HK1121626A - System for initiating geospatial functional control of mobile electronics - Google Patents

Description

System for performing geospatial functional control of a mobile electronic device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to software and hardware systems that interact with features of portable electronic devices, such as cellular telephones and handheld computers, within a particular geographic area.

Background

Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) are ubiquitous in modern society. The best known of these devices is the cellular telephone, which has one hundred million and fifty million wireless users in the united states alone, and seven hundred million and fifty million users worldwide. In addition to cellular telephones, other PEDs are also involved in everyday life in the entertainment and business areas, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, handheld video games, portable DVD and MP3 players. In addition to scheduling and recording functions, these devices typically have wireless networking capabilities to facilitate use of applications such as voice communications, and other PED networking, text messaging, and email. The high reliance on wireless communication technology has facilitated and has also created new interference to public places and environments.

A side effect of the widespread use of portable electronic devices is that their use is in some cases disturbing, which is undesirable. For example, the use of cellular telephones in environments such as a concert hall, a work conference, or a classroom is often objectionable. Other locations may prohibit use of the wireless communication device for other reasons. Some hospitals prohibit the use of cellular telephones because of concerns about electronic interference with hospital equipment. Similarly, some companies have been denied access by some visitors with a camera-enabled handheld phone for business spying concerns. Airplanes prohibit the use of portable electronic devices during takeoff and landing due to interference from ground networks or airborne instruments. The requirement of the government to actively turn off PEDs is not very effective because sometimes these invitations are ignored, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Electronic jamming of Radio Frequency (RF) signals by, for example, propagating interfering signals is known in the art. Other methods, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,496,703 and 6,556,819, operate at the cellular service provider level and thus require the provider's infrastructure. One side effect of electronic jamming is that jamming completely disables wireless functionality, precluding the possibility of emergency communication using the device. This is undesirable in some situations, for example, school environments where a student is prohibited from sending text messages, making calls, or playing games in a classroom to ensure classroom order, but must respect the case of a parent contacting a child in an emergency or vice versa, balancing the two.

In addition, in emergency or dangerous situations, the daemon increases the level of communication pressure and the capabilities of the wireless network to handle the increased traffic. Important communications for public interest services may be hindered by increased non-priority wireless communication traffic. It is therefore desirable to have a system by which some or all of the features and functionality of a wireless device may be selectively enabled or disabled in a local area by controlling device-level functionality in a geospatial area. By interfacing with the operating system of the PED, and not relying on the cellular carrier network, communications restrictions can be fully complied with without human intervention and its potential for error.

In addition, distributing local alerts and information based on geographic parameters facilitates crisis management and response. Information may be directed or forced to wireless communication devices based on geographic location, providing a contemporary "emergency broadcast system" to assist authorities in effectively managing hazards or other events requiring such communication. In addition, public officials may allocate use of the wireless network in emergency situations to the exclusion of unnecessary communications. In addition, government agencies may wish to access these communication devices to intercept field communications and obtain information critical to public and national security.

In the PED era, where wireless communication is possible, such as with disposable prepaid cellular telephones, it has become increasingly difficult for law enforcement to obtain information about potential crimes. A prerequisite for conventional methods, such as listening for a telephone and searching for a telephone record, is that there is sufficient time to obtain the necessary information, or that the telephone number to which the telephone record is tracked is determinable. For the appropriate legal authorities, it would be beneficial to law enforcement to have a system that could listen to a wireless telephone call in real time and obtain information such as call lists, text message histories, and calendars from PEDs (e.g., PEDs owned by monitored individuals authorized to investigate them) without first obtaining identification information (e.g., telephone numbers or IP addresses) of the PEDs.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to a system for distributing information, controlling network access and controlling local PEDs at specific physical locations without user intervention. The system includes at least one fixed or mobile control point that includes at least one Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter. The control point broadcasts a control signal that is received by a receiver of at least one local portable electronic device within range of the control signal. The system further includes a decoder on the PED, which may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both, for decoding the control signal and performing the functions indicated by the control signal.

