GB2568913A - Systems and methods for monitoring wireless device usage in a region - Google Patents
Systems and methods for monitoring wireless device usage in a region Download PDFInfo
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- GB2568913A GB2568913A GB1719940.7A GB201719940A GB2568913A GB 2568913 A GB2568913 A GB 2568913A GB 201719940 A GB201719940 A GB 201719940A GB 2568913 A GB2568913 A GB 2568913A
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
- H04W64/00—Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
- H04W24/00—Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
- H04W24/08—Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
- H04W64/00—Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
- H04W64/003—Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management locating network equipment
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
- H04W64/00—Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
- H04W64/006—Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
- H04W8/00—Network data management
- H04W8/005—Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
- H04W84/00—Network topologies
- H04W84/18—Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
- Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)
Abstract
A plurality of sensor devices 21 are positioned at different locations within a region, each sensor device comprising a passive radio receiver. A data analysis system 2 is in communication with the plurality of sensor devices. Each sensor device is arranged to detect, using the passive radio receiver, radio signals generated by wireless devices within the proximity of the sensor device, and to send details of the detected radio signals to the data analysis system. The data analysis system is arranged to determine information about the usage of wireless devices in the region from the details received from the sensor devices. The sensors may determine telephone carrier information, details of a mobile phone call, metadata information, the MAC address of a detected device, times of detected radio signals, power levels of radio signals or locations of detected devices. The data analysis system may comprise a whitelist 3 or blacklist 4 of authorised devices and expected usage policies. The invention seeks to improve security of used devices in sensitive areas such as prisons.
Description
Systems and methods for monitoring wireless device usage in a region
Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns systems and methods for monitoring wireless device usage in a region. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention concerns monitoring wireless device usage in a region using plurality of sensor devices positioned at locations within the region, each sensor device comprising a passive radio receiver. The region may be a building, collection of buildings, campus, or any other suitable area that it is desirable to monitor, including for example a prison or the like.
Background of the Invention
Wireless devices such as Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, mobile phones, smart watches, fitness trackers and the like can present a security risk in secure environments, such as secure government facilities, workplaces, prisons, trading floors and the like. However, it is often undesirable or impossible to exclude wireless devices from such environments entirely. For example, it may be desirable to allow employees to use Wi-Fi-enabled laptops or mobile phones for work purposes, and it may not be possible to exclude certain health monitoring devices, such as wireless pacemakers. It can therefore be desirable to allow the monitoring and management of wireless devices in secure environments, where there may be both permitted wireless devices and non-permitted wireless devices. Further, there may be permitted wireless devices which are being used for non-permitted purposes, or non-permitted devices that are in fact being used for purposes that are not considered objectionable.
It is known to use devices such as jammers and grabbers to jam/block mobile phone signals. A jammer acts to block, jam or interfere with a mobile phone being
-2able to connect. A grabber forces a mobile phone to connect to a fake base station, so again potentially preventing telephone calls being possible, and can allow details of the mobile phone's SIM card to be determined. However, there are various disadvantages of both jammers and grabbers including disruption of both permitted and non-permitted mobile phones, lack of ability to target certain areas, and effect on only a particular portion of the radio spectrum, regardless of what devices that in practice effects (or fails to effect). In an environment such as a prison sniffer dogs may be used, but while targeted this approach is costly, unreliable, and for obvious reasons not appropriate in workplaces and the like.
The present invention seeks to mitigate the above-mentioned problems. Alternatively and/or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide improved systems and methods for monitoring wireless device usage in a region.
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided a system for monitoring wireless device usage in a region, comprising:
a plurality of sensor devices positioned at different locations within the region, each sensor device comprising a passive radio receiver;
a data analysis system in communication with the plurality of sensor devices; wherein each sensor device is arranged to detect, using the passive radio receiver, radio signals generated by wireless devices within the proximity of the sensor device, and to send details of the detected radio signals to the data analysis system;
and wherein the data analysis system is arranged to determine information about the usage of wireless devices in the region from the details received from the sensor devices.
