System and method for preventing cell phone use while driving

• US 10,182,137 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2017
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Text Free Enterprises, LLC
• Original Assignee: Text Free Enterprises, LLC
• Inventors: Davis, Todd M, Bozsnyak, William, Movsesyan, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US15/685,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20180069953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 455418, 455410, 455411, 455450, 4555521, 455557, 455 6711
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber

Abstract

A system and method is provided for preventing cell phone use while driving. The method includes determining by a cell phone if the speed of the vehicle is greater than zero miles per hour, and, if so, transmitting a command request to a locking module wirelessly coupled to the mobile device. In response to the command request, the microcontroller generates a locking operation signal that is sent to the cell phone. Upon receipt, the cell phone locks operation of the device by a user. In this aspect, the microcontroller generates the locking operation signal to mimic a locking command from a wireless keyboard paired with the cell phone in order to circumvent any control by the operating system of the cell phone to restrict such controls by software applications.

Claims

1. A method for locking a mobile device during vehicle operation, the method comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device, data indicating a speed of the vehicle;

determining, by a processor of the mobile device, whether the speed of the vehicle is greater than zero miles per hour;

when the processor determines the speed of the vehicle is greater than zero miles per hour, transmitting a command request to a microcontroller separate from the mobile device and wirelessly coupled to the mobile device, the command request being configured to request the microcontroller to generate a locking operation signal;

in response to the command request, generating the locking operation signal by the microcontroller that is configured to mimic a wireless keyboard paired with the mobile device, such that the locking operation signal is configured to mimic a wireless keyboard command signal that prevents operation of the mobile device and configured to circumvent an operation system of the mobile device that is designed to restrict locking operation signals generated by software applications installed on the mobile device;

transmitting, by the microcontroller, the generated locking operation signal to the mobile device; and

locking the mobile device from operation upon receipt of the locking, operation signal received from the microcontroller.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling a dongle to an on-board diagnostics port of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, by the dongle, the data indicating the speed of the vehicle from the on-board diagnostics port; and

transmitting the data indicating the speed of the vehicle to the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the data indicating the speed of the vehicle from GPS signals detected by the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising not transmitting, by the mobile device, the command request if the mobile device is performing an emergency operation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the command request to the microcontroller only if the processor also determines that the mobile device is unlocked.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a sound by a sound sensor of the microcontroller and wirelessly pairing the microcontroller with the mobile device when the sound is detected.

8. A system for locking a mobile device during vehicle operation, the system comprising:

a microcontroller; and

a mobile device wirelessly coupled to the microcontroller, the mobile device including;

a transceiver configured to receive data indicating a speed of the vehicle, and a processor configured to determine whether the speed of the vehicle is greater than zero miles per hour, and, when the determined speed is greater than zero miles per hour, generate a command request to be transmitted to the microcontroller separate from the mobile device and wirelessly coupled to the mobile device, the command request being configured to request the microcontroller to generate a locking operation signal, wherein, in response to the command request, the microcontroller is configured to;

generate the locking operation signal that is configured to mimic a wireless keyboard command signal that prevents operation of the mobile device and configured to circumvent an operation system of the mobile device that is designed to restrict locking operation signals generated by software applications installed on the mobile device, and transmit the generated locking operation signal to the mobile device, and wherein the mobile device locks operation upon receipt of the locking operation signal received from the microcontroller.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a dongle coupled to an on-board diagnostics port of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the dongle is configured to:

receive the data indicating the speed of the vehicle from the on-board diagnostics port, and

transmit the data indicating the speed of the vehicle to the mobile device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile device receives the data indicating the speed of the vehicle from GPS signals detected by the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor of the mobile device is configured to not transmit the command request if the mobile device is performing an emergency operation.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor of the mobile device is configured to transmit the command request to the microcontroller only if the processor also determines that the mobile device is unlocked.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising a sound sensor of the microcontroller configured to detect a sound and the microcontroller is configured to wirelessly pair with the mobile device when the sound is detected.

15. A device for locking a mobile device during vehicle operation, the device comprising:

a transceiver configured to wirelessly pair with the mobile device; and

a microcontroller configured to;

receive a command signal from the mobile device, wherein the command signal requests a locking command because the mobile device has determined a speed of the vehicle is greater than zero miles per hour,

in response to the command request, generate a locking operation signal configured to mimic a wireless keyboard command signal that prevents operation of the mobile device and configured to circumvent an operation system of the mobile device that is designed to restrict locking operation signals generated by software applications installed on the mobile device, and

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the generated locking operation signal to the mobile device, which upon receipt, locks operation of the mobile device by a user.