Cell phone system for enabling and disabling a vehicle

• US 9,553,970 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dock-N-Lock, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dock-N-Lock, LLC
• Inventors: Pothul, Ronald J., Pothul, Joseph N.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIAO, HSINCHUN
• Application Number:
  US12/586,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20110070930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,679 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/667 Preventing unauthorised calls from a telephone set H04M1/677 takes precedence

Abstract

A cell phone system (10) for enabling and disabling a vehicle (12) includes a cell phone (20) and a receiving receptacle (22) secured within the vehicle (12) that is configured so that the cell phone (20) cannot transmit signals whenever the cell phone (20) is secured within the receiving receptacle (22). A vehicle enabling mechanism (44) is secured within the receiving receptacle (22) and is also secured in communication with an engine (50) of the vehicle (12) so that placement of the cell phone (20) within the receiving receptacle (22) activates the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to put the vehicle (12) in an enabled mode, and so that removal of the cell phone (20) from the receiving receptacle (22) deactivates the vehicle enabling mechanism (44) to put the vehicle (12) in a disabled mode.

Claims

1. A system for enabling and disabling a vehicle with a cell phone capable of transmitting and receiving communication signals, the vehicle being for transporting at least a vehicle operator, the vehicle having an enabled mode for permitting starting or motion of the vehicle and a disabled mode for preventing starting or motion of the vehicle, the system comprising:

a receiving receptacle secured within the vehicle and configured for receiving the cell phone therewithin and such that transmission of communication signals from the cell phone are prevented whenever the cell phone is received within the receiving receptacle; and

a vehicle enabling mechanism operably coupled to the receiving receptacle and including a signal wire for communication with an engine of the vehicle, the vehicle enabling mechanism being configured such that placement of the cell phone within the receiving receptacle activates the enabled mode of the vehicle, and such that removal of the cell phone from within the receiving receptacle activates the disabled mode of the vehicle,

wherein the receiving receptacle is a stand-alone retro-fit structure configured to secure to the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving receptacle further includes an auto lock mechanism secured in communication with an engine of the vehicle, and wherein the auto lock mechanism automatically locks the receiving receptacle in response to operation of the engine of the vehicle in the enabled mode such that at least the vehicle operator is prevented from accessing the cell phone within the receiving receptacle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle enabling mechanism is adapted to receive communications from the cell phone when the cell phone is within the receiving receptacle to activate the enabled mode of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the cell phone includes enabling information, and wherein the vehicle enabling mechanism is adapted to receive at least a communication corresponding to the enabling information from the cell phone.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a by-pass card having a by-pass information strip configured such that placement of the by-pass card into the receiving receptacle activates the enabled mode of the vehicle, and such that removal of the by-pass card from the receiving receptacle activates the disabled mode of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the cell phone is received within the receiving receptacle when the receiving receptacle substantially encloses the cell phone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving receptacle includes a base and a top, wherein at least one of the top and the base is moveable with respect to the other of the top and the base, and wherein the receiving receptacle substantially encloses the cell phone when the top is positioned substantially on the base.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission of communication signals from the cell phone are prevented whenever the cell phone is within the receiving receptacle due to the cell phone being remote from the vehicle operator.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the transmission of communication signals from the cell phone are additionally prevented whenever the cell phone is within the receiving receptacle due to means other than the cell phone being remote from the vehicle operator.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle enabling mechanism includes a controller for communication with the engine of the vehicle, and wherein the vehicle enabling mechanism and the controller are configured to be secured in electrical communication by the signal wire.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle enabling mechanism includes a connector coupled to the signal wire of the vehicle enabling mechanism, and wherein the connector is configured to electrically couple the signal wire and the controller.

