DISABLING WIRELESS TELEPHONE USE WHILE IN VEHICLE

• US 20090318169A1
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John L. Rogitz
• Original Assignee: John L. Rogitz
• Inventors: ROGITZ, JOHN L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.400
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A method includes determining that a wireless telephone is in a moving vehicle using, e.g., speed as calculated by the telephone using GPS signals or co-location of the telephone with a vehicle as might be determined by receiving the vehicle'"'"'s position via Bluetooth. Use of the telephone is selectively denied if it is determined that the telephone is in a vehicle.

Claims

1. Method comprising:

determining that a wireless telephone is in a moving vehicle; and

selectively denying at least telephony service to the telephone in response to the determining act.

2. Method of claim 1, wherein the determining act is executed by using successive position signals from the telephone over time to determine that a speed of the telephone exceeds a threshold.

3. Method of claim 1, wherein the determining act is executed by the wireless telephone.

4. Method of claim 1, wherein the determining act is executed by a telephony system communicating with the wireless telephone.

5. Method of claim 1, wherein the determining act is executed by using a position signal from the vehicle and a position vehicle from the telephone, and if the two position signals represent substantially the same location, determining that the telephone is in the vehicle.

6. Method of claim 1, wherein the denying act is executed by a wireless telephony system.

7. Method of claim 6, wherein the system causes a busy signal to be returned to callers of the wireless telephone when it is determined that the telephone is in the vehicle.

8. Method of claim 1, wherein if the telephone is determined to be in the vehicle, an audible and/or visual message is displayed on the wireless telephone indicating denial of service in response to a user of the wireless telephone attempting an outgoing call.

9. Method of claim 3, wherein if the determining act determines that the telephone is in the vehicle, use is enabled if the telephone receives an authorized use signal.

10. Wireless telephone, comprising:

a wireless telephony transceiver;

a position receiver;

a processor communicating with the transceiver and receiver; and

a tangible computer storage medium accessible to the processor and bearing logic to cause the processor to determine if a speed as indicated by signals from the position receiver exceeds a threshold.

11. The telephone of claim 10, wherein if the speed exceeds the threshold, the processor disables at least some calls to and/or from the telephone.

12. The telephone of claim 11, wherein the processor does not disable call, if the threshold is exceeded if the processor receives a moving use authorized signal.

13. The telephone of claim 12, comprising a short range transceiver for receiving the moving use authorized signal.

14. The telephone of claim 10, wherein if the speed exceeds the threshold, the telephone automatically sends a report thereof.

15. Wireless telephone, comprising:

a wireless telephony transceiver;

a position receiver;

a processor communicating with the transceiver and receiver; and

a tangible computer storage medium accessible to the processor and bearing logic to cause the processor to determine if a position of the telephone as indicated by at least one signal from the position receiver substantially matches a position of a vehicle.

16. The telephone of claim 15, wherein if the speed exceeds the threshold, the processor disables at least some calls to and/or from the telephone.

17. The telephone of claim 16, wherein the processor does not disable calls if the positions substantially match if the processor receives a moving use authorized signal.

18. The telephone of claim 17, comprising a short range transceiver for receiving the moving use authorized signal.

19. The telephone of claim 18, comprising a short range transceiver for receiving the position of a vehicle.

20. The telephone of claim 15, wherein if the speed exceeds the threshold, the telephone automatically sends a report thereof.