RADIO FREQUENCY DETECTION ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR DETECTING RADIO FREQUENCIES

• US 20080025238A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Original Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Inventors: Derr, Kurt Warren, McCown, Steven H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/308
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM

Abstract

A radio frequency detection assembly is described and which includes a radio frequency detector which detects a radio frequency emission produced by a radio frequency emitter from a given location which is remote relative to the radio frequency detector; a location assembly electrically coupled with the radio frequency detector and which is operable to estimate the location of the radio frequency emitter from the radio frequency emission which has been received; and a radio frequency transmitter electrically coupled with the radio frequency detector and the location assembly, and which transmits a radio frequency signal which reports the presence of the radio frequency emitter.

Claims

1. A radio frequency detection assembly, comprising:

a radio frequency detector which detects a radio frequency emission produced by a radio frequency emitter from a given location which is remote relative to the radio frequency detector;

a location assembly electrically coupled with the radio frequency detector and which is operable to estimate the location of the radio frequency emitter from the radio frequency emission which has been received; and

a radio frequency transmitter electrically coupled with the radio frequency detector and the location assembly, and which transmits a radio frequency signal which reports the presence of the radio frequency emitter.

2. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the radio frequency detector comprises a first transceiver which is operable to both receive the radio frequency emission produced by the radio frequency emitter and transmit a radio frequency signal.

3. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 2, and further comprising:

a second transceiver which is electrically coupled with the first transceiver, and which generates a radio frequency signal, and wherein a plurality of radio detection assemblies are located in a given geographical region and are deployed in spaced relation throughout the given geographical region, and wherein the second transceiver sends a radio frequency signal to another radio detection assembly, or receives the radio frequency signal generated by the second transceiver of another radio detection assembly.

4. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 3, and wherein the radio frequency transmitter comprises a third transceiver, and wherein the radio frequency detection assembly further comprises:

a central processing unit which is electrically coupled with, and disposed in controlling relation relative to, each of the first, second and third transceivers; and

a control facility located remotely relative to the radio frequency detection assembly and which receives the radio frequency signal transmitted by the third transceiver and which reports the presence of the radio frequency emitter.

5. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising:

an electrical power supply coupled to the radio frequency detection assembly and which energizes same.

6. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 5, and wherein the electrical power supply is selected from the group comprising a charge storage device;

wind generator;

solar panel;

or a continuous source of electricity.

7. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the location assembly comprises a global positioning device.

8. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the location assembly comprises a position locator, and wherein a plurality of radio frequency detection assemblies are located in a given geographical region, and wherein the position locator estimates the location of the radio frequency emitter by triangulating the radio frequency emission sent by the radio frequency emitter relative to nearby radio frequency detection assemblies.

9. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising:

a control facility located remotely relative to the radio frequency detection assembly and which receives the radio frequency signal transmitted by the radio frequency transmitter, and wherein the control facility sends a radio signal message to the radio frequency emitter.

10. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the radio frequency emitter comprises a cellular telephone or a two-way radio.

11. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 10, and wherein the radio signal message sent to the cellular telephone or two way radio is an audible message.

12. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 10, and wherein the radio signal message sent to the cellular telephone comprises a text message.

13. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 1, and which is lightweight and weatherproof and which further can be deployed in a given geographical area by hand;

thrown from an overland vehicle, and/or dropped from an aircraft.

14. A radio frequency detection assembly, comprising:

a first radio frequency transceiver which detects a radio frequency emission produced by a communications device from a given restricted geographical region which is remote relative thereto;

a central processing unit electrically coupled with the first radio frequency transceiver, and which controls the operation of the radio frequency detection assembly;

a second radio frequency transceiver which is electrically coupled with the central processing unit and which communicates with another radio frequency detection assembly which is deployed near the given restricted geographical region;

a control facility which is positioned remotely relative to the radio frequency detection assembly and which can communicate with the communications device which is located within the given restricted geographical region;

a location assembly electrically coupled with the central processing unit and which estimates the location of the communications device within the given restricted geographic region from the radio frequency emission produced by the communications device; and

a third radio frequency transceiver which is electrically coupled with the central processing unit and which transmits a message to the control facility to notify the control facility of the presence of the communications device within the restricted geographical region, and wherein the control facility transmits a message to the communications device to warn a user of the communications device that the user is in a restricted geographical region.

15. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 14, and wherein the location assembly comprises a global positioning device.

16. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 14, and wherein the location assembly comprises a position locator, and wherein a plurality of radio frequency detection assemblies are located in the given restricted geographical region, and wherein the position locator estimates the location of the communication device by triangulating the radio frequency emission sent by the communication device relative to nearby radio frequency detection assemblies.

17. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 14, and further comprising:

an electrical power supply which energizes the radio frequency detection assembly.

18. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the electrical power supply is a charge storage device.

19. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the electrical power supply comprises a substantially continuous source of power.

20. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 14, and wherein the communications device comprises a cellular telephone or a two-way radio.

21. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein the message sent by the control facility to the cellular telephone or two way radio is an audible message.

22. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 20, and wherein the message sent to the cellular telephone comprises a text message.

23. A radio frequency detection assembly as claimed in claim 14, and which is lightweight and weatherproof and which further can be deployed in the given restricted geographical region by hand;

thrown from an overland vehicle, and/or dropped from an aircraft.

24. A method for detecting radio frequencies, comprising:

deploying a radio frequency detector in a given geographical region;

detecting an emitted radio frequency produced by a communication device within the given geographical region by means of the radio frequency detector; and

reporting the presence of the communication device within the geographical region to a control facility.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, and further comprising:

after the step of detecting the emitted radio frequency produced by the communication device, estimating the location of communication device within the geographical region.

26. A method as claimed in claim 24, and further comprising:

after the step of reporting the presence of the communication device within the geographical region, communicating with the communication device from the control facility to advise a user of the communication device of their presence within the geographical region.

27. A method as claimed in claim 24, and further comprising:

after the step of detecting the emitted radio frequency produced by the communication device, estimating the location of communication device within the geographical region; and

after the step of reporting the presence of the communication device within the geographical region, communicating with the communication device from the control facility to advise a user of the communication device to leave the geographical region.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, and wherein the communication device is a cellular telephone or a two way radio, and wherein the step of communicating with the communication device further comprises:

transmitting an audio message to the cellular telephone, or a two way radio to advise the user of the cellular telephone or a two way radio to leave the geographical area.

29. A method as claimed in claim 27, and wherein the communication device is a cellular telephone, and wherein the step of communicating with the communication device comprises sending a text message to the cellular telephone to advise the user of the cellular telephone to leave the geographical area.

30. A method as claimed in claim 24, and wherein the given geographical region is a restricted region, and wherein after the step of reporting the presence of the communication device within the restricted region, the method further comprises:

dispatching personnel to the restricted region to remove a user of the communication device from the restricted region.

31. A method for detecting radio frequencies, comprising:

deploying a radio frequency detector within a given restricted geographical region;

providing a control facility which has responsibility for securing the given restricted geographical region;

detecting an emitted radio frequency produced by a cellular telephone or a two-way radio within the restricted geographical region;

determining the geographic location of the cellular telephone or two way radio within the restricted geographical region based, at least in part, upon the emitted radio frequency of the cellular telephone or two-way radio;

reporting the geographical location of the cellular telephone or two-way radio within the restricted geographical region to the control facility; and

communicating with the cellular telephone or two-way radio in a fashion so as to advise a user of the cellular telephone or two-way radio of their location within the restricted geographical region.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31, and wherein the step of deploying the radio frequency detector comprises deploying a plurality of radio frequency detectors in spaced relation within the restricted geographical region.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32, and wherein the step of determining the geographical location of the cellular telephone or two-way radio further comprises:

determining the geographical location of the radio frequency detector which is detecting the emitted radio frequency being produced by the cellular telephone or two-way radio.

34. A method as claimed in claim 32, and wherein the step of determining the geographical location of the cellular telephone or two-way radio further comprises:

triangulating the location of the emitted radio frequency produced by the cellular telephone from at least two radio frequency detectors.

35. A method as claimed in claim 31, and further comprising:

providing a rechargeable energy source for energizing the radio frequency detector.

36. A method as claimed in claim 31, and further comprising:

providing a substantially continuous energy source for energizing the radio frequency detector.

37. A method as claimed in claim 31, and wherein the step of deploying the radio frequency detector within the given restricted geographical region further comprises:

enclosing the radio frequency detector within a weatherproof enclosure.

38. A method as claimed in claim 31, and further comprising:

dispatching personnel to the restricted geographical region to remove the user of the cellular telephone or two-way radio from the restricted geographical region.