer program being further operable to receive and store geographic coordinates corresponding to a geofence and to wirelessly transmit an alert to the computer whenever the device enters or exits an area encompassed by the geofence.

11. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 10, the computing device and the computer program being further operable to place the device in the stealth mode whenever the device enters or exits the area encompassed by the geofence.

33. The intelligence gathering device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display is a touch screen display.

12. A computer program stored on a physical, non-transitory computer-readable medium of a wireless phone, the wireless phone having a microphone, a communication component, a display, and a computing device, the computer program comprising a code segment or segments that permit an investigator using the wireless phone to place the wireless phone in a stealth mode in which the display is turned off or otherwise deactivated to make the entire wireless phone appear to be turned off, in response to receiving commands from the investigator that would turn the wireless phone off completely when not in the stealth mode, while the microphone continues to detect sounds and the communication component continues to transmit signals or data representative of the sounds to a computer via a wireless network so that the investigator may use the wireless phone to record conversations of a person being monitored by the investigator.

13. The computer program as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a code segment to wirelessly receive a gain control instruction from the computer and a code segment to adjust a gain setting of the microphone in accordance with the gain control instruction.

14. The computer program as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a code segment to wirelessly receive an alert from the computer and a code segment to operate a vibration element in the wireless phone in response thereto.

15. The computer program as set forth in claim 12, wherein the code segment for placing the wireless phone in the stealth mode requires entry of valid user information in the wireless phone and entry of valid acknowledgment information in the computer.

16. The computer program as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a code segment to discontinue the stealth mode only after the investigator enters valid user information and an operator of the computer enters and transmits to the wireless phone valid acknowledgment information.

17. The computer program as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a code segment to transmit data representative of a geographic location of the wireless phone to the computer while the wireless phone is in the stealth mode.

18. The computer program as set forth in claim 12, further including a code segment to access geographic coordinates corresponding to a geofence and to wirelessly transmit an alert to the computer whenever the wireless phone enters or exits an area encompassed by the geofence.

19. The computer program as set forth in claim 18, further comprising a code segment to place the wireless phone in the stealth mode whenever the wireless phone enters or exits the area encompassed by the geofence.

20. A system for gathering intelligence data that permits an investigator to gather intelligence information from a monitored person, the system comprising:

a) a wireless phone operated by the investigator and comprising—

a microphone for detecting sounds;

a communication component for wirelessly transmitting signals or data representative of the sounds via a wireless communication network;

a display for displaying information related to operation of the mobile communication device;

a computer readable medium;

a computing device operatively coupled with the microphone, the communication component, and the display, and the computer readable medium;

b) a computer program stored on the computer-readable medium of the wireless phone, the computer program operable to place the wireless phone in a stealth mode in which the display is turned off or otherwise deactivated, in response to receiving commands from the investigator that would turn the intelligence gathering device off completely when not in the stealth mode, while the microphone continues to detect sounds and the communication component continues to transmit signals or data representative of the sounds; and

c) a computer for wirelessly receiving the signals or data representative of the sounds from the wireless phone.

21. The system as set forth in claim 20, the computer being operable to wirelessly transmit a gain control instruction to the wireless phone and the wireless phone being operable to adjust a gain setting of the microphone in response to the gain control instruction.

22. The system as set forth in claim 20, the wireless phone further including a vibration element.

23. The system as set forth in claim 22, the computer being further operable to wirelessly transmit an alert to the wireless phone and the wireless phone being operable to operate the vibration element in response thereto.

24. The system as set forth in claim 22, the wireless phone further including a location-determining component for determining a geographic location of the wireless phone.

25. The system as set forth in claim 24, the wireless phone being operable to transmit data representative of the geographic location of the wireless phone to the computer while the wireless phone is in the stealth mode.

26. A method of enabling an investigator to covertly record conversations of a monitored person, the method comprising:

providing the investigator with a wireless phone; and

provisioning the wireless phone with a display screen and a computer program stored on computer-readable medium of the wireless phone, the computer program including a code segment that permits the investigator to place the wireless phone in a stealth mode in which the display is operable to be turned off or deactivated, in response to receiving commands from the investigator that would turn the wireless phone off completely when not in the stealth mode, while the microphone continues to detect sounds and the communication component continues to transmit signals or data representative of the sounds to a computer so that the investigator may use the wireless phone to record conversations of the person being monitored.

27. A method of conducting an intelligence gathering session in which an investigator secretly records conversations of a monitored person, the method comprising:

providing the investigator with a wireless phone having a display and a computer program stored on computer-readable medium of the wireless phone, the computer program including a code segment that permits the investigator to place the wireless phone in a stealth mode in which the display is operable to be turned off or deactivated in response to receiving commands from the investigator that would turn the wireless phone off completely when not in the stealth mode while the microphone continues to detect sounds and the communication component continues to transmit signals or data representative of the sounds to a computer;

the investigator placing the wireless phone in the stealth mode;

turning off or deactivating the display while the wireless phone is in the stealth mode;

the investigator using the microphone to detect the conversations of the monitored person while the display is turned off or deactivated; and

transmitting the conversations detected by the microphone to the computer using the communication component.

28. The method as set forth in claim 27, wherein graphics are presented on the display during the step of turning off or deactivating the display that suggest the wireless phone is being turned off or deactivated.

29. The method as set forth in claim 27, wherein the step of the investigator placing the wireless phone in stealth mode includes requiring the investigator to enter valid user information into the wireless phone.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29, including monitoring the transmitted conversations using support personnel.

31. The method as set forth in claim 27, including the investigator placing the wireless phone is plain view of the suspect during the step of using the microphone to detect the conversations of the suspect.

32. The method as set forth in claim 27, providing an alert signal to the wireless phone while in the stealth mode to instruct the investigator to abort the intelligence gathering session.