In some embodiments, the wireless communication device further comprises a countdown timer. After decoding the control signal, the PED performs the required function for the period of time indicated and determined by the control signal. In this way, the functions of the device are controlled until the timer expires, or a signal is received from the control point identifying a different group of functions, or a signal is received from the control point to restore the functions to a previous or new state.

The repeated indication from the control point has the effect of resetting the countdown timer on the portable electronic device. The function is automatically resumed in the event that the countdown timer expires and no control point signal resets it. In this way, the device resumes full functionality when the user leaves the local area where use of the device is prohibited. In this way only local devices are affected and devices outside the transmission range of the control point are not affected.

The system may also be used to force messages to PEDs within a local broadcast area. For example, an emergency broadcast message may be sent through the system to all portable electronic devices in the local vicinity, causing the devices to display an indication or information of a municipality. Commercial messages may also be sent in the same manner. Another use of the system is to plug-in a link between the PED and the control point to download data to and from the PED and monitor communications.

Drawings

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the distribution and overlapping signal ranges of three control points on a plant floor in a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating logic for changing groups of functions on a portable electronic device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3a is a timing diagram illustrating the effect of subsequent periodic control signals on the countdown timer of the portable electronic device;

FIG. 3b is a timing diagram illustrating the effect of a subsequent aperiodic control signal on the countdown timer of the portable electronic device;

FIG. 4a is a timing diagram illustrating the effect of subsequent periodic control signals on the countdown timer of the portable electronic device in different implementations of another embodiment;

FIG. 4b is a timing diagram illustrating the effect of subsequent aperiodic control signals on the countdown timer of the portable electronic device in different implementations of another embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating broadcasting of service information using an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the use of a control point to broadcast merchandise information to portable electronic devices passing through a local store;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the use of further embodiments to distribute communications;

FIG. 8 illustrates a communication allocation example according to further embodiments; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating the use of an embodiment of the present invention to selectively target one of a number of devices.

Detailed Description

The present invention provides a system by which the functionality of a PED having wireless communication functionality can be remotely controlled. The system of the invention comprises at least one control point having a transmitter for transmitting local control signals. Ideally, the power of the transmitter is selected so that the range of signal transmission is substantially as large as the local geospatial range over which the effect is desired. Multiple transmitters with overlapping signal ranges may be used to cover an area larger than the range of one transmitter.

The control signal is received by at least one PED having a receiver within local range of the control point that can communicate wirelessly. Devices that are not themselves equipped with wireless communication functionality, such as portable DVD players or hand-held game consoles, can achieve this functionality by adding receiver components appropriate for that particular device. The PED also includes a decoder that includes hardware, software, or a combination of both to allow the receiver to interpret the control signals transmitted by the control point transmitter. For general functionality, it is desirable to standardize the software protocol so that all PEDs react similarly to the same control signal command. A preset series of software protocol codes may be used so that the receiver can determine that certain signals correspond to certain instructions (e.g., disable Short Message Service (SMS) functions, turn off the device, disable the camera, provide an electronic message, etc.). Ideally, the receiver is adapted to the appropriate class of devices, and extraneous instructions can be ignored. For example, ideally, the portable DVD player receiver ignores the "silent ring" signal intended for the cell phone, while both the cell phone receiver and the portable DVD player receiver react to the same command to power off.

While the preferred embodiments discussed above consider a cellular telephone and its associated functionality, it should be understood that the system described may be equally applicable to other PEDs, such as handheld organizers, portable receivers and handheld gaming devices and the functionality associated with such PEDs.

