MANAGED ACCESS SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES AUTHORIZED AND UNAUTHORIZED MOBILE WIRELESS DEVICES

• US 20170094520A1
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Published: 03/30/2017
• 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., COLLINS, MATTHEW D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,763,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• 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 around a periphery of the facility, radio equipment coupled to the plurality of antennas, and at least one MWD geolocation device for the wireless communications network. A management access controller is configured to cooperate with the at least one MWD geolocation device to determine that a given MWD is within the facility, compare an identification of the given MWD to a list of authorized MWD'"'"'s to determine whether the given MWD is unauthorized or authorized, and coordinate with the wireless communications network to block outside communications when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD and provide outside communications via the radio equipment and the wireless communications network when the given MWD is an authorized MWD.

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 antennas arranged at the facility;

radio equipment coupled to said plurality of antennas;

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

a management access controller configured to

cooperate with said at least one MWD geolocation device to determine that a given MWD is within the facility,

compare an identification of the given MWD to a list of authorized MWD'"'"'s to determine whether the given MWD is unauthorized or authorized, and

coordinate with the wireless communications network to block outside communications when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD, and provide outside communications via said radio equipment and the wireless communications network when the given MWD is an authorized MWD.

2. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications network comprises a commercial carrier network that provides roaming services to the authorized MWD.

3. The managed access system according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of antennas comprises a directional antenna.

4. The managed access system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of antennas are arranged around a periphery of the facility.

5. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein said management access controller is configured to block outside communications when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD based upon a coordinated access denial with the wireless communications network.

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

7. 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.

8. The managed access system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of external geolocation devices operate based on time-difference-of-arrival signals.

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

10. The managed access system of claim 9 wherein the facility comprises a building;

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

11. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein said radio equipment comprises a plurality of picocell radios, each coupled to a respective antenna.

12. 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.

13. 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 antennas arranged at the facility, radio equipment coupled to the plurality of antennas, and at least one MWD geolocation device for the wireless communications network, the management access controller comprising:

a processor and memory coupled thereto to

cooperate with the at least one MWD geolocation device to determine that a given MWD is within the facility,

compare an identification of the given MWD to a list of authorized MWD'"'"'s to determine whether the given MWD is unauthorized or authorized, and

coordinate with the wireless communications network to block outside communications when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD, and provide outside communications via the radio equipment and the wireless communications network when the given MWD is an authorized MWD.

14. The management access controller of claim 13 wherein the wireless communications network comprises a commercial carrier network that provides roaming services to the authorized MWD.

15. The management access controller according to claim 13 wherein each of the plurality of antennas comprises a directional antenna.

16. The management access controller according to claim 13 wherein the plurality of antennas are arranged around a periphery of the facility.

17. The management access controller of claim 13 wherein said processor and memory cooperate to block outside communications when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD based upon a coordinated access denial with the wireless communications network.

18. The management access controller of claim 13 wherein the processor and memory are operable with the at least one MWD geolocation device for both cellular and non-cellular communications.

19. The management access controller of claim 13 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 plurality of external geolocation devices to locate the given MWD within the facility.

20. The management access controller of claim 19 wherein the processor and memory cooperate with the plurality of external geolocation devices to operate based on time-difference-of-arrival signals.

21. The management access controller of claim 13 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 plurality of internal geolocation devices to locate the given MWD within the facility.

22. The management access controller of claim 13 wherein the radio equipment comprises a plurality of picocell radios, each coupled to a respective antenna;

and wherein said processor and memory implement a corresponding change in the radio equipment in response to a change in the wireless communications network.

23. The management access controller of claim 13 wherein the radio equipment is operable according to at least one of an LTE, CDMA, UMTS and GSM protocol.

24. 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 antennas arranged at the facility;

radio equipment coupled to said plurality of antennas; and

a management access controller configured to

compare an identification of a given MWD to a list of authorized MWD'"'"'s to determine whether the given MWD is unauthorized or authorized, and

coordinate with the wireless communications network to block outside communications when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD, and provide outside communications via said radio equipment and the wireless communications network when the given MWD is an authorized MWD.

25. The management access system according to claim 24 wherein the wireless communications network comprises a commercial carrier network that provides roaming services to the authorized MWD.

26. The managed access system according to claim 24 wherein each of the plurality of antennas comprises a directional antenna.

27. The managed access system according to claim 24 wherein the plurality of antennas are arranged around a periphery of the facility.

28. 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 antennas arranged at the facility, radio equipment coupled to the plurality of antennas, and at least one MWD geolocation device for the wireless communications network, the method comprising:

operating a management access controller to

cooperate with the at least one MWD geolocation device to determine that a given MWD is within the facility,

compare an identification of the given MWD to a list of authorized MWD'"'"'s to determine whether the given MWD is unauthorized or authorized, and

coordinate with the wireless communications network to block outside communications when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD, and provide outside communications via the radio equipment and the wireless communications network when the given MWD is an authorized MWD.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the wireless communications network comprises a commercial carrier network that provides roaming services to the authorized MWD.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the plurality of antennas comprises a plurality of directional antennas arranged around a periphery of the facility.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the management access controller comprises a processor and a memory coupled thereto.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising operating the management access controller to block outside communications when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD based upon a coordinated access denial with the wireless communications network.

33. The method of claim 28 further comprising operating the management access controller to operate the at least one MWD geolocation device for both cellular and non-cellular communications.

34. The method of claim 28 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.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising operating the plurality of external geolocation devices based on time-difference-of-arrival signals.

36. The method of claim 28 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 plurality of internal geolocation devices to locate the given MWD within the facility.

37. The method of claim 28 wherein the radio equipment comprises a plurality of picocell radios, each coupled to a respective antenna;

and further comprising operating the management access controller to implement a corresponding change in the radio equipment in response to a change in the wireless communications network.

38. The method of claim 28 further comprising operating the radio equipment according to at least one of an LTE, CDMA, UMTS and GSM protocol.