Method and apparatus for disabling mobile telephones

• US 20020039896A1
• Filed: 10/03/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Barry Allen Thomas
• Application Number:
  US09/968,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20020039896A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system for disabling mobile telephones in circumstances where their use would prejudice the operation of critical systems (e.g. on an aeroplane, or in a hospital), or would irritate others includes a pair of RF beacons situated at the entrance to the controlled zone. The phone has receivers sensitive to the beacon outputs, and is adapted automatically to shut down into a standby state when passing in one direction through the beacons, and to re-activate when passing in the other direction.

Claims

1. A method of disabling and enabling a mobile phone in a mobile phone-controlled zone, comprising the steps of:

in the region of an entrance to the zone, transmitting to the phone a first wireless signal and then a second wireless signal;

in response to the first and second wireless signals, automatically disabling the phone from a fully operational mode to a standby mode, in which the phone is still receptive to the first and second wireless signals;

in the region of an exit to the zone, transmitting to the phone the second wireless signal and then the first wireless signal;

in response to the second and first wireless signals, automatically switching the phone from standby back to a fully operational mode.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second wireless signals are of a frequency having a range which is too short to enable receipt within the zone of the second wireless signature when transmitted from outside the zone.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second wireless signals are transmitted from a stationary source, and are received by the phone in a first order when entering the zone, and in a second order when leaving the zone.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second signals are radio frequency signals.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the radio frequency signals have a frequency in excess of 2.4 GHz.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second signals have different frequencies

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second signals are coded.

8. A system for enabling and disabling mobile phones in a phone controlled zone comprising:

transmitting means located in the region of an entrance to the zone, which transmits to the phone a first wireless signal and then a second wireless signal to disable the mobile phone into a standby state, and the second wireless signal then the first wireless signal to actuate the mobile phone from a standby state to a fully operational state;

receiving means provided on the mobile phone for receiving the first and second signals;

wherein

the phone further comprises means for determining an order in which the first and second signals are received, and for actuating operation of the phone accordingly.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the transmitting means is stationary.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein the transmitting means transmits first and second bluetooth signals.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein the first and second signals are distinguished by different frequencies.

12. A system according to claim 8 wherein the first and second signals are distinguished by coding.

13. A system according to claim 8 wherein the transmitting means includes a first signal beacon transmitting the first wireless signal outside an entrance to the zone, and a second signal beacon transmitting a second wireless signal inside an entrance to the zone.