One use of the system is to selectively activate or deactivate functions of devices within a local geospatial area. In one embodiment, shown in fig. 1, the system is deployed on a factory floor to prevent corporate espionage and protect trade secrets by temporarily disabling built-in camera functionality on a cell phone. One or more control points 10, 11 and 12 are located within a factory floor space 15 so that the range of control signals from the control points is sufficient to cover the space. If necessary, the signals of these control points may overlap to cover the space to be protected. Although the control point signals 20, 21, and 23 are radially symmetric in fig. 1, those skilled in the art will appreciate that in reality the range of the rf signal is determined differently depending on local obstacles and the electromagnetic signal strength at the edge of the range varies. Thus, it is desirable to place multiple control points to prevent any blind spots from occurring.

The control point transmitter is set to broadcast a predetermined control signal, either continuously or at predetermined time intervals short enough, instructing the local PED to disable camera functionality. The PED at location 14 receives control signals from the control point 10 and the PED at location 17 receives control signals from either the control point 11 or the control point 12. Note that control points with overlapping ranges do not necessarily have to broadcast the same instructions. For example, it may be desirable for one control point to disable the camera function while another control point broadcasts a signal to mute the phone ringing. Cellular telephones within the overlapping range of these signals react to both to achieve a combined effect.

The signal sent by the control point to disable the camera feature is decoded by the PED. In response to the control signal, software within the camera-enabled cellular telephone disables the camera function until reactivated by the user. If a user attempts to reactivate the camera function while within the signal range of any control point, the camera function will be quickly re-disabled in response to the control signal broadcast.

In another embodiment, it may be desirable to disable camera functionality when the camera phone is present on the factory floor and to activate camera functionality when the device leaves the factory floor without user intervention. To achieve this, the control point may be set to broadcast a signal every X seconds instructing the local PED to disable camera functionality for Y seconds. Upon receiving the control signal, the camera phone disables the camera function and starts the Y second countdown timer. At the end of the countdown, the phone software automatically starts the camera function without user intervention. If the camera phone receives another control signal before the countdown timer expires, the camera phone continues to disable the already disabled camera function and resets the countdown timer to Y seconds.

Fig. 2 illustrates a logic flow diagram of the time limited inhibit process. PEDs periodically listen and wait for control signals at short intervals at all times. Upon receiving the control signal, the PED decodes the signal and processes the instructions included in the signal. The PED changes an aspect of its function, such as disabling or enabling power, audible sound, text messaging, camera, display of certain text, audio or video messages, or other functions, according to instructions in the signal. The PED then starts a countdown timer. Upon expiration of the timer, the altered function of the PED is restored. This has the benefit of automating PED functional changes. For example, if the audible ring feature of a cell phone is disabled for one hour, the audible ring is automatically initiated by the PED after the end of the one hour, and after the timer.

While the countdown timer is still active, the PED can still process the new control signal. The new control signal indicating a change of a different functional characteristic is processed as described above, preferably with a separate timer controlling the expiry of the new functional state change. If the received control signal requires the same functional state change as has been processed, then the countdown timer controlling the functional state change will restart with the new time specified in the control signal.

Fig. 3a shows a situation where the control point broadcasts every 15 seconds (X-15) to disable the functionality of the PED for 30 seconds (Y-30). When t is 0, the control point sets the countdown timer and disables the functionality of PED for 30 seconds, which is represented by time period 30. When t is 15 seconds, the control point broadcasts the signal again, causing PED to reset the timer for another 30 seconds, ending at t 45 seconds as shown by time period 31. At t ═ 30 seconds, 45 seconds, and 60 seconds, the control point similarly resets the PED countdown timers to periods 32, 33, and 34. As shown in fig. 3b, the control signal need not be broadcast periodically.

It is therefore apparent that in order to continuously disable camera phone functionality on the factory floor, the continuous broadcast interval X of the control signal should be shorter than the countdown timer Y, and thus reset before the countdown timer expires. It is noted that in order to ensure that the time window during interval X, during which the camera function of the camera phone is activated, which comes within the control point signal range of the control signal, is minimal, interval X should be small and essentially continuous from a functional point of view. For example, making Y > 2X enhances system reliability, as this provides two signaling opportunities. To prevent the user from manually reactivating the disabled camera features, optionally, the software protocol may lock out so that the user cannot manually reactivate until the countdown is over.

