Mobile device lock-out system

• US 9,930,169 B1
• Filed: 02/10/2017
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saferide Acquisition Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Saferide, Llc
• Inventors: Rownin, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Application Number:
  US15/429,791
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 4554564, 4555692, 4555759
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A mobile electronic device that is operable to at least partially disable functionality of the mobile electronic device in response to receiving an indication that a vehicle is in motion. In one or more implementations, the electronic device includes a memory operable to store one or more modules and a processor communicatively coupled to the touch-sensitive display and to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to detect presence of a lock-out device and to receive an indication that a vehicle is in motion. The processor is also operable to execute the one or more modules to cause the mobile electronic device to be at least partially inoperable in response to receiving the indication and detecting presence of the lock-out device.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a memory operable to store one or more modules;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory,

the processor operable to execute the one or more modules to;

detect a presence of a lock-out device;

receive an indication that a vehicle is in motion, the vehicle including the mobile electronic device;

in response to receiving the indication that a vehicle is in motion and detecting the presence of the lock-out device, cause the mobile electronic device to be at least partially inoperable;

present a limited selection of applications and a passenger mode button via a display of the mobile device; and

receive a user selection of the passenger mode button; and

provide access to additional applications other than the limited selection of applications after receiving the user selection of the passenger mode button.

2. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the display comprises a touch-sensitive display, the touch-sensitive display configured to receive one or more inputs, wherein the processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to cause the touch-sensitive display to be at least partially inoperable in response to receiving the indication that a vehicle is in motion.

3. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one of an accelerometer or a global positioning system receiver, wherein the processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to determine whether the mobile electronic device is moving.

4. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the indication that a vehicle is in motion is transmitted by a transceiver, the transceiver communicatively coupled to the lock-out device.

5. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 4, wherein the transceiver comprises at least one of a Bluetooth transceiver, a near field communication transceiver, or a Wi-Fi transceiver.

6. The mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to:

present a prompt for the user to enter a passenger mode password in response to receiving the user selection of the passenger mode button; and

at least partially restore operability to the mobile electronic device, including providing the access to the additional applications other than the limited selection of applications, after the passenger mode password is entered.

7. A lock-out system comprising:

a lock-out device configured to detect motion of a vehicle, the lock-out device configured to communicatively couple to the vehicle;

a mobile electronic device communicatively coupled to the lock-out device, the mobile electronic device comprising;

a memory operable to store one or more modules;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor operable to execute the one or more modules to;

detect a presence of the lock-out device;

receive an indication that a vehicle is in motion from the lock-out device;

in response to receiving the indication in response to receiving the indication that a vehicle is in motion and detecting the presence of the lock-out device, cause the mobile electronic device to be at least partially inoperable;

present a limited selection of applications and a passenger mode button via a display of the mobile device;

receive a user selection of the passenger mode button; and

provide access to additional applications other than the limited selection of applications after receiving the user selection of the passenger mode button.

8. The lock-out system as recited in claim 7, wherein the display comprises a touch-sensitive display, the touch-sensitive display configured to receive one or more inputs, wherein the processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to cause the touch-sensitive display to be at least partially inoperable in response to receiving the indication that a vehicle is in motion.

9. The lock-out system as recited in claim 7, further comprising at least one of an accelerometer or a global positioning system receiver, wherein the processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to determine whether the mobile electronic device is moving.

10. The lock-out system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a transceiver communicatively coupled to the lock-out device and the mobile electronic device, the transceiver configured to transmit the indication that a vehicle is in motion from the lock-out device to the mobile electronic device.

11. The lock-out system as recited in claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to:

present a prompt for the user to enter a passenger mode password in response to receiving the user selection of the passenger mode button; and

at least partially restore operability to the mobile electronic device, including providing the access to the additional applications other than the limited selection of applications, after the passenger mode password is entered.

12. The lock-out system as recited in claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to prevent generation of at least one audible alert while the vehicle is in motion.

13. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to detect the presence of the lock-out device and cause the mobile electronic device to be at least partially inoperable in response to receiving the indication that a vehicle is in motion and detecting the presence of the lock-out device.

14. A method comprising:

detecting the presence of a lock-out device;

receiving an indication that a vehicle is in motion at a mobile electronic device;

at least partially disabling functionality of the mobile electronic device in response to receiving the indication that a vehicle is in motion and detecting the presence of the lock-out device;

presenting a limited selection of applications and a passenger mode button via a display of the mobile device;

receiving a user selection of the passenger mode button and

providing access to additional applications other than the limited selection of applications after receiving the user selection of the passenger mode button;

determining whether the vehicle is still in motion; and

restoring the disabled functionality when the vehicle is determined to be no longer in motion.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the indication that a vehicle is in motion is generated by a lock-out device.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the lock-out device comprises at least one of an accelerometer or a global positioning system receiver.

17. The lock-out system as recited in claim 14, wherein at least partially disabling functionality of the mobile electronic device in response to receiving the indication that a vehicle is in motion further comprises at least partially disabling detection of touch inputs to the display.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

presenting a prompt for the user to enter a passenger mode password in response to receiving the user selection of the passenger mode button; and

at least partially restoring operability to the mobile electronic device, including providing the access to the additional applications other than the limited selection of applications, after the passenger mode password is entered.