Managed access system that determines authorized and unauthorized mobile wireless devices

• US 9,763,095 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US14/865,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• 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;

a plurality of MWD geolocation devices associated with the facility;

an operator'"'"'s screen; and

a management access controller configured to

cooperate with said plurality of MWD geolocation devices to determine a respective geolocation of a given MWD within the facility,

generate on said operator'"'"'s screen an indication of the respective geolocation of the given MWD,

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 each of said plurality of MWD geolocation devices is operable for both cellular and non-cellular communications.

7. The managed access system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of MWD geolocation devices 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 wherein said plurality of MWD geolocation devices 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, a plurality of MWD geolocation devices associated with the facility, and an operator'"'"'s screen, the management access controller comprising:

a processor and memory coupled thereto to

cooperate with the plurality of MWD geolocation devices to determine a respective geolocation of a given MWD within the facility,

generate on the operator'"'"'s screen an indication of the respective geolocation of the given MWD,

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 each of the plurality of MWD geolocation devices for both cellular and non-cellular communications.

19. The management access controller of claim 13 wherein the plurality of MWD geolocation devices comprises a plurality of external geolocation devices arranged around a periphery of 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 plurality of MWD geolocation devices comprises a plurality of internal geolocation devices arranged within a periphery of 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 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, a plurality of MWD geolocation devices associated with the facility, and an operator'"'"'s screen, the method comprising:

operating a management access controller to

cooperate with the plurality of MWD geolocation devices to determine a respective geolocation of a given MWD within the facility,

generate on the operator'"'"'s screen an indication of the respective geolocation of the given MWD,

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.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the wireless communications network comprises a commercial carrier network that provides roaming services to the authorized MWD.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the plurality of antennas comprises a plurality of directional antennas arranged around a periphery of the facility.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the management access controller comprises a processor and a memory coupled thereto.

28. The method of claim 24 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.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising operating the management access controller to operate each of the plurality of MWD geolocation devices for both cellular and non-cellular communications.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein the plurality of MWD geolocation devices comprises a plurality of external geolocation devices arranged around a periphery of the facility.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising operating the plurality of external geolocation devices based on time-difference-of-arrival signals.

32. The method of claim 24 wherein the plurality of MWD geolocation devices comprises a plurality of internal geolocation devices arranged within a periphery of the facility.

33. The method of claim 24 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.

34. The method of claim 24 further comprising operating the radio equipment according to at least one of an LTE, CDMA, UMTS and GSM protocol.