Radio frequency barrier in a wireless communication network

• US 8,929,803 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Hong, Deanna
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsieh, Ping
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yang, James
• Application Number:
  US13/413,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20130237141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 455/1, 455/410, 455/411
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/18 for wireless local area networks or WLAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/32 including a particular configuration of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/34 involving multiple cooperating jammers
• 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 3/825 by jamming
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/86 related to preventing deceptive jamming or unauthorized interrogation or access, e.g. WLAN access or RFID reading record carriers with integrated circuit chips including means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or to record carriers by hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07318; arrangements for sensing record carriers including arrangements for protecting the interrogation against piracy attacks G06K7/10257

Abstract

A method and system for a radio frequency barrier in a wireless communication network include a barrier defined for protecting a space within the wireless communication network. A plurality of antennas is located along the barrier. A radio provides radio frequency signals to transmit from the antennas to interfere with radio frequency communications impinging on the barrier. The interfering radio frequency signals can provide same channel and adjacent channel interference.

Claims

1. A method for a secure radio frequency barrier for a space within a structure in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

defining a radio frequency barrier for protecting a space within the wireless communication network, the barrier including a set of directional antennas built into at least walls of the structure; and

disrupting, by the antennas within the walls, all radio frequency communications impinging on the walls by transmitting interfering radio frequency signals directed substantially parallel to a surface of the walls to interfere with the impinging radio frequency communications, wherein the disrupting includes preventing radio signals within the space from leaking outside the space and radio signals outside the space are prevented from gaining access inside the space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the defining step includes providing an interlocking antenna grid located along the barrier, and wherein the disrupting step includes the antenna grid transmitting the interfering radio frequency signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the defining step includes providing a distributed antenna system located along the barrier, and wherein the disrupting step includes the distributed antenna system transmitting the interfering radio frequency signals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the disrupting step includes the radio frequency signals being transmitted on a same channel as is being used within the protected space so as to provide same channel interference.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the disrupting step includes an amplitude of the same channel interference being set to produce interference below a clear channel assessment threshold of any device within the protected space.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the disrupting step includes the radio frequency signals being transmitted on channels adjacent at a higher power to an operating frequency being used within the protected space so to provide adjacent channel interference to disrupt communications from devices located just outside the barrier and trying to communicate on an operating frequency within the barrier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the disrupting step includes the radio frequency signals being transmitted on a same channel as is being used within the protected space so as to provide same channel interference and also being transmitted on channels adjacent to an operating frequency being used within the protected space so to provide adjacent channel interference to disrupt communications from devices located just outside the barrier and trying to communicate on an operating frequency within the barrier.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the defining step includes amplitudes of the same frequency interference and adjacent frequency interference being controlled to affect a final shape of the barrier.

9. A system for providing a secure radio frequency barrier for a space within a structure in a wireless communication network, the system comprising:

a radio frequency barrier built into at least walls of the structure and defined for protecting a space within the wireless communication network;

at least one radio operable to provide interfering radio frequency signals for interfering with any radio frequency communications impinging on the walls;

a plurality of directional antennas coupled to the at least one radio and being located within the walls, the antennas operable to transmit the interfering radio frequency signals from the at least one radio directed substantially parallel to a surface of the walls to interfere, within the walls, with the radio frequency communications impinging on the walls such that radio signals within the space are prevented from leaking outside the space and radio signals outside the space are prevented from gaining access inside the space.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of antennas is an interlocking antenna grid located along the barrier, wherein the antenna grid is operable to transmit the interfering radio frequency signals.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of antennas is a distributed antenna system located along the barrier, wherein the distributed antenna system is operable to transmit the interfering radio frequency signals.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the radio frequency signals are transmitted on a same channel as is being used within the protected space so as to provide same channel interference.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein an amplitude of the same channel interference is set to produce interference below a clear channel assessment threshold of any device within the protected space.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the radio frequency signals are transmitted on channels adjacent at a higher power to an operating frequency being used within the protected space so to provide adjacent channel interference to disrupt communications from devices located just outside the barrier and trying to communicate on an operating frequency within the barrier.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the radio frequency signals are transmitted on a same channel as is being used within the protected space so as to provide same channel interference and also transmitted on channels adjacent to an operating frequency being used within the protected space so to provide adjacent channel interference to disrupt communications from devices located just outside the barrier and trying to communicate on an operating frequency within the barrier.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein amplitudes of the same frequency interference and adjacent frequency interference are controlled to affect a final shape of the barrier.

17. The system of claim 9, further comprising a controller coupled to the at least one radio, wherein the controller is operable to control the interfering radio frequency signals of the at least one radio in response to unsecure network activity.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one radio transmits constantly on all inband channels.