Method and system for presenting a transit indicator

• US 8,700,011 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2012
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq B.V.
• Inventors: Konda, Ramesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/449,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20130273893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 4554561-4566
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to a method and system for presenting a transit indicator. For example, to reduce distraction, a person in communication with a mobile device user operating a vehicle is warned. A warning signal is generated when a determined speed of travel of a mobile device is greater than a predetermined threshold speed of travel and the mobile device is in communication with a communication device. The mobile device transmits the generated warning signal to the communication device to indicate to a user of the communication device that a user of the mobile device may be operating a vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating a communication session between a first mobile device and a second mobile device;

determining a characteristic of travel of the first mobile device and an input for the session between the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

generating, by a processor, a warning signal based on the determined characteristic of travel of the first mobile device during the communication session; and

transmitting the warning signal, as part of the communication session, from the first mobile device to the second mobile device wherein the warning signal is audio that indicates that a user of the first mobile device may be operating a motor vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the characteristic of travel of the first mobile device comprises:

obtaining a first position of the first mobile device at a first time;

obtaining a second position of the first mobile device at a second time;

determining a speed of travel of the first mobile device based on the first position of the first mobile device at the first time and the second position of the first mobile device at the second time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the obtaining of the first position, the obtaining of the second position, and the determining are repeated every time a predetermined time period elapses while the first mobile device is in communication with the second mobile device, and

wherein the predetermined time period is a difference between the second time and the first time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiated communication input comprises a text message input at the first mobile device or a phone number input or selected at the first mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the signal based on the determined characteristic of travel of the first mobile device comprises:

comparing the determined characteristic of travel of the first mobile device to a predetermined threshold; and

generating the signal when the determined characteristic of travel of the first mobile device is greater than the predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving the input for the communication at the first mobile device, the input for the communication representing a text message;

initiating the communication between the first mobile device and the second mobile device; and

transmitting the text message from the first mobile device to the second mobile device,

wherein the first position and the second position are obtained before the text message is transmitted.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein transmitting the signal comprises transmitting the signal with the text message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is an audio signal, an image signal, a video signal, or a transit indicator.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the warning signal represents a car horn.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a first mobile device comprising;

a communication interface operable to communicate with a second mobile device in a communication session; and

a processor operatively connected to the communication interface, the processor operable to;

determine a speed of travel of the first mobile device during the communication session between the first mobile device and the second mobile device; and

generate a warning when the determined speed of travel of the first mobile device is greater than a predetermined threshold speed of travel, wherein the warning signal includes audio and an image that indicates that a user of the first mobile device may be operating a motor vehicle,

wherein the communication interface is operable to transmit the generated warning signal from the first mobile device to the second mobile device as part of the communication session between the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first mobile device is a cellular phone or a computer, and

wherein the second mobile device is a cellular phone or a computer.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a memory operatively connected to the processor, the memory operable to store the predetermined threshold speed of travel.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the processor is operable to insert the signal in the communication from the first user to the second user.

20. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the audio signal includes a car horn.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a first position of a first mobile device at a first time after a communication session between the first mobile device and the second mobile device is initiated;

receiving a second position of the first mobile device at a second time;

determining, by a processor, a speed of travel of the first mobile device based on the first position of the first mobile device at the first time and the second position of the first mobile device at the second time;

generating a warning signal when the determined speed of travel of the first mobile device is greater than a predetermined threshold speed of travel,

wherein the warning signal includes an image signal including a representation of a transit vehicle and an audio signal indicative of the speed of travel of the first mobile device; and

sending the warning signal including the image signal and the audio signal concurrent with the communication session.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying the image signal at the second mobile device while the audio signal is delivered to the user at the second mobile device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the audio signal is delivered to the user at the second mobile device a plurality of times throughout the communication session.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the first position is received, the second position is received, the speed of travel is determined and the warning signal is generated at the second mobile device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the signal comprises an image signal, and

wherein the method further comprises displaying the image signal at the second mobile device.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a first position of a first mobile device at a first time after a communication between the first mobile device and the second mobile device is initiated;

receiving a second position of the first mobile device at a second time;

determining, by a processor, a speed of travel of the first mobile device based on the first position of the first mobile device at the first time and the second position of the first mobile device at the second time;

generating a warning signal when the determined speed of travel of the first mobile device is greater than a predetermined threshold speed of travel,

wherein the warning signal comprises an audio signal,

wherein the method further comprises delivering, using the second mobile device, the audio signal to a user at the second mobile device, and wherein the audio signal represents a car horn.