Because of the countdown timer, the camera phone function remains disabled even if the camera phone leaves the signal range of the control point on the factory floor. In the case where it is desired that the disabled function be reactivated soon after leaving the designated area, the interval Y may be set to a suitably short period of time to minimize the time waiting for the countdown to end. Similarly, in the case where the prohibition is prevented from being circumvented by leaving the area soon, Y may be set to a longer period of time. For example, it may be desirable to implement a no-call ban in an academic testing center that can be prevented from being bypassed by disabling a cellular telephone voice call for 15 minutes so that students cannot bypass the ban by quickly leaving the area to talk.

It is apparent that the camera function remains disabled as long as the phone stays within the reception range of the repetitive control signal. Once the countdown timer expires without being reset after the phone leaves the control signal range, the camera phone function returns to normal operation. This has the advantage that the disabled functionality of PED can be re-enabled passively and automatically without user intervention.

It will be appreciated that different temporal patterns may be used to achieve the same effect. As shown, the theater prohibits the customer from ringing the cell phone during the show because it is disturbing other viewers. It is desirable to force the cellular telephone to mute or vibrate so that customers can still receive emergency calls without disturbing other customers. A continuously repeated control signal may be used to permanently force the phone into the mute/vibrate mode described above.

Alternatively, the control signal itself may subtract the control time, as shown in fig. 4 a. When the movie starts (t ═ 0), the control point broadcasts a signal to set the cell phone to vibrate mode, and the timer is set to one hour and thirty minutes, i.e., the movie playback time. PEDs in local range of the signal will be set to vibration mode and the countdown timer of the device will be set to one hour and thirty minutes, as shown by the time period 40. Fifteen minutes later, at t 15, the control signal broadcasts the signal again, this time being set to one hour and fifteen minutes. Thus, the receiving PED resets its countdown timer to one hour and fifteen minutes, as represented by time period 41. For devices that receive a signal when t is 0, the countdown timer has been set to end 30 minutes when t is 1 hour. However, this second signal would command devices that enter range after the initial control signal. At 30 minutes, the control point broadcasts another control signal corresponding to time period 42, setting the timer to end after one hour. Similarly, a subsequent iteration of the control signal involves subtracting the time interval X (where X is 15 minutes) from the countdown timer, so that all signals require the same end time X of 1 hour 30 minutes.

Thus, again, the present invention has adjustable accuracy and reliability. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4b, periodic broadcast control is not required. For example, the continuous broadcast timer setting is decreased by one minute per minute. It should be noted that the benefit of this time scheme is that the disabled functionality remains disabled until a specified time even if the device is out of control signal range. If this is not required, the signal outside the theater may be set to continuously broadcast a control signal instructing the PED to resume normal ringing functionality.

To provide another illustrative setting, students in a school use cellular phones distract the classroom. Thus, schools wish to limit the ability of students to use cellular telephones, but allow the telephones to maintain some functionality, such as dialing or receiving calls from pre-authorized numbers in case of an emergency. Pre-authorized numbers can be pre-programmed into the cell phone by the parent or guardian, similar to the parental controls of currently available devices, such as satellite and cable television control boxes. In operation, a control point at the school broadcasts a signal to put all devices into an "authorized use only" mode. Upon receiving the command signal, the cellular telephone in the local area responds to the signal to enter a mode at a predetermined time in which the telephone receives calls only from and to a pre-programmed and pre-authorized list of telephone numbers. Because the command signal is continuously rebroadcast, the timer disabling this mode is continuously reset until the phone leaves the vicinity of the control point. This timing feature prevents students from temporarily leaving school to escape the call limit if the timer is set to a sufficiently long time short, such as 10 minutes.

