System for selectively disabling cell phone text messaging function

• US 20140213234A1
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Inselberg
• Original Assignee: Eric Inselberg
• Inventors: Inselberg, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,161,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system prevents a cell phone user from text messaging while within a transmission zone. The user'"'"'s cell phone text messaging functionality is turned off by a signal broadcasting system as the user enters a transmission zone. When the user exits the transmission zone, the cell phone resumes its texting capability, preserving text messaging functionality while the user is not within the transmission zone.

Claims

1. A selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system, comprising a signal broadcasting system and a cell phone, wherein:

a. said cell phone has a selectively deactivatable text messaging functionality and comprises;

i. a sensor adapted to receive characteristic signals from said signal broadcasting system;

ii. a central processing unit in communication with said sensor and including an internal memory configured to store machine executable instructions, said central processing unit being operable to execute said instructions to detect and process said characteristic signals and to enable and disable said text messaging functionality; and

b. said signal broadcasting system comprises an emitter configured to emit characteristic signals in a transmission zone, said signal broadcasting system being activated upon entering into said transmission zone, first and second characteristic signals being emitted during alternate activations of said signal broadcasting system; and

c. said cell phone is configured to;

i. detect said first characteristic signal received by said sensor;

ii. disable said text messaging functionality in response to detection of said first characteristic signal;

iii. thereafter to detect a second characteristic signal received by said sensor; and

iv. re-enable said text messaging functionality in response to detection of said second characteristic signal,

whereby a cell phone user is inhibited from text messaging while inside said transmission zone.

2. The selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system as recited by claim 1, wherein the signal broadcasting system is selected from a modulated radiofrequency signal means, a modulated low power piconet personal area network signal means, or a modulated infrared light signal means.

3. The selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system as recited by claim 1, wherein said broadcast signal is a simple signal that commands said cell phone text messaging functionality off during entry into said transmission zone and turns on said cell phone text messaging functionality when exiting from said transmission zone.

4. The selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system as recited by claim 1, wherein said first signal further includes one or more first security authentication codes and said second characteristic signal further includes the same one or more second security authentication codes.

5. The selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system as recited by claim 3, wherein said signal broadcasting system turns on an indicator light upon transmission of said first characteristic signal and said sensor enabled cell phone turns on a phone indicator light in the cell phone upon receipt of said first characteristic signal.

6. The selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system as recited by claim 5, wherein said signal broadcasting system turns off said dash indicator light upon transmission of said second characteristic signal and said sensor enabled cell phone turns off said phone indicator light upon receipt of said second characteristic signal.

7. The selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system as recited by claim 4, wherein said signal broadcasting system turns on an indicator light upon transmission of said first characteristic signal and said sensor enabled cell phone turns on a phone indicator light in the cell phone upon receipt of said first characteristic signal.

8. The selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system as recited by claim 7, wherein said signal broadcasting system turns off said indicator light upon transmission of said second characteristic signal and said sensor enabled cell phone turns off said phone indicator light upon receipt of said second characteristic signal.

9. The selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system as recited by claim 1, wherein the cell phone sensor is permanently turned on regardless the cell phone is turned on or turned off and the passage of a turned off cell phone that is turned off through the transmission zone broadcast unit sets a cell phone CPU interrupt so that when the cell phone is turned on inside the transmission zone, the text messaging functionality is turned off.

10. The selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system as recited by claim 9, wherein the turned off cell phone is never turned on and is passed through the transmission zone for a second time as the user exits the transmission zone, the cell phone sensor receives the signal from broadcast unit removing the cell phone CPU interrupt, thereby enabling the text messaging functionality when the user turns on the cell phone outside the transmission zone.