MOBILE DEVICE SAFETY

• US 20090179752A1
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jain, Mukul, Kumar, Sanjeev, Patel, Labhesh, Shaffer, Shmuel
• Granted Patent: US 8,432,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes

Abstract

In an example embodiment, an automatic warning system that warns users of personal mobile devices (such as cellular telephones and portable music players) when they enter or are near the threshold of a hazardous area while using their mobile device. In an example embodiment, the mobile device is automatically paused upon entering a street and resumes when the user has crossed the street. In a cellular telephone embodiment, calls are automatically put on hold upon entering the hazardous area, optionally the other parties to the call are informed of the reason for the hold, and the call is automatically resumed when all parties have left the hazardous area.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a positioning module; and

an alarm module;

wherein the positioning module is configured to determine a current location; and

wherein the alarm module determines from the current location whether the apparatus is in a predefined hazardous location, the alarm module is responsive to communicate a warning responsive to determining the apparatus is in a predefined hazardous location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the positioning module further comprises a mapping module, wherein the mapping module is configured to determine the current location on a virtual map.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the predefined hazardous area is a street, the alarm module communicates an alarm responsive to determining the apparatus is on a street.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the alarm module further comprises first and second outputs;

wherein the alarm module transmits a signal on the first output responsive to determining the apparatus is in a predefined hazardous location; and

wherein the alarm module transmits a signal on the second output responsive to determining the apparatus is not in a predefined hazardous location.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the positioning module further comprises a velocity sensor for determining velocity;

wherein the alarm module determines from the current position and velocity whether the apparatus is at risk for entering a predefined hazardous area in less than a predetermined time; and

wherein the alarm module is responsive to communicate a warning in response to determining the apparatus is at risk for entering a predefined hazardous level in less than a predetermined time.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the velocity sensor determines a velocity vector.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user input, wherein activation of the user input discontinues communicating the warning.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein the user interface is operable to receive data representative of areas for the positioning module to ignore and to not communicate warning.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user interface is further configured to receive data representative of a type of output for the alarm module to produce while in the alarm state.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an audio output, wherein the alarm module is configured to output an audio warning superimposed on the audio output.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the audio warning is at a higher volume than the audio output of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a controllable switching device coupled to an audio output of an associated device and an output of the alarm module;

wherein the controllable switching device is operable to output the audio output of the associated device while the alarm module is not in an alarm state; and

wherein the controllable switching device is operable to output the output of the alarm module while the alarm module is in an alarm state.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wireless interface in data communication with the alarm module operable to receive a wireless signal from an external source, wherein the alarm module communicates a warning responsive to determining the apparatus is located on a street and receiving a signal via the wireless interface that a vehicle is on the street.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cellular telephone circuit in communication with the alarm module, wherein the alarm module is configured to place a call on hold while the apparatus is in the predefined hazardous area.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the alarm module is further configured to notify another party to a call associated with the cellular telephone circuit that the call is on hold.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a transceiver operable to send and receive data;

a positioning module; and

an alarm module;

wherein the positioning module is operable to receive data from the transceiver for determining the current location of an associated wireless device;

wherein the alarm module is configured to determine from the current location of the associated wireless device whether the associated wireless device is in a hazardous area; and

wherein the alarm module is operable to send data to the associated wireless device via the transceiver responsive to determining the associated wireless device is in a predefined hazardous area.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, the positioning module further comprises a mapping module, wherein the mapping module is configured to determine the current location of the associated wireless device on a virtual map.

18. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the hazardous area is a street, the alarm module communicates an alarm responsive to determining the apparatus is on a street.

19. A method, comprising:

determining a current position of an associated device;

rendering the current position based on a virtual map;

determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map whether the associated device is located in a predefined hazardous area; and

communicating a warning to the associated device responsive to determining the associated device is located in the predefined hazardous area.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a velocity for the associated device;

determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the velocity whether the associated device will enter a hazardous area within a predetermined time period; and

communicating a warning to the associated device responsive to determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the velocity that the associated device will enter a predefined hazardous area within the predetermined time period.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining the relative velocity between the associated device and the predefined hazardous area;

determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the relative velocity whether the associated device will enter a hazardous area within a predetermined time period; and

communicating a warning to the associated device responsive to determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the velocity that the associated device will enter a predefined hazardous area within the predetermined time period.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining the relative velocity between the associated device and a moving hazard;

determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the relative velocity whether the associated device will collide with the moving hazard; and

communicating a warning to the associated device responsive to determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the relative velocity that the associated device will collide with the moving hazard within the predetermined time period.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the associated device is not moving.