Abstract:
A method for monitoring and controlling operation of wireless personal electronic devices (PEDs) present on a mobile platform (MP). The method may involve defining at least one phase of operation of the MP where the use of wireless PEDs is prohibited. A wireless communications system on the MP may monitor and detect signals being transmitted by wireless PEDs present on the MP. The system may detect a transmission from a wireless PED located on the MP that occurs during the one phase of operation. An identification code associated with a specific one of the wireless PEDs that is detected as operating during the one phase of operation may be recorded in a file. The file may thereafter be checked during a second phase of operation where use of the wireless PEDs is permitted, and access may be denied to any wireless PED whose identification code is stored in the database.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to communication systems within mobile platforms, for example aircraft, and more particularly to a method and system which monitors the operation of personal electronic devices (“PEDs”) being carried on the mobile platform and restricts access to an on-board communications network to any such device found to be operating during certain operational phases of the mobile platform where use of such PEDs has been prohibited. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
     Present day mobile platforms, for example commercial aircraft, are being equipped with on-board communications systems that enable wireless personal electronic devices (“PEDs”) of crew and passengers to connect to off-board terrestrial communication networks. For example, such communication systems are often cellular systems that facilitate communication with cellular phones/devices of crew members and passengers. Cellular systems employed on commercial aircraft are expected to have one or more “picocells” within the aircraft to facilitate wireless communication with on-board cellular devices while the mobile platform is in operation. Such picocells thus allow cellular devices present on the aircraft to use an on-board cellular network of the aircraft to connect with an off-board cellular network. Thus, passengers and crew members will soon be able to use their own cellular devices while airborne in a commercial aircraft, in accordance with applicable rules and regulations set forth by various regulatory bodies and/or airlines operating the aircraft. 
     In view of this new communications capability with wireless PEDs, some form of control is required that detects use of wireless PEDs during critical phases of mobile platform operation, where such use is not permitted, and thereafter prevents use of the on-board wireless communication network by those PEDs that have violated the rules regulating their use. Such a system and method would also ideally be able to detect the presence of unattended PEDs, such as unattended cellular devices, for example cellular devices located in a cargo bay of an aircraft, if such devices are turned “on” during prohibited times of use during operation of the mobile platform. The system and method would ideally then prohibit those devices from communicating through the on-board cellular system of the aircraft to a terrestrial based cellular network. Such control may be implemented for many reasons, one of which is for security purposes. 
     Therefore, a need has arisen, particularly in the commercial passenger aircraft industry, to provide a means of monitoring and detecting when wireless PEDs are turned on, and enforcing a requirement to turn off PEDs during predetermined critical phases of mobile platform of operation. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is directed to a method and system for monitoring the operation of personal electronic devices (“PEDs”) carried on a mobile platform, determining when such devices are operating during those times where use of such devices is not authorized, and thereafter prohibiting use of any such PED during those phases of mobile platform operation where the use of PEDs would be otherwise allowed. 
     In one implementation, the present disclosure is directed to detecting the use of personal cellular devices, such as cellular phones, carried on to commercial passenger aircraft by crew and passengers, or carried in checked bags or carry-on bags. The system makes use of an on-board cellular network that monitors and detects when each cellular device being carried on the aircraft, either by a passenger or in any other area of the aircraft (e.g., overhead stowage bins or cargo bay), is operating. The system also contemplates defining to passengers on the aircraft when operation of cellular devices is prohibited, and when operation is permitted. The cellular system is used to detect signals from the cellular devices, and to note those particular cellular devices that are operating during unauthorized times. Thereafter, any cellular device that has been identified as turned “on” during a time period in which personal cellular device use is prohibited, will thereafter be prohibited by the system from accessing and making use of the on-board cellular network on the aircraft during those times of operation where personal cellular device use would otherwise be permitted. 
     In one implementation, a first prohibited operational phase of the aircraft comprises the time when the aircraft on a ground surface taxiing to a runway preparing for take-off, to the time when the aircraft reaches a predetermined altitude during its ascent (i.e., “climb” phase of flight). A second operational phase or time period during which use of cellular devices is prohibited is defined as a landing phase of operation between when the aircraft descends below a predetermined altitude, until the aircraft has landed and has finished a taxiing operation. Alternatively, the aircraft captain or crew member can instruct passengers, once the aircraft has landed and is taxiing, that PED use is authorized. 
