System for safe texting while driving

• US 9,179,297 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Osann Jr
• Original Assignee: Robert Osann Jr
• Inventors: Osann, Robert Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nealon, William
• Application Number:
  US14/504,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20150017972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 455/565, 455/418, 455/456, 455/419
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

Systems and methods are described to disable texting while driving a moving vehicle. The position and speed of a user'"'"'s cell phone are compared with that of a registered master phone. If the position and speed track that of the master phone, it is assumed that the user is a passenger and not a driver, and texting is enabled for that user. Texting at speed is disabled for a master phone user who may be an ordinary citizen or may be a professional driver of a mass transit vehicle. The user of a master phone may utilize a different service provider than a passenger. Information parameter measurements such as for example one or more of cell phone position, velocity, and direction of travel, are time stamped and then passed between service providers and a third party.

Claims

1. A cellular phone service providing system operated by a plurality of service providers and a third party for selectively disabling text messaging for individual cell phones, wherein a plurality of processors operate the system according to a computerized method comprising:

registering a first cell phone belonging to a driver of a motor vehicle as a master phone;

determining at least a position and velocity of the master phone;

establishing an envelope relative to the master phone that encompasses cell phones of passengers who may be riding within the motor vehicle;

providing information parameters for the master phone to a third party;

receiving information parameters for at least a second cell phone from a third party;

comparing time stamped information parameters for the master phone envelope with time stamped information parameters for the at least a second cell phone;

determining that at least a location and velocity of the at least a second cell phone places the at least a second cell phone within the envelope of the master phone;

disabling texting for the master phone when the velocity of the master phone exceeds a disable threshold; and

allowing text messaging for the at least a second cell phone regardless of its velocity.

2. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 1 wherein information parameters for the master phone envelope provided to a third party include time stamped information parameters.

3. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 2, wherein the time stamped master phone envelope information parameters include at least a first position of the master phone envelope and a first time marker recording the time at which the master phone envelope was at the first position.

4. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 2, wherein the time stamped master phone envelope information parameters provided to the third party include at least a first velocity measurement for the master phone and a first time marker recording the time at which the master phone was at the first velocity.

5. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 2, wherein the time stamped master phone envelope information parameters provided to the third party include at least a first direction of travel for the master phone and a first time marker recording the time at which the master phone was moving in the first direction of travel.

6. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 1 wherein information parameters for the at least a second cell phone are provided to a third party and include time stamped information parameters related to the at least a second cell phone;

and

wherein the time stamped information parameters related to the at least a second cell phone include at least a first position of the at least a second cell phone and a first time marker recording the time at which the at least a second cell phone was at the first position.

7. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 1 wherein information parameters for the at least a second cell phone are provided to a third party and include time stamped information parameters related to the at least a second cell phone;

and

wherein the time stamped information parameters related to the at least a second cell phone include at least a first velocity of the at least a second cell phone and a first time marker recording the time at which the at least a second cell phone was at the first velocity.

8. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 1 wherein information parameters for the at least a second cell phone are provided to a third party and include time stamped information parameters related to the at least a second cell phone;

and

wherein the time stamped information parameters related to the at least a second cell phone include at least a first direction of travel of the at least a second cell phone and a first time marker recording the time at which the at least a second cell phone was moving in the first direction of travel.

9. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 1, the computerized method further comprising:

disabling text messaging for the at least a second cell phone when it is moving at a velocity greater than the disable threshold and is not within an envelope of any master phone; and

automatically re-enabling text messaging for the at least a second cell phone if it is later determined that the at least a second cell phone is within an envelope of a master phone regardless of the velocity of the at least a second cell phone.

10. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 1 wherein the computerized method of operation is implemented solely by changes to service provider software infrastructure and not by changes made to either cellular phones or service provider hardware infrastructure.

11. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 9 wherein the computerized method of operation further comprises:

after the at least a second cell phone has been disabled for text messaging, re-enabling the at least a second cell phone for text messaging after the velocity of the at least a second cell phone has been less than the disable threshold for a pre-determined period of time.

12. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 1 wherein the master phone was registered by voluntary registration of said master phone by its user.

13. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 1 wherein the master phone was registered by automatic registration of said master phone, and wherein a user of said master phone is a professional operator of a mass transit vehicle according to a database of known professional drivers.

14. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 1 wherein:

the master phone is registered voluntarily by the user of said master phone;

the user of said master phone is a professional operator of a mass transit vehicle according to a database of known professional drivers; and

the user registered said master phone in response to a prompt sent by one of the plurality of service providers after a determination that said master phone was within an envelope of one or more cellular phones.

15. A cellular phone service providing system operated by a plurality of service providers and a third party for selectively disabling text messaging for individual cell phones, wherein a plurality of processors operate the system according to a computerized method comprising:

disabling texting for a registered master phone when a velocity of the registered master phone exceeds a disable threshold;

receiving from a first cellular service provider time stamped information parameters for the registered master phone;

receiving from a second cellular service provider time stamped information parameters for at least a second cell phone;

comparing the time stamped information parameters for the registered master phone with the time stamped information parameters for the at least a second cell phone to determine if the at least a second cell phone is within an envelope of the registered master phone; and

if the result of the comparing places the at least a second cell phone within the envelope of the registered master phone, allowing texting for the at least a second cell phone regardless of its velocity.

16. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 15, the computerized method further comprising:

disabling text messaging for the at least a second cell phone when it is moving at a velocity greater than the disable threshold and is not within an envelope of any master phone; and

automatically re-enabling text messaging for the at least a second cell phone if it is later determined that the at least a second cell phone is within an envelope of a master phone regardless of the velocity of the at least a second cell phone.

17. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 16 wherein the computerized method of operation further comprises:

after the at least a second cell phone has been disabled for text messaging, re-enabling the at least a second cell phone for text messaging after the velocity of the at least a second cell phone has been less than the disable threshold for a pre-determined period of time.

18. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 15 wherein allowing text messaging for the at least a second cell phone within the master phone envelope requires no special action on the part of a user of the at least a second cell phone.

19. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 15 wherein the method of operation is implemented solely by changes to the service provider software infrastructure and not by changes made to either cellular phones or service provider hardware infrastructure.

20. The cellular phone service providing system of claim 15 wherein the third party and one of the plurality of service providers comprise the same entity.