Service Sentry Wireless Terminal Location Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for preventing the use of wireless terminals in proscribed areas, such as jammers and IMSI-catchers, face challenges including vulnerability to tampering, inability to discriminate between authorized and unauthorized devices, and operator compromise, leading to inefficiencies and security concerns.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a 'service sentry' system that estimates the location of wireless terminals using radio-location techniques and communicates with the wireless switching center to deny or restore service, allowing for discrimination between authorized and unauthorized devices without the need for physical presence or human operators within the proscribed area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a jammer is used to prevent wireless terminals in a proscribed area, then wireless terminals are blocked from communicating, but the jammer must be physically located inside the proscribed area making it vulnerable to tampering and destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wireless switching center as an intermediary system that manages service denial without requiring physical presence in the proscribed area. The switching center receives location information about wireless terminals and automatically denies or restores service through signaling, eliminating the need for physical jammers inside the proscribed area and thus removing the vulnerability to tampering and destruction
2Reliability
If a jammer is used to block wireless terminals, then all wireless terminals in the purview are jammed including authorized ones, but the system cannot discriminate between authorized and unauthorized devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different wireless terminals based on their location and authorization status. The wireless switching center maintains a proscribed area definition and compares terminal locations against this definition, while also checking authorization status. This allows the system to apply blocking only to unauthorized terminals within the proscribed area while maintaining service for authorized terminals, achieving both effectiveness and adaptability
3Adaptability or versatility
If an IMSI-catcher is used to locate and confiscate wireless terminals, then authorized and unauthorized devices can be discriminated, but it requires a human operator who can be compromised by influence or bribery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the wireless switching center to automatically make service denial decisions based on objective criteria (location within proscribed area and authorization status). The system compares terminal location information against the defined proscribed area and automatically applies blocking rules without requiring human operator intervention, thereby eliminating the risk of operator compromise while maintaining the ability to discriminate between authorized and unauthorized devices
4Reliability
If a jammer is placed in a proscribed area, then wireless service is prevented, but the device requires physical presence and continuous monitoring which increases operational complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical presence of physical jammers in the proscribed area with an automated signaling system. Instead of deploying physical devices that require installation, monitoring, and maintenance, the system uses wireless switching center to automatically send service denial signals to unauthorized terminals based on their location. This substitution of physical presence with automated signaling reduces operational complexity and cost while maintaining service prevention effectiveness
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively prevents the use of wireless terminals in proscribed areas while minimizing costs and security risks, ensuring service can be selectively denied or restored based on location without compromising authorized users or requiring physical presence, thus enhancing operational security and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the service sentry estimates the location of each wireless terminal serviced by the wireless switching center using well-known radio-location techniques
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless telecommunication system is described that denies wireless telecommunication service to a wireless terminal in a proscribed area (e.g., prison, military installation, academic testing center, school, etc.). The system comprises an adjunct called a “service sentry.” The service sentry uses measurements of the location-dependent traits of the radio signals transmitted to, and received from, each wireless terminal in its purview to generate an estimate of the location of the wireless terminal. When the service sentry estimates that the wireless terminal has entered the proscribed area, it requests that the wireless switching center that services the proscribed area deny service to the wireless terminal. When the service sentry estimates that the wireless terminal has exited the proscribed area, it requests that the wireless switching center that services the proscribed area restore service to the wireless terminal.