Preventing Access to Functions on a Mobile Device in Response to an External OS-Level Command

• US 20160073324A1
• Filed: 11/17/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellcontrol, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Obdedge LLC
• Inventors: Guba, Robert W., Kennedy, Chad A., Breaux, Joseph E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,398,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for preventing access to a prohibited function on a mobile device when the mobile device is in a vehicle, the mobile device having an operating system (OS) installed thereon. The system includes a control device installed within the vehicle and a software application installed and running in memory resident on the mobile device. If a prohibited function is active or attempts to become active on the mobile device, the software application causes the mobile device to transmit a notification signal to the control device. In response, the control device transmits an OS-level command, such as a home or power key press, back to the mobile device. Upon receipt of the OS-level command, the operating system of the mobile device prevents access to the prohibited function without any direct interference or interruption of the prohibited function by the software application installed on the mobile device.

Claims

1. A system for preventing access to a prohibited function on a mobile device when the mobile device is in a vehicle, the mobile device having an operating system (OS) installed thereon, comprising:

a control device installed within the vehicle;

a software application installed and running in memory resident on the mobile device;

wherein, after the software application establishes a connection with the control device, if a prohibited function is active or attempting to become active on the mobile device, the software application causes the mobile device to transmit a notification signal to the control device;

wherein, in response to receipt of the notification signal from the mobile device, the control device transmits an OS-level command back to the mobile device; and

wherein, in response to receipt of the OS-level command from the control device, the operating system of the mobile device prevents access to the prohibited function without any direct interference or interruption of the prohibited function by the software application installed on the mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the OS-level command is transmitted using a human interface device (HID) protocol.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the OS-level command is interpreted by the operating system of the mobile device as one or more key press signals from a remote keyboard.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the one or more key press signals represent pressing of one or more home keys, power keys, or a combination of home and power keys.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein, in response to receipt of the one or more key press signals, the operating system of the mobile device powers off the mobile device.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the prohibited function is active or attempting to become active in a foreground window of the display of the mobile device and wherein, in response to receipt of the one or more key press signals, the operating system of the mobile device closes or minimizes the foreground window of the mobile device.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein, in response to receipt of the one or more key press signals, the operating system of the mobile device causes the mobile device to go to a locked screen status.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the software application is a distracted driving application configured to prevent a user of the mobile device from accessing prohibited functions on the mobile device when the user of the mobile device is driving the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the control device and the mobile device are separate and distinct devices.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the software application establishes a connection with the control device when the mobile device is in a powered-on state and when the mobile device is in the vehicle in which the control device is installed.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the notification signal transmitted by the software application identifies what type of OS-level command the control device should transmit back to the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the software application determines whether a function on the mobile device that is active or attempting to become active is prohibited.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the software application determines whether the function on the mobile device is prohibited based on a rules-based policy associated with the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the notification signal is transmitted from the mobile device to the control device using a wired connection, a WiFi wireless connection, or a Bluetooth wireless connection.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein, in response to receipt of the notification signal from the mobile device, the control device periodically re-transmits the OS-level command back to the mobile device for a predetermined period of time.

16. A system for preventing access to functions of a mobile device when the mobile device is in a vehicle, comprising:

a control device installed within the vehicle, the controlled device configured to determine when the vehicle is moving above a threshold speed;

an operating system (OS) installed and operating on the mobile device, the operating system enabling the mobile device to receive OS-level commands transmitted by the control device using a human interface device (HID) protocol;

wherein, after the control device determines that the vehicle is moving above the threshold speed, the control device periodically transmits an OS-level command to the mobile device using the HID protocol as long as the vehicle is moving above the threshold speed; and

wherein, in response to receipt of the OS-level command from the control device, the operating system of the mobile device prevents access to the functions on the mobile device.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the OS-level command is interpreted by the operating system of the mobile device as one or more key press signals from a remote keyboard.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the one or more key press signals represent pressing of one or more home keys, power keys, or a combination of home and power keys.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein, in response to receipt of the one or more key press signals, the operating system of the mobile device powers off the mobile device.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein, in response to receipt of the one or more key press signals, the operating system of the mobile device closes or minimizes a foreground window of the display of the mobile device.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein, in response to receipt of the one or more key press signals, the operating system of the mobile device causes the mobile device to go to a locked screen status.