Mobile communicator device including user attentiveness detector

• US 10,139,900 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Communication Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mobile Communication Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Ewell, Jr., Robert C., Garmany, Douglas L., Kelly, Charles T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choudhury, Zahid
• Application Number:
  US13/084,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20120265977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,786 Days
• Field of Search: 713100, 713300, 713310, 713320, 455410, 455411, 455466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a mobile communicator that includes a speed detection system for determining whether the mobile communicator is moving faster than a threshold speed. The mobile communicator further includes a user attentiveness detector configured determine whether a user is inattentive. The mobile communicator includes a circuit configured to ensure that a functionality of the mobile communicator is in a turned off state when the speed detection system determines that the mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the user attentiveness detector determines that the user is inattentive.

Claims

1. A handheld mobile communicator comprising:

a speed detection system for determining whether the handheld mobile communicator is moving faster than a threshold speed;

a processor; and

an image capture device in operable communication with the processor, the image capture device configured to provide an image of a user to the processor wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the user is inattentive;

wherein the image capture device is configured to provide to the processor at least one frame image of the user within a predetermined time period;

wherein the predetermined time period is configured to commence when the user attempts to use a functionality of the mobile handheld device when the mobile handheld device is in a turned on state;

wherein the processor is configured to analyze the at least one frame image of the user to determine a percentage of the predetermined time period that the user is looking at the handheld mobile communicator;

wherein the processor is configured to determine that the user is inattentive if the percentage of the predetermined time period that the user is looking at the handheld mobile communicator is below a threshold percentage;

wherein the processor is configured to ensure that a text input functionality of the handheld mobile communicator is in a turned off state when the speed detection system determines that the handheld mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the processor determines that the user is inattentive.

2. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a direction that an eye of the user is looking.

3. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine if a head of the user is moving over time.

4. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the user is using both hands to operate the handheld mobile communicator.

5. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to disable the text input functionality when the speed detection system determines that the handheld mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the processor determines that the user is inattentive.

6. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the text input functionality includes at least one of text messaging, web browsing, video viewing, and video gaming.

7. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the speed detection system is at least one of a GPS system, cell tower triangulation, a signal from an external means for determining speed, an accelerometer and multilateration.

8. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the speed detection system is activated in response to the user attempting to use the text input functionality.

9. The handheld mobile communication of claim 1, wherein the image capture device continuously detects attentiveness of the user throughout operation of the text input functionality by the user.

11. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the handheld mobile communicator is configured to determine and provide to the processor at least one measurement of distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user within a predetermined time period;

wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user exceeds a threshold distance within the predetermined time period;

wherein the processor is configured to ensure that a text input functionality of the handheld mobile communicator is in a turned off state when the speed detection system determines that the handheld mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the processor determines that the user is inattentive and the distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user exceeds the threshold distance within the predetermined time period.

10. A handheld mobile communicator comprising:

a speed detection system for determining whether the handheld mobile communicator is moving faster than a threshold speed;

a processor; and

an image capture device in operable communication with the processor, the image capture device configured to provide an image of a user to the processor wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the user is inattentive;

wherein the image capture device is configured to provide to the processor at least one frame image of the user within a predetermined time period;

wherein the predetermined time period is configured to commence when the user attempts to use a functionality of the mobile handheld device when the mobile handheld device is in a turned on state;

wherein the processor is configured to analyze the at least one frame image of the user to determine a percentage of the predetermined time period that the user is looking at the handheld mobile communicator;

wherein the processor is configured to determine that the user is inattentive if the percentage of the predetermined time period that the user is looking at the handheld mobile communicator is below a threshold percentage;

wherein the processor is configured to disable a text input functionality of the handheld mobile communicator when the speed detection system determines that the handheld mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the processor determines that the user is inattentive.

12. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine a direction that an eye of the user is looking.

13. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine if a head of the user is moving over time.

14. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 10, wherein the image capture device is configured to determine whether the user is using both hands to operate the mobile communicator.

15. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 10, wherein the text input functionality includes at least one of text messaging, web browsing, and video viewing.

16. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 10, wherein the speed detection system is at least one of a GPS system, cell tower triangulation, a signal from an external means for determining speed, an accelerometer and multilateration.

17. The handheld mobile communicator of claim 10, wherein the speed detection system is activated in response to the user attempting to use the text input functionality.

18. The handheld mobile communication of claim 10, wherein the image capture device continuously detects attentiveness of the user throughout operation of the text input functionality by the user.

19. The handheld mobile communication of claim 10, wherein the handheld mobile communicator is configured to determine and provide to the processor at least one measurement of distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user within a predetermined time period;

wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user exceeds a threshold distance within the predetermined time period;

wherein the processor is configured to disable a text input functionality of the handheld mobile communicator when the speed detection system determines that the handheld mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the processor-determines that the user is inattentive and the distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user exceeds the threshold distance within the predetermined time period.

20. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program code stored therein, said computer-readable program code containing instructions configured to be executed by a processor of a handheld mobile communicator to implement a method of restricting a text input functionality of the handheld mobile communicator, the method comprising:

the processor determining whether the handheld mobile communicator is moving faster than a threshold speed;

capturing at least one images frame of the user within a predetermined time period with an image capture device;

wherein the predetermined time period is configured to commence when the user attempts to use a functionality of the mobile handheld device when the mobile handheld device is in a turned on state;

the processor analyzing the at least one images frame of the user and determining a percentage of the predetermined time period that the user is looking at the handheld mobile communicator;

the processor determining whether a user is inattentive based on whether the percentage of the predetermined time period that the user is looking at the handheld mobile communicator is below a threshold percentage; and

the processor disabling the text input functionality of the handheld mobile communicator if the handheld mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the user is inattentive.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises determining a direction that an eye of the user is looking.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises determining whether a head of the user is moving over time.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises determining whether a user is operating the handheld mobile communicator with two hands.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises continuously determining whether the user is inattentive during operation of the text input functionality and disabling the text input functionality if the user becomes inattentive.

25. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises determining and providing to the processor at least one measurement of distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user within a predetermined time period;

determining whether the distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user exceeds a threshold distance within the predetermined time period; and

the processor disabling the text input functionality of the handheld mobile communicator if the handheld mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the user is inattentive and the distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user exceeds the threshold distance within the predetermined time period.

26. A handheld computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable memory unit coupled to the processor, the memory unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor implement a method of restricting a text input functionality of the computer system, the method comprising;

determining whether the computer system is moving faster than a threshold speed;

capturing at least one image frame of the user within a predetermined time period with an image capture device;

wherein the predetermined time period is configured to commence when the user attempts to use a functionality of the mobile handheld device when the mobile handheld device is in a turned on state;

the processor analyzing the at least one image frame of the user and determining a percentage of the predetermined time period that the user is looking at the handheld mobile communicator;

the processor determining whether a user is inattentive based on the images whether the percentage of the predetermined time period that the user is looking at the handheld mobile communicator is below a threshold percentage; and

disabling the text input functionality of the computer system if a speed is greater than a threshold speed and the user is inattentive.

27. The handheld computer system of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises determining the direction that an eye of the user is looking.

28. The handheld computer system of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises determining whether the head of the user is moving over time.

29. The handheld computer system of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises determining whether a user is operating the mobile communicator with two hands.

30. The handheld computer system of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises continuously determining whether the user is inattentive during operation of the text input functionality and disabling the text input functionality if the user becomes inattentive.

31. The handheld computer system of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises determining and providing to the processor at least one measurement of distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user within a predetermined time period;

determining whether the distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user exceeds a threshold distance within the predetermined time period; and

disabling the text input functionality of the computer system if a speed is greater than a threshold speed and the user is inattentive and the distance from the handheld mobile communicator to the user exceeds the threshold distance within the predetermined time period.