12. A method of providing a system for enabling and disabling a vehicle with a cell phone capable of transmitting and receiving communication signals, the vehicle being for transporting at least a vehicle operator, the vehicle having an enabled mode for permitting starting or motion of the vehicle and a disabled mode for preventing starting or motion of the vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a receiving receptacle configured for installation within the vehicle; and

providing a vehicle enabling mechanism configured to operably couple to the receiving receptacle and including a signal wire to communicate with an engine of the vehicle,

wherein the receiving receptacle is a stand-alone retro-fit structure configured to secure to the vehicle and such that placement of the cell phone within the receiving receptacle prohibits transmission of communication signals from the cell phone, and wherein the receiving receptacle and vehicle enabling mechanism are configured such that, after installation in the vehicle, placement of the cell phone within the receiving receptacle sets the vehicle in the enabled mode and removal of the cell phone from within the receiving receptacle sets the vehicle in the disabled mode.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising automatically locking the receiving receptacle in response to operation of an engine of the vehicle in the enabled mode to thereby prohibit removal of the cell phone from the receiving receptacle while the vehicle is in the enabled mode.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle enabling mechanism is adapted to receive communications from the cell phone when the cell phone is within the receiving receptacle to activate the enabled mode of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving receptacle and vehicle enabling mechanism are configured such that, after installation in the vehicle, placement of a by-pass card within the receiving receptacle sets the vehicle in the enabled mode and removal of the by-pass card from within the receiving receptacle sets the vehicle in the disabled mode.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving receptacle includes a top and a base, wherein at least one of the top and the base is moveable with respect to the other of the top and the base, and wherein the receiving receptacle is configured, after installation, to automatically lock the top on the base in response to operation of the engine of the vehicle in the enabled mode to thereby prohibit removal of the cell phone from within the receiving receptacle.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmission of communication signals from the cell phone are prevented whenever the cell phone is within the receiving receptacle due to the cell phone being remote from the vehicle operator.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmission of communication signals from the cell phone are additionally prevented whenever the cell phone is within the receiving receptacle due to means other than the cell phone being remote from the vehicle operator.

19. A method of prohibiting operation of a cell phone by a vehicle operator while the vehicle is in an enabled mode permitting starting or motion of the vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a stand-alone retro-fit receiving receptacle configured to secure to the vehicle and such that placement of the cell phone within the receiving receptacle prohibits transmission of communication signals from the cell phone;

coupling a vehicle enabling mechanism to the receiving receptacle; and

electrically coupling the vehicle enabling mechanism to the vehicle via at least one signal wire such that the vehicle enabling mechanism is in communication with an engine of the vehicle,

wherein the receiving receptacle and vehicle enabling mechanism are configured such that, after installing to the vehicle, placement of the cell phone within the receiving receptacle sets the vehicle in the enabled mode and removal of the cell phone from within the receiving receptacle sets the vehicle in a disabled mode preventing starting or motion of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising automatically locking the receiving receptacle in response to operation of an engine of the vehicle in the enabled mode to thereby prohibit removal of the cell phone from the receiving receptacle while the vehicle is in the enabled mode.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the vehicle enabling mechanism is adapted to receive communications from the cell phone when the cell phone is within the receiving receptacle to activate the enabled mode of the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the receiving receptacle includes a top and a base, wherein at least one of the top and the base is moveable with respect to the other of the top and the base, and wherein the receiving receptacle is configured, after installation, to automatically lock the top substantially over the base in response to operation of the engine of the vehicle in the enabled mode to thereby prohibit removal of the cell phone from within the receiving receptacle.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmission of communication signals from the cell phone are prevented whenever the cell phone is within the receiving receptacle due to the cell phone being remote from the vehicle operator.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the transmission of communication signals from the cell phone are additionally prevented whenever the cell phone is within the receiving receptacle due to means other than the cell phone being remote from the vehicle operator.

25. The method of claim 19, further including at least one of:

enabling the disabled mode and thereby preventing the vehicle operator from starting the vehicle with an ignition key when the cell phone is not positioned within the receiving receptacle or not in communication with the vehicle enabling mechanism; and

enabling the enabled mode and thereby allowing the vehicle operator to start the vehicle with an ignition key when the cell phone is positioned within the receiving receptacle and in communication with the vehicle enabling mechanism.