Mobile device safety

• US 8,432,275 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Labhesh, Kumar, Sanjeev, Shaffer, Shmuel, Jain, Mukul
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US11/972,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20090179752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 340/515, 340/517, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 370/310, 455/9
• US Class Current: 340/539.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes

Abstract

In an example embodiment, an automatic warning system that warns users of personal mobile devices (such as cellular telephones and portable music players) when they enter or are near the threshold of a hazardous area while using their mobile device. In an example embodiment, the mobile device is automatically paused upon entering a street and resumes when the user has crossed the street. In a cellular telephone embodiment, calls are automatically put on hold upon entering the hazardous area, optionally the other parties to the call are informed of the reason for the hold, and the call is automatically resumed when all parties have left the hazardous area.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a transmitter;

a receiver;

a positioning module; and

an alarm module;

wherein the positioning module is configured to determine a current location of an associated first device in communication with an associated second device, wherein the associated first device includes a microphone for capturing signals representative of noise surrounding the associated first device;

wherein the alarm module is configured to determine from the current location whether the associated first device is in a predefined hazardous location, the alarm module being operable, responsive to determining the associated first device is in the predefined hazardous location, to communicate a warning to the associated first device and to communicate a signal to initiate an audio output at the associated first device corresponding to the noise signal surrounding the associated first device;

wherein the alarm module is configured to suspend operation of the associated first device while the associated first device is determined to be in the predefined hazardous location until the associated first device no longer in the predefined hazardous location; and

wherein the alarm module is configured to initiate communication of a predefined message to the associated second device via the transmitter, the predefined message being indicative of a presence of the associated first device relative to the predefined hazardous location, the suspended operation corresponding thereto, and that communications will resume after the associated first device is no longer in the predefined hazardous location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the positioning module further comprises a mapping module, wherein the mapping module is configured to determine the current location on a virtual map.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the predefined hazardous location is a street, the alarm module communicates an alarm responsive to determining the associated first device is on a street.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the alarm module further comprises first and second outputs;

wherein the alarm module transmits a signal on the first output responsive to determining the associated first device is in a predefined hazardous location; and

wherein the alarm module transmits a signal on the second output responsive to determining the associated first device is not in a predefined hazardous location.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the positioning module further comprises a velocity sensor for determining velocity;

wherein the alarm module determines from the current position and velocity whether the associated first device is at risk for entering a predefined hazardous location in less than a predetermined time; and

wherein the alarm module is responsive to communicate a warning in response to determining the associated first device is at risk for entering a predefined hazardous locations in less than a predetermined time.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the velocity sensor determines a velocity vector.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user input, wherein activation of the user input discontinues communicating the warning.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein the user interface is operable to receive data representative of areas for the positioning module to ignore and to not communicate warning.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user interface is further configured to receive data representative of a type of output for the alarm module to produce while in the alarm state.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alarm module is configured to output an audio warning superimposed on the audio output.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the audio warning is at a higher volume than the audio output of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a controllable switching device coupled to an audio output of the associated first device and an output of the alarm module;

wherein the controllable switching device is operable to output the audio output of the associated first device while the alarm module is not in an alarm state; and

wherein the controllable switching device is operable to output the output of the alarm module while the alarm module is in an alarm state.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wireless interface in data communication with the alarm module operable to receive a wireless signal from an external source, wherein the alarm module communicates a warning responsive to determining the associated first device is located on a street and receiving a signal via the wireless interface that a vehicle is on the street.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cellular telephone circuit in communication with the alarm module, wherein the alarm module is configured to place a call on hold while the associated first device is in the predefined hazardous location.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the alarm module is further configured to notify another party to a call associated with the cellular telephone circuit that the call is on hold and the reason for the hold.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a transceiver operable to send and receive data;

a positioning module;

a non-transitory memory; and

an alarm module;

wherein the positioning module is operable to receive data from the transceiver for determining a current location of an associated wireless first device in communication with a plurality of associated second devices, wherein the associated wireless first device includes a microphone for capturing signals representative of noise surrounding the associated wireless first device;

wherein the alarm module is configured to determine from the current location of the associated wireless first device whether the associated wireless first device is in a hazardous area;

wherein the alarm module is operable to send data to the associated first wireless device via the transceiver responsive to determining the associated wireless first device is in a predefined hazardous area corresponding to the noise signal surrounding the associated wireless first device;

wherein the alarm module is operable to suspend operation of the associated wireless first device while the associated wireless first device is determined to be in the predefined hazardous area until the associated wireless first device is no longer in the predefined hazardous area;

wherein the alarm module is operable to store in the memory data representative of the communication of the plurality of associated second devices while the associated wireless first device is determined to be in the predefined hazardous area for selective playback after the associated wireless first device is no longer in the predefined hazardous area; and

wherein the alarm module is operable to initiate a communication of a predefined message to the associated second device via the transceiver, the message being indicative of a presence of the associated first device relative to the predefined hazardous area, the suspended operation corresponding thereto, and that communications will resume after the associated first device is no longer in the predefined hazardous area.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, the positioning module further comprises a mapping module, wherein the mapping module is configured to determine the current location of the associated wireless first device on a virtual map.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the hazardous area is a street, the alarm module communicates an alarm responsive to determining the associated first device is on a street.

19. A method, comprising:

determining a current position of an associated first device in communication with an associated second device;

rendering the current position based on a virtual map;

determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map whether the associated first device is located in a predefined hazardous area;

communicating a warning to the associated first device responsive to determining the associated first device is located in the predefined hazardous area;

suspending communication of the associated first device with the associated second device while the associated first device is determined to be located in the predefined hazardous area until the associated first device is no longer in the predefined hazardous area;

communicating a signal to the associated first device to initiate an audio output at the associated first device corresponding to a captured signal of noise surrounding the associated first device; and

initiating a communication of a predefined message to the associated second device, the predefined message being indicative of a presence of the associated first device relative to the predefined hazardous location, the suspended operation corresponding thereto, and communication with first device will resume after the associated first device is no longer in the predefined hazardous location.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a velocity for the associated first device;

determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the velocity whether the associated first device will enter a hazardous area within a predetermined time period; and

communicating a warning to the associated first device responsive to determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the velocity that the associated first device will enter a predefined hazardous area within the predetermined time period.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining the relative velocity between the associated first device and the predefined hazardous area;

determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the relative velocity whether the associated first device will enter a hazardous area within a predetermined time period; and

communicating a warning to the associated first device responsive to determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the velocity that the associated first device will enter a predefined hazardous area within the predetermined time period.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining the relative velocity between the associated first device and a moving hazard;

determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the relative velocity whether the associated first device will collide with the moving hazard; and

communicating a warning to the associated first device responsive to determining from the current position rendered on the virtual map and the relative velocity that the associated first device will collide with the moving hazard within the predetermined time period.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the associated first device is not moving.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

obtaining sounds surrounding the first device; and

providing an audio signal representative of the sounds while the first device is determined to be located in the predefined hazardous area until the first device is no longer in the predefined hazardous area.