A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of mobile terminals such as
cell
phones that are in the vicinity of one or more selected locations. The detected
devices are identified and such information may then be provided to an application
for its use. Specifically, a detector is installed at a selected location or locations
for monitoring the transmissions of mobile terminals that come nearby. When such
a transmission is detected, information from the base station with which the mobile
terminal is communicating provides identification data, and based on timing relationships
between the detected transmission and the data received from the base station,
the detected mobile terminal may be specifically identified.
