Location intelligence management system for border security

• US 9,386,421 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2013
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TruePosition Incorporated
• Inventors: Bolon, Brian R., Dodds, Larry V., Ward, Matthew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sams, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/057,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20140045529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/302 gathering intelligence information for situation awareness or reconnaissance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Collection and analysis of network transaction information which includes the mobile device'"'"'s usage, location, movements coupled with data from non-wireless network sources allow for the automation of analysis for the detection of smuggling or other criminal behaviors and tasking of high-accuracy location surveillance.

Claims

1. A location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

a controller computer; and

one or more databases operatively coupled to the controller computer and configured to store data concerning network events;

wherein the LIMS is configured to utilize the data concerning network events to produce location-aware intelligence including geo-profiles for mobile devices, wherein said geo-profiles include location and time information for said mobile devices;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to detect unlawful border crossing activities by;

(a) collecting data representing wireless device cellular events, said data representing the locations of wireless devices as they are registering with a wireless communications network (WCN) and the times of the cellular events; and

(b) analyzing the collected data representing wireless device cellular events in areas near the border to identify a collection of cellular events associated with an unlawful border crossing;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to respond to predefined triggering events by acquiring high and/or low accuracy location estimates, wherein said predefined triggering events include detection of at least one of the following types of network transaction within a wireless communications network;

(1) Mobile Originations/Terminations;

(2) Short Message Service (SMS) Originations/Terminations;

(3) Mobile Attach/Detach events;

(4) Registration/Location/Routing Updates;

(5) Handovers; and

(6) Call Releases; and

wherein the LIMS is further configured to collect mobile identifiers and triggered events;

store the collected data;

analyze the collected data for suspect behaviors; and

assign an index probability to each of a plurality of mobile devices.

2. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the data concerning network events includes historical data and metadata.

3. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the collection of cellular events comprises a cluster of cellular events occurring within a defined geographic area.

4. The LIMS recited in claim 3, wherein the cluster of cellular events is in the area of a portal of an unlawful border crossing tunnel.

5. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the collection of cellular events comprises a string of cellular events along a flight path of an aircraft, wherein said flight path represents an unlawful border crossing.

6. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the LIMS is configured to be coupled to a link monitoring system (LMS), to store wireless network transaction information obtained by the LMS, and to store additional information including location data, association data, and sensor fusion data.

7. The LIMS recited in claim 6, wherein the sensor fusion data includes at least one of:

image recognition data, photographic data, and videometric identity data.

8. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the LIMS is further configured to:

analyze data to produce intelligence in the form of metadata, and to store the metadata; and

iteratively use previously generated metadata to contribute to new analysis, wherein said new analysis produces information including at least one of;

identification of potential behaviors of interest, identification of specific mobile users associated with said behaviors of interest, associations between mobile device users, and mobile device user identification.

9. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the LIMS is further configured to use data representing activity and locations to determine association by proximity.

10. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the LIMS is further configured to use location as a proxy to identify users and relationships between wireless device users and locations of interest.

11. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more databases contain(s) mobile identifiers including IMSI, IMEI, MS-ISDN, and TMSI identifiers, event details including called number, calling number, and message type;

and location information.

12. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the LIMS is further configured to use a mobile device'"'"'s calling pattern and history for analysis, and to use non call-related information, including registrations and location updates, to recognize suspicious behavior and events.

13. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more databases include(s) records on both messaging-related and wireless communications network control events including location updates, handovers, power up IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) attaches, and power down de-registrations.

14. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the LIMS is further configured to store in said one or more databases information from multiple sources, including a wireless network, a wireless location network, and off-line sources providing network information, geographic information, manually entered information and geo-spatial data.

15. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the LIMS is further configured to detect predefined behaviors of interest and to identify specific mobile devices or mobile users associated with said predefined behaviors of interest.

16. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the LIMS is further configured to perform an Area Presence Determination process for determining whether a specific mobile device was present in an area-of-interest (AOI) at a specific time.

