Method and system to intercept accidental emergency calls in a device repair facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10135962-B2
Application number	US-201715628226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2017
Priority date	Jun 28, 2016
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A system for intercepting accidental emergency calls in a facility, the system including at least one dead air network element configured within the facility, the at least one dead air network element providing a cellular signal stronger than live cellular signals as seen by electronic devices within the facility, wherein electronic devices connecting to the at least one dead air network element cannot reach emergency services.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for intercepting accidental emergency calls in a facility, the system comprising:
at least one dead air network element configured within the facility, the at least one dead air network element providing a cellular signal stronger than live cellular signals as seen by electronic devices within the facility,
wherein electronic devices connecting to the at least one dead air network element cannot reach emergency services.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one network element is a dead air picocell.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic devices include electronic devices under repair.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the electronic devices under repair have no Subscriber Identity Module and are configured to connect to a strongest seen cellular signal for emergency calls.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the electronic devices under repair have a test Subscriber Identity Module having the at least one dead air network element as a preferred base station to connect to.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein locations of the at least one dead air network element are configured within the facility based on the location of electronic devices under repair.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the locations of the at least one dead air network element are further configured to ensure signal strength seen by devices under repair from the dead air network element remains above a signal strength of live cellular signals.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dead air network element uses a global system for mobile communications (GSM) cellular signal.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dead air network element is configured with a mobile country code identifying a test network.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein an electronic device with a subscriber identity module linked to a carrier will connect to a live cellular network over the at least one dead air network element.

11. A method for intercepting accidental emergency calls in a facility, the method comprising:
providing at least one dead air network element within the facility, the at least one dead air network element providing a cellular signal stronger than live cellular signals as seen by electronic devices within the facility; and
blocking electronic devices connected to the at least one dead air network element from reaching emergency services.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one network element is a dead air picocell.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the electronic devices include electronic devices under repair.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the electronic devices under repair have no Subscriber Identity Module and are configured to connect to a strongest seen cellular signal for emergency calls.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the electronic devices under repair have a test Subscriber Identity Module having the at least one dead air network element as a preferred base station to connect to.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising assigning locations to the at least one dead air network element within the facility based on the location of electronic devices under repair.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the locations of the at least one dead air network element are assigned to ensure signal strength seen by devices under repair from the dead air network element remains above a signal strength of live cellular signals.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one dead air network element uses a global system for mobile communications (GSM) cellular signal.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one dead air network element is configured with a mobile country code identifying a test network.

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Aubut Michael Ryan

Classifications

• H04K3/65 Primary

  using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal · CPC title

• H04M1/67 Primary

  by electronic means · CPC title

• H04W48/02

  Access restriction performed under specific conditions · CPC title

• H04K3/84

  related to preventing electromagnetic interference in petrol station, hospital, plane or cinema · CPC title

• H04W84/045

  using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B · CPC title