Texting while driving caution system for a vehicle

• US 9,413,871 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nixon, Bradley B., Montgomery, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US14/564,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A texting while driving caution system for a vehicle includes a vehicle control system operable to communicate with a personal electronic device via a wireless communication protocol. The control system is operable to display a caution in response to a text message being generated on the personal electronic device while the vehicle is in motion.

Claims

1. A texting while driving caution system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle-installed display in a cabin of a vehicle; and

a vehicle-installed control system in communication with the display, the control system operable to;

establish communication with a personal electronic device, the communication providing access to a content of the personal electronic device,

identify, based on the personal electronic device'"'"'s content, the generation of a first outgoing text message on the personal electronic device while the vehicle is in motion, the generation of a second outgoing text message on the personal electronic device while the vehicle is in motion, and a time between the generation of the first outgoing text message on the personal electronic device and the generation of the second outgoing text message on the personal electronic device,

operate the vehicle display to display a texting while driving caution in response to the first outgoing text message being generated on the personal electronic device,

if the time between the generation of the first outgoing text message on the personal electronic device and the generation of the second outgoing text message on the personal electronic device is within a predetermined time period, communicate another texting while driving caution to another separate, off-board system in response to the second outgoing text message being generated on the personal electronic device, and

if the time between the generation of the first outgoing text message on the personal electronic device and the generation of the second outgoing text message on the personal electronic device is not within the predetermined time period, not communicating the other texting while driving caution to the other separate, off-board system in response to the second outgoing text message being generated on the personal electronic device.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first outgoing text message and the second outgoing text message each include at least one of text, email, and Internet browsing.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control system is operable to establish communication with the personal electronic device via a wireless communication protocol.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the other off-board system is associated with an insurance agency.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control system is operable to determine whether the vehicle is in motion.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the displayed texting while driving caution is addressed directly to a user of the personal electronic device.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the displayed texting while driving caution is approximately “

PLEASE DO NOT TEXT WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION”

.

7. A non-transitory computer storage media having embodied thereon computer-useable instructions that, when executed, perform a method, the method comprising:

establish communication between a vehicle-installed control system and a personal electronic device, the communication providing access to a content of the personal electronic device;

identify, with the control system, based on the personal electronic device'"'"'s content, the generation of a first outgoing text message on the personal electronic device while the vehicle is in motion, the generation of a second outgoing text message on the personal electronic device while the vehicle is in motion, and a time between the generation of the first outgoing text message on the personal electronic device and the generation of the second outgoing text message on the personal electronic device;

operating, with the control system, a vehicle-installed display in a cabin of the vehicle to display a texting while driving caution in response to the first outgoing text message being generated on the personal electronic;

if the time between the generation of the first outgoing text message on the personal electronic device and the generation of the second outgoing text message on the personal electronic device is within a predetermined time period, communicating, with the control system, another texting while driving caution to another separate, off-board system in response to the second outgoing text message being generated on the personal electronic device; and

if the time between the generation of the first outgoing text message on the personal electronic device and the generation of the second outgoing text message on the personal electronic device is not within the predetermined time period, not communicating the other texting while driving caution to the other separate, off-board system in response to the second outgoing text message being generated on the personal electronic device.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the first outgoing text message and the second outgoing text message each include at least one of text, email, and Internet browsing.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the communication is established via a wireless communication protocol.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the other off-board system is associated with an insurance agency.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

determining, with the control system, whether the vehicle is in motion.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the displayed texting while driving caution is addressed directly to a user of the personal electronic device.

13. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the displayed texting while driving caution is approximately “

PLEASE DO NOT TEXT WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION”

.