Standard mobile communication device distraction prevention and safety protocols

• US 10,194,018 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cell Command, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cell Command, Inc.
• Inventors: Fischer, John J., Nguyen, Hap
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US15/677,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20180013878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 455418, 455419, 455420, 4555501, 455 6711, 455 69, 455515, 455434, 4555521
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00674 with switch-buttons
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/29 the pass containing active electronic elements, e.g. smartcards
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• 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 1/67 by electronic means
• 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 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing standardized mobile device distraction prevention and safety protocols are disclosed. In particular, an embodiment of a method for activating a distraction prevention or safety protocol behavior in a mobile device when the mobile device satisfies a specific condition is disclosed. The method includes discovering one or more protocol activators configured to transmit discovery information associated with a specific condition. The method further includes activating distraction prevention safety protocol behavior in the mobile device based at least in part on the discovery information. In an implementation, the specific condition may be a specified environment itself and or include an event when the mobile device enters a specified environment or a specified sequence of numbers is dialed from the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of activating a protocol behavior in a mobile device within a specified environment comprising:

broadcasting, by a protocol activator, a first trigger signal in the specified environment; and

including, by the protocol activator, a discovery information in the first trigger signal, wherein the discovery information associated with the first trigger signal corresponds to a modified universally unique identification (UUID) code of the protocol activator, and wherein at least a portion of the modified UUID code identifies at least one of;

a specified environment in which the protocol activator operates, and

a specified working group information in the specified environment in which the protocol activator operates; and

wherein the discovery information broadcast from the protocol activator in the first trigger signal causes activation of the protocol behavior in the mobile device within the specified environment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting, by the protocol activator, a second trigger signal in the specified environment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first trigger signal is broadcast over a first wireless medium and the second trigger signal is broadcast over a second wireless medium, wherein the second wireless medium is different than the first wireless medium.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first wireless medium and the second wireless medium is acoustic or radio frequency (RF).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal is broadcast over a frequency other than one or more frequencies used within the specified environment for talk and text.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal is broadcast using at least one of Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), EdOcean, TransferJet, Ultra Wideband (UWB), Wireless USB, DSRC, IrDAa, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Zigbee, Near Field Communication (NFC), and Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising responding, by the protocol activator, to a query for information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the protocol behavior corresponds to at least a partial disablement of functionality of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified environment corresponds to at least one of a transportation vehicle, a school, a class room, a correctional facility (prison), an airport, an airplane, a court room, a hospital, a church, a theatre, a fly zone, a danger zone, a bedroom, and an auditorium.

10. A protocol activator for activating a protocol behavior in a mobile device within a specified environment, comprising:

a memory configured to store software instructions; and

a processor configured to access the software instructions from the memory;

the processor configured to access the software instructions from the memory to;

broadcast at least two trigger signals within the specified environment, each trigger signal of the at least two trigger signals comprising discovery information associated with the respective trigger signal corresponding to a modified universally unique identification (UUID) code, and wherein at least a portion of the modified UUID code identifies at least one of;

a specified environment in which the protocol activator operates, and

a specified working group information in the specified environment in which the protocol activator operates;

wherein the discovery information broadcast in at least one of the at least two trigger signals causes activation of the protocol behavior in the mobile device within the specified environment; and

wherein each of the at least two trigger signals is broadcast via a different wireless medium.

11. The protocol activator of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the software instructions from the memory to further respond to a query for information.

12. The protocol activator of claim 10, wherein the protocol behavior corresponds to at least a partial disablement of functionality of the mobile device.

13. The protocol activator of claim 10, wherein the specified environment corresponds to at least one of a transportation vehicle, a school, a class room, a correctional facility (prison), an airport, an airplane, a court room, a hospital, a church, a theatre, a fly zone, a danger zone, a bedroom, and an auditorium.

14. A mobile device comprising:

a memory configured to store software instructions in at least one program module; and

a processor configured to executed the software instructions from the at least one program module in the memory;

wherein the processor is configured to execute the software instructions in the at least one program module to;

discover at least one discovery information trigger signal transmitted by at least one protocol activator corresponding to a modified universally unique identification (UUID) code, wherein at least a portion of the modified UUID code identifies a specified environment corresponding to a protocol behavior; and

activate the protocol behavior in the mobile device based on the modified UUID code.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein one or more of the at least one discovery information trigger signal is received via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

16. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein one or more of the at least one discovery information trigger signal is received via satellite.

17. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the protocol behavior corresponds to at least a partial disablement of functionality of the mobile device.

18. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the specified environment corresponds to at least one of a transportation vehicle, a school, a class room, a correctional facility (prison), an airport, an airplane, a court room, a hospital, a church, a theatre, a fly zone, a danger zone, a bedroom, and an auditorium.

19. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the activation comprises determining, from a look up table, the protocol behavior corresponding to the discovery information trigger signal.

20. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the discovering comprises searching for at least one protocol activator in the specified environment.

21. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the discovering is in response to the mobile device entering a proximity range of at least one protocol activator.

22. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the software instructions from the memory to further query the at least one protocol activator.