System and method for monitoring and enforcing a restricted wireless zone

A method for monitoring for unauthorized radio frequency energy, comprising:

• a. receiving radio frequency energy in a region that encompasses at least a zone in which it is desired to monitor for unauthorized radio frequency energy;
• b. analyzing spectral characteristics of the received radio frequency energy to determine whether unauthorized radio frequency energy is occurring in the zone;
• c. comparing spectral data pertaining to signals classified from the received radio frequency energy with spectral data for signals deemed to be authorized in the zone and/or data for signals to be unauthorized in the zone;
• and
• d. declaring that unauthorized radio frequency energy is occurring in the zone when it does not match spectral data for signals that are authorized in the zone or matches spectral data for signals that are unauthorized in the zone.

A radio device comprising:

• a. a radio receiver that receives radio frequency energy;
• b. a processor coupled to the radio receiver the characteristic of the received radio frequency energy to determine whether unauthorized radio frequency energy is occurring in the zone;
• and
• c. a spectrum analysis device coupled to the radio receiver and to the processor, wherein the spectrum analysis device produces data pertaining to spectral characteristics of the received radio frequency energy, and wherein the processor analyzes said spectral characteristics to determine whether unauthorized radio frequency energy is occurring in the zone.

A method for monitoring for unauthorized radio frequency energy, comprising:

• a. receiving radio frequency energy at a plurality of positions in a region that encompasses at least one zone in which it is desired to monitor for unauthorized radio frequency energy;
• b. analyzing at least one spectral related characteristic of the received radio frequency energy at each of the plurality of positions to determine whether there is unauthorized radio frequency energy occurring;
• and
• c. correlating information pertaining to unauthorized radio frequency energy received at each of the plurality of positions.

A method for monitoring for unauthorized radio frequency energy, comprising:

• a. receiving radio frequency energy in a region that encompasses at least a zone in which it is desired to monitor for unauthorized radio frequency energy;
• b. analyzing spectral characteristics of the received radio frequency energy to determine whether unauthorized radio frequency energy is occurring in the zone;
• and
• c. storing data pertaining to said spectral characteristics during a time interval when unauthorized radio frequency energy is determined to be occurring;
• and
• d. at a later time, retrieving and displaying the spectral characteristics from said time interval when unauthorized radio frequency energy is determined to be occurring.

A method for monitoring for unauthorized radio frequency energy, comprising:

• a. receiving radio frequency energy in a region that encompasses at least a zone in which it is desired to monitor for unauthorized radio frequency energy;
• and
• b. analyzing spectral characteristics of the received radio frequency energy to determine whether unauthorized radio frequency energy is occurring in the zone, wherein analyzing comprises:
• i. during a time interval, computing a series of a plurality of Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs) of the received radio frequency energy during each of a plurality of time intervals, wherein the series of FFTs during a time interval span the same frequency sub-band, but the frequency sub-band is different across the time intervals, and wherein the plurality of frequency sub-bands are substantially contiguous and span a frequency band of interest;
• ii. accumulating data associated with each of the series of FFTs during each of the plurality of time intervals;
• and
• iii. for each time interval, storing a value representing the maximum power that has occurred in each frequency bin over all FFTs taken during that time interval.