Radio frequency detection device and system

• US 8,941,486 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cell Busters, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cell Busters, LLC
• Inventors: Forde, Derek, O'Dowd, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US13/675,513
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.1, 340/539.21, 340/539.23, 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/573.1, 340/686.1, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/422.1, 455/434, 455/456, 455/456.1, 235/380, 235/381
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves

Abstract

A radio frequency detection device that includes a housing, a power supply port, a radio frequency circuit board, and a microprocessor is disclosed. The radio frequency detection device is configured to detect signals between approximately 20 Mhz and 6020 Mhz. The microprocessor is configured to report the frequency and decibel level of a detected signal to a computer for display on a user interface. A user may set an alert frequency range and an decibel sensitivity threshold to filter out certain devices. The microprocessor is configured to initiate an alert when any signal is detected, or when a signal within either or both the alert frequency range or the decibel sensitivity threshold is detected. The alert may include pulsing of LED lights on the housing, a message on the user interface, and/or broadcast of an audio alert from a speaker associated with the microprocessor.

Claims

1. A radio frequency detection device, comprising:

a housing;

a power supply port;

a radio frequency (RF) circuit board housed within the housing and electrically coupled the power supply port, the RF circuit board comprising an internal antenna;

a microprocessor housed within the housing and electrically coupled to the power supply port and the RF circuit board, the microprocessor configured to report a frequency of a detected signal, report a decibel level of the detected signal, initiate an alert when the detected signal is within one or more adjustable alert ranges, and ignore the detected signal when the detected signal is not within the one or more adjustable alert ranges.

2. The radio frequency detection device of claim 1, wherein the RF circuit board and the microprocessor are configured to detect frequencies between approximately 20 Mhz and 6020 Mhz, and the microprocessor comprises a 32 bit microprocessor.

3. The radio frequency detection device of claim 2, wherein the one or more adjustable alert ranges comprise an adjustable alert frequency range and a decibel sensitivity threshold.

4. The radio frequency detection device of claim 3, wherein the alert comprises one or more audio messages broadcast from a speaker electrically coupled to the microprocessor.

5. The radio frequency detection device of claim 4, wherein the one or more audio messages comprises a plurality of audio messages and the microprocessor is further configured to initiate a different one of the plurality of recorded messages upon detection of different signal frequencies or decibels.

6. The radio frequency detection device of claim 5, wherein the power supply port comprises at least one of an Ethernet port, a USB port, and AC adapter port, and an internal battery, and wherein the microprocessor is further configured to communicate with one or more external devices through at least one of the Ethernet port and the USB port.

7. A method of monitoring unauthorized use of one or more devices emitting a radio frequency in a secure area, comprising:

operably coupling a computer comprising a user interface to a first radio frequency detection device, the first radio frequency detection device comprising a microprocessor, a radio frequency circuit board comprising an antenna, and a communication port;

setting, through the user interface, a frequency alert range;

detecting, with the first radio frequency detection device, a signal of one or more devices, the signal of the one or more devices comprising a frequency and a decibel level;

initiating, by the microprocessor, an unauthorized use alert when the frequency of the signal detected by the first radio frequency detection device is within the frequency alert range; and

ignoring the one or more devices by not initiating the unauthorized use alert when the frequency of the signal detected by the first radio frequency detection device is not within the alert frequency range.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising setting, through the user interface, a sensitivity threshold, and wherein:

initiating the unauthorized use alert comprises initiating, by the microprocessor, the unauthorized use alert when the frequency of the signal detected by the first radio frequency detection device is within the frequency alert range and the decibel level of the signal detected is above the sensitivity threshold; and

ignoring the one or more devices comprises ignoring the one or more devices by not initiating the unauthorized use alert when the frequency of the signal detected by the first radio frequency detection device is not within the alert frequency range or the decibel level of the signal detected is below the sensitivity threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