In another embodiment, the system may be used to force a message to the local PED to display a text, picture, audio or video mode. The control signal sent by the control point instructs the receiving PED to display a message corresponding to the desired encoded message. These messages may be sent by authorized users, such as the local government, to disseminate emergency messages, with the benefit that any suitable device within the local area can receive targeted information within the area. Furthermore, unlike SMS broadcast lists, messages are only received by nearby devices, do not require coordination between cellular device providers, are independent of their infrastructure, and can even be transmitted by mobile control points such as those delivered by police cruisers and the like.

Fig. 5 illustrates the embodiment for advertising the temporary closure of the north-south bridge 200 to all southbound vehicles. The mobile control point 201 in the north of the bridge, which is closed to southbound vehicles, broadcasts control signals to devices in the local area. The local PEDs receiving the signal within the signal range 211 then display a predetermined message, in this case the traffic information "bridge closed to southbound vehicles". Similarly, the mobile control point 202 in the south of the bridge may broadcast a signal such that the message "all lanes open to north vehicles" is displayed on the local PED within the signal range 212. Similarly, the system may be used by the local government to send weather messages, such as tornado warnings or heavy storm warnings. These messages may be repeatedly broadcast until the end time specified by the message, in conjunction with a timer function as described above.

A benefit of distributing messages using the system of this embodiment is that with the unified control point and decoder system on the PEDs, government authorities can ensure that each PED within signal range receives the distributed message reliably and efficiently. This is in sharp contrast to conventional systems, where it is impractical to distribute information because in order to receive and send an SMS message to each wireless communication device in the vicinity, the government agency needs to first compile a list of phone numbers, the mail address of the handheld organizer, and other address identifying information of the PED before the message can be sent. In addition, conventional systems require government agencies to coordinate with countless cellular service providers and wireless network access providers to send messages to these PEDs. Because the system disclosed by this embodiment is uniform to PEDs and functions through active broadcasting that is not specific to any particular PED, no cell phone address information and coordination between cellular and wireless network providers is required.

Low power transmitters may also be commercially utilized to broadcast advertisements to passing devices. As shown in FIG. 6, storefronts 310, 320, and 330 are adjacent to sidewalk 300. To attract the attractiveness of possible customers that may be passing by, each storefront has a control point transmitter 311, 321 and 331, respectively, that transmits a low power signal covering the area represented by 312, 322 and 332, respectively. As the customer results cover area 312, the control signals force a command to the receiving device to display an advertising message for storefront 310. As the customer walks down sidewalk 300 into area 322, the customer's device displays an advertising message for store 320.

The low power transmitter may also be used to transmit messages in other situations. In environments with long teams, such as public tourist spots or amusement parks, the system can be used to display messages on local PEDs of waiting patrons to display estimated waiting times. Similarly, at a construction site, a message prompt may be continuously sent alerting people that they are now in a construction area and therefore must wear protective helmets.

Another embodiment of the invention may be used to control access by PEDs to manage the use of communication bandwidth. In emergency situations, emergency personnel use wireless communications extensively to coordinate disaster management and rescue efforts. The same wireless communication channel is also occupied by ordinary civil calls to let others know that they are safe. While these calls are critical to the people on the call, they are generally considered to be of lower priority from a large office, as there are often times when emergency personnel calls cannot be completed because civilian calls occupy the limited bandwidth of the communication system. It is therefore desirable to manage the ability of PEDs to communicate in critical situations, disabling non-critical PEDs such as civilian cell phones, while maintaining and engaging in priority PED communications for pre-authorized users such as doctor pagers.

Fig. 7 illustrates the use of this alternative embodiment to manage communications. In this embodiment, PEDs 410, 420, 430 and 440 are located in the vicinity of control point 400. The control point 400 operates independently from the cellular service provider's towers 450 and 460. PED410 represents the PED assigned to emergency services, PED 420 represents the PED assigned to on-call reservation staff, and PEDs 430 and 440 represent civilian non-priority PEDs. The PEDs are programmed with priorities. There may be several different levels of any given priority scheme.