-3By using sensor devices with passive radio receivers, the problems associated with jammers, grabbers and the like are avoided, both in terms of disruption to permitted wireless devices and permitted use of devices in the region, and expense. By monitoring wireless device usage passively, users are not disturbed, and are not aware that monitoring is occurring.
Further, by having a plurality of sensor devices positioned at different locations in the region, and having each sensor device in communication with the central data analysis system, the data analysis system can collect and combine the data detected by all of the plurality of sensor devices to determine the usage of wireless devices throughout the region. This allows more detailed and accurate information to be obtained than would be possible with a single sensor device, in particular device location information.
The wireless devices may be any devices that communicate wirelessly, i.e. using radio signals, such as mobile phones and Wi-Fi- or Bluetooth-enabled devices including laptops, mobile phones, smart watches, health/fitness devices, Wi-Fi routers or Access Points, or any other appropriate wireless devices.
The region may be a building, collection of buildings, campus, or any other suitable region.
The data analysis system may be a server or servers, personal computer, cloud service or the like. The sensor devices may be networked, and may be in wired or wireless communication with the data analysis system, and may for example communicate with the data analysis system via a local area network (LAN) to which both are connected.
Preferably, at least one sensor device is arranged to determine telephone carrier information from a mobile phone signal detected by the passive radio receiver. In this case, advantageously the data analysis system is arranged to obtain, using the telephone carrier information and the time the mobile phone signal was detected. This can be done by communicating with telephone service provider using the determined telephone carrier information, who can use the time information to look up the details of the maker of the mobile phone call, which as the phone
-4numbers involved in the call, and account information available for the caller, and the like. The time information preferably includes the start and end time for the mobile phone call. The telephone carrier may be determined from the frequency and/or power of the detected mobile phone signal, for example based on officially authorised frequency allocations for telephone carriers in the region.
Preferably, at least one sensor device is arranged to determine metadata information from a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth signal detected by the passive radio receiver. In this case, preferably the at least one sensor device is arranged to determine the MAC (media access control) address of a wireless device that generates a radio signal detected the passive radio receiver. The metadata may also include the SSID (service set identifier), i.e. the name of a wireless network to which a device wishes to connect, and/or any other metadata information.
Preferably, the details of the detected radio signals include the times the radio signals were detected. Preferably the times include the start and end times the radio signals were detected. Preferably, the details of the detected radio signals include the power levels of the radio signals. It will be appreciated that the detected radio signals could be Alternatively and/or additionally include any other appropriate details, such as the frequency and/or bandwidth of the radio signals.
Advantageously, the data analysis system is arranged to determine from the details of detected radio signals the location of a wireless device in the region.
The data analysis system may comprise a whitelist of allowed wireless devices, and is arranged to determine from the details of detected radio signals if a wireless device in the region is on the whitelist. Alternatively and/or additionally, the data analysis system may comprise a blacklist of disallowed wireless devices, and is arranged to determine from the details of detected radio signals if a wireless device in the region is on the blacklist.
Advantageously, the data analysis system is arranged to determine from the details of detected radio signals an expected usage of wireless devices in the region. In this case, advantageously the data analysis system is arranged to determine if the usage of a wireless devices in the region is not in accordance with the expected
-5usage of wireless devices in the region. Alternatively and/or additionally, the data analysis system comprises a predefined wireless device usage policy. In this case, advantageously the data analysis system is arranged to determine if the usage of a wireless devices in the region is not in accordance with the predefined wireless device usage policy. In either case, when the presence of such a wireless device is determined, the data analysis system may provide some kind of user alert.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method for monitoring wireless device usage in a region, comprising the steps of: positioning a plurality of sensor devices at different locations within the region, each sensor device comprising a passive radio receiver;
detecting, using the passive radio receivers of the sensor devices, radio signals generated by wireless devices within the proximities of the sensor devices;
determining, for each detected radio signal, details of the radio signal; determining information about the usage of wireless devices in the region from determined details of radio signals detected by at least two of the sensor devices.
Preferably, at least one detected radio signal is a mobile phone signal, and the step of determining the details of the radio signal comprises determining telephone carrier information. In this case, advantageously the method further comprises the step of obtaining, using the telephone carrier information and the time the mobile phone signal was detected, details of the mobile phone call being made.
