WO2008010806A1

WO2008010806A1 - Wireless communications management system

Info

Publication number: WO2008010806A1
Application number: PCT/US2006/028329
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert A. Wisor; Dwight M. Morgan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-21
Filing date: 2006-07-21
Publication date: 2008-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2009-01-21

Abstract

A communication management system is designed to alter the functionality of wireless communication devices, primarily, cellular phone devices as a function of the wireless device's location. The system, which manages the use of wireless devices, draws from a predefined but changeable database created by location owners who desire restricted use of certain wireless devices. The management system monitors the location of the wireless communication devices via GPS or other location positioning systems and compares the position of the wireless device with its database. If the wireless device enters a restricted space, the communication management signals the wireless device to alter its functionality such as preventing the cellular phone from ringing but rather, to vibrate. As the wireless device exits the restricted space, the communication management system signals the wireless device to return to its original operation state prior to its entry in the restricted space. The wireless device may be managed by an internal system which received the altering functionality within its internal memory. As the device enters into a functionality altering area as known by a positioning system, the device's functionality is then self altering as instructed by its internal memory data.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

Wireless communications management system BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention Management of wireless communication devices based on their location.

2. Description of Related Art

Wireless communication systems such as phone systems exist which identify the location of a cell phone device and based on the cell phone device's location the frequency or transmission route is optimized for improved voice clarity. Moreover, wireless phone device transmissions are electronically jammed in areas such as hospitals, hazardous environments etc having the unwanted consequence of interfering with transmission and reception into neighboring areas. Additionally, where electronic jamming devices are deployed, the use of the 911 emergency call feature is also adversely affected in these jammed environments. The use of EM blocking media such as lead is another means to stop unwanted transmission of signals however, again, these materials also block the 911 emergency call feature of a wireless device and any other priority type transmission. The use of jamming devices require the placement of jamming devices in locations where wireless signal devices are not wanted but require electrical power and a level of maintenance which may become a nuisance in certain applications. A blocking system such as described in US Patent 6,701 ,158, to Moreth identifies electromagnetic (EM) frequencies and provides a device, which will block the reception and transmission of EM energy. As such, the 911 emergency call feature may be blocked.

Accordingly, it is a primary purpose of the present invention to provide a system which will manage and alter the functionality of wireless devices and systems such as telephone, television, voice communication, data, video, still images systems based on the location of the wireless device. Functionality that may be altered includes but not limited to are audio signaling, data collection and transfer, voice, video and still imaging collection, transmittal and reception. Wireless devices that may be managed include but not limited to are cell phones, satellite radio, wireless computer devices such as lap top and notebook computers, mobile devices, personal hand held devices (PDA) such as PALM PILOTS and SIDEKICKS, BLACKBERRIES, Satellite television. Altering the functionality of such wireless devices is for the purposes of the common good, public safety, national security, private security, fee based markets such as reception of sport events. The management system which alters the wireless device's functionality is at a location other than the area where the altering functionality is desired. Or optionally, the functionality of the wireless device is altered by internal hardware that is driven by software which is controlled/operated by a management system. The decision to alter the wireless device is by virtue of the wireless device's location. The wireless device's location is known through positioning systems such as GPS, cellular tower triangulation, beacons, etc. The location being designated by a 2- dimensional grid defined typically by longitude and latitude or optionally, a 3- dimensional grid (i.e., longitude, latitude and height or elevation.)

Another purpose of the primary invention is to not prevent the 911 call feature in the areas where the wireless device is prevented or disabled to ring or emit audible sounds. It is yet another purpose of the primary invention to prevent the use of video or image transmitted signals from wireless devices such as bathrooms, dressing rooms, confidential areas such as banks, court rooms, businesses, funeral parlors, restaurants, church, concert halls, movie theaters, performance art theater, stage, school lecture rooms, test taking halls, classrooms etc.,

It is yet another purpose of the primary invention to prevent the capturing of video or image data into the storage media or memory of wireless devices when such devices are in bathrooms, dressing rooms, confidential areas such as banks, court rooms, businesses, Pentagon etc.

