Cellular telephone safety system

• US 20080070592A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Demetrius Thompson
• Original Assignee: Demetrius Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Demetrius
• Granted Patent: US 7,986,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system for increasing the safety of using cellular telephones stores the geographic coordinates of intersections and other traffic features of a local area in a server. The server is interfaced to the cellular telephone network. A programmable GPS enabled telephone handset determines its location upon start-up and transmits that location to through the cellular network to the server. The server responds by transmitting the coordinates of intersections and traffic features surrounding the present location of the telephone handset. As the handset changes location, it determines its new location and compares it to the coordinates provided by the server. If the telephone handset is within a moving vehicle (as determined by the rate of motion of the handset), an audible alarm is issued when the handset comes within a set distance of one of the intersections or traffic features. In this manner a driver speaking on the telephone is alerted before driving into an intersection or other significant traffic feature.

Claims

1. A method for improving safety in using a wireless communication device in a moving vehicle, the wireless communication device having an active voice mode wherein a person can speak through the wireless communication device, and is capable of receiving a signal indicative of a nearby traffic light, comprising exercising the following steps by means of a computer program operating within the vehicle:

(a) determining if the location of the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the traffic light;

(b) determining if the vehicle is moving;

(c) determining if the wireless communication device is in an active voice mode; and

(d) issuing an audible alarm in response to determining that (i) the vehicle is within the predetermined distance, (ii) the vehicle is moving, and (ii) the wireless communication device is in an active voice mode, whereby a user of the wireless communication device is warned of proximity to the traffic light.

2. The method of claim 1 including the step of determining if the traffic light is a red light or is calculated to be red by the time the vehicle reaches the intersection.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication device is a cellular telephone.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the computer program operates within the cellular telephone.