     In various implementations, the system records an identification code from each cellular device attempting to access the on-board cellular network. Those devices found to be operating during times when the use of PEDs are not permitted are logged into a “blacklist” cellular device file. All such cellular devices logged into the “blacklist” cellular device file are thereafter denied access to the cellular system on the aircraft, and thus prohibited from using the on-board cellular system of the aircraft during the remainder of a flight of the aircraft. 
     The system and method provides significant security benefits to aircraft operators by eliminating potential sources of interference with important avionics equipment on-board the aircraft, during various phases of operation of the aircraft (e.g., take-offs and landings). Importantly, the system and method can be used to restrict use of PEDs in the cargo bay of an aircraft that are unattended, and that are attempting to operate during prohibited times of operation, so that any such PED cannot access an off-board communications network. The present disclosure, however, is not limited to cellular PEDs, but rather could just as readily be applied to other RF technologies such as WiFi. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified block diagram of one implementation of an embodiment of the system of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a table illustrating different “ground” operating states of a commercial passenger aircraft, and the corresponding operating mode of the system during each state; 
         FIG. 3  is a table illustrating different “airborne” states of operation of a commercial passenger aircraft, and the corresponding operating mode of the system; 
         FIG. 4  is a table defining typical phases of flight of a commercial passenger aircraft; 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified diagram of the various phases of flight of a commercial passenger aircraft, and illustrating the points therealong during which use of cellular devices carried on the aircraft would be prohibited, as well as those operational phases during which use of cellular devices would be permitted; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart of basic operations of one implementation of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a more detailed, exemplary listing of various operations performed by a system and method of the present disclosure between the time that a commercial aircraft is at a gate, to the point at which it is climbing to a cruise altitude; and 
         FIG. 8  illustrates various exemplary operational phases of the aircraft between the time when the aircraft is climbing to a cruise altitude, to a point where the aircraft has landed and is taxiing to a gate at an airport. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
     Overview of System 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a wireless communications system  10  in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. The system  10  is used to identify operating, wireless personal electronic devices (PEDs) present on a mobile platform and to prevent use of an on-board communications network on the mobile platform by those PEDs that are detected as being turned on during times at which operation of PEDs is prohibited. By the term “turned on”, as used throughout the following discussion, it is meant that the PED is powered on and in a mode of operation where it is transmitting (i.e., not in any form of “flight safe” mode, where the device is powered on but transmitting operations are inhibited). 
     While the present disclosure will be discussed in connection with reference to a “cellular” communications system on board an aircraft  12 , and the monitoring of “cellular devices” as the wireless PEDs of interest, it will be appreciated that the principles and teachings presented in the present disclosure are just as applicable to other electromagnetic wave based systems, for example WiFi systems, and virtually any other form of wireless PED that might be brought onto a mobile platform by a crew member or passenger. Also, while the following discussion and  FIG. 1  references a commercial passenger aircraft as the mobile platform on which the system  10  is implemented, it will be appreciated that the system  10  could just as readily be implemented in other forms of mobile platforms such as trains, busses, marine vessels, rotorcraft, etc. The system  10  could also just as readily be implemented in a fixed (non-movable) building or structure, where it is important to detect/control the use of cellular devices that may be attempting to connect to an available wireless network outside the structure. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates three cellular devices  14 A,  14 B and  14 C that are present on-board the aircraft  12 . In this example, cellular device  14 C happens to be located in a cargo compartment of the aircraft  12 . Cellular devices  14 A and  14 B are present in a passenger cabin area of the aircraft  12 . The system  10  includes an on-board picocell  16  which forms a cellular access point for the cellular devices  14  inside the fuselage of the aircraft  12 . Typically, the picocell  16  is located in either a crew compartment area or a passenger cabin area of the aircraft  12 . The system  10  is in communication with an avionics system  18  of the aircraft  12 . The system  10  also includes an integrated cellular monitoring/control system  20 . The aircraft avionics system  18  may be able to receive “weight-on-wheels” information  22  (either directly from a sensor or derived from aircraft speed) for determining if the aircraft  12  is on the ground, as well as an altimeter  24  for providing altitude information to the system  10  during flight of the aircraft  12 . 
     The cellular monitoring/control system  20  of the system  10  is in communication with both the aircraft avionics system  18  and the picocell  16 . For convenience, the cellular monitoring/control system  20  will be referred to throughout the following discussion as simply the “control system”  20 , even though it will be understood that the control system  20  performs monitoring as well as control operations. 
