USOO8224.316B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,224,316 B2 Mueller et al. (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 17, 2012 (54) CONTROL DEVICE FOR SHIELDING A (56) References Cited ROOM U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS (75) Inventors: Jan Mueller, Hamburg (DE); Joerg 5,230,085 A * 7/1993 Loposer ....................... 455,412 Pump, Hamburg (DE); Sven 5,884,166 A * 3/1999 Ray et al. ... ... 455,431 Knefelkamp, Wedel (DE) 6,185,430 B1* 2/2001 Yee et al. ....... ... 455,519 6,269,243 B1* 7/2001 Corbefin et al. .............. 455,431 (73) Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH, Hamburg 6,477,152 B1 1 1/2002 Hiett (DE) 6,687,506 B1 2/2004 Girod 6.959,192 B1 10/2005 Cannon et al. 7.054,594 B2 * 5/2006 Bloch et al. .................. 455,412 (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 7,136,621 B2 * 1 1/2006 de La Chapelle et al. ... 455/13.2 patent is extended or adjusted under 35 7, 177,638 B2 * 2/2007 Funderburk et al. .......... 455,431 U.S.C. 154(b) by 26 days. 7,187,927 B1 * 3/2007 Mitchell ............ ... 455,431 7,280,825 B2 * 10/2007 Keen et al. .. ... 455,431 (21) Appl. No.: 12/964,183 7,343,157 B1 * 3/2008 Mitchell . ... 455,431 7,395,084 B2* 7/2008 Anttila ... 455,552.1 (22) Filed: Dec. 9, 2010 7,437,125 B2 * 10/2008 McLain et al. ............... 455,134 (Continued) (65) Prior Publication Data US 2011 FO159798 A1 Jun. 30, 2011 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS DE 698 O1284 T2 6, 2002 Related U.S. Application Data (Continued) (62) Division of application No. 12/309,944, filed as application No. PCT/EP2007/006859 on Aug. 2, 2007. OTHER PUBLICATIONS (60) Provisional application No. 60/821,150, filed on Aug. International Search Report issued on Nov. 30, 2007 in connection 2, 2006. with corresponding International Applin. No. PCT/EP2007/006859. (30) Foreign Application Priority Data (Continued) Aug. 2, 2006 (DE) ......................... 10 2006 O36 082 Primary Examiner — Tilahun B Gesesse (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Lerner, David, Littenberg, (51) Int. Cl. Krumholz & Mentlik, LLP H04K 3/00 (2006.01) H04B 7/85 (2006.01) ABSTRACT H04B I7/00 (2006.01) (57) H0474/00 (2009.01) A control device that shields a room from incoming signals (52) U.S. Cl. ..................... 455/431; 455/67.13:455/427; includes an interference device which is adapted for querying 455/12.1; 455/1 an interference signal for rendering a signal that enters a room (58) Field of Classification Search ............. 455/1, 12.1, unrecognizable by Superposition with the interference signal. 455/431, 429, 67.1, 226.1 See application file for complete search history. 13 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets y f - 492 420 Airborna segment 48 - 201 C 408-------- 38:8:18gy (ww. cabin a filiss: i.ead End ::::::::r -- 4C3, 1 O2 i &-418 & 4. 414 US 8,224.316 B2 Page 2 U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS JP 200519 1739. A 7/2005 2002/0102968 A1 8, 2002 Arendet al. RU 2146851 C1 3, 2000 RU 2215371 C2 10/2003 2002fO151278 A1 10, 2002 McLain et al. WO 9428684 A1 12, 1994 2004/0142658 A1* 7/2004 McKenna et al. ............ 455,111 WO O 115337 A1 3, 2001 2005,2004/0229607 OOO8223 A1 1 1/20051/2004 Z.La Chapelle1 et al. WO 0180450 A1 10, 2001 eng et al. WO O3101011 A1 12/2003 WO O3107564 A1 12/2003 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS WO 2006.002094 A2 1, 2006 DE 69900920 T2 11, 2002 EP O932266 A1 7, 1999 OTHER PUBLICATIONS EP 1217853 A2 6, 2002 GB 2350972 A 12/2000 Office Action from Japanese Application No. 2009-522 179, dated JP 11261468 A 9, 1999 Nov. 8, 2011. JP 2001010271 A 1, 2001 JP 2002094468 A 3, 2002 * cited by examiner U.S. Patent Jul. 17, 2012 Sheet 1 of 5 US 8,224,316 B2 f to U.S. Patent Jul. 17, 2012 Sheet 2 of 5 US 8,224,316 B2 s s s U.S. Patent US 8,224,316 B2 ty lie SS SSS is (2 SS O2- ogt ww.no U.S. Patent Jul. 17, 2012 Sheet 4 of 5 US 8,224,316 B2 U.S. Patent Jul. 17, 2012 Sheet 5 of 5 US 8,224,316 B2 - SC Fig. 5 US 8,224,316 B2 1. 2 CONTROL DEVICE FOR SHIELDING A calculated interference signal in the case of Superposition or ROOM that the transmission signal is interferable by Superposing of received transmission signal with the interference signal. Fur CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED thermore, the transmitting device is adapted Such that the APPLICATIONS transmitting device emits the interference signal determined in this manner. This application ISA DIVISIONAL APPLICATION OF According to a further exemplary embodiment of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/309,944 filed Nov. 18, present invention, a system for shielding a room is created or 2009 which is a 35 U.S.C S371 National Stage entry of provided, wherein the system comprises a