Systems and methods for warning a vehicle occupant of probable unsafe texting

• US 9,324,121 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2015
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• 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:
  US14/887,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20160042484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 190 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/550.1
• 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

A system and method are described to track and warn a person suspected of texting while driving a moving vehicle. The position and speed of a user'"'"'s cell phone are compared with those of other cell phone users in the vicinity. If the position and speed of a phone track that of one or more neighboring phones, it is assumed that a user may under certain conditions be texting while driving. For circumstances where persons suspected to be in the same vehicle utilize different service providers, parameters such as for instance cell phone position, velocity, and direction of travel are time stamped and then compared. Cell phone users who are determined likely to be texting while driving based on the disclosed methods may be warned without disabling their texting capability.

Claims

1. A computerized method wherein one or more processors operate a system for warning a vehicle occupant operating a cell phone of probable unsafe texting, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least position information for the vehicle occupant'"'"'s cell phone from a first service provider;

receiving at least position information for at least a second cell phone in the vicinity of the vehicle occupant'"'"'s cell phone from a second service provider;

wherein the at least position information for the vehicle occupant'"'"'s cell phone and the at least position information for the at least a second cell phone are each time-stamped and then compared to determine if the vehicle occupant'"'"'s cell phone and the at least a second cell phone are within the same envelope;

for all cell phones thus determined according to the at least their position information to be within the envelope containing the vehicle occupant'"'"'s phone, accessing a database to determine which cell phones in the envelope belong to licensed drivers and which do not;

analyzing activity for the cell phones determined to be within the envelope to determine whether each cell phone'"'"'s user is texting;

warning the vehicle occupant of probable unsafe texting under the following conditions;

(i) the vehicle occupant is determined to be a licensed driver;

(ii) the vehicle occupant is determined to be within the envelope; and

(iii) the activity for the vehicle occupant'"'"'s cell phone falls into one of the following categories;

(a) the vehicle occupant'"'"'s cell phone is determined to be the only phone within the envelope that is texting;

(b) the vehicle occupant'"'"'s cell phone is determined to be texting, and any other cell phones in the envelope that are determined to be texting belong to users with no drivers license; and

(c) the vehicle occupant'"'"'s cell phone is determined to be texting and the phones of all other licensed drivers within the envelope are determined to be texting.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein for condition (c) the phones of all licensed drivers determined to be within the envelope need not be simultaneously texting in order to cause the warning.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing time-stamped information parameters for at least the positions of one or more cell phones to a third party.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the providing of the time-stamped information parameters for at least the positions of the one or more cell phones is performed by at least a first and second service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing time-stamped information parameters for at least the positions and velocities of one or more cell phones to a third party.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the providing of the time-stamped information parameters for at least the positions and velocities of the one or more cell phones is performed by at least a first and second service provider.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing time-stamped information parameters for at least the positions, velocities, and directions of travel of one or more cell phones to a third party.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the providing of the time-stamped information parameters for at least the positions, velocities, and directions of travel of the one or more cell phones is performed by at least a first and second service provider.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the warning is delivered by at least one of text message, automated phone call, email, or postal letter, and wherein the warning is deferred in time until such time that it has been determined that the vehicle occupant being warned is no longer in a moving vehicle.