# US 12,120,526 B2 · Methods and systems for detecting and reporting non-approved mobile devices in a secure zone

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- Number: US 12,120,526 B2
- Document ID: US12120526B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/432,232
- Filed: 2020-02-20
- Published: 2022-04-28
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-22
- Assignees: Driving Management Systems, Inc.
- Applicants: Driving Management Systems, Inc.
- Inventors: Michael J. McCallen; Michael Tran; Carl Meurell; Susan Spradley; Marwan Hannon; Gordon Quinn; Prentice Spradley; Laura Powell Tucker Johnston; Robert Mark Azzi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120526B2

## CPC

- H04W 12/64: using geofenced areas
- H04L 63/101: {Access control lists [ACL]}
- H04W 4/021: Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
- H04W 8/22: Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
- H04W 12/08: Access security
- H04W 48/02: Access restriction performed under specific conditions
- H04W 48/16: Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
- H04W 4/33: for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
- H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
- H04W 4/46: for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
- H04W 4/48: for in-vehicle communication
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A system to identify a non-approved mobile device includes a scanner for mobile devices. The scanner may be deployed in a vehicle or in a building to detect the location of non-approved mobile devices therein. The scanner may receive RF transmissions from mobile devices located within the range of the scanner. Such mobile devices may be located within, outside, or proximal to the vehicle or building. Based on unique identifying signals, the scanner may classify the devices as approved, non-approved, or transient. The scanner may be in data communication with data storage capacities located within the scanner or accessible through wireless communication. Approved mobile devices may scan for transmissions within their environment and relay information to the scanner.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A scanner, separate from a mobile device within a vehicle, for determining an approval status of the mobile device, the scanner comprising:
a plurality of antennas, wherein each of the plurality of antennas is configured to detect an RF transmission from the mobile device within a corresponding frequency band among a plurality of frequency bands, wherein the RF transmission is directed by the mobile device to other than the scanner; and
a controller comprising a processor in electrical communication with the plurality of antennas and in data communication with a processor memory component,
wherein the processor memory component is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor causes the scanner to:
scan the plurality of frequency bands for the RF transmission when the vehicle is determined to be in motion;
determine, from the RF transmission, that the mobile device is within the vehicle based on a signal strength of the RF transmission;
parsing the RF transmission to obtain, from the RF transmission, unique identifying data specific to the mobile device;
determine an approval status of the mobile device based on the unique identifying data specific to the mobile device, wherein the approval status indicates whether the mobile device is an approved device, the approved device being a mobile device configured to block user access to at least one of a plurality of functions of the mobile device; and
in response to the mobile device being a non-approved mobile device, cause the approval status to be transmitted to a remote server for incorporation into a report for use by a fleet manager.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, further comprising a database memory component configured to store data in a local database, wherein the local database comprises an identifier for each of a plurality of identified mobile devices, unique identifying data specific to each of the plurality of identified mobile devices, and an approval status for each of the plurality of identified mobile devices.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The scanner of claim 2, wherein the processor memory component is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor causes the processor to determine an approval status of the mobile device based on a comparison of the unique identifying data specific to the mobile device and the unique identifying data of an identified mobile device stored in the local database.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, wherein the controller is in wireless data communication with a server having a server memory component configured to store data in a server database, wherein the server database comprises an identifier for each of a plurality of identified mobile devices, unique identifying data specific to each of the plurality of identified mobile devices, and an approval status for each of the plurality of identified mobile devices.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The scanner of claim 4, wherein the processor memory component is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor causes the processor to determine an approval status of the mobile device based on a comparison of the unique identifying data specific to the mobile device and the unique identifying data of an identified mobile device stored in the server database.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The scanner of claim 4, further comprising a database memory component configured to store data in a local database wherein the processor memory component is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to update the local database with data stored in the server database.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The scanner of claim 4, further comprising a database memory component configured to store data in a local database wherein the processor memory component is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to update the server database with the data stored in the local database.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, wherein the processor memory component is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to intermittently scan for the RF transmission.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The scanner of claim 8, wherein a time period defining the intermittent scan is adjustable.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is determined to be within the vehicle based on a comparison between a threshold value and a power associated with the RF transmission.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The scanner of claim 10, wherein the threshold value is adjustable.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, wherein the scanner is disposed within the vehicle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, wherein the RF transmission is a WiFi signal and wherein the unique identifying data is a MAC address of the mobile device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, wherein the RF transmission is a cellular signal and wherein the unique identifying data is an RF signature of the cellular signal.