     The system  10  also includes a cellular system control panel  26  and a display panel  28 . The cellular system control panel  26  is in communication with a file  30  containing a listing of all identified cellular devices that are operating in the aircraft  12 . The control panel  26  is further in communication with a file  32  containing a listing of all “blacklisted” cellular devices. Blacklisted cellular devices are those cellular devices  14  that have been found to be operating during phases of operation of the aircraft  12  where the use of cellular devices is not permitted (e.g., where a prior announcement, for example over a PA system in the aircraft  12 , has been made to passengers to clearly inform them when operation of PEDs is not permitted). In this regard, it will be appreciated that each cellular device  14  transmits a unique identification code (i.e., signal) when it is initially turned “on”, and often at periodic intervals thereafter, which code signal attempts to wirelessly identify and register with any available cellular network in its vicinity. These identification code signals are what are monitored for by the picocell  16  of the system  10  during a “listen only” operating mode. Any cellular device  14  that is identified and added to the blacklisted cellular devices file  32  will be denied access to the cellular system  10  during those subsequent phases of flight of the aircraft  12  where access to the system  10  and use of cellular devices to connect with terrestrial cellular networks would otherwise be permitted. Cellular devices  14  that are listed in the blacklisted cellular devices file  32  are effectively instructed by the system  10  into a “no service” state for the duration of the flight of the aircraft  12 . Such control over the cellular devices  14  is available with Second Generation (2G), Third Generation (3G) or later wireless telephone technologies (e.g., CDMA/GSM/UMTS/WCDMA/HSPA/WiFi, etc.) that support emission controls. 
     Operational Phases of the Aircraft 
     Initially, various operational phases of the aircraft  12  are defined during which operation of on-board cellular devices  14  is permitted, and during which operation of on-board cellular devices is not permitted. Typically, an aircraft crew member makes an announcement over an internal PA system of the aircraft  12  informing passengers of those times during which use of cellular devices is not permitted, and again informs passengers when use of cellular devices is permitted.  FIG. 2  is a chart illustrating system  10  behavior during various phases of operation of the aircraft  12  that occur while the aircraft  12  is on the ground at an airport.  FIG. 3  is a chart illustrating system  10  behavior during various operational phases of the aircraft  12  while the aircraft is airborne. In  FIG. 2 , trigger points  34  and  36  are noted where the weight-on-wheels information  22  may be used to determine when the aircraft  12  has left the ground and when the aircraft has touched down on the ground during a landing procedure. States  2 - 6  in  FIG. 2  may be used to alert crew members on the aircraft  12  of how many cellular devices have been left “on” during operational states where cellular device use is not authorized. This information may be displayed on the display panel  28  ( FIG. 1 ). States  2 ,  3  and  6  in  FIG. 2  may or may not represent cellular device use violations depending on specific guidelines set forth by an airline company operating the aircraft  12 . In this instance, airline crew members may decide what action to take based on the information being reported by the system  10 . The operation of “listening and reporting” cellular devices involves the system  10  listening for cellular devices  14  that are turned “on” and transmitting identification code signals, and reporting all such devices to the control system  20 . State number  4  in  FIG. 2 , for example, provides for clearing the blacklisted cellular devices file  32 , and beginning to log new blacklisted cellular devices that have been identified as being turned on during a period where no cellular device use is allowed (i.e., violating a “no operation” condition). At states  5  and  6  in  FIG. 2 , the operation of “logging violations” is where cellular devices  14  that have been identified as violating a “no operation” condition are written into the blacklisted cellular devices file  32 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , information from the altimeter  24  ( FIG. 1 ) is used to identify trigger points  38  and  40  that define a window therebetween during which use of cellular devices  14  is permitted. However, as explained above, those cellular devices  14  that had previously been found to be operating during times where no cellular operation is allowed are denied access to the system  10  by the control system  20 . Any cellular devices  14  that have not previously been in violation of a “no operation” condition, but which thereafter, during a landing approach, violate a “no operation” condition, may be added to the blacklisted cellular devices file  32 . In  FIG. 3 , during states  5 ,  6  and  7 , the crew of the aircraft  12  can be alerted via the display panel  28  as to how many cellular devices  14  have been left “on” during the previous take-off and climb phases of operation, where cellular device use is not permitted. The 10,000 foot (3033 meters) altitude figure denoted in states  2  and  5  in  FIG. 3  is merely exemplary, and could be set at other appropriate altitudes. However, if the 10,000 foot altitude is used, an ARINC 429 altitude message could be used to indicate when the 10,000 foot altitude is reached and to automatically enable the system  10  for two-way communications with on-board cellular devices. Alternatively, a manual turn-on/turn-off of the system  10  could be performed by a crew member, via the control panel  26 , once the crew member is notified that the 10,000 foot altitude has been reached. Additional exemplary definitions of various aircraft flight phases are provided in the table of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates various actions and operations taken by the system  10  and by crew members during various phases of a typical flight. At point  50 , prior to boarding the aircraft  12 , gate agents of an airline may announce that passengers should verify that all PEDs must be turned off prior to departure, including devices in carry-on luggage. In operational phase  52 , boarding of the aircraft  12  is commencing. Passengers may be notified by airline personnel where the list of PEDs that may be used during later phases of flight can be found. Typically, airline personnel will request that all PEDs be turned off for departure. At point  54 , boarding has completed and the cabin doors of the aircraft  12  are closed. Crew members of the aircraft  12  may announce that all PEDs must be turned off, that the flight is ready to depart, and that all carry-on items including PEDs must be safely stowed. An announcement may be made as to when permitted PEDs may be used. At point  55  the aircraft is in its takeoff phase of operation. If the system  10  detects a cellular device  14  that is turned on thereafter, the device will be reported and logged into the blacklisted cellular devices file  32 . 