control device PCT/EP2007/006859, filed Aug. 2, 2007 which claims the 10 having the above-mentioned features. Furthermore, the sys benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Applica tem comprises a transmitting-receiving device inside the tion No. 60/821,150 filed Aug. 2, 2006, and of German Patent room, wherein the control device is adapted such that the Application DE 10 2006 036 082.6 filed Aug. 2, 2006, the control device receives a transmission signal coming from the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by ref exterior or from outside the room. This transmission signal is CCC. 15 a radio signal. Furthermore, the control device is adapted Such that the control device determines an interference signal from FIELD OF THE INVENTION the received external transmission signal so that when the interference signal is emitted, the transmission signal is inter The present invention relates to the shielding of signals for fered with Such that a signal of a local transmitting-receiving a mobile radio system, in particular in an aircraft. Further device is distinguishable from the interfered-with signal. The more, the present invention in particular relates to a control interference signal generated in this manner may be emitted device for shielding a room, to a system for shielding a room, by the control device. Emitting of the signal may take place in to a method for shielding a room, and to an aircraft with a the room so that inside the room at least a part of the trans control device for shielding a room. mission signal, which transmission signal may enter the room Technological Background 25 may become the interfered-with signal. Thus, the entering In the course of the further development of the mobile radio transmission signal may be made unrecognisable. technology or mobile radiotelephone technology, respec According to a further exemplary embodiment of the tively and the wide distribution of mobile radio terminals or present invention, a method for shielding a room is created or mobile radio end devices, respectively, it may be a desire of provided. According to this method a transmission signal is passengers of an airline to use the mobile phones or other 30 received. The transmission signal may be any kind of radio portable electronic devices during a flight as well. However, signal. For example, a transmission signal is a radio signal up to now the use of passenger's proprietary portable elec that may be emitted by a mobile radio base station, by a tronic devices on board of aircrafts may be, as a rule, not mobile phone base station or by a mobile radio terminal or by allowed due to various factors. For example, the power nec a mobile radio end device. After receipt of the transmission essary for the operation may generate electromagnetic radia 35 signal, an interference signal may be identified, established or tion that might lead to the failure of systems in an aircraft. determined from the received transmission signal. Such that Furthermore, proper reception during a flight may not be the transmission signal can be interferable with by emitting ensured. the interference signal. This determined interference signal may be finally emitted in order to cause interference to a part SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 40 of the transmission signal that enters the room. According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the There may be a need to enable efficiently using mobile present invention, an aircraft comprising a control device for terminals in a room. shielding a room is provided. Accordingly, a control device for shielding a room or a Even if emitted radio signals may be emitted in a direc space, respectively, a system for shielding a room, a method 45 tional manner for example by base stations, base transceiver for shielding a room, and an aircraft comprising a control stations or BTSs, it may still happen that the radio signal also device for shielding a room are created. propagates in a certain area or region, respectively above the In the following, the term transmitting device may be used base station. Because of reflections or fading phenomena it for a sending device or transmitting device, respectively. may be encouraged that radio signals propagate to locations According to an exemplary embodiment of the present inven 50 where the radio signals may cause interference. tion, a control device for shielding a room is provided, Thus, it may also happen during passing or flying over a wherein the control device comprises a receiving device, an base station or over other types of radio stations that radio interference device, and a sending device or transmitting signals may also entera room or the cabin of an aircraft which device, respectively for an interference signal.