Method and system for mobile telephone restriction boundary determination

• US 20040203699A1
• Filed: 10/10/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L., Mazzara, William E. Jr., Stefan, Jeffrey M., Schwinke, Steven P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,973,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/421
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and system for mobile telephone restriction boundary determination are provided. The method provides boundary information to a user of a mobile telephone by determining geographic boundary information regarding mobile telephone usage restriction, and responsive to the determined geographical boundary information, providing an indication to the user of the mobile telephone of mobile telephone usage restriction.

Claims

1. A method of providing boundary information to a user of a mobile telephone comprising:

a) determining geographic boundary information regarding mobile telephone usage restriction;

b) responsive to the determined geographical boundary information, providing an indication to the user of the mobile telephone of mobile telephone usage restriction.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a) constructing a first polygon describing a geographic boundary from the geographic boundary information; and

b) constructing at least one second polygon containing an area that restricts mobile telephone usage within the geographic boundary;

c) comparing the current location of the mobile telephone to the area that restricts mobile telephone usage within the geographic boundary;

d) wherein the providing step contains the sub-steps of;

1) indicating when the mobile telephone approaches said area that restricts mobile telephone usage within the geographic boundary; and

2) indicating when the mobile telephone enters said area that restricts mobile telephone usage within the geographic boundary;

3) indicating when the mobile telephone is within said area that restricts mobile telephone usage within the geographic boundary;

4) indicating when the mobile telephone is exiting area that restricts mobile telephone usage within the geographic boundary;

5) indicating when the mobile telephone is outside the geographic boundary.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a) receiving information from a mobile telephone service provider that a mobile telephone is within a restricted use area; and

b) receiving information from a mobile telephone service provider that a mobile telephone is near a restricted use area;

c) receiving information from a mobile telephone service provider that a mobile telephone is outside a restricted use area.

4. A system of determining geographic boundary information regarding mobile telephone usage restriction comprising:

a) a data processing system; and

b) memory coupled to the data processing system containing geographic boundary information regarding mobile telephone usage restriction;

c) a position system providing position data to the data processing system;

d) a monitor within the data processing system comparing the position data to the geographic boundary information;

e) a display, responsive to the monitor, presenting information regarding mobile telephone usage restriction.

5. A method for delivering boundary information to a mobile telephone user comprising the steps of:

a) receiving geographic boundary information indicating restrictions on mobile telephone usage;

b) determining a location of a mobile telephone;

c) comparing the location of the mobile telephone to the geographic boundary information; and

d) providing an indication of the location of the mobile telephone with respect to the geographic boundary information, wherein the user is informed when the mobile telephone is at a location restricting usage of the mobile telephone while driving a vehicle.