VEHICLE SAFETY DEVICE FOR REDUCING DRIVER DISTRACTIONS

• US 20090029675A1
• Filed: 07/23/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allan Steinmetz
• Original Assignee: Allan Steinmetz
• Inventors: Lipoff, Stuart, Steinmetz, Allan, Magyari, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/12 for acoustic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/415 based on motion status or velocity, e.g. for disabling use of mobile phones in a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/42 characterized by the control of the jamming frequency or wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/43 characterized by the control of the jamming power, signal-to-noise ratio or geographic coverage area
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/68 using passive jamming, e.g. by shielding or reflection shielding of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic field H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A safety device for automotive vehicles (cars, buses and trucks) or rail locomotives. The device inhibits use of cellular telephones and other communication devices that run the risk of distracting a driver/operator while the vehicle is in motion. Several techniques for inhibiting use are described which can be used individually or in a complementary combinations. In one technique, a rapidly varying signal level is created local to the communication device. The variations exceed the operational limits of the system, thereby inhibiting communications. In another technique, the safety device emits radiation that interferes with the reception of signals by the communication device only within the interior of the vehicle and will not interfere with cell phones or wireless devises outside the automotive vehicle or rail locomotive. As another alternative, masking signals also may be generated to prevent signals sent by the communication device within the vehicle from being intelligible at receiving stations outside the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of preventing operation of a communication device, the method comprising:

causing variations of a level of a signal of the type received by the communication device from a base station, wherein the variations have an amplitude and occur at a frequency that limits operation of the communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein causing variations comprises controlling at least one passive, switchable device to modify the level of an existing signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein causing variations comprises controlling a repeater to selectively amplify and retransmit a signal used for attempted communication between the communication device and the base station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the variations are sufficiently rapid so as to disrupt a power control loop between the communication device and the cellular base station and thereby prevent or disable a connection between the communication device and the cellular base station.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the variations comprise an amplitude of at least 7 dB at least 300 times per second.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein causing variations comprises causing variations within an automotive vehicle, a railway locomotive, a theater or house of worship.

7. A method of selectively limiting operation of a communication device within a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting an operating condition of the vehicle; and

in response to the detected operating condition, controlling a device to limit operation of the communication device within the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle comprises an automotive vehicle or a rail locomotive.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the condition comprises motion of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the condition comprises operation of an engine of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising detecting an attempted operation of the communication device within a driver area of the vehicle;

wherein controlling the device comprises focusing energy within the driver area in response to the detected operating condition and the detected attempted operation of the communication device.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the safety device comprises controlling the device to limit operation of the communication device in only a first portion of a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the first portion including an operator'"'"'s seat.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein controlling the device comprises directing a signal toward the first portion of the passenger compartment such that the signal limits operation of the communication device in the first portion of the passenger compartment and does not limit operation of the communication device in a second portion of the passenger compartment.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the device comprises controlling the device to generate a radio frequency signal that limits operation of the communication device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the device further comprises controlling the device to generate the radio frequency signal at a level that does not interfere with operation of communication devices of the same type as the communication device outside the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the device comprises controlling the device to generate an acoustic signal that limits operation of the communication device.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the device comprises controlling the device to generate a masking signal that limits operation of the communication device.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the device comprises controlling the device to modify a signal of the type used by the communication device to vary in amplitude by at least 7 dB at a rate faster than 300 Hz.

19. A device to selectively limit operation of a communication device within a vehicle, the device comprising:

a controller adapted to limit operation of the communication device within the vehicle in response to detection of an operating condition of the vehicle.

20. The safety device of claim 19, further comprising a motion detector coupled to the controller, the motion detector adapted to detect motion of the vehicle;

wherein the operating condition comprises motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detector.

21. The safety device of claim 20, further comprising a radio frequency transmitter coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller is adapted to cause the radio frequency transmitter to generate radio frequency signals sufficient to limit operation of the communication device in response to detection of the operating condition of the vehicle associated with unsafe operation of the communication device.

22. The safety device of claim 19, further comprising an acoustic transmitter coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller is adapted to cause the acoustic transmitter to generate acoustic signals sufficient to limit operation of the communication device in response to detection of the operating condition of the vehicle associated with unsafe operation of the communication device.

23. The safety device of claim 19, further comprising a masking transmitter coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller is adapted to cause the masking transmitter to generate a masking signal sufficient to limit operation of the communication device in response to detection of the operating condition of the vehicle associated with unsafe operation of the communication device.

24. The safety device of claim 19, further comprising:

a steerable directional antenna coupled to the controller; and

a transceiver coupled to the controller and adapted to identify a direction from which a signal from the communication device is received and provide an indication of said direction to the controller; and

wherein the controller is adapted to steer the antenna toward said direction in response to the indication of said direction.

25. The safety device of claim 19, further comprising a passive device;

wherein the controller is adapted to switch a state of the passive device to cause variations of a level of a signal of the type received by the communication device from a cellular base station, wherein the variations limit operation of the communication device within the vehicle.

26. The safety device of claim 19, further comprising an amplifier;

wherein the controller is adapted to control a gain of the amplifier to cause variations of a level of a signal of the type received by the communication device from a cellular base station, wherein the variations create a fast fading environment that limits operation of the communication device within the vehicle.

27. The safety device of claim 19 in combination with a vehicle comprising:

a detector adapted to detect an operating condition of the vehicle associated with unsafe operation of a communication device.

28. The vehicle of claim 27, wherein the controller is adapted to cause variations of a level of a signal of the type received by the communication device from a cellular base station, wherein the variations limit operation of the communication device within the vehicle.

29. The vehicle of claim 28, wherein the variations are sufficiently rapid so as to disrupt a power control loop between the communication device and the cellular base station and thereby prevent or disable a connection between the communication device and the cellular base station.