Preferably, at least one detected radio signal is a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth signal, and the step of determining the details of the radio signal comprises determining metadata information. In this case, preferably, the step of determining the details of a radio signal comprises determining the MAC address of a wireless device that generated the radio signal.
-6Preferably, the details of the detected radio signals include the times the radio signals were detected. Preferably, the details of the detected radio signals include the power levels of the radio signals.
Advantageously, the step of determining information about the usage of wireless devices in the region comprises determining the location of a wireless device in the region.
The step of determining information about the usage of wireless devices in the region may comprise determining if a wireless device in the region is on a whitelist of allowed wireless devices. Alternatively and/or additionally, the step of determining information about the usage of wireless devices in the region comprises determining if a wireless device in the region is on a blacklist of disallowed wireless devices.
Advantageously, the step of determining information about the usage of wireless devices in the region comprises determining an expected usage of wireless devices in the region. In this case, advantageously the method further comprises the step of determining that the usage of a wireless devices in the region is not in accordance with the expected usage of wireless devices in the region. Alternatively and/or additionally, the method may further comprise the step of determining that the usage of a wireless devices in the region is not in accordance with a predefined wireless device usage policy.
It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention. For example, the method of the invention may incorporate any of the features described with reference to the apparatus of the invention and vice versa.
Description of the Drawings
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which:
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for monitoring wireless device usage in a region in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of sensor device of the system of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system of Figure 1 to determine details of a telephone call being made by a wireless device;
Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system of Figure 1 to determine the location of a wireless device;
Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system of Figure 1 to provide an alert if a blacklisted wireless device is being used; and
Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system of Figure 1 to provide an alert if there is unexpected usage of wireless devices.
Detailed Description
A system for monitoring wireless device usage in a region in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is now described, with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The system 1 comprises a data analysis system 2, which may be a server or the like. The data analysis system 2 is able to access a stored whitelist 3 or permitted wireless devices (or other permitted details), and a stored blacklist 4 of non-permitted wireless devices (or similarly other non-permitted details) The operation of the data analysis system 2, including when accessing the whitelist 3 and blacklist 4, is described in detail below.
-8The data analysis system 2 is connected to a local area network (LAN) 10. Also connected to the LAN 10 are sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c that are able to detect radio signals. Thus, the data analysis system 2 is able to communicate with the sensor devices 21a, 21b and 21c via the LAN 10. In other embodiments, the data analysis system 2 and sensor devices 21 may be additionally and/or alternatively connected to, and so able to communication via, a non-local network such as the Internet.
While in Figure 1 three sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c are shown, the system 1 may comprise many more sensor devices 21. In practice, to allow the monitoring of wireless devices anywhere within a region, sufficient sensor devices 21 will be placed in the region so that each area of the region is covered by a sensor device 21 (i.e. there is a sensor device 21 that is able to detect radio signals in each area of the region). Sensor devices 21 may for example be placed in rooms of a building, mounted on walls or ceilings (and may be hidden in false ceilings), or may be mounted on the exterior of buildings or in open areas or the like. The sensor devices 21 may be connected to the LAN 10 by wired or wireless network connections, and may be mains, Power over Ethernet (PoE) or battery powered, for example.
An example sensor device 21 is shown in Figure 2. The sensor device 21 of Figure 21 is mains powered, and comprises a power supply unit (PSU) 101 that receives the mains power and converts it to a suitable DC power supply for use by the other components of the sensor device 21, including a microprocessor unit 102 which controls the operation of the sensor device 21. The sensor device 21 also comprises a network interface 103, by which it is connected by a wired network connection to the LAN 10 in order to allow communication with the data analysis system 2.
The sensor device 21 also comprises a direction finding module 104, by which it can determine its location/orientation following its placement in the region; and a tamper detection module 105, to indicate if an attempt to tamper with the sensor device 21 has been made.