It is another object of the primary invention to provide a security device which will substantially automatically block usage of cellular phones and other wireless devices such as mobile devices, personal hand held devices, (PDA) e.g., PALM pilots SIDEKICKS, BLACKBERRIES and other devices which connect with the internet, within sensitive public spaces, such as commercial airliners, Pentagon, gasoline filling stations, during periods when usage of such devices could pose a safety or security issue for such aircraft even during motion of said vehicle.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system such that parolees' wireless transmissions are limited or prevented based on the receiving location of such wireless transmissions such as heavy drug trafficking areas or such as persons convicted of sex offenses are not able to send communications to schools, day camps, night camps, and buildings, 80 locations where children frequent.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type by which a communication device such as a cell phone placed within a moving vehicle, such as an automobile, plane or boat, for the 85 selectable blocking of transmissions from / to wireless devices when the vehicle is within jurisdiction prohibiting the use of such devices by operators of such vehicles through a known algorithm or travel routes through the use of a global positioning type system like GPS or beacon triangulation.

90 It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type by which a communication device such as a cell phone with alphanumeric text capability, PDA or other wireless communication to aid the user by giving the user information based on where the user is located such as in restaurant, the menu, daily lunch specials, bathroom and

95 fire exit locations via a map, bathroom occupancy real-time, at the opera, translated subtitles etc, and other feedback of pertinent information or advertisements.

These and other purposes of the present invention will become evident 100 from review of the following specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the use and management of wireless communication devices and in particular, cell phone, video cell phone, personal hand held devices, computer notebook and lap-top so to restrict or 105 limit the use of such devices in private or public areas where such devices may be a public nuisance or to help to prevent the transmission of confidential or private information including voice, data and images generated in said areas. The location of the wireless communication device is known through the use of a GPS, cellular phone tower triangulation, beacons, hotspot 110 broadcast area such as BLUETOOTH and WiFi, etc., type positioning systems and an independent switching management system which permits the wireless communication device to operate or not based on its location. Primarily considering the use and limited use of cellular phones, US patent

115 6,690,322 describes an optional improvement of the location determination for a cellular phone. This patent describes a cellular phone that receives a position measurement result, which indicates a position of the cellular phone determined based on both GPS satellite information and CDMA base station information, from a location information server. Then, when a value indicated

120 by uncertainty information of the position measurement result is greater than a first threshold value, the cellular phone receives another position measurement result, which indicates the position of the cellular phone determined based only on the CDMA base station information, from the location information server and displays it on a display device. A location

125 positioning system such as this may be employed as a means for locating the cell phone.

Hot spot systems such as BLUETOOTH and WiFi or hot wireless network areas or any type of electromagnetic energy, infrared (IR) realms may be defined to limit or even prevent and or alter the functionality of wireless

130 communication devices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The operation of the present invention should become apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the 135 accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic of the wireless management system. Figure 2 is a diagram of the wireless device, location antennae, computer management hardware.

Figure 3 is a sketch of a 2-diminsional grid describing a controlled 140 space and uncontrolled space using a space defined by longitudinal and latitude coordinates.

Figure 4 is a sketch of a 3-diminsional grid describing a controlled space and uncontrolled space using a space defined by longitudinal, latitude, and elevation coordinates. 145

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The use of wireless phones can become an annoyance in areas such as church, cemeteries, funeral parlors, private and hospital rooms, and 150 especially during times when silence is required. The transfer of information to students during examination sessions should be limited. The use of electromagnet devices (such as a wireless phone) can be dangerous or hazardous in certain areas such as explosive environments, airplanes, area where sensitive electronic equipment resides. The present invention provides

