System for Preventing Text Messaging While Driving

• US 20110136480A1
• Filed: 02/23/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Osann Jr
• Original Assignee: Robert Osann Jr
• Inventors: Osann, Robert JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,295,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system and method are described to disable texting while driving a moving vehicle. The position and speed of a user'"'"'s cell phone are compared with that of a registered master phone. If the position and speed track that of the master phone, it is assumed that the user is a passenger and not a driver, and texting is enabled for that user. Texting at speed is disabled for a master phone user who may be an ordinary citizen or may be a professional driver of a mass transit vehicle. The user of a master phone may utilize a different service provider than a passenger. Information parameter measurements such as cell phone position, velocity, and direction of travel are time stamped and then passed between service providers or alternately made available to other service providers by way of a central database.

Claims

1. A method for disabling text messaging for vehicle drivers while in motion, comprising the steps of:

registering at a first service provider a first cell phone as a master phone;

determining the position and velocity of the master phone;

disabling texting for said master phone when the velocity of the master phone exceeds a disable threshold;

establishing an envelope relative to the master phone that encompasses passengers that may be riding within a motor vehicle containing the master phone;

providing information parameters for said envelope to a second service provider;

allowing text messaging for at least a second cell phone contained within the envelope, said at least a second cell phone being in communication with the second service provider; and

disabling text messaging for one or more cell phones that are moving at a velocity greater than the disable threshold and are not within the envelope of a master phone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is implemented solely by changes to service provider infrastructure and not by changes made to any cellular phones.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the method is implemented solely by changes to service provider software infrastructure and not by changes made to either cellular phones or service provider hardware infrastructure.

4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

after a cell phone has been thus disabled for text messaging, re-enabling the cell phone for text messaging after the velocity of said cell phone has been less than the disable threshold for a pre-determined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein envelope information parameters passed between service providers include at least a first position of the master phone envelope and a first time marker recording the time at which the master phone envelope was at the first position.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein to enable texting for the second cell phone when the second cell phone is traveling at a velocity in excess of the disable threshold, the second service provider determines that the position of the second cell phone at the time of the first time marker is within a margin of equivalence with the position of the master phone envelope at the time of the first time marker.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein envelope information parameters passed between service providers include at least a first velocity measurement for the master phone and a first time marker recording the time at which the master phone was at said first velocity.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein to enable texting for the second cell phone when the second cell phone is traveling at a velocity in excess of the disable threshold, the second service provider determines that the velocity of the second cell phone at the time of the first time marker is within a margin of equivalence with the velocity of the master phone at the time of the first time marker.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein envelope information parameters passed between service providers include at least a first direction of travel measurement for the master phone and a first time marker recording the time at which the master phone was moving in said first direction of travel.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein to enable texting for the second cell phone when the second cell phone is traveling at a velocity in excess of the disable threshold, the second service provider determines that the direction of travel of the second cell phone at the time of the first time marker is within a margin of equivalence with the direction of travel of the master phone at the time of the first time marker.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein envelope information parameters passed between the first service provider and said third party include at least a first velocity measurement for the master phone and a first time marker recording the time at which the master phone was at said first velocity.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein to enable texting for the second cell phone when the second cell phone is traveling at a velocity in excess of the disable threshold, the second service provider determines that the velocity of the second cell phone at the time of the first time marker is within a margin of equivalence with the velocity of the master phone at the time of the first time marker.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein envelope information parameters passed between the first service provider and said third party include at least a first direction of travel measurement for the master phone and a first time marker recording the time at which the master phone was moving in said first direction of travel.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein to enable texting for the second cell phone when the second cell phone is traveling at a velocity in excess of the disable threshold, the second service provider determines that the direction of travel of the second cell phone at the time of the first time marker is within a margin of equivalence with the direction of travel of the master phone at the time of the first time marker.

11. A method for disabling text messaging for vehicle drivers while in motion, comprising the steps of:

registering at a first service provider a first cell phone as a master phone;

determining the position and velocity of the master phone;

disabling texting for said master phone when the velocity of the master phone exceeds a disable threshold;

establishing an envelope relative to the master phone that encompasses passengers that may be riding within a motor vehicle containing the master phone;

providing information parameters for said master phone envelope to a third party;

providing said information parameters for said master phone envelope to a second service provider by way of the third party;

allowing text messaging for at least a second cell phone contained within the envelope, said at least a second cell phone being in communication with the second service provider; and

disabling text messaging for one or more cell phones that are moving at a velocity greater than the disable threshold and are not within the envelope of a master phone.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the third party includes a database of cell phone envelope parameters supplied to the third party by a plurality of service providers.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the third party database is maintained by a government agency.

14. The method of claim 11, further including the step of:

after a cell phone has been thus disabled for text messaging, re-enabling the cell phone for text messaging after the velocity of said cell phone has been less than the disable threshold for a pre-determined period of time.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein envelope information parameters passed between the first service provider and said third party include at least a first position of the master phone envelope and a first time marker recording the time at which the master phone envelope was at the first position.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein to enable texting for the second cell phone when the second cell phone is traveling at a velocity in excess of the disable threshold, the second service provider determines that the position of the second cell phone at the time of the first time marker is within a margin of equivalence with the position of the master phone envelope at the time of the first time marker.

21. A method for disabling text messaging for vehicle drivers while in motion, comprising the steps of:

registering at a first service provider a first cell phone as a master phone;

determining the position and velocity of the master phone;

disabling texting for said master phone when the velocity of the master phone exceeds a disable threshold;

establishing an envelope relative to the master phone that encompasses passengers that may be riding within a motor vehicle containing the master phone;

providing information parameters for said master phone envelope to a second service provider whereby at least one parameter is time stamped;

allowing text messaging for at least a second cell phone determined by the second service provider to be contained within the master phone envelope, the determination made by analyzing parameter data and associated time stamps, said at least a second cell phone being in communication with the second service provider; and

disabling text messaging for one or more cell phones that are moving at a velocity greater than the disable threshold and are not within the envelope of a master phone, said determination made by one or more service providers by analyzing parameter data and associated time stamps relating to said one or more cell phones and one or more master phones.

22. The method of claim 21, further including the step of:

after a cell phone has been thus disabled for text messaging, re-enabling the cell phone for text messaging after the velocity of said cell phone has been less than the disable threshold for a pre-determined period of time.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein parameter data analyzed by the second service provider includes the position of at least one master phone envelope and the position of at least one cell phone that has not been registered as a master phone.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein parameter data analyzed by the second service provider includes the velocity of at least one master phone and the velocity of at least one cell phone that has not been registered as a master phone.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein parameter data analyzed by the second service provider includes the direction of travel of at least one master phone and the direction of travel of at least one cell phone that has not been registered as a master phone.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the first and second service providers are one and the same.