DETECTION OF MOBILE PHONE USAGE

• US 20120015690A1
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Inventors: Miao, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 9,888,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatuses for detecting the use of a mobile communications device while driving a vehicle. Data from a vehicle is correlated with data on the use of a mobile communications device to determine if the mobile communications device was used at the same time as the vehicle was in operation. The respective locations of the mobile communications device and vehicle are correlated to determine if the mobile communications device was in the same location as the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for detecting use of a mobile communications device by a user while the user is operating a vehicle, the system comprising:

an interface configured to receive first data and second data,

wherein the first data is indicative of use of the mobile communications device at a point in time and of a location of the mobile communications device at the point in time, and

wherein the second data is indicative of a location of the vehicle at the point in time and an operative state of the vehicle at the point in time; and

a processor configured to perform a process to determine that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle, the process comprising;

determining that the first data is indicative of the mobile communications device being used;

determining that the second data is indicative of the vehicle being operated; and

correlating the first data with the second data on the basis of respective location data, whereby to perform said determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second data comprises data received from a vehicle network via a communications module, the vehicle network connecting a plurality of electronic control units within the vehicle, the plurality of electronic control units being configured to transmit data indicative of the operative state of the vehicle on the vehicle network to the communications module.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of electronic control units within the vehicle comprises one or more of:

an engine control module;

a transmission control module;

a brake control module; and

an ignition control module, and

wherein the plurality of electronic control units are configured to transmit data comprising one or more of;

data indicative of revolutions per minute of an engine of the vehicle;

a speed of the vehicle;

a position of a brake of the vehicle; and

a position of an ignition switch of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first data originates from an application running on the mobile communications device, wherein the application running on the mobile communications device is configured to detect at least one operation of the mobile communications device indicative of use of the mobile communications device by a user.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the system is configured, responsive to a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle, to send a message to the application running on the mobile communications device, the message indicating that the application is to disable at least one operation of the mobile communications device whereby to disable the use of the mobile communications device.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the interface is configured to send a notification message to the mobile communications device, the notification message indicating that said use of the mobile communications device was disabled on the basis of a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first data originates from an intelligent network node associated with a mobile communications network, the mobile communications network providing a network service to the mobile communications device during said use thereof.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the system is configured, responsive to a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle, to send a message to the intelligent network node, the message indicating that the mobile communications network is to end said network service whereby to disable the use of the mobile communications device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the interface is configured to send a notification message to the mobile communications device, the notification message indicating that said use of the mobile communications device was disabled on the basis of a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1 comprising a memory configured to store data identifying locations with a high risk of accidents, wherein the system is configured to adaptively respond to a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle based on a risk of accident determined from the location of the vehicle and the mobile communications device.

11. The system of claim 1 comprising a memory configured to store the first data and the second data, and wherein the stored first and second data is used in historical analysis whereby to determine locations and/or driving patterns indicative of a higher risk of an accident.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface is configured, responsive to a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle, to send a signal to an alerting unit within the vehicle whereby to alert the driver of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface is configured to receive driver identification data, and wherein the processor is configured to use the driver identification data to associate a mobile communications device with the vehicle whereby to determine that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to determine if the first data is indicative of the mobile communications device being used, and, if the first determination is positive, to determine if the second data is indicative of the vehicle being operated, and, if the second determination is positive to correlate the first data with the second data on the basis of respective location data.

15. A system for detecting use of a mobile communications device by a user while the user is operating a vehicle, said vehicle having a plurality of operating states comprising at least engine-on and engine-off, the system comprising:

an interface configured to receive first data and second data,

wherein the first data is received from a radio receiver located within the vehicle and is indicative of use of the mobile communications device within the vehicle; and

wherein the second data comprises data indicative of the operating state of the vehicle received from a vehicle network; and

a processor configured to correlate said first and second data, whereby to determine that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the second data is indicative of one or more of:

a speed of the vehicle;

a position of an ignition switch of the vehicle;

a position of a brake of the vehicle; and

data indicative of revolutions per minute of an engine of the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the interface is configured, responsive to a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle, to send a signal to an alerting unit located within the vehicle whereby to alert the driver of the vehicle.