155 a solution for preventing, permitting and/ or limiting the use of such devices including video-phones, Item 10 in Figure 2, personal handheld devices (PDA), lap top and notebook computers during certain time periods, continuous periods or, during a predefined schedule which may be optionally changed on a real time basis. The present invention incorporates the use of a GPS type

160 location device items 40,50, 60, 70, 80 in Figure 2, in a wireless communication device as known in the art such as a LORAN and NAVSTAR system and those described in US Patent 6,501 ,420 and US Patent 6,597,988 and an external switching management system, Item 90 in Figure 2, which permits or alters the communication or functionality of the device depending

165 on the device's location. The limiting, preventing or altering of the device's functionality can be described for an example as whether the audio signal of a cell phone occurs when the device was receiving a telephone call or not depending upon the location of the ceil phone. The present invention encompasses both the transmission and reception of analog, digital audio,

170 data and video information based on the location of the wireless communication device. The transmission energy can be but not limited to the form of electromagnetic energy, infrared (IR) energy, and ultrasonic energy. The present invention incorporates an external switching management system. The external switching management system is a hardware based system

175 using logic as directed by software. At a preceding time, certain locations such as church buildings, funeral parlors, blasting zones, lecture halls or public dressing rooms/bath houses for example, are designated within the external wireless communication network as areas where wireless devices are not permitted or a functionality is altered (such as preventing video transmissions

180 being captured and or transmitted, while allowing audio signals to occur). If a wireless device enters into these restricted areas, Item 20 in Figure 2, the external wireless communication network is aware of the entry through the use of a positioning system such as GPS or beacons, or tower triangulation, the external switching system prevents the wireless device from performing certain

185 functions as in the case of a wireless phone, the phone would not ring but rather, the phone may vibrate so not to annoy persons in the immediate vicinity of the device. In the case of examination halls, the student's lap top or notebook may function normally except that the instant messaging functionality may be de-functioned so to prevent the sharing of questions and 190 answers to the test during examination periods. In the example of blasting zones, no wireless transmissions are permitted. In the example of the bathhouses and public dressing rooms, no video imaging data is permitted to be transferred from the communication device or optionally, the image may be prevented from being stored into the device's internal memory.

195 Hence, the external communication system maintains a database of locations where certain limitations and restrictions of wireless communication device usage may occur. The restricted locations are deemed restricted by the owner of these specific locations. The owner of the specific site notifies the external communication system to place the location of their respective sites into the

200 database to limit the functionality and use of wireless devices.

The owner of the restricted sites may optionally compensate the external communication system for the system's service. The owner of the deemed restricted sites optionally may place and withdraw their sites from the database at any given time. The owner of the deemed restricted sites optionally may opt

205 for an immediate change to the restrictive criteria at his site by simply immediately notifying the external communication management system. Additionally, the restricted site owner may choose to only restrict his site during certain times based on a predefined schedule. For example, a church building may only restrict the audible signaling of cell phones on Sundays

210 when church services are conducted. Figures 3 illustrates a 2-dimensional grid which the controlled space, item 1 11 is defined by longitudinal item 107 and latitude item 109 coordinates. These coordinates by be defined as absolute coordinates such as with a GPS system or may be defined using a relative coordinate system as defined by a datum point, item105. Figures 4

215 illustrates a 3-dimensional grid which the controlled space, item 137 is defined by longitudinal, item 130, a latitude, item 133, and an elevation, item 131 coordinates. These coordinates by be defined as absolute coordinates such as with a GPS system with an elevation functionality or may be defined using a relative coordinate system as defined by a datum point, item139.