-9Finally, the sensor device 21 comprises a Wi-Fi receiver 106 connected to an antenna 106a suitable for receiving Wi-Fi signals; a Bluetooth receiver 107 connected to an antenna 107a suitable for receiving Bluetooth signals; and a wideband RF receiver 108 connected to an antenna 108a suitable for receiving wideband RF signals. By means of the three receivers 106,107 and 108, the sensor device 21 is able to pick up any Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and RF signals in its vicinity.
Other sensors devices in communication with the data analysis system 2 may be identical to the sensor device 21, or may differ in some respects. For example, an alternative sensor device may be battery rather than mains powered, and/or may comprise a Wi-Fi receiver and transmitter allowing communication with the data analysis system 2 via a wireless rather than wired connection. An alternative sensor device may comprise fewer or additional sensors, for example a dedicated RF sensor device may comprise only a wideband RF receiver. It will be appreciated that many other variations could be provided and still be in accordance with the invention.
The system 1 can be used to monitor the usage of wireless devices in the region in various ways, as not described with reference to the flowcharts of Figures 3 to 6. However, it will be appreciated that the system 1 could alternatively and/or additionally operate in various other ways and still be in accordance with the invention.
Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system 1 to determine details of a telephone call being made by a wireless device. In a first step, data regarding operation of wireless devices is obtained by the sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c, and passed to the data analysis system 2 (step 201). Where a wireless device for which data is collected is a mobile phone making a telephone call, the data can include frequency and power of the telephone call, and the start and end times of the telephone call (step 202). The telephone carrier is then determined from the frequency of the telephone call example using known details of officially authorised frequency allocations for telephone carriers in the region.
- 10The information about the telephone call can then be used to request details of the telephone call from the telephone carrier (step 203), such as the telephone numbers of the caller and recipient, and any account details for the caller, for example. It can be the case that the telephone carrier is legally obliged to keep sufficiently detailed records to allow such details of the telephone call to be determined from telephone call start and end times, and further is legally obliged to provide the details on request from certain parties.
Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system 1 to determine the location of a wireless device. Again, data regarding operation of wireless devices is obtained by the sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c, and passed to the data analysis system 2 (step 211). In this case, multiple of the sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c may have received a signal from the same wireless device. In many cases it will be possible to determine that the signal received by each of the sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c is indeed from the same wireless device, as the signal may include information uniquely identifying the wireless device, such as a MAC address for the wireless device, or Wi-Fi or Bluetooth metadata giving a unique identifying name for the wireless device.
Each of the sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c is also able to determine a strength for the signal it received from the wireless device. By combining the data received by the sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c, in combination with information already known by the data analysis system 2 about the locations and orientations of the sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c within the region (for example as provided by the direction finding modules 104 of the sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c), using any of various known methods the data analysis system 2 is able to determine the location of the wireless device in the region (step 212).
Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system 1 to provide an alert if a blacklisted wireless device is being used in the region. Again, data regarding operation of wireless devices is obtained by the sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c, and passed to the data analysis system 2 (step 221). In this case, information uniquely identifying the wireless device, such as a MAC address for the wireless device, or Wi
- 11Fi or Bluetooth metadata giving a unique identifying name for the wireless device is determined (step 222).
The data analysis system 2 then compares the unique identifying information with the blacklist 4 (step 223). The blacklist 4 will have been previously populated, for example by a system administrator, to contain details of wireless devices that should not be being used in the region. If a match is found between a wireless device being used in the region and a wireless device listed in the blacklist 4, an alert is raised (step 224), for example by sending an e-mail to a system administrator, so that they know that a blacklisted device is being used in the region.
The alert may indicate other appropriate details about the usage of the wireless device. For example, in accordance with the operation described above with reference to the flowchart of Figure 4, the alert may also indicate where in the region the usage of the wireless device occurred.
It will be appreciated that more complex blacklisting could be performed, and may include use of the whitelist 3 in addition to the blacklist 4. For example, devices may be blacklisted or whitelisted only for certain times, locations, types of activity or the like. Such blacklisting/whitelisting could also apply to other types of signal. For example, in an environment such as a prison mobile telephone, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals could be blacklisted/whitelisted as desired, while all 446MHz personal mobile radio (PMR) signals could be blacklisted, on the basis that they should not occur at all.
Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system 1 to provide an alert if there is unexpected usage of wireless devices in the region. Again, data regarding operation of wireless devices is obtained by the sensor devices 21a, 21b, 21c, and passed to the data analysis system 2 (step 231). In this case, any information about the usage of wireless devices in the region can be determined, including (to give just some examples) the wireless devices being used, when and where wireless devices are used, how they are used and the like. Using all this information, the data analysis system 2 determined the expected usage of wireless devices in the region (step 232). This may be done by statistical methods and/or any
- 12 other methods, and may for example include that wireless devices (or only certain known wireless devices) are used in a particular area of the region, and/or that wireless devices (or only certain known wireless devices) are used at particular times of day. The usual operation of particular wireless devices may be determined, such as the particular wireless access points that particular wireless devices attempt to connect to may be determined (as can be determined from the Wi-Fi signals they transmit).
The data analysis system 2 then compares the current usage of wireless devices in the region with the expected usage it has determined (step 233). If the current usage of wireless devices in the region is not in accordance with the expected usage, an alert is raised (step 234). Unexpected usage may for example be the use of wireless devices in an unexpected area of the region (for example a region where wireless device usage is forbidden or restricted to certain persons), or at an unexpected time of day (for example in a workplace in the middle of the night). As another example, it may be determined that a wireless device is asking to connect to an unexpected Wi-Fi access point, indicating that the user of the wireless device has been in an unexpected location and while there connected to an access point. To give just one example, the user may be an employee who claimed to have been on holiday in a certain country, but their wireless device is asking to connect to a Wi-Fi access point that is not consistent with their being in that country, for example the access point may identifiable as located in a competitor's site of the like.
It will be appreciated that the information contained in the whitelist 3 and/or blacklist 4 may be used when determining expected usage and whether there is unexpected usage.
While the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein. In particular, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments the data collected by the sensor devices could be analysed and acted upon by the data
- 13 analysis system in various different ways additionally and/or alternatively to those discussed above. It will also be appreciated that in other embodiments, various different configurations of the system of sensor devices and data analysis system could be provided, and still be in accordance with the invention.
Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments.
Claims (27)
1. A system for monitoring wireless device usage in a region, comprising:
a plurality of sensor devices positioned at different locations within the region, each sensor device comprising a passive radio receiver;
a data analysis system in communication with the plurality of sensor devices; wherein each sensor device is arranged to detect, using the passive radio receiver, radio signals generated by wireless devices within the proximity of the sensor device, and to send details of the detected radio signals to the data analysis system;
and wherein the data analysis system is arranged to determine information about the usage of wireless devices in the region from the details received from the sensor devices.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one sensor device is arranged to determine telephone carrier information from a mobile phone signal detected by the passive radio receiver.
3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the data analysis system is arranged to obtain, using the telephone carrier information and the time the mobile phone signal was detected, details of the mobile phone call being made.
4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one sensor device is arranged to determine metadata information from a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth signal detected by the passive radio receiver.
5. A system as claimed in any claim 4, wherein the at least one sensor device is arranged to determine the MAC address of a wireless device that generates a radio signal detected the passive radio receiver.
6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the details of the detected radio signals include the times the radio signals were detected.
7. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the details of the detected radio signals include the power levels of the radio signals.
8. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the data analysis system is arranged to determine from the details of detected radio signals the location of a wireless device in the region.
9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the data analysis system comprises a whitelist of allowed wireless devices, and is arranged to determine from the details of detected radio signals if a wireless device in the region is on the whitelist.
10. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the data analysis system comprises a blacklist of disallowed wireless devices, and is arranged to determine from the details of detected radio signals if a wireless device in the region is on the blacklist.
11. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the data analysis system is arranged to determine from the details of detected radio signals an expected usage of wireless devices in the region.
12. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the data analysis system is arranged to determine if the usage of a wireless devices in the region is not in accordance with the expected usage of wireless devices in the region.
13. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the data analysis system comprises a predefined wireless device usage policy.
