System and method for detecting and controlling contraband devices in a controlled environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11178273-B2
Application number	US-202016884901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2020
Priority date	Oct 5, 2016
Publication date	Nov 16, 2021
Grant date	Nov 16, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure provides details of a system and method for detecting and monitoring a contraband device including communication devices by utilizing a combination of mobile devices, fixed monitoring devices, and a contraband monitoring center. The mobile devices include smart phones or tablets that are borrowed, rented, or purchased by an inmate from a correctional facility. These mobile devices are configured to detect, monitor, and intervene in the communications of target devices. Further, the mobile devices are configured to communicate with fixed monitoring devices located throughout the correctional facility in performing intervention operations. The contraband monitoring center may also be utilized in the coordination, monitoring, and intervention of target devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for detecting and monitoring a target device used in a facility, the system comprising:
a communication network;
a contraband detection center comprising one or more processors; and
a mobile device comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
establish a connection with the target device;
detect transmissions from the target device communicating on the communication network;
gather information regarding the target device based on the detected transmissions; and
transmit an alert to the contraband detection center, wherein the alert comprises a time of detection and a location of the mobile device upon detection of the target device;

wherein the one or more processors of the contraband detection center are configured to:
receive the alert from the mobile device upon detection of the target device;
decrypt the alert from the mobile device;
obtain additional information from the mobile device;
generate an intervention plan based on the additional information; and
transmit instructions comprising the intervention plan to the mobile device or a fixed monitoring device, wherein the instructions are encrypted before transmission over the communication network.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the information gathered regarding the target device comprises an international mobile subscriber identity number (IMSI), an electronic serial number (ESN), a phone number of the target device, or a phone number of a called device.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the additional information obtained by the contraband detection center comprises the information gathered regarding the target device by the mobile device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the additional information comprises at least one of location information, motion information, detection information, and availability information of workers in the facility to perform the intervention plan.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors of the mobile device are further configured to obtain identifying information of the target device based on the detected transmissions.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors of the mobile device are further configured to determine whether the target device is authorized to communicate within the facility on the communication network.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the intervention plan comprises one or more intervention operations to be performed to intercept, locate, or gather information from the target device.

8. A mobile device for detecting and monitoring a target device in a facility, the mobile device comprising:
one or more transceivers configured to transmit and receive communications on two communication networks; and
one or more processors configured to:
establish a connection with the target device;
detect transmissions from the target device communicating on one of the two communication networks;
gather information regarding the target device based on the detected transmissions;
transmit an alert to a contraband detection center, wherein the alert comprises a time of detection and a location of the mobile device upon detection of the target device, and wherein the alert is decrypted upon receipt at the contraband detection center; and
receive and perform instructions comprising an intervention plan from the contraband detection center.

9. The mobile device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors of the mobile device are configured to establish the connection with the target device by transmitting signals that simulate a cellular tower.

10. The mobile device of claim 8 , wherein the information gathered regarding the target device comprises an international mobile subscriber identity number (IMSI), an electronic serial number (ESN), a phone number of the target device, or a phone number of a called device.

11. The mobile device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors of the mobile device are further configured to obtain identifying information of the target device based on the detected transmissions.

12. The mobile device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors of the mobile device are further configured to determine whether the target device is authorized to communicate within the facility on the one of the two communication networks.

13. The mobile device of claim 8 , wherein the intervention plan comprises one or more intervention operations to be performed to intercept, locate, or gather information from the target device.

14. The mobile device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more intervention operations comprise a jamming signal to block communications from the target device, a managed access operation to intercept communications from or to the target device, or an audio or video recording from the mobile device.

15. A method for detecting and monitoring a target device used in a facility, the method comprising:
establishing, by one or more processors of a mobile device, a connection with the target device;
detecting, by the one or more processors of the mobile device, transmissions from the target device communicating on a communication network;
gathering, by the one or more processors of the mobile device, information regarding the target device based on the detected transmissions;
transmitting, by the one or more processors of the mobile device, an alert to a contraband detection center, wherein the alert comprises a time of detection and a location of the mobile device upon detection of the target device;
receiving, by one or more processors of the contraband detection center, the alert from the mobile device upon detection of the target device;
decrypting, by the one or more processors of the contraband detection center, the alert from the mobile device;
obtaining, by the one or more processors of the contraband detection center, additional information from the mobile device;
generating, by the one or more processors of the contraband detection center, an intervention plan based on the additional information; and
transmitting, by the one or more processors of the contraband detection center, instructions comprising the intervention plan to the mobile device or a fixed monitoring device, wherein the instructions are encrypted before transmission over the communication network.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the information gathered regarding the target device comprises an international mobile subscriber identity number (IMSI), an electronic serial number (ESN), a phone number of the target device, or a phone number of a called device.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the additional information obtained by the contraband detection center comprises the information gathered regarding the target device by the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the additional information comprises at least one of location information, motion information, detection information, and availability information of workers in the facility to perform the intervention plan.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
obtaining, by the one or more processors of the mobile device, identifying information of the target device based on the detected transmissions.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
determining, by the one or more processors of the mobile device, whether the target device is authorized to communicate within the facility on the communication network.

Assignees

• Global Telstarlink Corp

Inventors

• Hodge Stephen Lee

Classifications

• H04L2101/65

  Telephone numbers · CPC title

• H04W24/00

  Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements · CPC title

• H04M3/205 Primary

  Eavesdropping prevention - indication of insecurity of line or network · CPC title

• H04M3/2281

  Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls · CPC title

• H04M3/42059

  Making use of the calling party identifier · CPC title