Cell phone system for enabling and disabling a vehicle

• US 20110070930A1
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dock-N-Lock, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dock-N-Lock, LLC
• Inventors: Pothul, Ronald J., Pothul, Joseph N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,553,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/667 Preventing unauthorised calls from a telephone set H04M1/677 takes precedence

Abstract

A cell phone system (10) for enabling and disabling a vehicle (12) includes a cell phone (20) and a receiving receptacle (22) secured within the vehicle (12) that is configured so that the cell phone (20) cannot transmit signals whenever the cell phone (20) is secured within the receiving receptacle (22). A vehicle enabling mechanism (44) is secured within the receiving receptacle (22) and is also secured in communication with an engine (50) of the vehicle (12) so that placement of the cell phone (20) within the receiving receptacle (22) activates the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to put the vehicle (12) in an enabled mode, and so that removal of the cell phone (20) from the receiving receptacle (22) deactivates the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to put the vehicle (12) in a disabled mode.

Claims

1. A cell phone system (10) for enabling and disabling a vehicle (12), the vehicle (12) being for transporting at least a vehicle operator (14), the vehicle (12) having an enabled mode for permitting motion of the vehicle (12) and a disabled mode for preventing motion of the vehicle (12), the system comprising:

a. a cell phone (20) for transmitting and receiving communication signals, the cell phone (20) having a fully operational mode for permitting transmission and reception of communication signals and an idle mode for preventing transmission of communication signals;

b. a receiving receptacle (22) secured within the vehicle (12) and configured for receiving and securing the cell phone (20) within receiving receptacle (22) so that the cell phone (20) is in the idle mode whenever the cell phone (20) is secured within the receiving receptacle (22); and

,

c. a vehicle enabling mechanism (44) secured within the receiving receptacle (22) and secured in communication with an engine (50) of the vehicle (12), the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) being configured so that placement of the cell phone (20) into the receiving receptacle (22) activates the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to put the vehicle (12) in the enabled mode, and so that removal of the cell phone (20) from the receiving receptacle (22) deactivates the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to put the vehicle (12) in the disabled mode.

2. The cell phone system (10) of claim 1, wherein the cell phone (20) includes an information strip (40A), and the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) includes an information reading apparatus (60) secured so that the information reading apparatus (60) reads information on the information strip (40A) to activate the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to put the vehicle (12) in the enabled mode.

3. The cell phone system (10) of claim 2, wherein the information reading apparatus (60) is a bar code reader head (60).

4. The cell phone system (10) of claim 1, further comprising the receiving receptacle (22) including an auto lock (70) secured in communication with the engine (50) of the vehicle (12), wherein the auto lock (70) automatically locks a top (28) of the receiving receptacle (22) to a base (30) of the receptacle (22) in response to operation of the engine (50) of the vehicle (12).

5. The cell phone system (10) of claim 1, further comprising a by-pass card (46) having a by-pass information strip (48) configured so that placement of the by-pass card (46) into the receiving receptacle (22) activates the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to put the vehicle (12) in the enabled mode, and so that removal of the by-pass card (46) from the receiving receptacle (22) deactivates the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to put the vehicle (12) in the disabled mode.

6. The cell phone system (10) of claim 1, wherein the receiving receptacle (22) is integral with a dashboard (26) of the vehicle (12).

7. The cell phone system (10) of claim 1, wherein the receiving receptacle (22) is a retro-fit receiving receptacle (22) secured to the vehicle (12).

8. The cell phone system (10) of claim 1, further comprising the receiving receptacle (22) including a top (28) and a base (30) wherein the top (28) and base (30) house a resilient contact material (36) for cushioning the cell phone (20) and for securing the cell phone (20) in a fixed position whenever the top (28) is secured to the base (30), and the resilient contact material (36) within the base (30) defining a reader void (62) dimensioned to house an information reading apparatus (60) for reading information on the cell phone (20).

9. The cell phone system (10) of claim 8, wherein the resilient contact material (36) within the base (30) of the receiving receptacle (22) is manufactured from a compound selected from the group consisting of optically transparent materials and see-through mesh materials.

