Safety system to disable and activate functions in smartphone's, mobile phones and portable communication devices while driving

• US 8,526,973 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Douglas Thomson
• Original Assignee: John Douglas Thomson
• Inventors: Thomson, John Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US13/065,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20120244849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/418, 455/436, 455/456.4, 375/242
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/197 Blocking or enabling of input functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The present invention is a safety system that prevents the use of certain Smartphone functions and replace the blocked functions with alternative ways to communicate while in a car. These functions include text, voice (manually dialing to make calls) and internet. Smartphone includes any mobile phone or portable communication device that allows software applications to be downloaded and run on its operating system. The system uses a local RF transmitter located and mounted in the car to send a signal that can be detected by one or all of the Smartphone'"'"'s in the car. The Smartphone'"'"'s, which have downloaded the application, will decode the RF signal and disable and/or activate certain functions of the Smartphone. Which functions to disable and/or activate are previously chosen by a user of the downloaded application. By use of this system, young drivers, but not limited to, will not be distracted while driving, and thus forced to pay attention to their surroundings. Therefore automobile accidents will be reduced.

Claims

1. A method of preventing the use of a portable communication device while in an automobile, the method comprising the steps of:

Selecting from a user interface displayed on the portable communication device, functions to be disabled on the portable communication device;

Transmitting a coded RF signal, from an RF transmitter mounted on the automobile when a specific ignition setting is detected;

receive and demodulate the coded RF signal by the portable communication device;

determine with a processor whether a key signal is present in the coded demodulated signal and if not delay software control of the processor for a predetermined amount of time;

if the key signal is present extract the coded key signals from the demodulated signals and determine if the extracted coded key signals matches a security code;

if no security code is present then delay software control of the processor for another predetermined amount of time; and

disabling functions on the portable communication device that were selected via the user interface based on the security code if the extracted coded key signals match the security code.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising regulating voltage to said RF transmitter using a voltage regulator circuit.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting, from the user interface displayed on a device, activate hands free, activate no phone zone, disable voice, disable text, disable internet, disable in any vehicle and disable in your vehicle functionality of the portable communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the user interface from an i-phone application.

5. A method of preventing the use of a portable communication device while in an automobile, comprising the steps of:

selecting from a user interface displayed on a device, functions to disable and activate on the portable communication device;

transmitting an RF signal, from an RF transmitter mounted on the automobile when a specific ignition setting is detected; and

disable and activate functions on said portable communication device that were selected via the user interface when said RF signal is detected.

6. A system of preventing the use of certain Smartphone functions while in an automobile, comprising:

a portable communication device with a processor which allows selection from a user interface displayed on the portable communication device, functions to disable and activate on said portable communication device;

the automobile which has an ignition switch;

a transmitter located on the automobile that transmits an RF signal when a specific ignition setting of the ignition switch is detected; and

the portable communication device being controlled by software;

said software is configured to receive and demodulate the RF signal, then the software is used to determine if a coded signal is present, if no coded signal is present the software is used to delay software control of the processor, if the coded signal is present, the software is used to determine if a security code is present, and if the security code is present said software control disable and activate said selected functions of the portable communication device.

7. The system as described in claim 6 further comprising:

said portable communication device further including the processor uses CCK to demodulate the modulated signals.

8. The system as described in claim 6 further comprising:

selecting from the user interface to disable at least two functions from the list of;

text, internet and voice.

9. The system as described in claim 7 further comprising:

selecting from said user interface to disable at least two functions from the list of;

text, internet and voice while keeping at least one of said functions active on said portable communication device.

10. The system as described in claim 9 further comprising:

the RF signal is sent when a key is detected in the ignition, without the automobile being started.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising regulating voltage to said RF transmitter using a voltage regulator circuit.