Method and device for assisting in safe driving of a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for operating a mobile communication device of a driver when driving a vehicle, the method comprises:
- monitoring driving conditions by analyzing data obtained from one or more sensors built in said mobile communication device, wherein said sensors comprise at least a camera device of the mobile communication device;
processing data indicative of said driving conditions and determining a safety level of the vehicle corresponding to said driving conditions based on a measured distance; and
automatically adjusting an operational mode of said communication device based on said safety level, to automatically enable, disable and/or alter predetermined functions of said communication device in accordance with said safety level;
wherein said monitoring of the driving conditions comprises;
(i) operating said camera device of the mobile communication device for capturing an image showing at least one object along the vehicle'"'"'s route;
(ii) processing said image to;
recognize an element on the said object, wherein the recognized element has a predetermined physical size; and
determine an imaged size of the element in said image;
(iii) utilizing reference data to determine the predetermined physical size of said element; and
(iv) determining the measured distance from the camera to said element of the predetermined physical size based on a focal length of the camera and a ratio between said imaged size and said predetermined physical size, andwherein said determining of said safety level comprises processing the data obtained from the one or more sensors built in said communication device to determine said driving conditions and identify a plurality of safety hazards and compute a safety score based on existence of one or more of said plurality of safety hazards, and utilize said safety score to select said safety level from a plurality of predetermined discrete levels including;
at least one safe level, at least one dangerous level, and at least one intermediate level of a predefined degree of safety; and
wherein said automatically adjusting of the operational mode includes selectively setting an operational mode of each of said predetermined functions to at least one of the following modes;
fully enabled mode, fully disabled mode, voice control mode, read-aloud notification mode;
auto-reply mode;
emergency action mode.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system are disclosed for operating a communication device to assist in safe driving of a vehicle. The method includes continuously monitoring driving conditions by analyzing data obtained from one or more sensors, positioning system, and a data network, and processing the driving conditions to determine a safety level of the vehicle corresponding thereto. The method further include automatically adjusting an operational mode of the communication device, based on the determined safety level, to automatically enable, disable and/or alter predetermined functions of the communication device in accordance with the safety level.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for operating a mobile communication device of a driver when driving a vehicle, the method comprises:
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monitoring driving conditions by analyzing data obtained from one or more sensors built in said mobile communication device, wherein said sensors comprise at least a camera device of the mobile communication device; processing data indicative of said driving conditions and determining a safety level of the vehicle corresponding to said driving conditions based on a measured distance; and automatically adjusting an operational mode of said communication device based on said safety level, to automatically enable, disable and/or alter predetermined functions of said communication device in accordance with said safety level; wherein said monitoring of the driving conditions comprises; (i) operating said camera device of the mobile communication device for capturing an image showing at least one object along the vehicle'"'"'s route; (ii) processing said image to; recognize an element on the said object, wherein the recognized element has a predetermined physical size; and determine an imaged size of the element in said image; (iii) utilizing reference data to determine the predetermined physical size of said element; and (iv) determining the measured distance from the camera to said element of the predetermined physical size based on a focal length of the camera and a ratio between said imaged size and said predetermined physical size, and wherein said determining of said safety level comprises processing the data obtained from the one or more sensors built in said communication device to determine said driving conditions and identify a plurality of safety hazards and compute a safety score based on existence of one or more of said plurality of safety hazards, and utilize said safety score to select said safety level from a plurality of predetermined discrete levels including;
at least one safe level, at least one dangerous level, and at least one intermediate level of a predefined degree of safety; andwherein said automatically adjusting of the operational mode includes selectively setting an operational mode of each of said predetermined functions to at least one of the following modes;
fully enabled mode, fully disabled mode, voice control mode, read-aloud notification mode;
auto-reply mode;
emergency action mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An application installable on a mobile communication device preprogrammed for performing predetermined functions, said application is configured for assisting in safe driving of a vehicle, and for receiving input data from sensors built in said communication device including at least one camera device and comprising a data processor utility, the data processor utility comprising:
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a driving condition module configured for processing said input data obtained from said sensors built in said mobile communication device to determine driving conditions of said vehicle; a safety hazard detection module adapted for processing data indicative of said driving conditions to determine a safety level of the vehicle corresponding to said driving conditions based on a measured distance; and wherein said driving condition module is configured to determine a distance of the vehicle to at least one object along the vehicle'"'"'s route by carrying out the following; (i) operating the camera device for capturing an image showing the at least one object along the vehicle'"'"'s route; (ii) processing the image to; recognize an element on the said object, wherein the recognized element having a predetermined physical size; determine an imaged size of the element in said image; (iii) utilizing reference data to determine the predetermined physical size of said element; and (iv) determining the measured distance from the camera to said element of the predetermined physical size based on a focal length of the camera and a ratio between said imaged size and said predetermined physical size, and wherein said safety hazard detection module is configured to; determine said safety level by processing the data obtained from the one or more sensors built in said communication device to determine said driving conditions, identify a plurality of safety hazards in said driving conditions, compute a safety score for said driving conditions based on existence of one or more of said plurality of safety hazards, and utilize said safety score to selected said safety level from a plurality of predetermined discrete levels including;
at least one safe level, at least one dangerous level, and at least one intermediate level of a predefined degree of safety; andwherein said application is configured to automatically adjust an operational mode of said communication device based on said safety level, to automatically enable, disable and/or alter predetermined functions of said communication device in accordance with said safety level; wherein said predetermined functions include at least one of the following;
receiving and transferring incoming and outgoing phone calls respectively, receiving and transferring incoming and outgoing texting messages respectively, and browsing a data network; and
said automatically adjusting of the operational mode includes selectively setting an operational mode of each of said predetermined functions to at least one of the following modes;
fully enabled mode, fully disabled mode, voice control mode, read-aloud notification mode;
auto-reply mode;
emergency action mode. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification