Systems and methods for detecting and controlling transmission devices

• US 10,419,597 B1
• Filed: 10/07/2016
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Binj Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Binj Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Noonan, Joseph S., Giordano, Carl A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Chuck
• Application Number:
  US15/289,119
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 4554564
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• 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 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of detecting, controlling and managing transmission of a transmitting device within a facility is disclosed. The method involves transmitting information to the transmission device at a power greater than a power of an available base station covering the facility, detecting a response transmission from the transmission device by a least one transmission detection facility, extracting identification information associated with the transmission device in response to the transmitted information; and determining a location of the transmission device based on the response transmission received by the at least one received transmission detection facility, wherein the response transmissions are sorted by the identification information, determining an allowability of the located transmission device with the set area and interacting and manipulating transmission of the detected transmitting device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a transmission device within a restricted area within a coverage area controlled by an available base station, said method, operable in a communication control center, causing said communication control center to execute the steps of:

transmit a first signal, through a transceiver, said first signal being transmitted at a first signal strength, said first signal strength causing said first signal received in said restricted area to be at a greater strength than a signal strength of a signal transmitted from said available base station received in said restricted area;

receive, through said transceiver, a signal from said transmission device, said signal connecting said transmission device to said to communication control center;

determine, by a processor, identification information associated with said transmission device;

determine, by said processor, an allowability of said identified transmission device within said restricted area based on said identification information;

transmit, through said transceiver, channel information to said transmission device, said channel information causing said transmission device to operate on a channel associated with said communication control center when said allowability indicates said transmission device is not allowed, wherein said transmission device operating on said channel is denied services associated with said available base station; and

reduce, through said transceiver, said first signal strength of said first signal, said reduced signal strength causing said first signal received in said restricted area to be lower in power than said signal strength of said signal transmitted from said available base station in said restricted area when said allowability indicates said transmission device is allowed to operate within the restricted area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracted identification information comprises a unique identification characteristic associated with said transmission device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said allowability of the transmission device is based on a list of allowable identification characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said channel information represents a channel not used by said available base station.

5. The method of claim 1, further causing said communication control center to execute the step of:

output a status of said identified transmission device.

6. The method of claim 1, further causing said communication control center to execute the steps of:

determine, by said processor, whether said transmission from said transmission device is associated with an emergency number;

transmit through said transceiver, information to said transmission device, said information causing said transmission device to operate on an emergency channel when said transmission is associated with an emergency number; and

indicate, by said processor, said transmission device is allowed to operate within the restricted area.

7. The method of claim 6, further causing said communication control center to execute the steps of:

monitor, by said processor, said transmission associated with said emergency number; and

transmit, through said transceiver, upon termination of said transmission associated with said emergency number, information to said transmission device, said information causing said transmission device to operate on a channel associated with the communication control center.

8. The method of claim 1, further causing said communication control center to execute the steps of:

determine, by said processor, whether transmission from said transmission device is associated with an emergency number; and

cause, by said processor, said transmission device to operate through a land line connection to communicate with an emergency operator.

9. The method of claim 1, further causing said communication control center to execute the step of:

monitor, by said processor, transmissions of said transmission device.

10. The method of claim 1, further causing said communication control center to execute the step of:

determine, by said processor, characteristics of said available base station, said characteristics comprising at least one of;

a plurality of operating channels, operating powers of said channels, and an area of coverage.

11. A communication control center for controlling a transmission device within a restricted area within a coverage area of an available base station, said communication control center comprising:

a transceiver configured to;

transmit information to said transmission device, said information being transmitted at a first signal power, said first signal power causing a signal power from said first signal received within said restricted area to be greater than a signal power associated with a signal transmitted from said available base station received within said restricted area, said information causing said transmission device to connect to said communication control center;

a processor configured to;

determine whether said transmission device is within said restricted area;

determine identification information associated with said transmission device when said transmission device is determined to be located within said restricted area;

determine an allowability of said identified transmission device based on said identification information;

wherein said transceiver is configured to;

reduce said first signal power, said reduced first signal power causing said signal power from said first signal power within said restricted area to be less than a signal power from the transmitted signal from said available base station within said restricted area when allowability is indicated; and

transmit information to said transmission device, said information causing said transmission device to operate on a channel not available to said available base station, when non-allowability is indicated, wherein said transmission device operating on said channel not available to said available base station is denied services associated with said available base station.

12. The communication control center of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

obtain characteristics of said available base station, said characteristics comprising at least one of;

a plurality of operating channels, operating powers of said channels, and an area of coverage.

13. The communication control center of claim 11, wherein

the processor is configured to:

monitor transmissions of said transmission device.

14. The communication control center of claim 11, wherein

the processor is configured to:

instruct the transmission device to not return to the communication control center.

15. The communication control center of claim 11, wherein

the processor is configured to:

instruct the transmission device to remain connected to the available base station.

16. The communication control center of claim 11, wherein

the processor is configured to:

connect said transmission device to a specific channel based on the identification of said transmission device.

17. The communication control center of claim 11, wherein

the processor is configured to:

connect said transmission device to a PSAP via a landline.

18. The communication control center of claim 11, wherein said allowability of the transmission device is based on a list of allowable identification characteristics.

19. The communication control center of claim 11, wherein said identification information comprises:

a unique identification characteristic associated with said transmission device.

20. The communication control center of claim 11 wherein transmitting said information is transmitted on a channel associated with said available base station.

21. The communication control center of claim 11, wherein

the processor is configured to:

output a status and said location of said identified transmission device.

22. The communication control center of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

cause said transceiver to output a signal within a frequency band about a frequency of said transmission of said transmission device.