SYSTEM FOR ENABLING OR RESTRICTING CERTAIN CELLULAR TELEPHONE DEVICE CAPABILITIES IN CERTAIN ZONES

• US 20080214211A1
• Filed: 10/02/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Courteouscellphones, LLC
• Original Assignee: Courteouscellphones, LLC
• Inventors: Lipovski, Gerald John (Jack)
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/044 according to the level of ambient noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A system for selectively restricting or enabling the use of a cellular telephone module in a zone is described, comprising: a control signal transmitter for generating a control signal at an entrance to the zone or alternatively generating control signals throughout the zone; the cellular telephone including a module; a receiver module within the cellular telephone responsive to the control signal for generating a module enable/restrict upon receipt of the control signal; and a switch within the cellular telephone responsive to the module enable/restrict for selectively enabling or inhibiting the operation of the module for a predetermined period of time after receipt of the control signal. Additionally, this system'"'"'s cellular telephone can dial a telephone, send a message to it, receive a text message from it, and send digits to it, to handle emergencies or conduct business. Finally, the system can remind owners to recharge their cellular telephone batteries.

Claims

1. A system for causing, enabling, or restricting, the use of a module in a cellular telephone apparatus in a zone, comprising:

a control signal transmitter apparatus transmitting a packet of data, said transmitter either located at an entrance to said zone, or else one or more said control signal transmitters for transmitting said packet, said transmitters located throughout said zone and blanketing said zone with said control signals, all of which, whether at an entrance or located throughout the zone, are synchronized so that no two physically nearest adjacent control signal transmitters transmit simultaneously;

said packet of data containing at least one field, said field containing one of a plurality of possible values;

a controllable module in said cellular telephone, where control may be either enabling execution of, or restricting execution of, or causing, an operation in said module, in which said operation being caused or enabled may require the input of some data; and

a receiver module within said cellular telephone, which upon receiving said packet provides data from its fields to the cellular telephone'"'"'s modules, one or more such packet field being provided to control the operation of said module, or provide said data to said module for said operation;

wherein said field'"'"'s data value controls said module, responsive to said packet field'"'"'s data, or provides data for said operation, for a predetermined period of time after receipt of said control signal.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said module is a speaker or earpiece for outputting audible signals, and said control prevents said speaker or earpiece from emitting sound.

3. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said module is a microphone or mouthpiece for inputting audible signals to other modules in said cellular telephone, and said control prevents said microphone or mouthpiece from inputting audible signals to other cellular telephone modules.

4. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said module is a video moving picture or still picture camera for inputting video signals to other modules in said cellular telephone, and said control prevents said video moving picture or still picture camera from inputting video signals to other cellular telephone modules.

5. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said module is a display for displaying video or text messages in said cellular telephone, and said control prevents said display from displaying said video signals or text messages.

6. A system as defined in claim 1 where said module is a cellular telephone keyboard and microcontroller keyboard interface for inputting telephone numbers into said cellular telephone, and said control prevents said microcontroller keyboard interface and keyboard from inputting keystroke information to said other modules in said cellular telephone.

7. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said module is a cellular telephone microcontroller for operating on signals and data in said cellular telephone, and said control prevents said microcontroller from executing instructions.

8. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said module is a low-power identification signal transmitter that renders said cellular telephone locatable to law-enforcement personnel, and said control causes said low-power identification signal transmitter to emit low-power identification signals.

9. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said module is a cellular telephone microcontroller storing a program capable of dialing a telephone number and sending a message to said dialed telephone;

wherein said control causes said microcontroller to dial said number and send said message, both of which are provided by fields in said packet, to said dialed telephone, and thereafter to communicate interactively with said dialed telephone.

10. A system as defined in claim 9 wherein said dialed telephone communicates interactively by sending said cellular telephone a text message right after receiving a packet.

11. A system as defined in claim 10 wherein, responsive to said text message, the client enters digits which are transmitted from said client'"'"'s cellular telephone to said dialed telephone.

12. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein said digits transmitted from said client'"'"'s cellular telephone to said dialed telephone includes a personal identification number.

13. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein said digits transmitted from said client'"'"'s cellular telephone to said dialed telephone includes a catalog number for selecting an item identified in a catalog, or a list of alternative items.

14. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein said digits transmitted from said client'"'"'s cellular telephone to said dialed telephone includes a number of items to be bought or sold.

15. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein said message received at said dialed telephone selects a video or still camera picture, or text or graphic image, which is sent from said dialed telephone to said client'"'"'s cellular telephone.

16. A system for selectively removing the restriction on the use of a cellular telephone in a zone that is otherwise restricted as described in claim 1, comprising:

a first system according to claim 1 that inhibits an operation of a module in the cellular telephone, having a first control signal transmitter that transmits a first control signal;

a second system according to claim 1 that cancels the prohibition of said operation of the cellular telephone, having a second control signal transmitter that transmits a second control signal, and having the same cellular telephone that is in the first system;

said control signals being transmitted synchronously so that first and second control signals are not transmitted at the same time; and

said cellular telephone including a receiver module within the cellular telephone responsive to said first and second controls signal for generating a first command upon receipt of said first control signal, and for generating a second command upon receipt of said second control signal;

wherein upon receipt of said second control signal, said second command cancels the effect of said first command.

20. A cellular telephone apparatus as defined in claim 1.

21. A control signal transmitter apparatus as defined in claim 1.

17. A system for reminding users to plug in their electronic devices that utilize rechargeable batteries, such as cellular telephones, in order to recharge said batteries, comprising:

an electronic device having a rechargeable battery and a permanent id, said permanent id being unique among ids of said electronic devices;

a control signal transmitter transmitting a packet of data, said transmitter located approximately where said electronic device is normally placed when said electronic device is not in use and is not being charged;

said packet of data containing at least one field, said field containing one of a plurality of possible values, said possible value being said unique id of some such electronic device; and

a rechargeable battery in said electronic device, battery charging device, and connection between them such as a cellular telephone cradle, and electrical circuitry, or equivalent, to determine if and how long said rechargeable battery has neither been adequately charged nor been charging;

wherein;

if said battery has not been charged, and was not being charged, for a predetermined time, and if the packet field'"'"'s id matches the electronic device'"'"'s stored id, said electronic device causes said distinctive sound through said speaker or ringer, or indicates by a visual indicator, that said electronic device should be connected to said battery charging device to charge its battery.

18. A system as defined in claim 17 wherein said packet is transmitted using an ultrasonic signal.

19. A system as defined in claim 17 wherein said packet is transmitted using a low-power radio-frequency signal.

22. A distributed network of processors comprising:

network processors each storing a pair of permanent id numbers, which are an input id number, and an output id number, the collection of all processor'"'"'s input and output id numbers containing no duplicate ids;

packets, which are sent through said processors in said network, and which contain an id;

a predetermined processor selected from said network processors, and a predetermined circular path from said processor to itself through processors in said network, no processor appearing twice in said circular path except said predetermined processor; and

a list of input ids and output ids of all processors in said circular path, said list being permanently stored in the memory in said predetermined processor;

wherein;

said packet is passed though said circular path from said predetermined processor back to itself, said predetermined processor sending out said input id for each processor in said list, one at a time, and checking the returned packet to see, for each processor in said circular path, if said processor'"'"'s input id has been replaced by said processor'"'"'s output id., said checking of returned packets is used in a system to prevent theft of said predetermined processor, said predetermined processor being made inoperable if any incoming id in its list is not replaced with an outgoing id in said check.