In normal operation, PEDs 410, 420, 430 and 440 operate normally through their normal cellular service provider towers. At the time of the hazard, the control point 400 (which may be pre-installed, fixed in the hazard area, or temporarily installed mobile control point) is activated, which broadcasts a control signal to disable the non-priority PEDs. Different PEDs react differently to control signals due to the presence of pre-programmed administrative priorities. To manage communications and prioritize emergency service calls, the control signal may activate PED410 and deactivate lower priority PEDs 420, 430, and 440. The effect of this is to allow PED410 to function properly and force the low priority PED to disconnect the network, reserving communication bandwidth for important functions. The control signal may also be used to carry messages. The same management scheme can also be used to force different messages to a predetermined group. This ensures that each group receives the appropriate message required by the environment.

Fig. 8 shows the operation of the system in a hypothetical emergency situation where a large number of injuries and deaths occur at a station. To manage communications, the municipality employs the control point 400 to disconnect non-critical PEDs, reserving bandwidth for critical communications for emergency response teams. The municipality manager sends a control signal, sending a different command to each management priority, here four. PED410 assigned to emergency services is instructed to turn on, remain active, and display a message informing the emergency response team of the nature of the emergency. PED 420, preprogrammed with priority two, is instructed to activate the communication feature and display a message that there is an accident at the station. PED 430, corresponding to the third priority assigned to the medic PED, is disabled from voice communication for 30 minutes and instructed to display a message ready for the arrival of the casualty. Finally, a fourth level PED 440, corresponding to a PED of a general citizen, remotely instructs the disabling of all communication features by the control signal and displays a message informing the bearer of the incident and informing him to use other routes. Note that the fourth level priority need not be preprogrammed and may represent PEDs that are not given preprogrammed instructions.

It should be noted that the benefits of the above system are flexibility and fast reaction. Since all PEDs are programmed to react to the same control signal protocol, managing communications using the mobile control point 400 is an efficient way to quickly disseminate information. An additional benefit of the present system is that it is independent of and overrides the control of traditional wireless access points and cellular service providers, obviating the need to coordinate between different cellular service providers to distribute important communications. The management is also limited to the local geographical space in the vicinity of the control point and does not require knowledge of address information, such as electronic addresses or telephone numbers, of PEDs in the local vicinity. By repeatedly broadcasting the control signal at subsequent time intervals, PEDs entering the area after the first broadcast can also be managed.

By adjusting the power of the control point transmitter and focusing the signal in a particular direction, the system can be used to manage and interact with a particular PED. Fig. 9 shows a directional control point transmitter 500 with five PEDs 501, 502, 503, 504 and 505. The control point transmitter 500 may direct the RF control signal as a narrow beam 520 through an entrance parabolic reflector, a directional antenna, or other focusing device. Fig. 9 shows an orientation control point 500 and orientation signals 520 using a target PED530 in an environment dedicated to five PEDs.

The ability to specifically target a particular PED results in an ability not available for omni-directional or area control signal broadcasting. For example, to obtain a call record for a cellular telephone or to eavesdrop on an ongoing call, law enforcement agencies often need to have the telephone number of the suspected cellular telephone and assistance from the cellular service provider to obtain the call history of the telephone and monitor the call. Furthermore, it is possible to make the phone call without actual monitoring, and it is difficult or even impossible to obtain other data from the suspicious phone, such as calendar entries and memo notes entered into the phone. With the advent of inexpensive one-time prepaid telephones, cellular telephone numbers are not always available to law enforcement. In addition, it takes time to obtain assistance from the cellular service provider, at which point the phone may have been dropped.

In this embodiment, the directional control point 500 broadcasts a focused directional beam 520 that can be targeted to the desired PED, in this case 503. The broadcast control signal instructs the PED to open an audio link so that voice communications through PED 503 can be monitored at control point 500. In addition, the control signal may instruct PED 503 to send information such as call history, text messages, and manager entries. It is important to note that the benefit of this approach is that such acquisition allows real-time voice call interception without the need to obtain address information of the PED or coordination of the cellular service provider. Because the system is generic to PEDs equipped with receivers, the system can be used to obtain entries and information from personal organizers such as PDAs, which traditionally have not been available remotely.

