Device and method for telephone countermeasure in using telephone during driving

• US 7,471,929 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Ando, Tanichi, Fujioka, Ryoji
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, SIMON
• Application Number:
  US10/586,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 455/1, 455/456.4, 4555691-5692, 455344-345, 455/99, 455/412.2, 455/420, 382/118
• US Class Current: 455/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

[Problems] There are provided a device and a method for telephone countermeasure in using a telephone during driving which can automatically suppress communication of only a driver in a vehicle.

[Means For Solving Problems] The device for telephone countermeasure includes a database (3), a driver judgment unit, and a mode switching unit. The database (3) contains driver face data (3-1) and a telephone number (3-2) of a mobile telephone (7) used by the driver for each of the drivers. The driver judgment unit identifies the current driver of the vehicle in the database (3) by the face authentication. The mode switching unit extracts the telephone number (3-2) of the mobile telephone (7) used by the identified driver from the database (3) and switches the mobile telephone (7) of the driver to a drive mode such as a message recording mode by using the telephone number.

Claims

1. A device for telephone countermeasure during driving, comprising:

a database which registers face data of a driver and identification information of a mobile communication device used by the driver for each of a plurality of drivers;

a driver identifying means which identifies current driver of a vehicle in the database by face recognition; and

a mode switching means which extracts the identification information of the mobile communication device used by the driver identified by the driver identifying means and switches the mobile communication device of the driver to a drive mode using the identification information,

wherein the mode switching means applies only to the mobile communication device in possession of the current driver of the vehicle.

2. The device for telephone countermeasure during driving according to claim 1, wherein the drive mode includes at least one of a message recording mode and a hands-free mode and the mode switching means switches the mobile communication device of the driver from a mode prior to the drive mode to the drive mode.

3. The device for telephone countermeasure during driving according to claim 2, wherein, when the mobile communication device of the driver is switched to the drive mode, the mobile communication device is set to a controlled state during driving.

4. The device for telephone countermeasure during driving according to claim 1, wherein, when the mobile communication device of the driver is switched to the drive mode, the mobile communication device is set to a controlled state during driving.

5. The device for telephone countermeasure during driving according to claim 1, wherein, when face data of a driver which is recognized for face authentication does not exist in a database of the device, information for identifying a mobile telephone corresponding to the recognized driver is examined in an external database using a wide area communication device, and the mobile telephone is set to a drive mode when the mobile telephone can be identified.

6. The device for telephone countermeasure during driving according to claim 1, wherein, when face data of a driver which is recognized for face authentication does not exist in a database of the device, information for identifying a mobile telephone corresponding to the recognized driver is examined in an external database using a wide area communication device, and information on the corresponding mobile telephone is requested to be registered when the mobile telephone cannot be identified.

7. The device for telephone countermeasure during driving according to claim 1, wherein, when face data of a driver recognized for face authentication does not exist in a database of the device, information for identifying a mobile telephone corresponding to the recognized driver is examined from an external database using a wide area communication device, and the mobile telephone is set to a controlled state during driving when the mobile telephone cannot be identified and information on the mobile telephone is not registered.

8. A device for telephone countermeasure during driving, comprising:

a database which registers face data of a driver and identification information of a mobile communication device used by the driver for each of a plurality of drivers; and

a driver identifying means which identifies current driver of a vehicle in the database by face recognition,

wherein the identification information of the mobile communication device used by the driver identified by the driver identifying means is extracted from the database, the mobile communication device of the driver is switched to a drive mode using the identification information, and the drive mode of the mobile communication device is released when the driver cannot be identified by the driver identifying means after the elapse of a predetermined time, and

wherein the switching and the releasing apply only to the mobile communication device in possession of the current driver of the vehicle.

9. The device for telephone countermeasure during driving according to claim 8, wherein, when the mobile communication device of the driver is switched to the drive mode, the mobile communication device is set to a controlled state during driving.

10. A method for telephone countermeasure during driving, using a database which registers face data of a driver and identification information of a mobile communication device used by the driver for each of a plurality of drivers, and a driver identifying means which identifies current driver of a vehicle in the database by face recognition, the method comprising:

extracting the identification information of the mobile communication device used by the driver identified by the driver identifying means from the database, and

switching the mobile communication device of the driver to a drive mode using the identification information,

wherein the switching applies only to the mobile communication device in possession of the current driver of the vehicle.

11. The method for telephone countermeasure during driving according to claim 10, wherein, when the mobile communication device of the driver is switched to the drive mode, the mobile communication device is set to a controlled state during driving.

12. A method for telephone countermeasure during driving, using a database which registers face data of a driver and identification information of a mobile communication device used by the driver for each of a plurality of drivers, and a driver identifying means which identifies current driver of a vehicle in the database by face recognition, the method comprising:

extracting the identification information of the mobile communication device used by the driver identified by the driver identifying means from the database,

switching the mobile communication device of the driver to a drive mode using the identification information, and

releasing the drive mode of the mobile communication device when the driver cannot be identified by the driver identifying means,

wherein the switching and the releasing apply only to the mobile communication device in possession of the current driver of the vehicle.

13. The method for telephone countermeasure during driving according to claim 12, wherein, when the mobile communication device of the driver is switched to the drive mode, the mobile communication device is set to a controlled state during driving.