METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR MANAGING OPERATION OF A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20120206254A1
• Filed: 02/10/2011
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Lake Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sitting Man LLC
• Inventors: Morris, Robert Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,902,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2055 Line restrictions

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for managing operation of a portable electronic device. Vehicle information, about an automotive vehicle, is received. Device information, about a portable electronic device configured to perform an operation, is received. An operator of the automotive vehicle is detected to be a user of the portable electronic device, based on the vehicle information and the device information. Operation information is sent, in response to detecting the operator is the user, to prevent the portable electronic device from performing the operation.

Claims

1. A method for managing operation of a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving vehicle information about an automotive vehicle;

receiving device information about a portable electronic device configured to perform a first operation;

detecting, based on the vehicle information and the device information, that an operator of the automotive vehicle is a user of the portable electronic device; and

sending, in response to detecting the operator is the user, first operation information to prevent the portable electronic device from performing the first operation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the vehicle information identifies the operator based on an operation performed by the vehicle in response to an input received, by the automotive vehicle, from the operator and the device information indicates the portable electronic device is operating in response to a detected input from the user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the vehicle information identifies and the device information is based on at least one of a personal identification number (PIN), a hardware user identifier, an execution environment user identifier, an application user identifier, a password, a digital signature, a communications address, a network address, a device identifier, a vehicle identification number (VIN), a manufacturer identifier, a serial number, a model number, an ignition key, a detected start event, a removable data storage medium, a particular communications interface included in communicatively coupling the automotive vehicle and the portable electronic device, temporal information, an ambient condition, geospatial information, another occupant of the automotive vehicle, another portable electronic device, a velocity of the automotive vehicle, an acceleration of the automotive vehicle, a topographic attribute of a route of the automotive vehicle, a count of occupants in the automotive vehicle, a measure of sound, a measure of attention of at least one of the operator and the user, an attribute of another automotive vehicle, and an operational component of the automotive vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the communications address includes at least one of a phone address, an email address, an instant message address, a short message service (SMS) address, a multi-media message service (MMS) address, an instant message address, a presence tuple identifier, and a video communications address.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the vehicle information and the device information is received in response to a detecting of at least one of a request to perform and a performing of the first operation by at least one of the automotive vehicle and the portable electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting comprises:

determining that the automotive vehicle and the portable electronic device are communicatively coupled via a particular at least one of a communications interface, a network port, and a protocol; and

detecting that the operator is the user based on the at least one of the communications interface, the network port, and the protocol.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a personal identity of the user and the operator is not determined in the detecting.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the detecting and the sending is based on at least one of a personal identification number (PIN), a hardware user identifier, an execution environment user identifier, an application user identifier, a password, a digital signature, a communications address, a network address, a device identifier, a vehicle identification number (VIN), a manufacturer identifier, a serial number, a model number, an ignition key, a detected start event, a removable data storage medium, a particular communications interface included in communicatively coupling the automotive vehicle and the portable electronic device, temporal information, an ambient condition, geospatial information, another occupant of the automotive vehicle, another portable electronic device, a velocity of the automotive vehicle, an acceleration of the automotive vehicle, a topographic attribute of a route of the automotive vehicle, a count of occupants in the automotive vehicle, a measure of sound, a measure of attention of at least one of the operator and the user, an attribute of another automotive vehicle, and an operational component of the automotive vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the detecting and the sending is performed in response to a message, received via a network, that identifies information for presenting to at least one of the operator and the user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the detecting and the sending is performed in response to a request, from at least one of the operator and the user, to send a message via a network to an identified communicant.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein sending first operation information includes sending presentation information for presenting to at least one of the operator and the user, via a presentation device, a user interface element to prevent the portable electronic device from performing the first operation.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

determining that at least one of that the operator is currently operating the vehicle and that the portable electronic device is performing an operation in response a detected input from the user; and

sending the first operation information in response to the determining.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first operation information provides an indication for altering at least one of an amount of power available to a component included in performing the first operation and a security attribute associated with at least one of the user and a resource processed in performing the first operation.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the first operation includes at least one of presenting output to the user, receiving input from the user, receiving a message included in a communication including the user as a communicant, and sending a message included in a communication including the user as a communicant.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the first operation is identified based on a content type of a data entity included in performing the first operation.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the first operation is identified based on at least one of an identifier of an executable, a process, a thread, a hardware component identifier, a location in a data storage medium, a software component, a universal resource identifier (URI), a MIME type, an attribute of a user interaction included in performing the operation, a network address, a protocol, a communications interface, a content handler component, and a command line.

17. The method claim 1 further comprises:

detecting that the user is not operating the vehicle, subsequent to sending the first operation information; and

sending second operation information to allow the portable electronic device to perform the first operation.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation information identifies a specified time period for allowing the first operation to be performed before it is prevented.

19. A system for managing operation of a portable electronic device, the system comprising:

an execution environment including an instruction-processing unit configured to process an instruction included in at least one of an operator identity component, a device user identity component, a match component, and an operation director component;

the operator identity component configured for receiving vehicle information about an automotive vehicle;

the device user identity component configured for receiving device information about a portable electronic device configured to perform a first operation;

the match component configured for detecting, based on the vehicle information and the device information, that an operator of the automotive vehicle is a user of the portable electronic device; and

the operation director component configured for sending, in response to detecting the operator is the user, first operation information to prevent the portable electronic device from performing the first operation.

20. A computer-readable medium embodying a computer program, executable by a machine, for managing operation of a portable electronic device, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:

receiving vehicle information about an automotive vehicle;

receiving device information about a portable electronic device configured to perform a first operation;

detecting, based on the vehicle information and the device information, that an operator of the automotive vehicle is a user of the portable electronic device; and

sending, in response to detecting the operator is the user, first operation information to prevent the portable electronic device from performing the first operation.