220 The management system consists of a method to optionally route an audible communication to a text message or voicemail in the example of a cell phone transmission restriction. The management system may trunk all wireless communication through a central hub or be localized through satellite hubs where switching occurs. Optionally, the management system can send via

225 electromagnetic energy signaling the wireless communication device to alter the wireless communication device functionality as the wireless communication device enters a restricted space. The signaling energy which controls the wireless device may be from any wireless or infrared source such as hotspot broadcast areas, wireless phone communication, wireless communication

230 device networks which are controlled or partly controlled by the wireless management system. The software which controls the function of the wireless device is thus altered during the period such device is in the restricted areas. As the device leaves the restricted space, Item 30 in Figure 2, the wireless communication management systems returns the communication device back

235 to is original state or optionally, for systems where the limited functionality is data transmission through trunk lines or networks, the management system no longer prevents or limits the transfer of data to device.

The management system may incorporate a hierarchy scheme (or an override

240 functionality) where for example, the professor's wireless equipment functions without any filtering or limiting functionality, but the students' wireless devices are limited or functionality changed in the lecture hall such as the student may not converse using instant messaging during the lecture except with the professor. As soon as the student leaves the restricted space of the lecture

245 hall as realized by a positioning type system, the functionality of the student's wireless devices such as his computer notebook, cell phone, and PDA returns to normal. The hierarchy-based logic may be a functionality as the result of the hardware used or an optional software function. For example, wireless devices for police and firemen may contain wired logic or hardware such that

250 only captains of each respected safety service receives certain transmissions but all the firefighters receive general transmissions when on an emergency location to help avoid excessive radio transmissions. Another example, police conducting a stake-out operation, receive certain transmission which pertain to their unit but receive all general transmission based on their location. Again,

255 the management system limits the possible multiple transmissions over their wireless devices during times when silence is important.

The present invention preferred embodiment is in the application with wireless phone systems. An example of additional functionality of the preferred

260 embodiment and safety in the operation of an automobile or motor vehicle, the wireless communication management system would alter the ability of wireless phones based on the vehicle's location (i.e., interstate, tunnel, hazardous road conditions, large bridges) from producing audio signals such as receiving voice sound from the hand held device but rather, re-route the sound to a separate

265 speaker located within the passenger compartment of the vehicle thereby, creating the assumed safer wireless operation known as hands-free operation. The functionality can be further extended for the passengers within the passenger compartment, in that passenger wireless devices may optionally not be altered to be forced into the hands-free mode operation based on a

270 feedback signal generated within the motor vehicle which tags those users as not being the operator of the vehicle.

The converse operation is possible as well for other locations, the management system may optionally prohibit the use of the hands-free operation mode by preventing the use of the external passenger compartment

275 speaker while leaving hand-set speaker functioning. Hence, the present invention provides a wireless communication management system that increases the safety in the operation of motor vehicles.

The present invention can be applied in the use of the functionality of military

280 communication equipment such as unmanned drones over enemy air space. The location of the drone is known through GPS, when the drone enters over enemy air space, a signal from the communication management system is sent to the drone to limit its communication or to change a functionality such as to scramble communications to help prevent the enemy from recognizing

285 the communication information being sent back to the drone's owner thereby keeping the enemy unaware. The location of drone is again known through GPS or other positioning systems, as the drone leaves an area of communication restriction, the drone returns back to its normal functionality as controlled by the communication management system. The restriction of the

290 drone's functionally may be real-time based on its location as known through the location positioning system and either a predefine protocol, i.e., passive monitoring, as managed through the drone's internal software loaded prior to the drone's launch or the restriction may be managed by continuous signaling or a sequence of signals, i.e., active monitoring, being sent by the

295 communication management system.

Another example of the present invention is in the altering of the functionality of digital imaging equipment such as cameras, camcorders, facsimile machines if these machines contain a wireless receiver hardware that is able to alter the functionality of said devices. The wireless communication system's

300 database contains locations for example, bathhouses, or public change rooms, atomic reactors, prisons, banks, military compounds, critical bridges and tunnels, financial exchange sites, and the like that are identified as areas where images should not be captured due to national security or privacy reasons. The wireless communication system triggers or untriggers local

305 broadcast hotspots such as Bluetooth and WiFi areas that are located at these restricted areas to prevent the capturing of digital images in said devices. The local broadcast hotspot areas are transparent to the operation of the digital camera or camcorder devices but are activated by the external communication management system to create the function altering region within the hotspot

310 area. The present invention can be further extended to include a feedback notification to the wireless communication system if images are attempted to be made at restricted sites. Notification of the attempts may help apprehend criminal or terrorist person or persons possibly desiring to harm national security.

