Limiting mobile device functionality in a vehicle

• US 10,104,224 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cbros Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Cbros Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Mahar, Stephen Nelson, Williams, Jr., Donald Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US14/947,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• 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 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A method, device and system for limiting mobile device functionality in a vehicle. When a vehicle is in motion, a motion detector initiates a signal generator, which transmits a disabling signal that is received and processed by software residing on a mobile device. Upon receipt and validation of the disabling signal, the software will alter the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration to, for example, remove the ability of the mobile device to respond to typing and other touch screen functions and to send and/or receive text and/or e-mail messages for as long as the disabling signal is transmitted. Once the motion detector detects that the vehicle is no longer in motion, the signal generator ceases transmission of the disabling signal. After a predetermined time of not receiving a disabling signal, the software restores the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration to its original configuration.

Claims

1. A system of limiting mobile device functionality in a vehicle or other area in which it is desired to limit or control the use of a mobile device, comprising:

a disabling device having a motion detector, a microcontroller in communication with the motion detector, wherein the microcontroller receives a motion status of the vehicle from the motion detector, a signal generator in communication with the microcontroller, wherein the signal generator transmits a disabling signal responsive to receipt of the motion status of the vehicle indicating that the vehicle is in motion; and

a mobile device comprising a receiver for receiving the disabling signal, wherein a Device Owner Application on the mobile device alters the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration responsive to the disabling signal;

wherein said disabling device is encased in an enclosure, said enclosure allowing arbitrary placement in a vehicle without regard to whether the vehicle comprises any on board diagnostic system; and

wherein said disabling device is further defined as being adapted to sense removal of the disabling device from the vehicle, and wherein the signal generator transmits a removal alert to a monitoring party'"'"'s device responsive to the disabling device'"'"'s sensing that the disabling device has been removed from the vehicle, said removal alert indicating that the disabling device has been removed from the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the Device Owner Application residing on the mobile device alters the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration to restrict the mobile device'"'"'s ability to send and receive text messages and email messages.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the Device Owner Application residing on the mobile device further alters the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration to restrict the mobile device'"'"'s ability to respond user input.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the Device Owner Application residing on the mobile device alters the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration to restrict the mobile device'"'"'s ability to place and receive phone calls.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the Device Owner Application residing on the mobile device further alters the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration to restrict the mobile device'"'"'s ability to place and receive phone calls requiring user interaction with a touch screen or a keyboard of the mobile device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the disabling device further comprises a cellular radio in communication with the microcontroller, wherein the cellular radio transmits an alert when a monitoring event has occurred.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a monitoring party'"'"'s device for receiving the alert from the cellular radio.

23. The system of claim 7, wherein said disabling device signal generator and said mobile device receiver comprise a communication link that does not require an affirmative action by a user to communicate.

8. A device for limiting mobile device functionality in a vehicle or other area in which it is desired to limit or control the use of a mobile device, comprising:

a motion detector;

a microcontroller in communication with the motion detector, wherein the microcontroller receives a motion status of the vehicle from the motion detector; and

a signal generator in communication with the microcontroller, wherein the signal generator transmits a disabling signal responsive to receipt of the motion status of the vehicle indicating that the vehicle is in motion, said disabling transmitted to a mobile device comprising a Device Owner Application operative to alter the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration in response to the disabling signal;

wherein said device is encased in an enclosure, said enclosure allowing arbitrary placement in a vehicle, and wherein said disabling device does not communicate with a vehicle'"'"'s on board diagnostic system; and

wherein said device is further defined as being adapted to sense removal of the device from the vehicle, and wherein the signal generator transmits a removal alert to a monitoring party'"'"'s device responsive to the device'"'"'s sensing that the device has been removed from the vehicle, said removal alert indicating that the device has been removed from the vehicle.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

a cellular radio in communication with the microcontroller, wherein the cellular radio transmits an alert to a monitoring party'"'"'s device when the microcontroller detects a monitoring event has occurred.

10. A method of limiting mobile device functionality in a vehicle or other area in which it is desired to limit or control the use of a mobile device having a disabling device, comprising a motion detector, associated therewith comprising:

detecting, at the motion detector, a motion status of the vehicle;

transmitting a disabling signal to a mobile device comprising a Device Owner Application, said mobile device being in communication with the disabling device as long as the motion status indicates that the vehicle is in motion, whereby the disabling signal causes said Device Owner Application on the mobile device to limit the functionality of the mobile device;

wherein said step of detecting is independent of a vehicle'"'"'s on board diagnostic system; and

wherein said disabling device is further defined as being adapted to sense removal of the disabling device from the vehicle, wherein the disabling device transmits a removal alert to a monitoring party'"'"'s device responsive to the disabling device'"'"'s sensing that the disabling device has been removed from the vehicle, said removal alert indicating that the disabling device has been removed from the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting an alert to a monitoring party'"'"'s device in communication with the disabling device when a monitoring event occurs.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring event is when the disabling device is removed from the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring event is when the disabling device loses power from a power source for a predetermined period of time.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

polling, at the mobile device, for the disabling signal from the disabling device;

receiving, at the mobile device, the disabling signal; and

altering the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration responsive to the disabling signal being valid, said alerting carried out by said Device Owner Application.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, at the mobile device, a second disabling signal; and

determining if the second disabling signal is valid; and

restoring the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration responsive to the second disabling signal being invalid, said restoring carried out by said Device Owner Application.

16. A method of limiting mobile device functionality in a vehicle or other area in which it is desired to limit or control the use of a mobile device having a disabling device, comprising a motion detector, associated therewith comprising:

polling, at the mobile device, for a disabling signal from the disabling device;

receiving a disabling signal;

determining if the disabling signal is valid;

altering, by a Device Owner Application on the mobile device, the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration responsive to the disabling signal being valid;

polling for the disabling signal; and

restoring the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration responsive to not receiving the disabling signal after a pre-determined amount of time;

wherein said disabling device is further defined as being adapted to sense removal of the disabling device from the vehicle, wherein the disabling device transmits a removal alert to a monitoring party'"'"'s device responsive to the disabling device'"'"'s sensing that the disabling device has been removed from the vehicle, said removal alert indicating that the disabling device has been removed from the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the disabling signal comprises an identifier.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein altering the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration comprises restricting the mobile device'"'"'s ability to send and receive text messages and emails.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein altering the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration further comprises restricting the mobile device'"'"'s ability to respond user input.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein altering the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration comprises restricting the mobile device'"'"'s ability to place and receive phone calls.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein altering the mobile device'"'"'s system configuration comprises restricting the mobile device'"'"'s ability to place and receive phone calls requiring user interaction with a touch screen or a keyboard of the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting an alert to a monitoring party'"'"'s device when the mobile device'"'"'s ability to limit mobile device functionality in an operating vehicle is tampered with or disabled.