10. A method of using a cell phone (20) to enable and disable a vehicle (12), the vehicle (12) being for transporting at least a vehicle operator (14), the vehicle (12) having an enabled mode for permitting motion of the vehicle (12) and a disabled mode for preventing motion of the vehicle (12), the method comprising:

a. applying enabling information to the cell phone (20);

b. constructing a receiving receptacle (22) so that placement of the cell phone (20) within the receiving receptacle (22) prohibits transmission of communication signals from the cell phone (20);

c. securing a vehicle enabling mechanism (44) within the receiving receptacle (22);

d. securing the receiving receptacle (22) within the vehicle (12);

e. then securing the cell phone (20) within the receiving receptacle (22) to activate the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to thereby put the vehicle (12) in an enabled mode for permitting motion of the vehicle (12); and

,

f. then removing the cell phone (20) from the receiving receptacle (22) to deactivate the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to thereby put the vehicle (12) in a disabled mode for preventing motion of the vehicle (12).

11. The method of using a cell phone (20) to enable and disable a vehicle (12) of claim 10, wherein the step of applying enabling information to the cell phone (20) further comprises applying an information strip (40A) to the cell phone (20).

12. The method of using a cell, phone (20) to enable and disable a vehicle (12) of claim 10, further comprising replacing the step of then securing the cell phone (20) within the receiving receptacle (22) with a step of securing a by-pass card (46) within the receiving receptacle (22), and replacing the step of removing the cell phone (20) from the receiving receptacle (22) with a step of removing the by-pass card (46) from the receiving receptacle (22).

13. The method of using a cell phone (20) to enable and disable a vehicle (12) of claim 10, wherein the step of applying enabling information to the cell phone (20) further comprises, securing an information strip (40A) upon a reader head (60) within the receiving receptacle (22) so that an information surface of the information strip (40A) is adjacent the reader head (60) and an opposed adhesive surface of the information strip (40A) faces in a direction away from the reader head (60);

then placing the cell phone (20) within the receiving receptacle (22) so that it is positioned adjacent the reader head (60);

then compressing the cell phone (20) against resilient material (36) adjacent the reader head (60) so that the information strip (40A) adheres to the cell phone (20) in a fixed position that permits reading of the information on the information strip (40A) by the reader head (60) whenever the cell phone (20) is placed within the receiving receptacle (22).

14. The method of using a cell phone (20) to enable and disable a vehicle (12) of claim 10, further comprising automatically locking a top (28) to a base (30) of the receiving receptacle (22) in response to operation of the engine (50) of the vehicle (12) to thereby prohibit removal of the cell phone (20) from the receiving receptacle (22).

15. A method of prohibiting operation of a specific cell phone (20) by a specific vehicle operator (14) while the vehicle (12) is in an enabled mode, the method comprising:

a. identifying the vehicle operator (14) as a high-risk operator (14);

b. applying enabling information to the cell phone (20);

c. constructing a receiving receptacle (22) so that placement of the cell phone (20) within the receiving receptacle (22) prohibits transmission of communication signals from the cell phone (20);

d. securing a vehicle enabling mechanism (44) within the receiving receptacle (22);

e. securing the receiving receptacle (22) within the vehicle (12);

f. distributing the cell phone (20) to the high-risk vehicle operator (14);

g. then securing the cell phone (20) within the receiving receptacle (22) by the high-risk vehicle operator (14) to activate the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to thereby put the vehicle (12) in an enabled mode for permitting operation of the vehicle (12) by the high-risk driver; and

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h. then removing the cell phone (20) from the receiving receptacle (22) by the high-risk vehicle operator (14) to deactivate the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to thereby put the vehicle (12) in a disabled mode for preventing motion of the vehicle (12).

16. The method of prohibiting operation of a specific cell phone (20) by a specific vehicle operator (14) while the vehicle (12) is in an enabled mode of claim 15, wherein the step of applying enabling information to the cell phone (20) further comprises applying an information strip (40A) to the cell phone (20).

17. The method of prohibiting operation of a specific cell phone (20) by a specific vehicle operator (14) while the vehicle (12) is in an enabled mode of claim 15, further comprising automatically locking a top (28) to a base (30) of the receiving receptacle (22) in response to operation of the engine (50) of the vehicle (12) to thereby prohibit removal of the cell phone (20) from the receiving receptacle (22) while the vehicle (12) is in the enabled mode.