Safety of a mobile communications device

• US 9,986,385 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Websafety, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Websafety, Inc.
• Inventors: Adler, Michael, Spiesser, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US15/601,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20180077531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1016 Telecontrol
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving safety of a multi-function portable personal communications device can include determining a first position of the personal communications device, after a predetermined time interval, determining a second position of the personal communications device, determining the distance between the first position and the second position, determining the time interval in which the personal communications device moved from the first position and the second position, calculating an average velocity of the personal communications device based on the first position, the second position and the time interval and, if the average velocity of the personal communication device exceeds a predetermined value, sending an alert or inhibiting a function of the personal communications device. Other systems and methods that improve safety are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for remotely modifying a function of a child computing device, the system comprising:

one or more hardware processors programmed to;

receive authentication information from a parent computing device;

authenticate a user of the parent computing device based on the received authentication information;

in response to authenticating the user, enabling modifications of metrics associated with inhibiting functions of the child computing device from the parent computing device;

receive, from the parent computing device, a modification to a metric which triggers an inhibition of a function of the child computing device, wherein the metric relates to at least one of a velocity or a location of the child computing device;

cause the modification to be implemented on the child computing device;

receive position or time information from the child computing device;

determine whether the metric is met based at least partly on the position or time information;

in response to a determination that the metric is met, inhibit the function of the child computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the authentication information comprises a personal identification number or a password.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein enabling modifications of metrics associated with inhibiting functions of the child computing device comprises re-enabling, in response to the authentication information, a previously inhibited function of the multi-function portable personal communications device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the function of the child computing device comprises a voice communication function, a texting function, a multi-media messaging function, email, internet access, or a video or image transmission function.

5. A method of remotely modifying a function of a child computing device, the method comprising:

receiving authentication information from a user of the parent computing device, wherein the authentication information comprises an identifier associated with the user of the parent computing device;

enabling, in response to authenticating the user using the received authentication information, modifications of metrics associated with inhibiting functions of the child computing device;

receiving a modification to a metric enabled by the user of the parent computing device which triggers an inhibition of a function of the child computing device; and

communicating the modification to a metric associated with the inhibition of a function of the child device to a server computing system which causes the modification to be implemented on the child computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the authentication information comprises a personal identification number or a password.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the metrics comprise at least one of:

a target location;

a predetermined distance from the first target location;

a defined time window;

a threshold velocity value.

8. The method of claim 5, the step of enabling modifications of metrics comprises re-enabling, in response to the authentication information, a previously inhibited function of the multi-function portable personal communications device.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the function comprises a voice communication function, a texting function, a multi-media messaging function, email, internet access, or a video or image transmission function.

10. A system for modifying a function of a child computing device, the system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions;

wherein the program instructions are configured to implement system for modifying a function of the child computing device; and

a hardware processor programmed to execute the program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to;

transmit authentication information provided by a user of the computing device to a remote server, wherein the authentication information comprises an identifier associated with the user of the parent computing device;

receive, in response to transmitting authentication information, permission from the remote server to enable modifications to metrics associated with inhibiting functions of the child computing device;

enable, in response to authenticating the user, modifications to metrics associated with inhibiting functions of the child computing device;

send the enabled modifications to metrics associated with inhibiting functions of the child computing device to the remote server; and

cause, in response to sending the modifications to metrics associated with inhibiting functions of the child computing device, inhibitions to one or more functions on the child computing device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the authentication information comprises a personal identification number or a password.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the metrics comprise at least one of:

a target location;

a predetermined distance from the first target location;

a defined time window;

a threshold velocity value.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to re-enable, in response to the authentication information, a function of the multi-function portable personal communications device.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the function comprises a voice communication function, a texting function, a multi-media messaging function, email, internet access, or a video or image transmission function.