Method and apparatus for providing safety services relating to mobile devices

• US 9,860,671 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Rangarajan, Jagannath K., Shaphy, Muhammed, Chandek, Abhijit, Bardhan, Ebenezer, Naren, Shachi, Sharma, Nityanand, Slay, Jr., Harold Rex
• Primary Examiner(s): Fang, Keith
• Application Number:
  US13/784,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20140248864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

An approach for providing feature configuration management is described. A service controller platform, monitors at least one environmental parameter of a mobile device; determines an event according to a threshold, the event being based on at least a change in the at least one environmental parameter; determines a feature configuration setting associated with at least one of the threshold or the event according to a device profile, wherein the device profile specifies a feature configuration setting that includes at least one of locking the mobile device, limiting access to at least one predetermined application, or disabling the mobile device; and causes the mobile device to change a feature configuration according to the feature configuration setting.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring at least one environmental parameter of a mobile device;

determining context information of the mobile device, the context information comprising a legal speed limit of an automobile for a geographic location of the mobile device and weather conditions for the geographic location of the mobile device;

determining a threshold based on the context information;

determining an event according to the threshold, the event being further based on at least a change in the at least one environmental parameter;

storing the event within an event history associated with the mobile device;

determining a feature configuration setting associated with the event according to a device profile, wherein the feature configuration setting includes at least one of locking the mobile device, limiting access to at least one predetermined application, or disabling the mobile device; and

causing the mobile device to change a feature configuration according to the feature configuration setting,

wherein the threshold is dynamically changed based on the weather conditions.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

updating the device profile.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the device profile includes additional thresholds and feature configuration settings, and the additional thresholds are predetermined or configured to be dynamically changed based on the context information.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the threshold specifies a speed of the mobile device.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reporting the event to a service controller; and

storing the event in the device profile.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the environmental parameter includes at least one of a geographic location of the mobile device.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a group profile to which the device profile belongs, the group profile including a more than one device profile, the group profile specifying at least one feature configuration setting and threshold for the more than one device profile.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring includes receiving sensor data related to the environmental parameter from at least one of at least one sensor of the mobile device or a motor vehicle in which the mobile device is located.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

monitor at least one environmental parameter of a mobile device;

determine context information of the mobile device, the context information comprising a legal speed limit of an automobile for a geographic location of the mobile device and weather conditions for the geographic location of the mobile device;

determine a threshold based on the context information;

determine an event according to the threshold, the event being further based on at least a change in the at least one environmental parameter;

store the event within an event history associated with the mobile device;

determine a feature configuration setting associated with the event according to a device profile, wherein the feature configuration setting includes at least one of locking the mobile device, limiting access to at least one predetermined application, or disabling the mobile device; and

cause the mobile device to change a feature configuration according to the feature configuration setting,

wherein the threshold is dynamically changed based on the weather conditions.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

update the device profile.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the device profile includes additional thresholds and feature configuration settings, and the additional thresholds are predetermined or configured to be dynamically changed based on the context information.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the threshold specifies a speed of the mobile device.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

report the event to a service controller; and

store the event in the device profile.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the environmental parameter includes at least one of a geographic location of the mobile device.

15. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine a group profile to which the device profile belongs, the group profile including a more than one device profile, the group profile specifying at least one feature configuration setting and threshold for the more than one device profile.

16. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive sensor data relating to the environmental parameter from at least one of at least one sensor of the mobile device or a motor vehicle in which the mobile device is located.

17. A system comprising:

a database configured to store a device profile, wherein the device profile specifies a context information of the mobile device, and a feature configuration setting that includes at least one of locking the mobile device, limiting access to at least one predetermined application, or disabling the mobile device; and

a service controller platform configured to monitor at least one environmental parameter of the mobile device;

determine the context information of the mobile device, the context information comprising a legal speed limit of an automobile for a geographic location of the mobile device, and weather conditions for the geographic location of the mobile device,;

determining a threshold based on the context information;

determine an event according to the threshold, the event being further based on at least a change in the at least one environmental parameter;

store the event within an event history associated with the mobile device;

determine the feature configuration setting associated with the event according to the device profile; and

cause the mobile device to change a feature configuration according to the feature configuration setting,

wherein the threshold is dynamically changed based on the weather conditions.