INTRA-VEHICULAR MOBILE DEVICE MANAGEMENT

• US 20140134992A1
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilfred Ludick
• Original Assignee: Wilfred Ludick
• Inventors: Ludick, Wilfred
• Granted Patent: US 9,208,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30268 Vehicle interior
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• 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 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The illustrative embodiments described herein provide a computer-implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing mobile device usage in a moving vehicle. In response to detecting that a user is traveling at a speed consistent with vehicular travel, optical data from an interior of the moving vehicle is detected. The optical data is analyzed to identify a set of vehicular markers. The user'"'"'s intra-vehicular location is determined in relation to the set of vehicular markers. If the user'"'"'s intra-vehicular location is the driver'"'"'s seat, then restricted use protocols are initiated.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing usage of a mobile device, the computer implemented method comprising:

responsive to detecting a user is traveling at a speed consistent with vehicular travel, detecting optical data from an interior of a moving vehicle;

analyzing the optical data to identify a set of vehicular markers;

determining an intra-vehicular location of the user in relation to the set of vehicular markers; and

responsive to determining that the intra-vehicular location of the user is a driver'"'"'s seat, initiating restricted use protocols.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein detecting the speed of the mobile device is consistent with vehicular travel further comprises:

receiving, from a GPS component of the mobile device, speed data that exceeds a speed threshold.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein detecting the optical data comprises:

detecting forward-facing optical data with a forward-facing optical device; and

detecting a user-facing optical data with a user-facing optical device, wherein the user-facing optical data is detected substantially concurrently with the forward-facing optical data.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the intra-vehicular location of the user further comprises:

identifying, from forward-facing optical data, one or more markers in the set of vehicular markers are for operating the motor vehicle; and

responsive to determining that the user is located directly in front of the one or more markers, determining the intra-vehicular location of the user is the driver'"'"'s seat.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the intra-vehicular location of the user further comprises:

identifying a vehicular configuration of the moving vehicle from a geographic location of the user; and

determining, from user-facing optical data, the intra-vehicular location of the user from a relative position of the user and the set of vehicular markers with reference to the vehicular configuration.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a failure to determine the intra-vehicular location of the user, initiating the restricted use protocols.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein initiating restricted use protocols further comprises at least one of restricting gameplay and restricting texting.

8. A computer program product for managing usage of a mobile device, the computer program product comprising:

a computer recordable-type medium;

first program instructions for detecting optical data from an interior of a moving vehicle in response to detecting a user is traveling at a speed consistent with vehicular travel;

second program instructions for analyzing the detected optical data to identify a set of vehicular markers;

third program instructions for determining an intra-vehicular location of the user in relation to the set of vehicular markers;

fourth program instructions for initiating restricted use protocols in response to determining that the intra-vehicular location of the user is a driver'"'"'s seat; and

wherein the first program instructions, the second program instructions, the third program instructions, and the fourth program instructions are stored on the computer recordable-type medium.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the first program instructions further comprises:

fifth program instructions for receiving, from a GPS component of the mobile device, speed data that exceeds a speed threshold.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the first program instructions further comprises:

sixth program instructions for detecting forward-facing optical data with a forward-facing optical device; and

seventh program instructions for capturing user-facing optical data with a user-facing optical device, wherein the user-facing optical data is detected substantially concurrently with the forward-facing optical data.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the third program instructions further comprises:

eighth program instructions for identifying, from forward-facing optical data, one or more markers in the set of vehicular markers are for operating the motor vehicle; and

ninth program instructions for determining the intra-vehicular location of the user is the driver'"'"'s seat in response to determining that the user is located directly in front of the one or more markers.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the third program instructions further comprises:

tenth program instructions for identifying a vehicular configuration of the moving vehicle from a geographic location of the user; and

eleventh program instructions for determining, from user-facing optical data, the intra-vehicular location of the user from a relative position of the user and the set of vehicular markers with reference to the vehicular configuration.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

twelfth program instructions for initiating the restricted use protocols in response to a failure to determine the intra-vehicular location of the user; and

wherein the twelfth program instructions are stored on the computer recordable-type medium.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the fourth program instructions further comprises:

thirteenth program instructions for restricting at least one of gameplay and texting.

15. An apparatus for managing usage of a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

a bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes computer usable program code; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable program code to detect optical data from an interior of a moving vehicle in response to detecting a user is traveling at a speed consistent with vehicular travel;

analyze the detected optical data to identify a set of vehicular markers;

determine an intra-vehicular location of the user in relation to the set of vehicular markers; and

initiate restricted use protocols in response to determining that the intra-vehicular location of the user is a driver'"'"'s seat, initiating restricted use protocols.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to receive, from a GPS component of the mobile device, speed data that exceeds a speed threshold.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to detect forward-facing optical data with a forward-facing optical device;

and detect user-facing optical data with a user-facing optical device, wherein the user-facing optical data is detected substantially concurrently with the forward-facing optical data.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to identify, from forward-facing optical data, one or more markers in the set of vehicular markers are for operating the motor vehicle;

and determine the intra-vehicular location of the user is the driver'"'"'s seat in response to determining that the user is located directly in front of the one or more markers.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to identify a vehicular configuration of the moving vehicle from a geographic location of the user;

and determine, from user-facing optical data, the intra-vehicular location of the user from a relative position of the user and the set of vehicular markers with reference to the vehicular configuration.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to initiate the restricted use protocols in response to a failure to determine the intra-vehicular location of the user.