System and method for controlling the use of a handset communication device

• US 8,275,422 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Xiao Y., Jiao, Jie X., Song, Song, Wang, Xiao F., Wang, Ying, Yang, Yu D., Yeh, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US13/029,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20110207448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.12, 4555691-5692, 455/575.9, 340901-905, 340933-939, 340988-994, 340/995.28, 34099511-99519
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• 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 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for controlling use of handset communication device for communication by driver. A system in accordance with an embodiment includes: an obtaining component for obtaining driving state information of the vehicle; a directional antenna for capturing a wireless communication signal of the handset communication device around the driver; a judging component for judging whether a driving state of the vehicle is in an unstable state based on predefined criteria and the driving state information of the vehicle; and a control component for transmitting a remote control signal, based on a judging result of the judging component, to intervene in a communication of the handset communication device during a call.

Claims

1. A system for controlling use of a handset communication device for communication by a driver while a vehicle is in driving state, comprising:

an obtaining component for obtaining driving state information of the vehicle;

a directional antenna for capturing a wireless communication signal of the handset communication device around the driver;

a judging component for judging whether a driving state of the vehicle is in an unstable state based on predefined criteria and the driving state information of the vehicle, wherein the judging component further judges whether the driving state of the vehicle is affected by the driver of the vehicle using the handset communication device and determines whether there is an obvious change in the driving state information within two time windows before and after the driver uses the handset communication device; and

a control component for transmitting a remote control signal, based on a judging result of the judging component, to intervene in a communication of the handset communication device during a call.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the driving state information of the vehicle comprises internal data of the vehicle, the internal data of the vehicle comprising at least one of:

speed, acceleration, gear position, gas pedal pressure, brake pedal pressure, steering wheel rotation angle, and wheel angle.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the driving state information of the vehicle comprises external data of the vehicle, the external data of the vehicle comprising at least one of:

a distance from an object at the front of the vehicle and a moving speed of an object at the front of the vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the external data of the vehicle is obtained using a radio wave sensor, an infrared sensor, or an optical sensor.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein a size of the time window is dynamically adjusted according to at least one of:

road condition, traffic condition, and weather condition.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the directional antenna comprises a patch antenna.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control component obtains user identification information by decrypting the communication signal of the handset communication device captured by the directional antenna.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control component transmits a remote control signal to a telecommunication operator to direct the telecommunication operator to send an alert tone to the driver via the handset communication device.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control component transmits a remote control signal to a telecommunication operator to direct the telecommunication operator to terminate the call of the handset communication device.

10. A vehicle comprising:

a detecting component for detecting driving state information of the vehicle; and

a system for controlling use of a handset communication device for communication by a driver while the vehicle is in driving state, comprising;

a directional antenna for capturing a wireless communication signal of the handset communication device around the driver;

a judging component for judging whether a driving state of the vehicle is in an unstable state based on predefined criteria and the driving state information of the vehicle, wherein the judging component further judges whether the driving state of the vehicle is affected by the driver of the vehicle using the handset communication device and determines whether there is an obvious change in the driving state information within two time windows before and after the driver uses the handset communication device; and

a control component for transmitting a remote control signal, based on a judging result of the judging component, to intervene in a communication of the handset communication device during a call.

11. A method for controlling use of a handset communication device for communication by a driver while a vehicle is in driving state, comprising:

obtaining driving state information of the vehicle;

capturing a wireless communication signal of the handset communication device around the driver;

judging whether the driving state of the vehicle is in an unstable state based on predefined criteria and the driving state information of the vehicle, wherein the judging further judges whether the driving state of the vehicle is affected by the driver of the vehicle using the handset communication device and determines whether there is an obvious change in the driving state information within two time windows before and after the driver uses the handset communication device; and

transmitting a remote control signal, based on the judging result, to intervene in a communication of the handset communication device during a call.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the driving state information of the vehicle comprises internal data of the vehicle, the internal data of the vehicle comprising at least one of:

speed, acceleration, gear position, gas pedal pressure, brake pedal pressure, steering wheel rotation angle, and wheel angle.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the driving state information of the vehicle comprises external data of the vehicle, the external data of the vehicle comprising at least one of:

a distance from an object at the front of the vehicle and a moving speed of an object at the front of the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein transmitting a remote control signal further comprises:

obtaining user identification information by decrypting the communication signal of handset communication device captured by the directional antenna.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein transmitting a remote control signal further comprises:

transmitting the remote control signal to a telecommunication operator to direct the telecommunication operator to send an alert tone to the driver via the handset communication device.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting control signal further comprises:

transmitting the remote control signal to a telecommunication operator to direct the telecommunication operator to terminate the call of the handset communication device.