METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRESENTING A TRANSIT INDICATOR

• US 20130273893A1
• Filed: 04/17/2012
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Konda, Ramesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to a method and system for presenting a transit indicator. For example, to reduce distraction, a person in communication with a mobile device user operating a vehicle is warned. A warning signal is generated when a determined speed of travel of a mobile device is greater than a predetermined threshold speed of travel and the mobile device is in communication with a communication device. The mobile device transmits the generated warning signal to the communication device to indicate to a user of the communication device that a user of the mobile device may be operating a vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a characteristic of travel of a mobile device, an input for a communication between the mobile device and a communication device having been initiated;

generating, by a processor, a warning signal based on the determined characteristic of travel of the mobile device; and

transmitting the warning signal from the mobile device to the communication device wherein the warning signal indicates that a user of the mobile device may be operating a motor vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the characteristic of travel of the mobile device comprises:

obtaining a first position of the mobile device at a first time;

obtaining a second position of the mobile device at a second time;

determining a speed of travel of the mobile device based on the first position of the mobile device at the first time and the second position of the mobile device at the second time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the obtaining of the first position, the obtaining of the second position, and the determining are repeated every time a predetermined time period elapses while the mobile device is in communication with the communication device, and

wherein the predetermined time period is a difference between the second time and the first time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiated communication input comprises a text message input at the mobile device or a phone number input or selected at the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the signal based on the determined characteristic of travel of the mobile device comprises:

comparing the determined characteristic of travel of the mobile device to a predetermined threshold; and

generating the signal when the determined characteristic of travel of the mobile device is greater than the predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined threshold is 25 miles per hour.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving the input for the communication at the mobile device, the input for the communication representing a text message;

initiating the communication between the mobile device and the communication device; and

transmitting the text message from the mobile device to the communication device,

wherein the first position and the second position are obtained before the text message is transmitted.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the signal comprises transmitting the signal with the text message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is an audio signal, an image signal, a video signal, or a transit indicator.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a first mobile device comprising;

a communication interface operable to communicate with a second mobile device in a communication session; and

a processor operatively connected to the communication interface, the processor operable to;

determine a speed of travel of the first mobile device during the communication session between the first mobile device and the second mobile device; and

generate a signal when the determined speed of travel of the first mobile device is greater than a predetermined threshold speed of travel,

wherein the communication interface is operable to transmit the generated signal from the first mobile device to the second mobile device as part of the communication session between the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first mobile device is a cellular phone or a computer, and

wherein the second mobile device is a cellular phone or a computer.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a memory operatively connected to the processor, the memory operable to store the predetermined threshold speed of travel.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the processor is operable to insert the signal in the communication from the first user to the second user.

22. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the generated signal indicates that a user of the mobile device may be operating a motor vehicle.

14. A method comprising:

receiving a first position of a first mobile device at a first time after a communication between the first mobile device and the second mobile device is initiated;

receiving a second position of the first mobile device at a second time;

determining, by a processor, a speed of travel of the first mobile device based on the first position of the first mobile device at the first time and the second position of the first mobile device at the second time;

generating a warning signal when the determined speed of travel of the first mobile device is greater than a predetermined threshold speed of travel,

wherein the warning signal is an image signal including a representation of a transit vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the warning signal comprises an audio signal, and

wherein the method further comprises delivering, using the second mobile device, the audio signal to a user at the second mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the warning signal further comprises an image signal, and

wherein the method further comprises displaying the image signal at the second mobile device while the audio signal is delivered to the user at the second mobile device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein delivering the audio signal to the user at the second mobile device comprises delivering the audio signal to the user at the second mobile device a plurality of times throughout the communication.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first position is received, the second position is received, the speed of travel is determined and the warning signal is generated at the second mobile device.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the signal comprises an image signal, and

wherein the method further comprises displaying the image signal at the second mobile device.

18. A method comprising:

receiving a first position of a first mobile device at a first time after a communication between the first mobile device and the second mobile device is initiated;

receiving a second position of the first mobile device at a second time

determining, by a processor, a speed of travel of the first mobile device based on the first position of the first mobile device at the first time and the second position of the first mobile device at the second time

generating a warning signal when the determined speed of travel of the first mobile device is greater than a predetermined threshold speed of travel,

wherein the warning signal comprises an audio signal,

wherein the method further comprises delivering, using the second mobile device, the audio signal to a user at the second mobile device, and wherein the audio signal represents a car horn.

21. (canceled)