System and method for alerting a user upon departing a vehicle

• US 9,552,717 B1
• Filed: 11/02/2015
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stewart Rudolph
• Original Assignee: Stewart Rudolph
• Inventors: Rudolph, Stewart
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US14/929,591
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 340/457, 340/500, 340/539.11, 340/568.2, 340/531
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system for alerting a user of a device departing a vehicle includes a software application configured to be executed on a memory of the device. The software application performs an initial query phase to periodically query the status of a data connection between the device and the vehicle. Upon confirmation that a data connection has been established, the software application engages an armed state and periodically queries for a failure of the data connection between the device and the vehicle. Upon detecting a failure of the data connection the software application engages an alert state operative to alert a user upon failure of said data connection between the device and the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a user of a mobile device, both the user and the mobile device located within a vehicle, the method comprising:

implementing a software application to be executed on a memory of the mobile device;

configuring the software application to automatically establish a data connection between the mobile device and the vehicle;

configuring the software application to periodically query for a failure of the data connection between the mobile device and the vehicle;

a failure of the data connection between the mobile device and the vehicle being associated with a disabling of the vehicle; and

providing an alert detectable by the user upon failure of the data connection.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising configuring the software application to periodically query for an available data connection of the vehicle prior to establishing the data connection.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising configuring the software application to initiate the query for an available data connection after providing the alert detectable by the user.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising configuring the software application to provide an alert detectable by the user upon establishing a data connection between the mobile device and the vehicle.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the wireless communication channel complies with BLUETOOTH standards.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the alert comprises a noise audible to the user.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein said noise audible to the user comprises a pre-recorded sound file comprising the word “

PHONE”

.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the alert comprises a predetermined sound operative to notify the user that the user may be departing the vehicle without the device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the alert comprises a pre-recorded sound.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the alert comprises at least one visual component.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said visual component comprises a graphical display.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said visual component comprises activation of a flash assembly of the mobile device.

17. A non-transient computer readable medium containing program instructions for causing a mobile device to perform the method as recited in claim 1.

18. A non-transient computer readable medium containing program instructions for causing a mobile device to perform the method as recited in claim 17 wherein causing the mobile device to provide an alert to a user further comprises causing the mobile device to call a predetermined sound file and further, causing the mobile device to broadcast the predetermined sound file to the user.

19. A non-transient computer readable medium containing program instructions for causing a mobile device to perform the method as recited in claim 17 wherein causing the mobile device to provide an alert to a user further comprises causing the mobile device to call a visual cue and further, causing the mobile device to display the visual cue to the user.

13. A system for alerting a user of a mobile device, both the user and the mobile device located within a vehicle, the system comprising:

a software application configured to be executed on a memory of the mobile device;

said software application comprising an initial query phase, said initial query phase operative to periodically query the status of a data connection between the mobile device and the vehicle;

an establishment of said data connection being associated with ignition of the vehicle;

said software application further comprising an armed state, said armed state operative to periodically query for a failure of said data connection between the mobile device and the vehicle subsequent to establishment of said data connection;

a failure of the data connection between the mobile device and the vehicle occurring upon a disabling of the vehicle; and

said software application further comprising an alert state, said alert state operative to emit an alert from the mobile device, to a user, upon failure of said data connection between the mobile device and the vehicle.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein said alert is operative to remind a user to remove the device from the vehicle upon departing the vehicle.

15. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein said initial query phase comprises said software application operatively testing for the establishment of a wireless communication channel between the device and the vehicle.

16. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein said armed state comprises said software application operatively testing for the failure of a wireless communication channel between the device and the vehicle.