Methods and systems for regulating operation of one or more functions of a mobile application

• US 9,942,715 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2013
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Racha, Srini, Gersabeck, David Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, David E
• Application Number:
  US14/033,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20140024358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,660 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

Various embodiments include a method for regulating operation of mobile applications executing on a nomadic device. Signals for determining a speed of travel may be received at the nomadic device. The speed may be determined based on the one or more signals. If the determined speed exceeds a speed threshold, a speed restriction flag may be set and one or more functions of the mobile applications may be restricted. If, after setting the speed restriction flag, a speed cannot be determined, the application functions may be continually restricted until a speed can be determined.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a nomadic device application is in a locked state, preventing input;

temporarily unlocking the application, permitting input of at least a certain input-type, for a predetermined time period corresponding to the input-type; and

returning the application to the locked state once the predetermined time period expires.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the input is received via a vehicle computing system.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the input is received on the nomadic device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period is determined by a manufacturer based on the average amount of time it takes a user to enter input of the input-type.

4. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine a nomadic device application is in a locked state, preventing input;

temporarily unlock the application for a predetermined time period corresponding to an information type of input information; and

return the application to the locked state once the predetermined time period expires.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the input is received via a vehicle computing system.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the input is received on the nomadic device.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instruction that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

determining a nomadic device application is in a locked state, preventing input;

temporarily unlocking the application, permitting input of at least a certain input-type, for a predetermined time period corresponding to the input-type; and

returning the application to the locked state once the predetermined time period expires.