315

Another example of altering the functionality of a wireless device based on its location is during a national emergency event occurring in a particular area. For example, if a dirty bomb is found or triggered in a city, the management system would alter wireless devices in the area such as PDAs, alphanumeric

320 cell phones to signal the user by controlling the wireless device to provide useful information about the emergency event and to optionally provide the user an optimal route of escape based on his location. Another example of altering the functionality of a wireless device based on its location is when a user enters a building or an outside garden or park area for

325 the purpose of meeting unknown persons having certain desirable attributes as a dating service. The management system contains a database of the attributes a person would be interested in people to meet for a date. As persons approach one another within these designated areas having mating attribute profiles, the wireless system management system signals the user

330 through the wireless device of the approaching attribute-matched person. The user can then decided whether or not to meet the person.

Without intending to limit the scope of the present invention, the following examples illustrate how the present invention may be made and 335 used:

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, the present invention should not be limited to such illustrations and descriptions. It should be apparent that changes and 340 modifications may be incorporated and embodied as part of the present invention within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

We claim:

1. A wireless phone device management system that prevents the audible signaling of a wireless phone device based upon its location as

345 coordinated by a second location other than the restricted location.

2. A system of claim 1 where the 911 call-feature is not prevented.

3. A system of claim 1 where the analog and or digital transmission from a wireless device is restricted such as public rest areas, changing rooms bathrooms, dressing rooms, confidential areas such as banks, court

350 rooms, businesses, blasting zones, funeral parlors, restaurants, church, concert halls, movie theaters, performance art theater, stage, school lecture rooms, test taking halls, and classrooms

4. A system of claim 1 where the video transmission from a wireless device is restricted such as public rest areas, changing rooms bathrooms, dressing

355 rooms, confidential areas such as banks, court rooms, businesses, funeral parlors, restaurants, church, concert halls, movie theaters, performance art theater, stage, school lecture rooms, test taking halls, and classrooms.

5. A system of claim 1 where the wireless device's location is known through GPS or LORAN or NAVSTAR , or broadcast of hotspots such as

360 BLUETOOTH , WiFi systems.

6. A system of claim 1 where the wireless device's location is known through cellular tower triangulation.

7. A wireless phone device management system that controls the transmission of a wireless device based upon its location as coordinated

365 by a second location other than the restricted location

8. A wireless communication device management system that alters the use or functionality of a wireless device based upon its location as coordinated by a second location through electromagnetic energy, Infrared energy, or ultrasonic energy.

370 9. The communication device of claim 8 is unmanned flying drone.

10. The communication device of claim 8 is a wireless personal handheld device.

11. The communication device of claim 8 is a wireless Internet device such as a laptop or notebook computer.

375 12. The communication device of claim 8 is a wireless satellite television device.

13. A communication system which limits the capturing of electronic images in public restrooms, public changing rooms by software changes occurring as device enters restricted areas.

380 14. A communication system which can transfer electronic data such as a restaurant menu or bathroom location to any wireless communication device based on the wireless communication device's location.

15. The communication system of claim 13 consist of a system which changes the software of the wireless device to alter the device's functionality such

385 that the transmission of information is understood by the user.

16. A wireless communication device management system that alters the reception or transmission of electronic data to and from a wireless device based upon the device's location as coordinated by a management system at a second location through electromagnetic energy, Infrared energy, and

390 or ultrasonic energy.

17. A wireless device which its functionality is altered based on its location.

18. A wireless device which its functionality is altered based on its location and is changeable or adaptable by software which operates said device.