14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the data analysis system is arranged to determine if the usage of a wireless devices in the region is not in accordance with the predefined wireless device usage policy.
15. A method for monitoring wireless device usage in a region, comprising the steps of:
positioning a plurality of sensor devices at different locations within the region, each sensor device comprising a passive radio receiver;
detecting, using the passive radio receivers of the sensor devices, radio signals generated by wireless devices within the proximities of the sensor devices;
determining, for each detected radio signal, details of the radio signal;
determining information about the usage of wireless devices in the region from determined details of radio signals detected by at least two of the sensor devices.
16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one detected radio signal is a mobile phone signal, and the step of determining the details of the radio signal comprises determining telephone carrier information.
17. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of obtaining, using the telephone carrier information and the time the mobile phone signal was detected, details of the mobile phone call being made.
18. A method as claimed in any of claims 15 to 17, wherein at least one detected radio signal is a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth signal, and the step of determining the details of the radio signal comprises determining metadata information.
19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of determining the details of a radio signal comprises determining the MAC address of the wireless device that generated the radio signal.
20. A method as claimed in any of claims 15 to 19, wherein the details of the detected radio signals include the times the radio signals were detected.
21. A method as claimed in any of claims 15 to 20, wherein the details of the detected radio signals include the power levels of the radio signals.
22. A method as claimed in any of claims 15 to 21, wherein the step of determining information about the usage of wireless devices in the region comprises determining the location of a wireless device in the region.
23. A method as claimed in any of claims 15 to 22, wherein the step of determining information about the usage of wireless devices in the region comprises determining if a wireless device in the region is on a whitelist of allowed wireless devices.
24. A method as claimed in any of claims 15 to 23, wherein the step of determining information about the usage of wireless devices in the region comprises determining if a wireless device in the region is on a blacklist of disallowed wireless devices.
25. A method as claimed in any of claims 15 to 24, wherein the step of determining information about the usage of wireless devices in the region comprises determining an expected usage of wireless devices in the region.
26. A method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the step of determining that the usage of a wireless devices in the region is not in accordance with the expected usage of wireless devices in the region.
27. A method as claimed in any of claims 15 to 26, further comprising the step of determining that the usage of a wireless devices in the region is not in accordance with a predefined wireless device usage policy.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1719940.7A GB2568913A (en) | 2017-11-30 | 2017-11-30 | Systems and methods for monitoring wireless device usage in a region |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1719940.7A GB2568913A (en) | 2017-11-30 | 2017-11-30 | Systems and methods for monitoring wireless device usage in a region |
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| Publication Number | Publication Date |
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| GB201719940D0 GB201719940D0 (en) | 2018-01-17 |
| GB2568913A true GB2568913A (en) | 2019-06-05 |
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| GB1719940.7A Withdrawn GB2568913A (en) | 2017-11-30 | 2017-11-30 | Systems and methods for monitoring wireless device usage in a region |
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| US20060286930A1 (en) * | 2005-06-17 | 2006-12-21 | Rathus Spenoer A | Wireless communication device management |
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| US20120094625A1 (en) * | 2007-05-14 | 2012-04-19 | Compucat Research Pty Limited | Detecting unauthorised radio communications devices |
| US20160223638A1 (en) * | 2015-02-04 | 2016-08-04 | Cognitive Systems Corp. | Locating the source of a wireless signal |
-
2017
- 2017-11-30 GB GB1719940.7A patent/GB2568913A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20060286930A1 (en) * | 2005-06-17 | 2006-12-21 | Rathus Spenoer A | Wireless communication device management |
| US20120088490A1 (en) * | 2006-10-17 | 2012-04-12 | Exelis Inc. | System and Related Circuits and Methods for Detecting and Locating Cellular Telephone Use Within a Geographical Area or Facility |
| US20120094625A1 (en) * | 2007-05-14 | 2012-04-19 | Compucat Research Pty Limited | Detecting unauthorised radio communications devices |
| US20160223638A1 (en) * | 2015-02-04 | 2016-08-04 | Cognitive Systems Corp. | Locating the source of a wireless signal |
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| GB201719940D0 (en) | 2018-01-17 |
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