System, method, and apparatus for reducing driving while texting

• US 10,169,933 B1
• Filed: 07/23/2018
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benjamin L. Harrison
• Original Assignee: Benjamin L. Harrison
• Inventors: Harrison, Benjamin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Laura N
• Application Number:
  US16/041,883
• Time in Patent Office: 162 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 17/00 Devices for absorbing waves radiated from an antenna; Combinations of such devices with active antenna elements or systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/00 Jamming of communication; Counter-measures
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/40 Jamming having variable characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/415 based on motion status or velocity, e.g. for disabling use of mobile phones in a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/667 Preventing unauthorised calls from a telephone set H04M1/677 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system for reducing driving while texting includes a containment vessel with a door. When the door is closed, the containment vessel attenuates Bluetooth radio signals and cellular radio signals to prevent the user device held there within from communicating with a transceiver that is external to the containment vessel. A Bluetooth transceiver having an antenna internal to the containment vessel and paired with a Bluetooth transceiver of the user device is used to detect the presence of the user device within the containment vessel. A sensor detects when the door is closed. There is a way to detecting movement of a vehicle in which the containment vessel is held and a way to log data indicating at least time periods in which movement is detected and either the door is open or the Bluetooth transceiver cannot connect with the user device. The data is reported (e.g. to a parent/guardian).

Claims

1. A system for reducing driving while texting, the system comprising:

a containment vessel, the containment vessel having at least a partial faraday shield that attenuates at least Bluetooth radio signals and cellular radio signals thereby preventing a user device held within the containment vessel from communicating either by way of cellular service or by way of Bluetooth to a transceiver that is external to the containment vessel;

means for inserting the user device into the containment vessel;

means for detecting the presence of the user device within the containment vessel;

means for detecting movement of a vehicle in which the containment vessel is held;

means for logging at least time periods in which movement is detected by the means for detecting movement and an absence of the user device is detected by the means for detecting the presence of the user device; and

means for reporting the time periods.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for inserting comprises a door on the containment vessel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for detecting movement comprises a global positioning system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for detecting movement comprises an interface to a speed sensor of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the user device within the containment vessel comprises a Bluetooth transceiver having an antenna operatively coupled thereto whereas the antenna is within the containment vessel for communicating with a second Bluetooth transceiver of the user device that is within the containment vessel.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for detecting the user device within the containment vessel further comprises means for detecting that the means for inserting the user device within the containment vessel is closed.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the containment vessel is formed as a glove compartment or console compartment of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the user device is a smartphone.

9. A method of reducing driving while texting comprising:

blocking external radio frequency signals from reaching a user device that is held within a containment vessel;

communicating with the user device to determine that the user device is that of the user and that the user device is within the containment vessel;

detecting movement of a vehicle in which the containment vessel is held;

if the vehicle is moving when the user device is not within the containment vessel, logging data indicative of the vehicle moving when the user device is not within the containment vessel; and

reporting the data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communicating with the user device to determine that the user device is that of the user and that the user device is within the containment vessel is performed over a paired Bluetooth connection.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of detecting the movement of the vehicle in which the containment vessel is held is performed by monitoring a location of the vehicle as reported by a global positioning system.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of detecting the movement of the vehicle in which the containment vessel is held is performed by monitoring a speed sensor of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of blocking the external radio frequency signals from reaching the user device that is held within the containment vessel includes the step of placing the user device into the containment vessel through an orifice and then the step of closing the orifice.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the user device is a smartphone.

15. A system for reducing driving while texting, the system comprising:

a containment vessel having a door for inserting a user device there within, the containment vessel attenuates at least Bluetooth radio signals and cellular radio signals thereby preventing the user device held within the containment vessel from communicating either by way of cellular service or by way of Bluetooth to a transceiver that is external to the containment vessel;

a Bluetooth transceiver of the system for reducing driving while texting is paired with a second Bluetooth transceiver of the user device and detects the presence of the user device within the containment vessel when a connection is established between the Bluetooth transceiver of the system for reducing driving while texting and the second Bluetooth transceiver of the user device;

a sensor that detects when the door is closed;

means for detecting movement of a vehicle in which the containment vessel is held;

means for logging at least time periods in which movement is detected by the means for detecting movement and either the door is open or the Bluetooth transceiver cannot connect with the user device; and

means for reporting the time periods.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for detecting movement comprises a global positioning system.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for detecting movement comprises an interface to a speed sensor of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the containment vessel is formed as a glove compartment or console compartment of the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the user device is a smartphone.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for reporting the time periods comprises transferring the time periods to a device of a parent/guardian.