Speed-Disabled Mobile Phone And Method

• US 20120021717A1
• Filed: 07/24/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David A. Schmidt
• Original Assignee: David A. Schmidt
• Inventors: Schmidt, David A.
• Application Number:
  US12/843,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20120021717A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724634 With partially locked states, e.g. when some telephonic functional locked states or applications remain accessible in the locked states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An apparatus and method for safely using a speed-sensing mobile phone with a speed-disabled state, in order to prevent phone communications from distracting a driver in a vehicle yet still allowing emergency use. In a first form, the phone includes a traffic delay timer communicating with the speed sensor, and the phone is latched or held in the speed-disabled state for a preprogrammed period of time even after the vehicle/phone speed drops to zero. In a further form, the phone includes a one-touch emergency override switch that makes an emergency phone call to a preprogrammed number, even when the phone is speed-disabled and without altering the speed-disabled state of the phone.

Claims

1. In a mobile phone including a speed sensor and a speed-disabled state, an apparatus for maintaining the mobile phone in the speed-disabled state comprising:

a traffic delay timer in the mobile phone, the traffic delay timer communicating with the speed sensor to hold the phone in the speed-disabled state for a traffic delay period if the speed sensor senses that the mobile phone has returned to zero velocity while in the speed-disabled state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the traffic delay period is programmable.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the traffic delay period is programmable only by entry of a password or code into the mobile phone.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an emergency override switch on the mobile phone, the emergency override switch communicating with a call controller in the phone to make an emergency phone call to a preprogrammed number or set of numbers when the phone is in the speed-disabled state without altering the speed-disabled state.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the emergency override switch comprises a mechanical feature preventing accidental operation of the switch.

6. In a mobile phone including a speed sensor and a speed-disabled state, a method for maintaining the mobile phone in the speed-disabled state comprising:

maintaining the phone in the speed-disabled state for a traffic delay period if the speed sensor senses that the mobile phone has returned to zero velocity while in the speed-disabled state.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising partially overriding the speed-disabled state by using a one-touch switch on the phone to make an emergency phone call to a preprogrammed number or set of numbers when the phone is in the speed-disabled state without altering the speed-disabled state.

7. The method of claim 7, wherein a value of a trigger speed for the speed-disabled state is lowered after the traffic delay period.