Managed access system with mobile wireless device geolocation capability

• US 9,584,252 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Salyers, Eric J., Gallagher, Shawn H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Talukder, Md
• Application Number:
  US14/865,277
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 455/1, 455/13.3, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/80 Jamming or countermeasure characterized by its function
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A managed access system for mobile wireless devices (MWDs) in a facility that is geographically within a wireless communications network includes a plurality of antennas arranged at the facility. Radio equipment is coupled to the antennas. A management access controller cooperates with the radio equipment to communicate with a given MWD within the facility, block outside communications via the wireless communications network when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD, and provide outside communications when the given MWD is an authorized MWD. The management access controller cooperates with at least one MWD geolocation device to locate the given MWD within the facility.

Claims

1. A managed access system for mobile wireless devices (MWDs) in a facility, the facility being geographically within a wireless communications network, the managed access system comprising:

a plurality of directional antennas arranged around a periphery of the facility;

radio equipment coupled to said plurality of antennas, said radio equipment comprising a plurality of radios each coupled to a respective antenna;

at least one MWD geolocation device for the wireless communications network; and

a management access controller cooperating with said radio equipment to communicate with a given MWD within the facility, block outside communications via the wireless communications network when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD, and provide outside communications when the given MWD is an authorized MWD;

said management access controller cooperating with said at least one MWD geolocation device to locate the given MWD within the facility and implement a corresponding change in said radio equipment in response to a change in the wireless communications network as at least one of change in a power level of at least one of said radios, a change in a communications protocol of at least one of said radios, and a change in a frequency range of at least one of said radios.

2. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein the at least one MWD geolocation device is operable for both cellular and non-cellular communications.

3. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein the at least one MWD geolocation device comprises a plurality of external geolocation devices arranged around a periphery of the facility.

4. The managed access system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of external geolocation devices operate based upon time-difference-of-arrival signals.

5. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein the at least one MWD geolocation device comprises a plurality of internal geolocation devices arranged within a periphery of the facility.

6. The managed access system of claim 5 wherein the facility comprises a building;

and wherein at least some of the plurality of internal geolocation devices are located within the building.

7. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein each radio comprises a picocell radio.

8. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein said management access controller provides outside communications when the given MWD is an authorized MWD via another network other than the wireless communications network.

9. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein said management access controller provides outside communications when the given MWD is an authorized MWD via at least one of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), and an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

10. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein said radio equipment is operable according to at least one of an LTE, CDMA, UMTS and GSM protocol.

11. A management access controller for a managed access system for mobile wireless devices (MWDs) in a facility, the facility being geographically within a wireless communications network, the managed access system comprising a plurality of directional antennas arranged at around a periphery of the facility, radio equipment coupled to the plurality of antennas, said radio equipment comprising a plurality of radios each coupled to a respective antenna, and at least one MWD geolocation device for the wireless communications network, the management access controller comprising:

a processor and a memory coupled thereto to

cooperate with said radio equipment to communicate with a given MWD within the facility, block outside communications via the wireless communications network when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD, and provide outside communications when the given MWD is an authorized MWD,

cooperate with said at least one MWD geolocation device to locate the given MWD within the facility, and

implement a corresponding change in said radio equipment in response to a change in the wireless communications network as at least one of change in a power level of at least one of said radios, a change in a communications protocol of at least one of said radios, and a change in a frequency range of at least one of said radios.

12. The management access controller of claim 11 wherein the processor and memory cooperate with the at least one MWD geolocation device to provide for both cellular and non-cellular communications.

13. The management access controller of claim 11 wherein the at least one MWD geolocation device comprises a plurality of external geolocation devices arranged around a periphery of the facility;

and wherein the processor and memory cooperate with the external geolocation devices to locate the given MWD within the facility.

14. The management access controller of claim 13 wherein the processor and memory cooperate with the plurality of external geolocation devices to operate based upon time-difference-of-arrival signals.

15. The management access controller of claim 11 wherein the at least one MWD geolocation device comprises a plurality of internal geolocation devices arranged within a periphery of the facility;

and wherein the processor and memory cooperate with the internal geolocation devices to locate the given MWD within the facility.

16. The management access controller of claim 11 wherein each radio comprises a picocell radio.

17. The management access controller of claim 11 wherein said processor and memory provide outside communications when the given MWD is an authorized MWD via another network other than the wireless communications network.

18. The management access controller of claim 11 wherein said processor and memory provide outside communications when the given MWD is an authorized MWD via at least one of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), and an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

19. The management access controller of claim 11 wherein said radio equipment is operable according to at least one of an LTE, CDMA, UMTS and GSM protocol.

20. A method for operating a managed access system for mobile wireless devices (MWDs) in a facility, the facility being geographically within a wireless communications network, the managed access system comprising a plurality of directional antennas arranged around the periphery of the facility, radio equipment coupled to the plurality of antennas, said radio equipment comprising a plurality of radios each coupled to a respective antenna, and at least one MWD geolocation device for the wireless communications network, the method comprising:

operating a management access controller to

cooperate with the radio equipment to communicate with a given MWD within the facility, block outside communications via the wireless communications network when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD, and provide outside communications when the given MWD is an authorized MWD,

cooperate with the at least one MWD geolocation device to locate the given MWD within the facility, and

implement a corresponding change in said radio equipment in response to a change in the wireless communications network as at least one of change in a power level of at least one of said radios, a change in a communications protocol of at least one of said radios, and a change in a frequency range of at least one of said radios.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the management access controller comprises a processor and a memory coupled thereto.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising operating the management access controller to operate the at least one MWD geolocation device for both cellular and non-cellular communications.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the at least one MWD geolocation device comprises a plurality of external geolocation devices arranged around a periphery of the facility;

and further comprising operating the management access controller to cooperate with the plurality of external geolocation devices to locate the given MWD within the facility.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising operating the plurality of external geolocation devices based upon time-difference-of-arrival signals.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the at least one MWD geolocation device comprises a plurality of internal geolocation devices arranged within a periphery of the facility;

and further comprising operating the management access controller to cooperate with the plurality of internal geolocation devices to locate the given MWD within the facility.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the facility comprises a building;

and wherein at least some of the plurality of internal geolocation devices are located within the building.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein each radio comprises a picocell radio.

28. The method of claim 20 further comprising operating the management access controller to provide outside communications when the given MWD is an authorized MWD via another network other than the wireless communications network.