     At point  56 , the aircraft  12  is established in its climb. A crew member may announce that approved PEDs may be used and that all other devices must remain off. At this point any cellular device  14  that is turned “on” will be detected (because of its unique identification code), logged by the control system  26  into the cellular devices file  30 , and permitted to use the system  10  for two-way cellular communications. During a cruise operational phase indicated at point  58 , a crew member may announce that all permitted PEDs may be used. At point  60 , the aircraft  12  is beginning its descent in preparation for landing. At this point, a crew member may announce that all PEDs must be turned off and safely stowed for the remainder of the flight. Any cellular device  14  detected to be turned “on” after this point will be reported by the system  10  and logged into the blacklisted cellular device file  32  by the control system  26 . Alternatively, the crew member may announce that PEDs must be turned off and safely stowed for the remainder of the flight, with exception that specific types of PEDs not stowed in overhead bins may be used during taxi to a gate at the airport. Cellular devices  14  that are not turned off within a short predetermined time interval, for example one minute, will thereafter be logged into the blacklisted cellular devices file  32  by the control system  20 . Operational points  60 ,  62  and  64  represent the approach and landing phases of operation of the aircraft  12  during which all PEDs typically must be turned off. At point  66 , the aircraft  12  has landed and is beginning a taxi-in operation to the gate at which de-planing will occur. At this point, a crew member may announce that all carry-on items must be remain safely stowed, with the exception of specific operator permitted PEDs. The crew member may also announce that all PEDs must remain off until the aircraft  12  has arrived at its gate and the captain has turned off the fasten seat belt sign inside the aircraft  12 . Alternatively, the crew member may announce that specific PEDs may now be used if expressly permitted by the captain, and that all other PEDs must remain off and stowed until arrival at the gate or until the captain has turned off the fasten seatbelt sign. 
     Thus, when the aircraft  12  is on the ground, the system  10  is not fully operational, but rather is placed in the “listen only” mode by the control system  20 . No cellular operation is allowed during taxiing operations, unless permitted by the captain of the aircraft  12 . An airline may allow full cellular operation to those cellular devices  14  that are not in the file of blacklisted cellular devices  32  when the aircraft  12  is parked, has a delayed departure, etc. When the aircraft  12  is airborne, the system  10  is in the “listen only” mode during take-off and landing operations. However, when the aircraft is operating above 10,000 feet, two-way communications via the system  10  is enabled for those cellular devices  14  that have not been logged in the blacklisted cellular devices file  32 . 
