Mobile wireless communications device blocker and associated methods

• US 8,044,794 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2008
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Global Communications, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Randisi, Benjamin, Bates, Robert, Chauncey, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US12/187,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20100033312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.1, 340/426.16, 340/426.19, 340/425.2, 340/436, 455/1, 455/230, 455/344, 455/414.1, 455/63.1, 455/456.4
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• 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 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A vehicle wireless communications blocker may be used in a vehicle for an occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device and may include a long-range and short-range wireless transceiver both coupled to a controller. The controller may be switchable between off-hook and on-hook states based upon control signals via the short-range wireless transceiver, and the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device may be blocked from occupant communication via the long-range transceiver when in the off-hook state. The blocker may include a housing to be installed in the vehicle, a short-range wireless transceiver carried by the housing to wirelessly communicate with the short-range wireless transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device, and a controller carried by the housing and coupled to the short-range wireless transceiver to selectively switch the controller of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device to the off-hook state so that the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device is blocked from occupant communication via the long-range transceiver.

Claims

1. A vehicle wireless communications blocker to be used in a vehicle for an occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device including a long-range wireless transceiver and a short-range wireless transceiver both coupled to a controller, the controller switchable between off-hook and on-hook states based upon control signals via the short-range wireless transceiver, the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device being blocked from occupant communication via the long-range transceiver when in the off-hook state, the vehicle wireless communications blocker comprising:

a short-range wireless transceiver to wirelessly communicate with the short-range wireless transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device; and

a controller coupled to said short-range wireless transceiver to selectively switch the controller of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device to the off-hook state so that the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device is blocked from occupant communication via the long-range transceiver.

2. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 1 wherein said controller is enterable into a registration mode to selectively register a given occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device for selective blocking.

3. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 1 wherein said controller also selectively sends a remote status message using the long-range transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device.

4. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 3 further comprising a vehicle positioning determining device cooperating with said controller to send vehicle position information with the remote status message.

5. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 3 wherein said controller sends the remote status message as a text message.

6. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 1 wherein said controller selectively permits incoming signals via the long-range transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device from predetermined parties.

7. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 6 further comprising at least one input device cooperating with said controller to permit entry of the predetermined parties.

8. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 1 wherein said controller selectively permits outgoing signals via the long-range transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device to predetermined parties.

9. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 8 further comprising at least input device cooperating with said controller to permit entry of the predetermined parties.

10. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 1 further comprising a display coupled to said controller.

11. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 1 further comprising an activation device coupled to said controller for activating selective blocking.

12. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 1 further comprising a housing carrying said short-range wireless transceiver and said controller.

13. A vehicle wireless communications blocker to be used in a vehicle for an occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device including a long-range wireless transceiver and a short-range wireless transceiver both coupled to a controller, the controller switchable between off-hook and on-hook states based upon control signals via the short-range wireless transceiver, the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device being blocked from occupant communication via the long-range transceiver when in the off-hook state, the vehicle wireless communications blocker comprising:

a housing to be installed in the vehicle;

a short-range wireless transceiver carried by said housing to wirelessly communicate with the short-range wireless transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device;

a controller carried by said housing and coupled to said short-range wireless transceiver to selectively switch the controller of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device to the off-hook state so that the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device is blocked from occupant communication via the long-range transceiver;

an activation device coupled to said controller for activating selective blocking; and

a display carried by said housing and coupled to said controller.

14. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 13 wherein said controller is enterable into a registration mode to selectively register a given occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device for selective blocking.

15. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 13 wherein said controller also selectively sends a remote status message using the long-range transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device.

16. The vehicle wireless communications blocker according to claim 15 further comprising a vehicle positioning determining device carried by said housing and cooperating with said controller to send vehicle position information with the remote status message.

17. A method for blocking wireless communications of an occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device in a vehicle, the method comprising:

associating a short-range wireless transceiver in the vehicle to wirelessly communicate with a short-range wireless transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device; and

using a controller coupled to the short-range wireless transceiver to selectively switch the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device to an off-hook state so that the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device is blocked from occupant communication via a long-range transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising entering the controller into a registration mode to selectively register a given occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device for selective blocking.

19. The method according to claim 17 further comprising using the controller to selectively send a remote status message using the long-range transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device.

20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising sending vehicle position information with the remote status message.

21. The method according to claim 17 further comprising using the controller to selectively permit incoming signals via the long-range transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device from predetermined parties.

22. The method according to claim 17 further comprising using the controller to selectively permit outgoing signals via the long-range transceiver of the occupant'"'"'s wireless communications device to predetermined parties.