Zone control system

• US 10,110,730 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frederic Kelly Kingry
• Original Assignee: Frederic Kelly Kingry
• Inventors: Kingry, Frederic Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Htun, San
• Application Number:
  US15/379,024
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections

Abstract

A control box with control box hardware has an ON operative orientation. A primary printed circuit board has primary software operative in response to the orientation. The primary software when in the operational orientation functions to disseminate a blocking/filtering signals within a predetermined operational controlled zone. A digital wireless device performs normal digital wireless device functions. Digital wireless device hardware functions for switching between an inoperative orientation and an operative orientation. A secondary printed circuit board/software has secondary software operative to switch to the inoperative orientation in response to the digital wireless device entering the operational controlled zone to preclude the digital wireless device from performing normal digital wireless device functions.

Claims

1. A zone control system (10) for establishing an operational controlled zone in which digital wireless devices should not be used and for precluding unwanted usage of digital wireless devices in the operational controlled zone, the establishing and the precluding being done in a safe, convenient, and economical manner, the system functioning in special environments including personal, corporate, educational, and vehicle, the system comprising, in combination:

a control box (14) having an exterior, the control box having an interior;

control box hardware, the control box hardware being with or without an ON/OFF switch, the control box hardware including a control box source of potential (20) in the interior of the control box;

control box software in the interior of the control box, the control box software being operative in response to an ON orientation of the ON/OFF switch, the control box software when in an operational orientation functioning to disseminate a blocking/filtering signal within a predetermined operational controlled zone;

a control box app (28) downloaded to the control box software;

a digital wireless device having a generally rectilinear configuration, the digital wireless device having an exterior and an interior, the digital wireless device functioning to perform normal digital wireless device functions including making phone calls, receiving phone calls, ringing in response to receiving a phone call, tenting, and surfing the net;

digital wireless device hardware on the exterior of the digital wireless device for switching between an OFF inoperative orientation and an ON operative orientation, the digital wireless device hardware including a digital wireless device source of potential (30) in the interior of the control box;

digital wireless device software (40) downloaded into the interior of the digital wireless device, the digital wireless device software being operative to switch the digital wireless device to the inoperative orientation in response to the digital wireless device entering the operational controlled zone, the digital wireless device software when in an operational orientation functioning in response to a blocking signal within the predetermined operational controlled zone to preclude the digital wireless device from performing normal digital wireless device functions;

a digital wireless device app downloaded to the digital wireless device software of the digital wireless device circuit board; and

a screen (48) on the exterior of the digital wireless device functioning to display spaces for a plurality of emergency contact telephone numbers, the plurality of emergency contact telephone numbers being chosen from the class consisting of spouse, boss, and home, incoming phone call from one of the plurality of emergency contact phone numbers being excepted from the controlled zone whereby phone calls may be conducted to and from any one of the emergency contact telephone numbers, the control box app operating in the background whereby there is no visible indication that the digital wireless device app is running other than an indicator on the screen that the zone control software is functioning;

the control box software provides zone control levels including;

a) a safe mode with no incoming calls other than from one of the emergency contact telephone numbers, b) a BIZ mode allowing outgoing calls in basically an airplane mode, c) a shutdown mode allowing outgoing text and e-mail messages, and d) a lock-down mode where nothing works other than the emergency contact telephone numbers;

additional features provided by the control box software include a) all missed calls and texts and e-mails will show up in the screen after the digital wireless device is out of the operational controlled zone, b) all zone control levels being password protected, c) always open lines with approved contacts for both sending and receiving, d) automatically sending a message to any incoming transmission that the user is in a safe operational controlled zone and will resend as soon as possible.