Method and system for limiting the functionality of a mobile electronic device

• US 20080299900A1
• Filed: 06/04/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Lesyna, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for limiting the functionality of a mobile electronic device. In one embodiment, a position determining component disposed within the mobile electronic device is used to determine the speed of the mobile electronic device. It is then determined that the speed of the mobile electronic device exceeds a speed threshold. Based upon determining that the speed of the mobile electronic device exceeds the speed threshold, the functionality of said mobile electronic device is restricted.

Claims

1. A method for limiting the functionality of a mobile electronic device, said method comprising:

using a position determining component disposed within said mobile electronic device to determine the speed of said mobile electronic device;

determining that the speed of said mobile electronic device exceeds a speed threshold; and

restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device based upon said determining.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said using said position determining component further comprises:

utilizing a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) compliant position determining component to determine the speed of said mobile electronic device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

using said GNSS compliant position determining component to determine a current geographic position of said mobile electronic device; and

determining that said current geographic position of said mobile electronic device comprises a road.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

generating an audible warning in response to said determining.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

restricting the use of a keypad of said mobile electronic device.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said restricting the use of said keypad further comprises:

permitting an allowed key sequence to be entered using said keypad.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said restricting the use of said keypad further comprises:

disabling said keypad.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

restricting the use of said mobile electronic device to receiving incoming telephone calls.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said restricting the use of said mobile electronic device to incoming telephone calls further comprises:

determining that said incoming telephone call is not from a permitted originator; and

terminating said incoming telephone call.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

determining that a telephone call using said mobile electronic device originated prior to said determining the speed of said mobile electronic device; and

permitting said telephone call to continue subsequent to said determining that said speed exceeds said speed threshold.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

requiring the use of a hands free device to operate said mobile electronic device.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

requiring the use of a voice activation system to utilize said mobile electronic device.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

using an automotive based voice activation system to receive a spoken command; and

utilizing a Bluetooth®

based automotive system to control said mobile electronic device based upon said spoken command.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

selecting said mobile electronic device from the group consisting of a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

15. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

shutting off said mobile electronic device.

16. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a bus;

a memory coupled with said bus;

a position determining component coupled with said bus; and

a processor coupled with said bus, said processor for executing a method for limiting the functionality of a mobile electronic device, said method comprising;

using said position determining component to determine the speed of said mobile electronic device;

determining that the speed of said mobile electronic device exceeds a speed threshold; and

restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device based upon said determining.

17. The mobile electronic device of claim 16 wherein said position determining component comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) compliant position determining component.

18. The mobile electronic device of claim 17 wherein said method further comprises:

using said position determining component to determine a current geographic position of said mobile electronic device; and

determining that said current geographic position of said mobile electronic device comprises a road.

19. The mobile electronic device of claim 16 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

generating an audible warning in response to said determining.

20. The mobile electronic device of claim 16 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

restricting the use of a keypad of said mobile electronic device.

21. The mobile electronic device of claim 20 wherein said restricting the use of said keypad further comprises:

permitting an allowed key sequence to be entered using said keypad.

22. The mobile electronic device of claim 20 wherein said restricting the use of said keypad further comprises:

disabling said keypad.

23. The mobile electronic device of claim 16 wherein said mobile electronic device comprises a cellular communication component and wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

restricting the use of said cellular communication component to receiving incoming telephone calls.

24. The mobile electronic device of claim 23 wherein said restricting the use of said mobile electronic device to receiving incoming telephone calls further comprises:

determining that said incoming telephone call is not from a permitted originator; and

terminating said incoming telephone call.

25. The mobile electronic device of claim 23 further comprising:

determining that a telephone call using said mobile electronic device originated prior to said determining the speed of said mobile electronic device; and

permitting said telephone call to continue subsequent to said determining that said speed exceeds said speed threshold.

26. The mobile electronic device of claim 16 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

requiring the use of a hands-free device to operate said mobile electronic device.

27. The mobile electronic device of claim 16 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

requiring the use of an automotive based voice activation system to receive a spoken command; and

utilizing a Bluetooth®

based automotive system to control said mobile electronic device based upon said spoken command.

28. The mobile electronic device of claim 16 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

requiring the use of a voice activation system to utilize said mobile electronic device.

29. The mobile electronic device of claim 16 wherein said mobile electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

30. The mobile electronic device of claim 16 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

shutting off said mobile electronic device.

31. A control component of a mobile electronic device, said control component comprising:

a speed input for receiving a speed of said mobile electronic device;

a speed comparator for determining when the speed of said mobile electronic device exceeds a speed threshold; and

a function controller for restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device based upon said determining.

32. The control component of claim 31 wherein said using said position determining component comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) compliant position determining component disposed within said mobile electronic device.

33. The control component of claim 32 further comprising:

a geographic position input for receiving a current geographic position of said mobile electronic device;

a position comparator for determining that said current geographic position of said mobile electronic device comprises a road; and

an indication generator for generating an indication that said current geographic position comprises a road.

34. The control component of claim 31 further comprising;

an audible warning initiator for initiating an audible warning.

35. The control component of claim 31 further comprising:

a keypad restrictor for restricting the use of a keypad of said mobile electronic device.

36. The control component of claim 31 further comprising:

an allowed key sequence database;

a key sequence verifier for verifying that an input key sequence corresponds comprises a key sequence stored in said allowed key sequence database; and

a key sequence enabler for permitting said input key sequence to be entered using said keypad.

37. The control component of claim 31 further comprising:

a keypad disabler for disabling said keypad.

38. The control component of claim 31 further comprising:

a message restrictor for restricting the use of said mobile electronic device to receiving incoming telephone calls.