17. The LIMS recited in claim 1, wherein the LIMS is further configured to use location information to identify first and second mobile devices as being associated based on the first and second mobile devices having highly correlated geo-profiles as a function of time.

18. A location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

a controller computer; and

one or more databases operatively coupled to the controller computer and configured to store data concerning network events;

wherein the LIMS is configured to utilize the data concerning network events to produce location-aware intelligence including geo-profiles for mobile devices, wherein said geo-profiles include location and time information for said mobile devices;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to detect unlawful border crossing activities by;

(a) collecting data representing wireless device cellular events, said data representing the locations of wireless devices as they are registering with a wireless communications network (WCN) and the times of the cellular events; and

(b) analyzing the collected data representing wireless device cellular events in areas near the border to identify a collection of cellular events associated with an unlawful border crossing;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to use location information to identify first and second mobile devices as being associated based on the first and second mobile devices having highly correlated geo-profiles as a function of time; and

wherein the LIMS is further configured to perform high accuracy surveillance to validate that said first and second mobile devices are associated and to identify periods of time when they are apart.

20. The LIMS recited in claim 18 or 19, wherein the LIMS is further configured to identify a user of a specific mobile device based on a geo-profile of the specific mobile device.

19. A location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

a controller computer; and

one or more databases operatively coupled to the controller computer and configured to store data concerning network events;

wherein the LIMS is configured to utilize the data concerning network events to produce location-aware intelligence including geo-profiles for mobile devices, wherein said geo-profiles include location and time information for said mobile devices;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to detect unlawful border crossing activities by;

(a) collecting data representing wireless device cellular events, said data representing the locations of wireless devices as they are registering with a wireless communications network (WCN) and the times of the cellular events; and

(b) analyzing the collected data representing wireless device cellular events in areas near the border to identify a collection of cellular events associated with an unlawful border crossing;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to use location information to identify first and second mobile devices as being associated based on the first and second mobile devices having highly correlated geo-profiles as a function of time; and

wherein the LIMS is further configured to use location information to identify the first and second mobile devices as being indirectly associated based on the first and second mobile devices having geo-profiles that are similar but offset in time.

21. A location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

a controller computer; and

one or more databases operatively coupled to the controller computer and configured to store network event historical data and metadata;

wherein the LIMS is configured to detect unlawful border crossing activities;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to collect data representing wireless device cellular events, said data representing the locations of wireless devices as they are registering with a wireless communications network (WCN) and the times of the cellular events;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to analyze the collected data representing wireless device cellular events in areas near the border to identify a collection of cellular events associated with an unlawful border crossing;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to utilize the network event historical data and the metadata to produce geo-profiles for mobile devices, wherein said geo-profiles include location and time information for said mobile devices;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to use location information to identify first and second mobile devices as being associated based on the first and second mobile devices having highly correlated geo-profiles as a function of time; and

wherein the LIMS is further configured to perform high accuracy surveillance to validate that said first and second mobile devices are associated and to identify periods of time when they are apart.

23. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the LIMS is further configured to identify a user of a specific mobile device based on a geo-profile of the specific mobile device.

24. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the collection of cellular events comprises a cluster of cellular events occurring within a defined geographic area.

25. The LIMS recited in claim 24, wherein the cluster of cellular events is in the area of a portal of an unlawful border crossing tunnel.

26. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the collection of cellular events comprises a string of cellular events along a flight path of an aircraft, wherein said flight path represents an unlawful border crossing.

27. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the LIMS is configured to be coupled to a link monitoring system (LMS), to store wireless network transaction information obtained by the LMS, and to store additional information including high-accuracy location data, association data, and sensor fusion data, wherein the sensor fusion data includes at least one of:

image recognition data, photographic data, and videometric identity data.

28. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the LIMS is further configured to analyze data to produce intelligence in the form of metadata, and to store the metadata;

and to iteratively use previously generated metadata to contribute to new analysis, wherein said new analysis produces information including at least one of;

identification of potential behaviors of interest, identification of specific mobile users associated with said behaviors of interest, associations between mobile device users, and mobile device user identification.

29. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the LIMS is further configured to use data representing activity and locations to determine association by proximity.

30. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the LIMS is further configured to use location as a proxy to identify users and relationships between wireless device users and locations of interest.

31. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the one or more databases contain(s) mobile identifiers including IMSI, IMEI, MS-ISDN, and TMSI identifiers;

event details including called number, calling number, and message type; and

location information.

32. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the LIMS is further configured to use a mobile device'"'"'s calling pattern and history for analysis, and to use non call-related information, including registrations and location updates, to recognize suspicious behavior and events.

33. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the one or more databases include(s) records on both messaging-related and wireless communications network control events including location updates, handovers, power up IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) attaches, and power down de-registrations.

34. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the LIMS is further configured to store in said one or more databases information from multiple sources, including a wireless network, a wireless location network, and off-line sources providing network information, geographic information, manually entered information and geo-spatial data.

35. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the LIMS is further configured to detect predefined behaviors of interest and to identify specific mobile devices or mobile users associated with said predefined behaviors of interest.

36. The LIMS recited in claim 21 or 22, wherein the LIMS is further configured to respond to predefined triggering events by acquiring high and/or low accuracy location estimates, wherein said predefined triggering events include detection of at least one of the following types of network transaction within a wireless communications network:

(1) Mobile Originations/Terminations;

(2) Short Message Service (SMS) Originations/Terminations;

(3) Mobile Attach/Detach events;

(4) Registration/Location/Routing Update;

(5) Handovers; and

(6) Call Releases.

22. A location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

a controller computer; and

one or more databases operatively coupled to the controller computer and configured to store network event historical data and metadata;

wherein the LIMS is configured to detect unlawful border crossing activities;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to collect data representing wireless device cellular events, said data representing the locations of wireless devices as they are registering with a wireless communications network (WCN) and the times of the cellular events;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to analyze the collected data representing wireless device cellular events in areas near the border to identify a collection of cellular events associated with an unlawful border crossing;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to utilize the network event historical data and the metadata to produce geo-profiles for mobile devices, wherein said geo-profiles include location and time information for said mobile devices; and

wherein the LIMS is further configured to use location information to identify the first and second mobile devices as being indirectly associated based on the first and second mobile devices having geo-profiles that are similar but offset in time.

37. A location information management system (LIMS), comprising:

a controller computer; and

one or more databases operatively coupled to the controller computer and configured to store network event historical data and metadata;

wherein the LIMS is configured to detect unlawful border crossing activities;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to collect data representing wireless device cellular events, said data representing the locations of wireless devices as they are registering with a wireless communications network (WCN) and the times of the cellular events;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to analyze the collected data representing wireless device cellular events in areas near the border to identify a collection of cellular events associated with an unlawful border crossing;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to utilize the network event historical data and the metadata to produce geo-profiles for mobile devices, wherein said geo-profiles include location and time information for said mobile devices;

wherein the LIMS is further configured to respond to predefined triggering events by acquiring high and/or low accuracy location estimates, wherein said predefined triggering events include detection of at least one of the following types of network transaction within a wireless communications network;

(1) Mobile Originations/Terminations;

(2) Short Message Service (SMS) Originations/Terminations;

(3) Mobile Attach/Detach events;

(4) Registration/Location/Routing Updates;

(5) Handovers; and

(6) Call Releases; and

wherein the LIMS is further configured to collect mobile identifiers and triggered events;

store the collected data;

analyze the collected data for suspect behaviors; and

assign an index probability to each of a plurality of mobile devices.

38. The LIMS recited in claim 37, wherein the LIMS is further configured to perform an Area Presence Determination process for determining whether a specific mobile device was present in an area-of-interest (AOI) at a specific time.