18. A system for detecting use of a mobile communications device by a user while the user is operating a vehicle, said vehicle having a plurality of operating states comprising at least engine-on and engine-off, the system comprising:

an interface configured to receive first data and second data,

wherein the first data is received from an application running on the mobile communications device and is indicative of the mobile communications device being used, and

wherein the second data comprises data indicative of an operative state of the vehicle; and

a processor configured to correlate said first and second data, whereby to determine that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

19. A system for detecting use of a mobile communications device by a user while the user is operating a vehicle, said vehicle having a plurality of operating states comprising at least engine-on and engine-off, the system comprising:

an interface configured to receive first data and second data,

wherein the first data is received from a node in an intelligent network system within a mobile communicants network and is indicative of the mobile communications device being used, and

wherein the second data comprises data indicative of an operative state of the vehicle; and

a processor configured to correlate said first and second data, whereby to determine that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

20. A method for detecting use of a mobile communications device by a user while the user is operating a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving first data and second data, wherein the first data is indicative of use of the mobile communications device at a point in time and of a location of the mobile communications device at the point in time, and wherein the second data is indicative of a location of the vehicle at the point in time and an operative state of the vehicle at the point in time; and

determining that the first data is indicative of the mobile communications device being used;

determining that the second data is indicative of the vehicle being operated; and

correlating the first data with the second data on the basis of respective location data, whereby to perform said determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second data comprises data received from a vehicle network via a communications module, the vehicle network connecting a plurality of electronic control units within the vehicle, the plurality of electronic control units being configured to transmit data indicative of the operative state of the vehicle on the vehicle network to the communications module, wherein the plurality of electronic control units within the vehicle comprises one or more of:

an engine control module;

a transmission control module;

a brake control module; and

an ignition control module, and wherein the plurality of electronic control units are configured to transmit data comprising one or more of;

data indicative of revolutions per minute of an engine of the vehicle;

a speed of the vehicle;

a position of a brake of the vehicle; and

a position of an ignition switch of the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the first data originates from an application running on the mobile communications device, wherein the application running on the mobile communications device is configured to detect at least one operation of the mobile communications device indicative of use of the mobile communications device by a user, wherein the method comprises sending, responsive to a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle, a message to the application running on the mobile communications device, the message indicating that the application is to disable at least one operation of the mobile communications device whereby to disable the use of the mobile communications device.

23. The method of claim 22 comprising sending a notification message to the mobile communications device, the notification message indicating that said use of the mobile communications device was disabled on the basis of a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the first data originates from an intelligent network node associated with a mobile communications network, the mobile communications network providing a network service to the mobile communications device during said use thereof, wherein the method comprises sending, responsive to a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle, a message to the intelligent network node, the message indicating that the mobile communications network is to end said network service whereby to disable the use of the mobile communications device.

25. The method of claim 24 comprising sending a notification message to the mobile communications device, the message indicating that said use of the mobile communications device was disabled on the basis of a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

26. The method of claim 20 comprising:

storing data identifying locations with a high risk of accidents; and

adaptively responding to a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle based on a risk of accident determined from the location of the vehicle and the mobile communications device.

27. The method of claim 20 comprising:

storing the first data and the second data; and

using the stored first and second data in historical analysis whereby to determine locations and/or driving patterns indicative of a higher risk of an accident.

28. The method of claim 20 comprising sending, responsive to a determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle, a signal to an alerting unit within the vehicle whereby to alert the driver of the vehicle.

29. The method of claim 20 comprising:

receiving driver identification data; and

using the driver identification data to associate a mobile communications device with the vehicle whereby to determine that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.

30. The method of claim 20 comprising:

determining if the first data is indicative of the mobile communications device being used; and

, if the first determination is positive,

determining if the second data is indicative of the vehicle being operated; and

, if the second determination is positive,

correlating the first data with the second data on the basis of respective location data.

31. A computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions thereon for execution on a computing system to implement a method for detecting use of a mobile communications device by a user while the user is operating a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving first data and second data, wherein the first data is indicative of use of the mobile communications device at a point in time and of a location of the mobile communications device at the point in time, and wherein the second data is indicative of a location of the vehicle at the point in time and an operative state of the vehicle at the point in time; and

determining that the first data is indicative of the mobile communications device being used;

determining that the second data is indicative of the vehicle being operated; and

correlating the first data with the second data on the basis of respective location data, whereby to perform said determination that the mobile communications device was used by the user while the user was operating the vehicle.