39. The control component of claim 38 further comprising:

a caller comparator for determining that said incoming telephone call is not from a permitted originator; and

a call terminator for terminating said incoming telephone call.

40. The control component of claim 31 further comprising:

a device verifier for verifying the use of a hands-free device to operate said mobile electronic device.

41. The control component of claim 31 further comprising:

a voice activation verifier for verifying the use of a voice activation system to utilize said mobile electronic device.

42. The control component of claim 41 further comprising an automotive voice activation system verifier for verifying the use of a Bluetooth®

based automotive voice activation system to utilize said mobile electronic device.

43. The control component of claim 31 wherein said mobile electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

44. The control component of claim 31 further comprising:

a shut down initiator for initiating a shut down sequence of said mobile electronic device in response to said determining.

45. A cellular telephone comprising:

a bus;

a memory coupled with said bus;

a position determining component coupled with said bus; and

a processor coupled with said bus, said processor for executing a method for limiting the functionality of a cellular telephone, said method comprising;

using said position determining component to determine the speed of said cellular telephone;

determining that the speed of said cellular telephone exceeds a speed threshold; and

restricting the functionality of said cellular telephone based upon said determining.

46. The cellular telephone of claim 45 wherein said position determining component comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) compliant position determining component.

47. The cellular telephone of claim 46 wherein said method further comprises:

using said position determining component to determine a current geographic position of said cellular telephone; and

determining that said current geographic position of said cellular telephone comprises a road.

48. The cellular telephone of claim 45 wherein said restricting the functionality of said cellular telephone comprises:

generating an audible warning in response to said determining.

49. The cellular telephone of claim 45 wherein said restricting the functionality of said cellular telephone comprises:

restricting the use of a keypad of said cellular telephone.

50. The cellular telephone of claim 49 wherein said restricting the use of said keypad further comprises:

permitting an allowed key sequence to be entered using said keypad.

51. The cellular telephone of claim 49 wherein said restricting the use of said keypad further comprises:

disabling said keypad.

52. The cellular telephone of claim 49 further comprising a cellular communication component and wherein said restricting the functionality of said cellular telephone comprises:

restricting the use of said cellular communication component to receiving incoming telephone calls.

53. The cellular telephone of claim 52 wherein said restricting the use of said cellular telephone to receiving incoming telephone calls further comprises:

determining that said incoming telephone call is not from a permitted originator; and

terminating said incoming telephone call.

54. The cellular telephone of claim 45 further comprising:

determining that a telephone call using said cellular telephone originated prior to said determining the speed of said cellular telephone; and

permitting said telephone call to continue subsequent to said determining that said speed exceeds said speed threshold.

55. The cellular telephone of claim 45 wherein said restricting the functionality of said cellular telephone comprises:

requiring the use of a hands-free device to operate said cellular telephone.

56. The cellular telephone of claim 45 further comprising:

requiring the use of a voice activation system to utilize said cellular telephone.

57. The cellular telephone of claim 45 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

requiring the use of an automotive based voice activation system to receive a spoken command; and

utilizing a Bluetooth®

based automotive system to control said mobile electronic device based upon said spoken command.

58. The cellular telephone of claim 45 wherein said restricting the functionality of said cellular telephone comprises:

shutting off said cellular telephone.

59. A method for assuring compliance with a mandated requirement, said method comprising:

implementing a control component resident in said mobile electronic device in response to receiving an indication to limit the operation of said mobile electronic device in a moving vehicle;

using a position determining component disposed within said mobile electronic device to determine the speed of said mobile electronic device;

determining that the speed of said mobile electronic device exceeds a speed threshold; and

restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device based upon said determining.

60. The method as recited in claim 59 wherein said using said position determining component further comprises:

utilizing a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) compliant position determining component to determine the speed of said mobile electronic device.

61. The method as recited in claim 60 further comprising:

using said GNSS compliant position determining component to determine a current geographic position of said mobile electronic device; and

determining that said current geographic position of said mobile electronic device comprises a road.

62. The method as recited in claim 59 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

generating an audible warning in response to said determining.

63. The method as recited in claim 59 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

restricting the use of a keypad of said mobile electronic device.

64. The method as recited in claim 63 wherein said restricting the use of said keypad further comprises:

permitting an allowed key sequence to be entered using said keypad.

65. The method as recited in claim 63 wherein said restricting the use of said keypad further comprises:

disabling said keypad.

66. The method as recited in claim 63 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

restricting the use of said mobile electronic device to receiving incoming telephone calls.

67. The method as recited in claim 66 wherein said restricting the use of said mobile electronic device to incoming telephone calls further comprises:

determining that said incoming telephone call is not from a permitted originator; and

terminating said incoming telephone call.

68. The method as recited in claim 66 further comprising:

determining that a telephone call using said mobile electronic device originated prior to said determining the speed of said mobile electronic device; and

permitting said telephone call to continue subsequent to said determining that said speed exceeds said speed threshold.

69. The method as recited in claim 59 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

requiring the use of a hands-free device to operate said mobile electronic device.

70. The method as recited in claim 59 further comprising:

using an automotive based voice activation system to receive a spoken command; and

utilizing a Bluetooth®

based automotive system to control said mobile electronic device based upon said spoken command.

71. The method as recited in claim 59 further comprising:

requiring the use of a voice activation system to utilize said mobile electronic device.

72. The method as recited in claim 59 further comprising:

selecting said mobile electronic device from the group consisting of a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

73. The method as recited in claim 59 wherein said restricting the functionality of said mobile electronic device comprises:

shutting off said mobile electronic device.