Apparatus and Method for Selectively Restricting or Disabling Electronic Device Functionality
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in selectively restricting functionality of a vehicle-mounted computer in a public service vehicle responsive to a vehicle status, the apparatus comprising:
- a tangible computer program product executable on a computer for restricting functionality of the vehicle-mounted computer responsive to a vehicle status being outside a preset parameter;
a microprocessor in communication with an onboard diagnostic (“
OBD”
) system of the public service vehicle via an assembly line diagnostic link (“
ALDL”
) connector, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to translate a query message for a vehicle status of one or more parameters of the public service vehicle received from the computer into a protocol readable by the OBD system of the public service vehicle and translate a response message received from the OBD system into a vehicle status message containing the vehicle status in format readable by the computer program product; and
wherein the computer program product is configured to periodically query the microprocessor for a vehicle status of one or more parameters of the public service vehicle and restrict one or more functions of the vehicle-mounted computer responsive to the vehicle status received from the microprocessor being outside a preset parameter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus that restricts or disables electronic device functionality based on vehicle status data received from the on-board computer (“OBD”) of a public service vehicle. In some embodiments, the vehicle status data is accessed from the OBD through an assembly line diagnostic link (“ALDL”) connector, which eliminates any need for modification of the vehicle during installation. If the software determines the vehicle status data is outside a preset range, which could be customized on a case-by-case basis, the on-board computer of the vehicle could be restricted or disabled until the vehicle status data returns to within the preset range.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in selectively restricting functionality of a vehicle-mounted computer in a public service vehicle responsive to a vehicle status, the apparatus comprising:
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a tangible computer program product executable on a computer for restricting functionality of the vehicle-mounted computer responsive to a vehicle status being outside a preset parameter; a microprocessor in communication with an onboard diagnostic (“
OBD”
) system of the public service vehicle via an assembly line diagnostic link (“
ALDL”
) connector, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to translate a query message for a vehicle status of one or more parameters of the public service vehicle received from the computer into a protocol readable by the OBD system of the public service vehicle and translate a response message received from the OBD system into a vehicle status message containing the vehicle status in format readable by the computer program product; andwherein the computer program product is configured to periodically query the microprocessor for a vehicle status of one or more parameters of the public service vehicle and restrict one or more functions of the vehicle-mounted computer responsive to the vehicle status received from the microprocessor being outside a preset parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15)
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13. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the computer program product is configured to disable at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch-screen associated with the vehicle-mounted computer responsive to the vehicle status being outside a preset parameter.
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16. A computerized method of selectively restricting functionality of a vehicle-mounted computer in a public service vehicle responsive to a vehicle status, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting a status of the public service vehicle by periodically querying an onboard diagnostic (“
OBD”
) system of the public service vehicle during operation using an assembly line diagnostic link (“
ALDL”
) connector;monitoring, on a computer, whether the public service vehicle is outside a preset parameter based on data received from the OBD system; responsive to determining that the data received from the OBD system is outside the preset parameter, restricting one or more functions of the vehicle-mounted computer; and responsive to an interruption in an electrical connection between the vehicle-mounted computer and the ALDL connector, restricting one or more functions of the vehicle-mounted computer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification