RESTRICTING MOBILE DEVICE USAGE

• US 20160021238A1
• Filed: 03/21/2012
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellepathy Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Cellepathy Ltd.
• Inventors: Abramson, Dan, Pomerantz, Itzhak, Kashtan, Yuval, Ir, Sean, Inbar, Ohad, Lavie, Talia, Gigi, Shay
• Granted Patent: US 9,800,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• 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 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for selectively restricting a mobile device. In one implementation, a visual capture can be to identify one or more indicators within the visual capture. Based on the indicators, an implementation of a restriction at the mobile device can be adjusted. In another implementation inputs can be processed to compute a determination, determination reflecting at least one of the in-vehicle role of the user as a driver and the in-vehicle role of the user as a passenger; and, an operation state of the mobile device can be modified based on such a determination. According to another implementation, one or more outputs can be projected from a mobile device, inputs can be received, and such inputs and outputs can be processed to determine a correlation between them. A restriction can then be modified based on the correlation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a visual capture, the visual capture originating at a mobile device;

processing the visual capture with one or more processors to identify one or more indicators within the visual capture; and

based on the one or more indicators, adjusting an implementation of a restriction at the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more inputs; and

processing the one or more inputs with at least one of the visual capture or the one or more indicators to determine a relationship between the one or more inputs and the at least one of the visual capture or the one or more indicators;

wherein adjusting an implementation of a restriction comprises adjusting an implementation of the restriction based on the relationship.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of (a) receiving one or more inputs, (b) processing the one or more inputs, or (c) adjusting an implementation of a restriction are precluded based on a determination that a vehicle within which the mobile device is present is engaged in a turn.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more inputs; and

processing the one or more inputs to determine a presence of a passenger within a vehicle;

wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the implementation of the restriction at the mobile device based on the presence.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a directional heading from a GPS receiver;

receiving a directional input from at least one of a magnetometer or a compass;

processing the directional heading with the directional input to determine a relative orientation of the mobile device; and

further processing the relative orientation with at least one of the visual capture or the one or more indicators to compute a correlation between the relative orientation and the at least one of the visual capture or the one or more indicators;

wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the implementation of the restriction at the mobile device based on the correlation.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual capture comprises an image of at least a portion of a face of a user, and wherein the one or more indicators comprise a steady gaze of the user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual capture comprises an image of at least a portion of a face of a user, and wherein the one or more indicators comprise an absence of a steering wheel in the visual capture.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual capture comprises an image of one or more feet of a user, and wherein the one or more indicators comprise a position of the one or more feet.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual capture comprises an image of at least a portion of a body of a user, and wherein the one or more indicators comprise a presence of a fastened seatbelt in a passenger orientation.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual capture comprises an image of at least a portion of a license plate, and wherein the one or more indicators comprise an indication of close proximity of the license plate.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual capture comprises an image of an interior of a vehicle and wherein the one or more indicators comprise at least two hands and a steering wheel.

2-4. -4. (canceled)

6-8. -8. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

20-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A method comprising:

receiving one or more first inputs;

processing, with one or more processors, the one or more first inputs to compute a first determination, the first determination reflecting at least one of an in-vehicle role of a user as a driver or an in-vehicle role of the user as a passenger; and

modifying at least one operation state of a mobile device based on the first determination.

39. The method of claim 31, further comprising employing one or more restrictions at the mobile device, wherein the one or more restrictions do not preclude operation of the device using voice commands.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more first inputs comprise a plurality of substantially simultaneous tactile inputs, and wherein the first determination comprises a determination that an inputting of the plurality of substantially simultaneous tactile inputs necessitated a substantially simultaneous interaction of two hands of the user with the mobile device.

43. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more first inputs comprise a visual capture of at least a portion of a face of the user, and wherein the first determination comprises a determination that, upon capture of the visual capture, the mobile device was oriented within a defined distance from the face of the user and within a defined angle from the face of the user.

44. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more first inputs comprise a visual capture of at least a portion of a face of the user, and wherein the first determination comprises a determination that no portion of a steering wheel of a vehicle is present in the visual capture.

46. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

employing a restriction at the mobile device, the restriction comprising configuring the mobile device to operate in landscape mode.

47. The method of claim 31, further comprising validating the determination.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the validating comprises:

receiving one or more second inputs;

processing the one or more second inputs to compute a second determination, the second determination being independent of the first determination and reflecting at least one of the identity of the user as a driver or the identity of the user as a passenger; and

comparing the first determination and the second determination to determine a validity of at least one of the first determination or the second determination.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the one or more second inputs comprise inputs reflecting at least one of an acceleration or an orientation of the mobile device, and wherein the second determination comprises a determination of the stability of the mobile device.

50. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

employing a restriction at the mobile device, the restriction comprising configuring the mobile device to receive the one or more first inputs only when the mobile device is oriented at a defined orientation.

52. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

employing a restriction at the mobile device, the restriction comprising configuring the mobile device to receive the one or more first inputs based on a determination that the mobile device is positioned at a defined orientation.

53. The method of claim 47, wherein the validating comprises:

receiving one or more second inputs;

processing the one or more second inputs to compute an orientation of the mobile device; and

determining a validity of the first determination based on the orientation.

54. The method of claim 31, wherein the modifying comprises at least one of employing a restriction at the mobile device, maintaining a restriction at the mobile device, or removing a restriction at the mobile device.

55. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more first inputs comprise a visual capture of at least a portion of a face of a user, and wherein the first determination comprises a determination of an absence of a steering wheel in the visual capture.

56. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more first inputs comprise a visual capture of at least a portion of one or more feet of a user, and wherein the first determination comprises a determination of a position of the one or more feet in the visual capture.

57. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more first inputs comprise a visual capture of at least a portion of a body of a user, and wherein the first determination comprises a determination of a presence of a fastened seatbelt in a passenger orientation within the visual capture.

58. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more first inputs comprise a visual capture of at least a portion of a license plate, and wherein the first determination comprises a determination of close proximity of the license plate in the visual capture.

59. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more first inputs comprise a visual capture of at least a portion of an interior of a vehicle and wherein the first determination comprises a determination of at least two hands and a steering wheel within the visual capture.

32-38. -38. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

45. (canceled)

51. (canceled)

60-70. -70. (canceled)

71. A method comprising:

receiving one or more inputs;

processing, with one or more processors, the one or more inputs to determine a presence of a passenger within a vehicle; and

based on a determination that a passenger is not present within the vehicle, employing a restriction at a mobile device that is present within the vehicle.

72-207. -207. (canceled)