Method and system for automated detection of mobile phone usage

• US 8,384,555 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Rosen
• Original Assignee: Michael Rosen
• Inventors: Rosen, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANG, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US12/685,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20100130182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426.1, 340/439, 455/364, 455/456.1, 455564-565
• US Class Current: 340/686.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/54 of traffic, e.g. cars on the road, trains or boats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server

Abstract

A method and apparatus for automated detection of mobile phone usage by drivers of vehicles includes at least one mobile phone signal receiving device, at least one image capturing device, at least one infrared illuminator and at least one computer. The mobile phone signal receiving device is operative to detect a mobile phone signal transmitted from a vehicle. The at least one image capturing device is operative to capture infrared light reflected off of the driver of the vehicle. The at least one computer is operative to store, in a storage device, information associated with at least one of the mobile phone signals transmitted from the vehicle and the at least one image of the vehicle. The information stored in the storage device may be used to determine if a person associated with the vehicle should be prosecuted for illegal use of a mobile phone while driving the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) through operation of at least one processor located in a vehicle, detecting with at least one mobile phone signal receiving device at least one mobile phone signal produced by a mobile phone;

b) through operation of the at least one processor and a global positioning system (GPS) device in operative connection with the at least one processor, determining at least one velocity of the vehicle;

c) responsive at least in part to (b), through operation of the at least one processor determining that the vehicle was moving during (a);

d) through operation of the at least one processor, determining that the detected at least one mobile phone signal originated from a location in the vehicle;

e) through operation of the at least one processor, storing in at least one data store data associated with the at least one mobile phone signal including at least one of;

i) at least a portion of the at least one mobile phone signal;

ii) a duration of the at least one mobile phone signal;

iii) at least one date and time at which the at least one mobile phone signal was detected;

iv) the at least one velocity of the vehicle when the at least one mobile phone signal was detected;

v) at least one location of the vehicle when the at least one mobile phone signal was detected, which at least one location is determined through operation of the GPS device;

or any combination thereof;

wherein the at least one data store includes identifying data that is usable to identify at least one of the vehicle, a person associated with the vehicle, or any combination thereof;

f) through operation of the at least one processor causing a network interface device to send information to a remote server, which information includes the identifying data, data representative of the detection of the at least one mobile phone signal originating from the mobile phone while in the moving vehicle, and data representative of at least a portion of the data stored in the data store associated with the at least one mobile phone signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

g) emitting radiation from at least one radiation transmitting device;

h) receiving portions of the radiation with at least one radiation receiving device after the portions of the radiation have reflected off of matter inside the vehicle;

i) generating at least one digital image including a visual representation of at least portions of the matter inside the vehicle responsive at least in part to the received portions of the radiation;

wherein in (f) the information includes the at least one digital image.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the portions of the radiation include infrared light, wherein the at least one radiation transmitting device includes at least one infrared light illuminator.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one digital image depicts an image of a driver holding a mobile phone.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

through operation of at least one processor, carrying out facial recognition of at least one face depicted in the at least one digital image to determine data identifying a person.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein in (f) the information sent to the remote server includes data usable by the remote server to determine the at least one location of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in (f) the identifying data identifies the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein (e) includes through operation of the at least one processor, storing in the at least one data store the duration of the at least one mobile phone signal;

wherein the information communicated in (f) includes data representative of the duration of the at least one mobile phone signal.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

g) through operation of the at least one processor, detecting with the network interface device, a wireless network through which the data stored in the data store can be sent to the remote server;

wherein (f) is carried out responsive to (g).

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

g) through operation of the at least one processor, receiving with the network interface device a wireless signal through a wireless network, wherein the wireless signal is indicative of a request for the at least one processor to send through a wireless network the information that includes data representative of the detection of the at least one mobile phone signal;

wherein (f) is carried out responsive at least in part to (g).

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor, the at least one mobile phone signal receiving device, the network interface device, and the GPS device in (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) are included in the mobile phone from which the at least one mobile phone signal originated.

12. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one mobile phone signal receiving device is in operative connection with at least one antenna, wherein in (a) the at least one mobile phone signal receiving device is operative to use the at least one antenna to detect the at least one mobile phone signal being produced by the mobile phone from the location in the vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein (d) includes determining that the at least one mobile phone signal originated from the vehicle responsive at least in part to the at least one velocity determined in (b).

14. A mobile phone signal detection system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one mobile phone signal receiving device in operative connection with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one mobile phone signal receiving device is operative to detect at least one mobile phone signal originating from a mobile phone in a vehicle;

at least one network interface device in operative connection with the at least one processor;

at least one global positioning systems (GPS) device in operative connection with the at least one processor;

at least one data store in operative connection with the at least one processor;

wherein the at least one processor is operatively programmed to determine at least one velocity associated with the vehicle that includes the mobile phone that produced the at least one mobile phone signal that the at least one mobile phone signal receiving device is operative to detect;

wherein the at least one processor is operatively programmed to determine that the vehicle that includes the mobile phone was moving when the at least one mobile phone signal was detected;

wherein the at least one processor is operatively programmed to store in the at least one data store data associated with the at least one mobile phone signal including at least one of;

i) at least a portion of the at least one mobile phone signal;

ii) a duration of the at least one mobile phone signal;

iii) at least one date and time at which the at least one mobile phone signal was detected;

iv) the at least one velocity of the vehicle when the at least one mobile phone signal was detected;

v) at least one location of the vehicle when the at least one mobile phone signal was detected, which at least one location is determined through operation of the GPS device;

or any combination thereof;

wherein the at least one data store includes identifying data that is usable to identify at least one of the vehicle, a person associated with the vehicle, or any combination thereof;

wherein the at least one processor is operatively programmed to determine that the detected at least one mobile phone signal originated from a location in the vehicle; and

wherein the at least one processor is operatively programmed to cause the network interface device to send information to at least one remote server, which information includes the identifying data, data representative of the detection of the at least one mobile phone signal originating from the mobile phone while in the moving vehicle, and data representative of at least a portion of the data stored in the data store associated with the at least one mobile phone signal, which portion includes data representative of the at least one velocity of the vehicle that includes the mobile phone when the at least one mobile phone signal was detected.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the GPS device is not a GPS device included in the mobile phone, wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine the at least one velocity responsive at least in part to data generated by the GPS device.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one mobile phone signal receiving device is in operative connection with at least one antenna, wherein the at least one mobile phone signal receiving device is operative to use the at least one antenna to detect the at least one mobile phone signal being transmitted by the mobile phone from the location in the vehicle moving in a roadway, wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine that the at least one mobile phone signal originated from the vehicle moving in the roadway responsive at least in part to the determined at least one velocity.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising the vehicle, wherein the at least one processor, the at least one mobile phone signal receiving device, and the at least one network interface device are mounted in the vehicle.