Vehicle event recorder mobile phone mount

• US 9,401,985 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2015
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
• Inventors: Sutton, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US14/951,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20160080557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/417, 455/419, 455/420, 455/421, 455/445, 455/456.1, 455/459, 455/517, 455/550.1, 455/565, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/575.9, 455/556.1, 455/557
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A phone vehicle event recorder mount for holding a mobile phone. The phone vehicle event recorder mount comprises an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to receive a connection indication of whether the mobile phone is connected to the mount. The processor is configured to determine whether the mobile phone is connected to the mount based on the connection indication, wherein the mobile phone is connected to the mount in the event that the mobile phone is placed in the mount.

Claims

1. A phone vehicle event recorder mount, comprising:

a mount for holding a mobile phone;

an interface configured to receive a connection indication of whether the mobile phone is connected to the mount; and

a processor configured to;

determine whether the mobile phone is connected to the mount based on the connection indication, wherein the mobile phone is connected to the mount in the event that the mobile phone is placed in the mount; and

responsive to a determination that the mobile phone is connected to the mount, activate vehicle event recorder functions, wherein the vehicle event recorder functions are performed by the mobile phone and include;

receiving vehicle data, detecting vehicle events based on the received vehicle data, and transmitting data regarding the detected vehicle events to an external server.

2. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a wired interface.

3. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a wireless interface.

4. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an indication to launch a vehicle event recorder app on the mobile phone, the vehicle event recorder app being configured to perform the vehicle event recorder functions.

5. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 4, wherein the detecting vehicle events includes determining that an anomalous event has occurred.

6. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 4, wherein the detecting vehicle events is based on one or more accelerometers.

7. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 4, wherein the detecting vehicle events is based on one or more gyroscopes.

8. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 4, wherein the detecting vehicle events is based on a camera.

9. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an indication to disable receiving and transmitting text communications.

10. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an indication to provide event data to the external server.

11. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, wherein the interface is further configured to communicate with vehicle systems.

12. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 11, wherein the interface is configured to communicate with vehicle systems via an OBD bus.

13. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 11, wherein the interface is configured to receive sensor data from vehicle systems.

14. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, further comprising a memory.

15. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 14, wherein the memory is configured to store event data.

16. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 14, wherein the memory is configured to store map data.

17. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an indication to the mobile phone of available resources.

18. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, further comprising one or more lights for display of information.

19. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, further comprising a display screen.

20. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an indication to re-enable receiving and transmitting voice phone calls when the mobile phone is removed.

21. The phone vehicle event recorder mount of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an indication to re-enable receiving and transmitting voice phone calls in response to an indication to a vehicle event recorder app.

22. A method for a phone vehicle event recorder mount, comprising:

receiving a connection indication of whether a mobile phone is connected to the mount, wherein the mount holds the mobile phone;

determining, using a processor, whether the mobile phone is connected to the mount based on the connection indication, wherein the mobile phone is connected to the mount in the event that the mobile phone is placed in the mount; and

responsive to a determination that the mobile phone is connected to the mount, activating vehicle event recorder functions, wherein the vehicle event recorder functions are performed by the mobile phone and include;

receiving vehicle data, detecting vehicle events based on the received vehicle data, and transmitting data regarding the detected vehicle events to an external server.

23. A computer program product for a phone vehicle event recorder mount, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a connection indication of whether a mobile phone is connected to the mount, wherein the mount holds the mobile phone;

determining, using a processor, whether the mobile phone is connected to the mount based on the connection indication, wherein the mobile phone is connected to the mount in the event that the mobile phone is placed in the mount; and

responsive to a determination that the mobile phone is connected to the mount, activating vehicle event recorder functions, wherein the vehicle event recorder functions are performed by the mobile phone and include;

receiving vehicle data, detecting vehicle events based on the received vehicle data, and transmitting data regarding the detected vehicle events to an external server.