System and method for discouraging inappropriate use of a mobile device

• US 9,621,707 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2015
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 20/20 CTE, LLC
• Original Assignee: 20/20 CTE, LLC
• Inventors: Way, Brian, Cornwall, Geoff, Neiheisel, Greg, Pearce, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Santiago
• Application Number:
  US14/590,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20150195399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 455418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for discouraging the in appropriate use of a mobile device including registering a mobile device with a monitoring application running on a system coupled with a network. A mobile device is linked with the monitoring application through the network. The operational status of the mobile device is monitored to detect if a change occurs in the operational status. A change in the operational status of the mobile device is reported to the monitoring program with time information and the status change is displayed in a graphical interface, and a notification message is sent to a system user. Beacons might also be implemented to advise a device user to disable a mobile device to be monitored.

Claims

1. A method for discouraging the inappropriate use of a mobile device by a user comprising:

registering a mobile device with a monitoring application running on a system remote from the mobile device and coupled with a network;

linking the mobile device with the monitoring application through the network;

advising the user to change the operational status of the mobile device by putting the device in a selected disabled operational mode of the mobile device to prevent use of at least one communication feature of the mobile device;

monitoring, at the mobile device, an operational status of the mobile device and detecting if the device user has engaged the mobile device and taken the device out of the selected disabled operational mode for restoring the at least one communication feature;

reporting a change in the operational status of the mobile device made by the user to the monitoring application with time information that reflects the detection of when the mobile device was taken out of the selected disabled operational mode;

displaying the operational status change and time information in a graphical interface associated with the monitoring application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected disabled operational mode includes at least one of an Airplane mode, a Do Not Disturb mode and an OFF mode.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, when registering a mobile device, providing a notification destination associated with the mobile device and providing a notification message regarding a mobile device being monitored to the notification destination.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a notification message associated with a detected change in the operational status of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising linking the mobile device with at least one beacon device through the monitoring application, detecting a beacon device at a location with the mobile device and, upon detecting the beacon device, instructing a user of the mobile device to change the operational mode of the mobile device to a particular operational mode.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising linking a mobile device with at least one beacon device through the monitoring application, detecting a beacon device at a location with the mobile device, and at least one of, reporting the beacon detection to the monitoring application or reporting the beacon detection to the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a change in a mobile device operational status by detecting a change from a disabled operational mode to another operational mode and reporting the time information associated with the duration of the mobile device in the disabled operational mode.

8. A mobile device comprising:

at least one processor;

program code configured to be executed on the at least one processor, the program code causing the processor of the mobile device to link the mobile device with a remote monitoring application through a network, to advise a user of the mobile device to change the operational status of the mobile device by putting the device in a selected disabled operational mode to prevent use of at least one communication feature of the mobile device, to monitor the operational status of the mobile device and detect if the device user has engaged the mobile device and taken the device out of the selected disabled operational mode for restoring the at least one communication feature, to generate status change information with time information responsive to detecting when the mobile device was taken out of the disabled operational mode, and to transmit the status change information and time information over a network to the monitoring application running on a system remote from the mobile device.

9. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the selected disabled operational mode includes at least one of an Airplane mode, a Do Not Disturb mode and an OFF mode.

10. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the program code is configured for detecting a beacon device at a location close to the mobile device and, upon detecting the beacon device, instructing a user of the mobile device to change the operational mode of the mobile device to a particular operational mode.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 wherein the program code is configured for reporting the beacon detection to the mobile device.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium; and

program code stored on the computer readable storage medium and configured to be executed by a processor to cause the processor to link the mobile device with a remote monitoring application through a network, to advise a user of the mobile device to change the operational status of the mobile device by putting the device in a selected disabled operational mode to prevent use of at least one communication feature of the mobile device, to monitor the operational status of a mobile device and detect if the device user has engaged the mobile device and taken the device out of the selected disabled operational mode for restoring the at least one communication feature, to generate status change information with time information responsive to detecting when the mobile device was taken out of the disabled operational mode, and to communicate the status change information and time information over a network to the monitoring application running on a system remote from the mobile device.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein the program code is configured to cause the processor to provide a notification message associated with a detected change in the operational status of the mobile device.

14. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein the program code is configured to cause the processor to detect a beacon device at a location with the mobile device and, upon detecting the beacon device, instructing a user of the mobile device to change the operational mode of the mobile device to a particular operational mode.

15. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein the program code is configured to to generate time information associated with the duration of the mobile device in the disabled operational mode.