Mobile phone detection and interruption system and method

• US 8,131,205 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Rosen
• Original Assignee: Michael Rosen
• Inventors: Rosen, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORALES, FERNANDEZ
• Application Number:
  US12/433,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20090275281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/418, 455/569.2, 455/414.1, 455/445, 455/1, 701/36
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/415 based on motion status or velocity, e.g. for disabling use of mobile phones in a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/44 characterized by the control of the jamming waveform or modulation type

Abstract

A mobile phone detection and interruption system and method are provided. The system is operative to transmit different blocking signals capable of degrading or blocking mobile phone communication in a vehicle responsive to a velocity of the vehicle reaching different pre-configured velocity levels.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a system comprising;

at least one processor;

a velocity detection device in operative connection with the at least one processor;

a transmitter device in operative connection with the at least one processor;

a receiver device in operative connection with the at least one processor, wherein the receiver device is in operative connection with at least one antenna;

a memory in operative connection with the at least one processor, wherein the memory includes stored therein data representative of at least one velocity level,

wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause the transmitter device to respectively output a plurality of different respective types of wireless interrupting radio frequency (RF) output signals responsive at least in part to different respective velocities detected with the velocity detection device, wherein the different types of wireless interrupting RF output signals include a first type of wireless interrupting RF output signal that interrupts a mobile phone call associated with a mobile phone communication between a mobile phone and a cellular network while enabling the mobile phone call to continue, wherein the different types of wireless interrupting RF output signals include a second type of wireless interrupting RF output signal that causes the mobile phone call to be dropped by at least one of the mobile phone and the cellular network,

wherein the at least one processor is responsive at least in part to the receiver device detecting with the at least one antenna at least one mobile phone communication and to the velocity detection device detecting a velocity that is less than the at least one velocity level, to cause the transmitter device to output the first type of wireless interrupting RF output signal,

wherein the at least one processor is responsive at least in part to the receiver device detecting with the at least one antenna at least one mobile phone communication and to the velocity detection device detecting a velocity that is greater than the at least one velocity level, to cause the transmitter device to output the second type of wireless interrupting RF output signal.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first type of wireless interrupting RF output signal causes at least one of static, noise, and silence to be included in the mobile phone call.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle, wherein the system is mounted inside the vehicle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle includes a seat and an electrical connection with the seat, wherein at least a portion of the system is mounted under the seat and is in operative connection with the electrical connection with the seat.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the system further includes at least one input device, wherein the at least one processor is operative to change the at least one velocity level stored in the memory responsive at least in part to at least one input received through operation of the at least one input device.

6. A method comprising:

a) through operation of a receiver device in a vehicle, wirelessly detecting with at least one antenna, at least one mobile phone communication from a mobile phone in the vehicle to a cellular network;

b) through operation of a velocity detection device in the vehicle, detecting a first velocity, wherein the velocity detection device and the receiver device are in operative connection with at least one processor in the vehicle, wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with a memory, wherein the memory includes stored therein data representative of at least one velocity level, wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause a transmitter device in operative connection with the at least one processor to respectively output a plurality of different respective types of wireless interrupting radio frequency (RF) output signals responsive at least in part to different respective velocities detected with the velocity detection device;

c) through operation of the at least one processor, causing the transmitter device in the vehicle to output a first type of wireless interrupting RF output signal that causes at least one interruption of a mobile phone call associated with the mobile phone communication while enabling the mobile phone call to continue, responsive at least in part to (a) and the at least one processor determining that the first velocity detected in (b) is less than the at least one velocity level stored in the memory;

d) through operation of the velocity detection device, detecting a second velocity, wherein the second velocity is greater than the first velocity; and

e) through operation of the at least one processor, causing the transmitter device to output a second type of wireless interrupting RF output signal that causes the mobile phone call to be dropped by at least one of the mobile phone and the cellular network, responsive at least in part to the processor determining that the second velocity detected in (d) is greater than the at least one velocity level stored in the memory.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein in (b) the first type of wireless interrupting RF output signal causes at least one of static, noise, and silence to be included in the mobile phone call.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

f) through operation of the at least one processor changing the at least one velocity level stored in the memory responsive to at least one input received through operation of an input device in operative connection with the at least one processor.

9. Non-transitory computer readable media including computer executable instructions operative to cause at least one processor in a system in a vehicle to cause the system to carry out a method comprising:

a) through operation of a receiver device in the vehicle, wirelessly detecting with at least one antenna, at least one mobile phone communication from a mobile phone in the vehicle to a cellular network;

b) through operation of a velocity detection device in the vehicle, detecting a first velocity, wherein the velocity detection device and the receiver device are in operative connection with the at least one processor in the vehicle, wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with a memory, wherein the memory includes stored therein data representative of at least one velocity level, wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause a transmitter device in operative connection with the at least one processor to respectively output a plurality of different respective types of wireless interrupting radio frequency (RF) output signals responsive at least in part to different respective velocities detected with the velocity detection device;

c) through operation of the at least one processor, causing the transmitter device in the vehicle to output a first type of wireless interrupting RF output signal that causes at least one interruption of a mobile phone call associated with the mobile phone communication while enabling the mobile phone call to continue, responsive at least in part to (a) and the at least one processor determining that the first velocity detected in (b) is less than the at least one velocity level stored in the memory;

d) through operation of the velocity detection device, detecting a second velocity, wherein the second velocity is greater than the first velocity; and

e) through operation of the at least one processor, causing the transmitter device to output a second type of wireless interrupting RF output signal that causes the mobile phone call to be dropped by at least one of the mobile phone and the cellular network, responsive at least in part to the processor determining that the second velocity detected in (d) is greater than the at least one velocity level stored in the memory.