SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING DRIVER USE OF A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20140364153A1
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.), Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: REN, Xin
• Granted Patent: US 9,094,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• 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 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for restricting driver access to mobile devices while driving. The system includes an interface which facilities communicating with the vehicle and communicates with mobile devices present in the vehicle. The system determines the location of each mobile device in the vehicle in order to identify the mobile device belonging to the driver. If the vehicle is currently moving, functions of the driver'"'"'s mobile device can be restricted or limited, while allowing passengers full access to their mobile devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a link to a mobile device located within a vehicle;

determining a location for the mobile device within the vehicle;

collecting, in real-time, location data for at least one of the mobile device and the vehicle;

analyzing the location data; and

restricting at least one operation of the mobile device if the mobile device is located within a predetermined location within the vehicle and analysis of the location data indicates vehicle movement.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a connection to the vehicle.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein the step of establishing a connection comprises establishing a connection to a data communication port of the vehicle.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting location data comprises collecting vehicle operation data.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting location data comprises collecting global positioning system (GPS) data from the vehicle.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein:

establishing a link comprises establishing a link to all mobile devices located within the vehicle; and

determining a location comprises determining a location for all mobile devices located within the vehicle.

7. A method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving specification data from the vehicle.

8. A method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining a location comprises performing an acoustic ranging process between the mobile device and an acoustic transmission unit positioned at a predetermined location within the vehicle.

9. A method of claim 8, wherein the acoustic ranging process comprises:

transmitting a first acoustic wave by the mobile device;

receiving the first acoustic wave by the mobile device and the acoustic transmission unit;

waiting a predetermined time interval;

transmitting a second acoustic wave by the acoustic transmission unit;

receiving the second acoustic wave by the mobile device; and

calculating the distance between the mobile device and the acoustic transmission unit.

10. A method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined location is selected based on a driver position.

11. A method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined location is selected based on a maximum distance between a driver position and the acoustic transmission unit.

12. An apparatus comprising:

an interface for communicating with a vehicle;

a memory for storing at least specification data for one or more vehicles;

a transmitter for outputting acoustic waves at predetermined frequencies;

a receiver for receiving acoustic waves;

a wireless transceiver for communicating with at least one of a mobile device and a service provider network; and

a controller for controlling operation of at least the interface, the memory, the transmitter, the receiver, and the wireless transceiver, the controller being programmed to;

determine a location for the mobile device within the vehicle,

collect, in real-time, location data from at least one of the mobile device and the vehicle,

analyze the location data, and

restrict at least one operation of the mobile device if the mobile device is located within a predetermined location inside the vehicle and analysis of the location data indicates vehicle movement.

13. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the interface is configured for connection to a vehicle OBD-II port, and

the controller is further programmed to collect vehicle operation data via the OBD-II port.

14. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the wireless transceiver is capable of communicating with the mobile device and/or service provider network using at least one cellular communication protocol.

15. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the location data comprises GPS data from the mobile device.

16. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is further programmed to determine a location of the mobile device by performing an acoustic ranging process.

17. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is programmed to determine a location for all mobile devices located within the vehicle.

18. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller is further programmed to perform the acoustic ranging process by:

causing transmission of a first acoustic wave by the mobile device;

causing reception the first acoustic wave by the mobile device and the receiver;

waiting a predetermined time interval;

causing transmission of a second acoustic wave by the transmitter;

causing reception of the second acoustic wave by the mobile device; and

calculating the distance between the mobile device and the apparatus.

19. A method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined location is selected based on a driver position.

20. A method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined location is selected based on a maximum distance between a driver position and apparatus.

21. A method, comprising:

establishing a wireless communication link between a mobile device and a vehicle device fixed to the vehicle;

emitting a first acoustic tone from the mobile device located in a vehicle;

detecting the first tone with the mobile device at a first time;

detecting the first tone with the vehicle device fixed to the vehicle;

waiting a predetermined wait period after detection of the first tone;

emitting a second acoustic tone from the vehicle device following the wait period at a third time;

detecting the second tone with the mobile device at a fourth time;

determining a distance of the mobile device from the vehicle device based on a difference between the fourth time and the first time; and

disabling one or more features of the mobile device if the mobile device is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

collecting location data for the mobile device and from the vehicle device over the link;

analyzing the location data; and

re-enabling the one or more features of the mobile device if the analysis of the location data indicates no vehicle movement.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the predetermined distance is based on the vehicle type.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the predetermined distance is based on the vehicle make and model.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the mobile device performs a table lookup of the predetermined distance based on vehicle information wirelessly transmitted from the vehicle device.