initiating the unauthorized use alert comprises initiating, by the microprocessor, the unauthorized use alert when the signal detected comprises an extended time signal, the frequency of the signal detected by the first radio frequency detection device is within the frequency alert range, and the decibel level of the signal detected is above the sensitivity threshold; and

ignoring the one or more devices comprises ignoring the one or more devices by not initiating the unauthorized use alert when the signal detected comprises an automatic registration signal, the frequency of the signal detected by the first radio frequency detection device is not within the alert frequency range, or the decibel level of the signal detected is below the sensitivity threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein initiating, by the microprocessor, the alert comprises initiating, by the microprocessor, an audio alert message broadcast by a speaker electrically coupled to the microprocessor.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising initiating an external security device operably coupled to the first radio frequency detection device when the decibel level of the signal detected by the first radio frequency detection device is above the decibel sensitivity threshold or the frequency of the signal detected by the first radio frequency detection device is within the alert frequency range.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein operably coupling the computer comprising the user interface to the first radio frequency detection device comprises operably coupling a computer comprising the user interface to the first radio frequency detection device with a communication cord extending between the computer and a communication port on the first radio frequency detection device, the communication port being electrically coupled to the microprocessor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein operably coupling the computer comprising the user interface to the first radio frequency detection device comprises operably coupling the computer comprising the user interface to the first radio frequency detection device through a network.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

operably coupling the computer to a second radio frequency detection device and at least a third radio frequency detection device, the second and at least third radio frequency detection devices each comprising a microprocessor, a radio frequency circuit board comprising an antenna, and a communication port;

setting, through the user interface, a frequency alert range for the second and at least third radio frequency detection devices;

setting, through the user interface, a sensitivity threshold for the second and at least third radio frequency detection devices;

detecting, with the second and third radio frequency detection devices, the signal of the one or more devices;

initiating, by the microprocessor of the second and third radio frequency detection devices, an unauthorized use alert when the frequency of the signal detected by the second and third radio frequency detection devices is within the frequency alert range or above the sensitivity threshold;

ignoring the one or more devices by not initiating the unauthorized use alert when the frequency of the signal detected by the second and at least third radio frequency detection devices is not within the alert frequency range or the decibel level of the signal detected is below the sensitivity threshold;

determining a location of the one or more devices by comparing the decibel level of the signal at each of the first, second, and at least third radio frequency detection devices;

showing the location of the one or more devices on a map on the user interface.

15. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a unique identifier number of the one or more devices;

reporting the frequency of the signal, the decibel level of the signal, and the unique identifier number of the one or more devices to the computer; and

recording the frequency of the signal, the decibel level of the signal, and the unique identifier number of the one or more devices in a database.

16. A system for monitoring unauthorized use of one more devices emitting a radio frequency in a secured area, comprising:

one or more computers each configured to display a user interface;

one or more radio frequency detection devices operably coupled to the one or more computers, each of the one or more radio frequency detection devices comprising a power supply, a radio frequency circuit board electrically coupled to the power supply, an antenna, and a microprocessor electrically coupled to the power supply port and the radio frequency circuit board, the microprocessor configured to report a frequency of one or more detected signals to the one or more computers, report a decibel level of the one or more detected signals to the one more computers, and initiate an unauthorized use alert when the frequency of one or more detected signals is within an adjustable alert frequency range, wherein the adjustable alert frequency range is adjustable through the user interface and the user interface is configured to display the frequency and the decibel level of the one or more detected signals reported to the one or more computers.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to initiate the unauthorized use alert when the decibel level of the one or more detected signals is above an adjustable decibel sensitivity threshold, the adjustable decibel sensitivity threshold being adjustable through the user interface.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more radio frequency detection devices comprises a plurality of radio frequency detection devices operable coupled to the one or more computers over a network.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising an external security device operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of radio frequency detection devices and responsive to initiate a security measure when the microprocessor initiates the alert.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the alert comprises an audio alert message broadcast by a speaker electrically coupled to the microprocessor.