     It will be appreciated that the system  10  could readily provide crew members with the ability to manually control the system  10  via the control panel  26  to restrict cellular services in the event of in-flight emergencies or for other reasons. In such event, the system  10  could be turned completely off or placed in the “listen only” mode. Still further, a mode could be implemented from the control panel  26  by which only airline or approved government agency PEDs are allowed to access the system  10 . This would require such devices to include identification codes that would enable the control system  20  to recognize that such PEDs are associated with the airline or with a government agency, and therefore are permitted full use of the system  10 . Thus, this feature could be allowed to permit only Federal Air Marshalls to use the system  10  during in-flight emergencies. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a flowchart setting forth further basic operational procedures performed by the system  10 . Initially, when the system  10  is powered on, the weight-on-wheels information  22  is checked to determine if the aircraft  12  is on the ground, as indicated in operation  100 . If the answer to this inquiry is “no”, then the system  10  knows that the aircraft  12  is in an airborne state, as indicated at  102 . An inquiry is then made in operation  104  as to whether the aircraft is above 10,000 feet (3033 meters). If the answer to this inquiry is “no”, then the system  10  begins reporting any cellular devices  14  that have been found to be operating during prohibited times of operation, and the control system  20  logs such violating devices into the blacklisted cellular devices file  32 , as indicated at operation  106 . A check is then made of the weight-on-wheels information  22  to determine if the aircraft  12  has landed, as indicated in operation  108 , and if not, the inquiry in operation  104  is repeated. If the inquiry at operation  100  produces a “yes” answer, or if the inquiry at operation  108  produces a “yes” answer, then it is assumed that the aircraft  12  is on the ground as indicated at  110 . A check of the weight-on-wheels information  22  is then made at operation  112  to determine if the aircraft  12  has taken off from the ground. If the answer to this inquiry is “yes”, then the blacklisted cellular devices file  32  is cleared of any entries, and reporting and logging of violations is performed as indicated at operation  114 . If the answer to the inquiry at operation  112  is “no”, then a check is made at operation  116  to determine if the use of cellular devices  14  is authorized while the aircraft  12  is on the ground. If this inquiry produces a “yes” answer, then service is provided through a terrestrial cellular service as indicated at operation  118 . In operation  120 , reporting of those cellular devices  14  that are turned on begins, and operation  112  is repeated. All cellular devices  14  that are turned on have their respective identification codes reported and logged into the cellular devices file  30  in  FIG. 1 . If the answer at operation  116  is “no”, then the system  10  begins reporting and logging the identification codes of those cellular devices  14  that are turned on in violation of a previously made announcement that cellular devices must be turned off, as indicated at operation  122 , and operation  112  is then repeated. 
     With further reference to  FIG. 6 , if the determination in operation  104  indicates a “yes” answer that the aircraft  12  is operating above an altitude of 10,000 feet, then an airborne operating state  124  is entered. At operation  126 , the logging of cellular devices  14  into the blacklisted cellular devices file  32  is discontinued, but the operation of any cellular device  14  that is detected by the picocell  16  of the system  10  is reported and logged in the cellular devices file  30 . Any cellular devices  14  that have been logged into the blacklisted cellular devices file  32  are denied access to the system  10  by the control system  20 . All other cellular devices that are operating, but that are not identified in the blacklisted cellular devices file  32 , are allowed access to the system  10 . In operation  128 , an inquiry is made as to whether any cellular devices  14  are to be disabled because of violating a crew directed “no operation” condition. If the answer to this inquiry is “yes”, then violating cellular devices are reported and logged by the control system  20 , in operation  130 , into the blacklisted cellular devices file  32 , and operation  104  is repeated. If the answer is “no”, then operation  104  is repeated. 
       FIG. 7  summarizes the basic operational steps performed by the system  10  during phases of operation of the aircraft  12  from the point at which the aircraft is at the gate of an airport, to the point at which the aircraft is performing a climb to its cruising altitude. When at a gate, as indicated at  140 , the picocell  16  of the system  10  is placed in a “listen only” mode by the control system  20 , as indicated in operation  142 . In operation  144 , the weight-on-wheels information  22  is checked. In operation  146 , a report of all operating cellular devices  14  on the aircraft  12  is sent to the cellular system control panel  26 . A crew member may then make announcements, at operation  148 , regarding emissions from PEDs. In operation  150 , the aircraft  12  begins a taxi-out/departure operation. At operation  152 , an inquiry is made if ground operation of cellular devices  14  has been authorized. If the answer to this inquiry is “yes”, then a report of all operating cellular devices  14  on the aircraft  12  may be provided to the cellular system control panel  26 , at operation  154 . In operation  156  an announcement may be made to turn off and stow all cellular devices. If the inquiry at operation  152  produces a “no” answer, then any one or more cellular devices  14  that are found to be in violation of a “no operation” condition are reported to the control panel  26  and logged into the blacklisted cellular devices file, as indicated at operation  158 . After either operation  156  or  158 , at operation  160  the weight-on-wheels information  22  is checked to see if it indicates that the aircraft  12  has left the ground and is in a climb phase of flight up to its cruise altitude. Thereafter, at operation  162 , the blacklisted cellular devices file  32  may be cleared of any preexisting entries and updating of the file  32  with new entries performed. Thus, operation  162  provides a means to clear the blacklisted cellular devices file  32  of those cellular devices that were previously found to be in violation of a “no operation” condition during a previous flight of the aircraft  12 . The “updating” performed at operation  162  is therefore directed only to those cellular devices  14  which have been found to be in violation of a previous “no operation” condition between the time that the aircraft  12  has left the gate and begun its climb phase of operation. At operation  164 , cellular devices  12  that are in violation of a “no operation” condition are logged by the control system  20  until the aircraft  12  passes through an altitude of 10,000 feet. 
     The flowchart of  FIG. 8  continues the exemplary flight/operation of the aircraft  12 . In operation  166 , a check is made to determine if the aircraft  12  is still below an altitude of 10,000 feet. If the answer to this inquiry is “no”, then a determination is made if the use of cellular devices is prohibited, as indicated at operation  168 . If the answer to this inquiry is “yes”, then a report containing the identification codes of all the cellular devices  14  that are in violation of a “no operation” condition are reported to the cellular system control panel  26 , as indicated at operation  170 , and then operation  166  is repeated. If the answer at operation  168  is “no”, then the picocell  16  is used to enable wireless two-way communications with the system  10 , as indicated at operation  172 . In operation  174 , any cellular devices  14  that have been logged into the blacklisted cellular devices file  32  are denied cellular service by the control system  20 . In operation  176 , a device report is sent to the cellular control panel  26  of all cellular devices  14  attempting to access the system  10 , and then operation  166  is repeated. 
     With further reference to  FIG. 8 , when the descent of the aircraft  12  begins, as indicated at operation  178  (via the determination made at inquiry  166 ), the picocell  16  is placed in the “listen only” mode by the control system  20 , as indicated at operation  180 . Any cellular devices that are detected as being turned “on” are then reported by the control system  20  to the control panel  26  at operation  182 . The weight-on-wheels information  22  is considered at operation  184 , and a landing/taxi-in operational state is reported to the system  10  at operation  186  when the weight-on-wheels information  22  indicates that the aircraft  12  has landed. A check is then made in operation  190  if operation of cellular devices is authorized at this point while the aircraft  12  is on the ground. If the answer is “yes”, then the system  10  may be powered off at operation  192 . If the answer at inquiry  190  is “no”, then a report of the violating cellular device  14  is sent to the control panel  26 . 
     Thus, by combining flight information from the aircraft avionics system  18  ( FIG. 1 ) of the aircraft  12 , and the information detected by the picocell  16  of the system  10 , an automatic decision can be made by the system  10  as to whether or not to accept or deny service to particular cellular devices  14 . Advantageously, this is accomplished without crew member intervention. The system  10  also satisfies a security requirement by preventing cellular devices in the cargo bay of the aircraft  12  from being accessed terrestrially while the aircraft is in flight. This also prevents an on-board cellular device  14 , which is not in compliance with cellular operating rules, from accessing the terrestrial service provider&#39;s ground network. It also significantly reduces the possibility of using an on-board cellular device as a means to provide a remote form of “trigger” by a terrestrial based device. The system  10  also provides an automatic means of monitoring, controlling, and dissuading passengers from attempting to use cellular devices or leaving cellular devices in a transmit mode during critical phases of flight. Both of these restrictions are accomplished quickly and reliably with the same method of logging a particular cellular device&#39;s non-compliance in a blacklist (i.e., file  32 ), which is created by the control system  20  from wireless signals detected by the listening picocell  16  during restricted phases of flight. Advantageously, the blacklisted cellular devices file  32  can be automatically cleared by the system  10  at a predetermined operational point, for example when aircraft  12  has left the ground and is in a climb phase of operation. 
     It is expected that the system  10  will be effective at dissuading passengers from attempting to use cellular devices during restricted phases of flight. The ability of the system  10  to prevent any off-board wireless communication from the aircraft  12 , once the aircraft reaches its cruise altitude, is expected to be a strong, motivating factor in inducing passengers to comply with rules and regulations concerning when cellular devices can be used on the aircraft  12 . The system  10 , since it provides monitoring, reporting and logging functions automatically, reduces the workload of the cabin crew with regard to monitoring the operation of cellular devices in the aircraft  12  while the aircraft is operating. 
     While various embodiments have been described, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications or variations which might be made without departing from the present disclosure. The examples illustrate the various embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Therefore, the description and claims should be interpreted liberally with only such limitation as is necessary in view of the pertinent prior art.