SAFETY FEATURES FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20100216509A1
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Longhorn Automotive Group LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: ZoomSafer Inc. (Aegis Mobility Incorporated)
• Inventors: Barbera, Melvin A., Riemer, Michael S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,270,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• 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 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information

Abstract

A portable device includes a safety feature that prevents some forms of use when the device is moving. The device may detect its speed or movement, compare that to a threshold, and provide a response or blocking function upon exceeding that threshold. The device may be a cell phone configured to disable transmission and reception of voice/text, conceal its display screen, and disable incorporated features and functions, if the cell phone is moving faster than walking speed or the movement is uncharacteristic of walking. The blocking function may be partially overridden based on a safety policy, which can be managed and customized. The introduction of hands-free devices may serve to override a blocking function and enable other functions.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device system, comprising:

a portable electronic device providing a plurality of functions;

a motion detection logic receiving data from a motion detector and communicating a signal indicative of a detected motion of the portable electronic device;

a safety circuit receiving the signal indicative of the detected motion, the safety circuit including a threshold logic comparing the detected motion indicated by the signal to one or more thresholds and generating one or more threshold signals, the safety circuit modifying a behavior of one or more functions from the plurality of functions in response to the one or more threshold signals; and

a safety policy received from a consumer of the portable electronic device, the safety policy indicating a consumer preference relating to the modification of the one or more functions in response to the one or more threshold signals.

2. A method of modifying a behavior of one or more functions from a plurality of functions provided by a portable electronic device, comprising the steps of:

detecting a motion of the portable electronic device;

comparing the motion to one or more thresholds;

determining whether the motion is in excess of one or more of the thresholds;

modifying the behavior of the one or more functions in response to the motion exceeding the one or more thresholds; and

allowing for the modification of the behavior of the one or more functions and the one or more thresholds to be defined by a safety policy.

3. A method of minimizing a plurality of location and movement requests when determining a movement of a portable electronic device, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first event from a plurality of events generated by one or more functions of the portable electronic device and generated by one or more remote entities;

setting a baseline interval equal to a first interval in response to the first event and a type of the first event, wherein the baseline interval specifies an amount of time between a first location request and a second location request from the plurality of location requests;

setting a running time of the baseline interval equal to a first running time, the running time dependent on the first event and the type of the first event; and

setting the baseline interval equal to a default interval and the running time equal to a default running time if no further events are received at the end of the running time of the first event.