METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING OPERATION OF ONE OR MORE FUNCTIONS OF A MOBILE APPLICATION

• US 20120166788A1
• Filed: 12/28/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Racha, Srini, Gersabeck, David Marvin
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

Various embodiments include a method for regulating operation of mobile applications executing on a nomadic device. Signals for determining a speed of travel may be received at the nomadic device. The speed may be determined based on the one or more signals. If the determined speed exceeds a speed threshold, a speed restriction flag may be set and one or more functions of the mobile applications may be restricted. If, after setting the speed restriction flag, a speed cannot be determined, the application functions may be continually restricted until a speed can be determined.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for regulating operation of one or more mobile applications, the method comprising:

receiving on a nomadic device one or more signals for determining a speed at which the nomadic device is travelling;

determining the speed based on the one or more signals;

if the determined speed exceeds a speed threshold,

setting a speed restriction flag; and

restricting one or more functions of the one or more mobile applications executing on the nomadic device; and

if, after setting the speed restriction flag, a speed cannot be determined, continuing restriction of one or more functions of the one or more applications until a speed can be determined.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein, if the speed cannot be determined and the speed restriction flag is not set, the method further comprising enabling one or more functions of the one or more mobile applications until a determination is made that the determined speed exceeds the speed threshold.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein determining the speed further comprises:

receiving a first position at a first time;

receiving a second position at a second time;

determining if a change in position has occurred based on the first and second positions;

if so, based on a change in position, the first time, and the second time, determining the speed; and

if not, receiving the one or more signals for determining the speed.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein determining the speed is performed periodically.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the one or more signals are GPS signals.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the one or more functions are one or more inputs to the one or more mobile applications.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein the one or more inputs are received via a vehicle computing system.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein the one or more inputs are received on the nomadic device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the nomadic device is travelling in a vehicle.

10. A computer-implemented method for regulating operation of one or more mobile applications, the method comprising:

monitoring by the nomadic device for one or more signals for determining a speed of travel of the nomadic device;

if a speed cannot be determined based on the monitoring, determining if one or more inputs to a mobile application executing on the nomadic device are restricted or unrestricted;

if restricted, continuing restriction of one or more inputs to the application until a speed can be determined; and

if unrestricted, permitting one or more inputs to the application until a determination is made that a determined speed of the nomadic device exceeds one or more speed thresholds.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 further comprising, if the speed can be determined, determining if a determined speed exceeds one or more speed thresholds.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein determining if the one or more inputs are restricted or unrestricted is based on whether the determined speed previously exceeded the speed threshold.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 wherein the determining is based on a presence of one or more speed restriction flags.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein one or more inputs to the one or more mobile applications are unrestricted at application start up and, after startup and when the speed can be determined, the method further comprising:

restricting the one or more inputs as soon as the determined speed exceeds the speed threshold; and

thereafter restricting the one or more inputs when the speed cannot be determined.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein, if restricted, continuing restriction of one or more inputs to the application until a speed can be determined, wherein the one or more inputs to the one or more mobile applications is unrestricted if the determined speed is less than the speed threshold.

16. A system comprising:

a nomadic device; and

a mobile application executing on the nomadic device comprising instructions for;

receiving signals for determining a speed of travel;

determining the speed;

if the speed exceeds a speed threshold,

setting a speed restriction flag; and

restricting functions of the mobile application; and

if, after setting the speed restriction flag, a speed cannot be determined, continuing the restricting until a speed can be determined.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the nomadic device is in a vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the mobile application further comprises instructions for executing the instructions of the mobile application if one vehicle occupant is in the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the mobile application further comprises instructions for receiving instructions to override restricting inputs to the mobile application.

20. The system of claim 20 wherein the override is based on a presence of more than one vehicle occupant.