In commercial situations, the directional control point may be combined with a low power transmitter to interact with the customer's PED. PEDs can be used as electronic notebooks. The low power direction transmitter is located at the checkout station. After the total purchase is calculated, the customer can pay for the transaction with the PED. The transmitter of the checkout station broadcasts a control signal to the PED, which in response sends payment information or authorizes the addition of payment to the PED account (e.g., mobile phone bill) or associated credit card. Payment is then processed through normal channels.

While various aspects of the invention have been described above, it should be understood that these features can be used alone or in combination. Thus, the present invention is not limited to the specific preferred embodiments described herein. In addition, it should be understood that various modifications and changes within the spirit of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, which are related to the invention as other embodiments of the invention.

Claims (30)

1. A method for remotely controlling functions of a local portable electronic device including a cellular telephone, comprising:

providing at least one control point having a radio frequency transmitter;

broadcasting a localized control signal from the transmitter, the signal not being addressed to a unique portable electronic device, the signal further encoded with instructions to cause the portable electronic device to perform a function in response to the signal;

receiving and decoding the signal by the portable electronic device; and

performing, by the portable electronic device, the function specified in the signal in response to the signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal further comprises instructions that the function to be performed by the portable electronic device is performed for a limited period of time specified by the signal.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the timing function is reset by receiving a new signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to power down in response to the signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to switch a sound generation mode to off, vibrate, or other audio modes available on the portable electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to inhibit obtaining optical data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to refrain from obtaining audio data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to disable features and programs on the portable electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to inhibit the portable electronic device from receiving other wireless signals.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to display a text, video, audio, or audiovisual signal encoded in the signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the encoded instructions require a user of the portable electronic device to respond to the signal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the encoded instructions instruct a user of the portable electronic device to respond to the signal.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to transmit information and data to the control point in response to the control signal.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal includes a code identifying a predetermined group of portable electronic devices responding to the signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the portable electronic device performs the function only if the portable electronic device falls within the predetermined group identified by the code.

16. A method for remotely controlling functions of a local portable electronic device including a cellular telephone, comprising:

providing at least one control point having a radio frequency transmitter;

broadcasting a localized control signal from the transmitter, the signal not being addressed to a unique portable electronic device, the signal further encoded with instructions to cause the portable electronic device to perform a function in response to the signal;

receiving and decoding the signal by the portable electronic device; and

performing, by the portable electronic device, the function specified in the signal in response to the signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the signal further comprises instructions that the function to be performed by the portable electronic device is performed for a limited period of time specified by the signal.

18. A method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the timing function is reset by receiving a new signal.

19. A method according to any of claims 16 to 18, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to power down in response to the signal.

20. The method of any of claims 16 to 18, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to switch a sound generation mode to off, vibrate, or other audio modes available on the portable electronic device.

21. A method according to any of claims 16 to 18, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to inhibit obtaining optical data.

22. A method according to any of claims 16 to 18, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to inhibit obtaining audio data.

23. A method according to any of claims 16 to 18, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to disable features and programs on the portable electronic device.

24. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to inhibit the portable electronic device from receiving further wireless signals.

25. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to display text, video, audio or audiovisual signals encoded in the information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the encoded instructions require a user of the portable electronic device to respond to the signal.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the encoded instructions instruct a user of the portable electronic device to respond to the signal.

28. A method as claimed in any of claims 16 to 18 or 26, wherein the encoded instructions instruct the portable electronic device to transmit information and data to the control point in response to the control signal.

29. A method according to any of claims 16 to 18, wherein the signal comprises a code identifying a predetermined group of portable electronic devices to respond to the signal.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the portable electronic device performs the function only if the portable electronic device falls within the predetermined group identified by the code.