System and method for detecting a cellular device

Abstract

Methods and systems for cellular device detection are presented. A wideband receiver is operable to acquire a block of digitized samples in an uplink frequency band. The wideband receiver is also operable to applying one or more computational kernels to the block of digitized samples, thereby determining a possible uplink transmission from the cellular device. The cellular device is confirmed when the bandwidth of the possible uplink transmission is verified and a cellular basestation, associated with the possible uplink transmission, is located.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for detecting a cellular device, the method comprising:
 acquiring a block of digitized samples in an uplink frequency band with a wideband receiver;   applying one or more computational kernels to the block of digitized samples to determine a possible uplink transmission from the cellular device;   determining the bandwidth of the possible uplink transmission; and   detecting a cellular basestation associated with the possible uplink transmission.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying one or more computational kernels to the block of digitized samples comprises measuring a physical layer parameter of the possible uplink transmission. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein locating a cellular basestation comprises decoding a downlink broadcast message. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the bandwidth of the possible uplink transmission comprises estimating a center frequency of the possible uplink transmission. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the possible uplink transmission corresponds to one or more cellular basestations. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a list of cellular basestations is maintained in the wideband receiver. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each entry in the list of cellular basestations is associated with a location. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the list of cellular basestations is shared with another wideband receiver. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wideband receiver and the cellular device are traveling in a vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises locating the wideband receiver such that digitized samples of an uplink transmission from the cellular device are acquired by the wideband receiver when the cellular device is being used by a vehicle operator. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a wideband receiver operable to determine a presence of a cellular device based on an uplink transmission and an associated downlink transmission; and   a memory operable to store a list of cellular basestations based on location.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein wideband receiver is operable to apply one or more computational kernels to a block of digitized samples of an uplink frequency band. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein wideband receiver is operable to decode a downlink broadcast message. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein wideband receiver is operable to determine the bandwidth of a possible uplink transmission. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein wideband receiver is operable to estimate a center frequency of the possible uplink transmission. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein a list of cellular basestations is maintained in the wideband receiver. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each entry in the list of cellular basestations is associated with a location and one or more uplink center frequencies. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the list of cellular basestations is shared with another wideband receiver. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wideband receiver and the cellular device are traveling in a vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wideband receiver is located such that digitized samples of the uplink transmission are acquired by the wideband receiver when the cellular device is being used by a vehicle operator.