Apparatus and method for controlling operation of a device

• US 10,334,425 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2014
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Forcefield Online, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Forcefield Online, Inc.
• Inventors: Kong, Michael, Madsen, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Miah, Liton
• Application Number:
  US14/250,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20150296371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• 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 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method for controlling operation of a device includes detecting the proximity of a beacon or transponder, communicating with a server regarding the identity of the transponder and the device, and controlling the operation of the device according to pre-determined settings. The device may be controlled when it is on or in a vehicle or when it is at a venue. An apparatus for controlling the operation of the device is also described.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling operation of a device while in a vehicle, comprising:

a supervisor application configured on the device;

a detector within the device to detect proximity of a transponder positioned on or in the vehicle; and

a communications mechanism configured to communicate with a server to confirm the identity and signal strength of the transponder,

wherein the server determines appropriate functionality for the device according to pre-determined settings based on the identity and signal strength of the transponder, wherein the server communicates the appropriate functionality to the device by sending the device a configuration profile, and

wherein the server further places the device into a single application mode that operates according to the pre-determined settings configured in the configuration profile;

wherein a positioning system monitors the position and velocity of the vehicle, predicts destination arrival based on the position and velocity monitoring and communicates destination arrival to the server;

wherein the positioning system comprises a global positioning system (GPS) and wherein the apparatus controls the operation of the device according to the configuration profile and the position and velocity monitoring.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus does not require the use of information from the vehicle'"'"'s on board diagnostic system to control the operation of the device.

3. A mobile device application for restricting one or more mobile device use parameters based on a mobile device management profile that is enabled by a server in response to the mobile device'"'"'s relative location with a vehicle, comprising:

a detector within the mobile device configured to detect the relative location of a transponder positioned on or in the vehicle based on the signal strength of the transponder,

a communications mechanism within the mobile device configured to communicate with a server that allows the server to confirm the identity of the transponder and the mobile device and the relative location between the transponder and the mobile device,

wherein the server determines the appropriate functionality for the mobile device according to pre-determined use parameter settings based on the identity of the transponder and the mobile device and the relative location between the transponder and the mobile device,

wherein when the server determines that the mobile device is positioned in proximity to the vehicle'"'"'s driver seat, the server communicates the appropriate functionality to the mobile device by sending the mobile device a mobile device management profile containing restricted use parameters according to the predetermined settings stored on the server,

wherein the mobile device management profile controls the operation of the mobile device according to restricted use parameters.

4. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the transponder is registered to the mobile device.

5. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein a positioning system monitors the position and velocity of the vehicle and communicates the position and velocity to the server.

6. The mobile device application of claim 5, wherein the positioning system comprises a global positioning system (GPS).

7. The mobile device application of claim 5, wherein the positioning system comprises an assisted global positioning system (A-GPS).

8. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the device comprises a motion processor.

9. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the device of only a driver of the vehicle is controlled.

10. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the device of a passenger of the vehicle is controlled.

11. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the restricted use parameters comprise disabling lock screen notifications.

12. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the restricted use parameters comprise one or more of disabling text messaging, email messaging, social networking functions, and lock screen notifications.

13. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein at least one of the mobile device management profile and the mobile device application restores full functionality to the mobile device when the vehicle arrives at a destination.

14. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the pre-determined use parameter settings are made by a remote device.

15. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the transponder is a bluetooth beacon.

16. The mobile device application of claim 15, wherein the transponder is a bluetooth low-energy beacon.

17. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the transponder is an RFID tag.

18. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the transponder is a near-field communications tag.

19. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the mobile device application does not require the use of information from the vehicle'"'"'s on board diagnostic system to control the operation of the mobile device.

20. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein at least one of the mobile device management profile and the mobile device application restores functionality to the mobile device when the mobile device is removed from the vehicle.

21. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the communications mechanism communicates with the server when the mobile device is removed from the vehicle.

22. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the pre-determined use parameter settings are configured by a remote device.

23. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the restricted use parameters are configured by a remote device.

24. The mobile device application of claim 23, wherein the remote device communicates with the server to configure the restricted use parameters.

25. The mobile device application of claim 24, wherein the remote device belongs to a parent or administrator.

26. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the pre-determined use parameter settings can be configured remotely by a parent or administrator.

27. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the restricted use parameters can be configured remotely by a parent or administrator.

28. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the restricted use parameters include blocking inbound communications.

29. The mobile device application of claim 28, wherein the inbound communications comprise one or more of text messages, emails, alerts, notifications, and phone calls.

30. The mobile device application of claim 28, wherein the restricted use parameters further include restrictions on the ability to use applications on the mobile device.

31. The mobile device application of claim 3, wherein the restricted use parameters include blocking outbound communications.

32. The mobile device application of claim 31, wherein the outbound communications comprise one or more of text messages, emails, alerts, notifications, social media and phone calls.