INTEGRATED VEHICLE MONITORING AND CONTROL

• US 20160096530A1
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Preventext, LLC
• Original Assignee: Preventext, LLC
• Inventors: Catania, Vito, Catania, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,663,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0809 Driver authorisation; Driver identity check
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241

Abstract

The disclosed system discourages drivers from manual use of mobile personal communications devices while operating a vehicle. Software installed on the mobile device uses the mobile device itself to determine whether the device is being used during operation of the vehicle. The system uses vehicle equipment for alerts that notify passengers as well as others outside the vehicle (such as owners, parents, other drivers, pedestrians, law enforcement agencies) that the driver is operating the vehicle while distracted by a communications device, and as such, may be operating the vehicle in an unsafe manner. The system can use a mobile device running a security app as a required or alternative entry and ignition key. A web portal enables remote control of the vehicle'"'"'s systems and limitations on its operation in the presence of a particular device, even disassociating the vehicle from a particular mobile device, and provisioning of a replacement device.

Claims

1. A personal communications device (PCD)-vehicle monitoring and control system for use in a motorized vehicle, the system comprising:

a processor transported by a vehicle;

a memory in communication with the processor, wherein the memory is encoded with programming instructions executable by the processor to;

establish a data connection with a PCD;

through the data connection, establish the identity of the PCD;

as a function of the identity of the PCD, limit operation of the vehicle.

2. The monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the limitation of operation of the vehicle is selected from the limitation class consisting of:

allowing operation of the vehicle only at certain ranges of speed;

allowing operation of the vehicle only for a certain distance;

permitting operation of the vehicle only during certain hours;

permitting operation of the vehicle only during certain hours on particular days;

permitting operation of the vehicle only in certain geographical areas; and

preventing operation of the vehicle in certain geographical areas.

3. The monitoring and control system of claim 1, further comprising a physical key device, wherein the limitation of operation also occurs as a function of the presence of the physical key device.

4. The monitoring and control system of claim 3, wherein the vehicle operates in response to the physical key only if the established identity matches a predetermined identity.

5. The monitoring and control system of claim 1, further comprising software running on the PCD and communicating with the processor via the data connection to restrict functionality of the PCD during one or more particular states of operation of the vehicle.

6. The monitoring and control system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle has a transmission, and the restricted functionality comprises:

making non-hands-free voice calls;

receiving non-hands-free voice calls; and

sending text messages;

while the transmission is not in a “

park”

state.

7. The monitoring and control system of claim 1, further comprising software running on the PCD and communicating with the processor via the data connection to trigger an alarm action by the programming executed by the processor in response to at least one of

making a phone call using the PCD;

composing a text message on the PCD;

loading any app on the PCD;

loading any of one or more apps on the PCD;

pressing a button on the PCD; and

interacting with an activated display on the PCD;

wherein the alarm action is selected from the action class consisting of;

sounding one or more tones in the passenger compartment of the vehicle;

flashing one or more lights in the interior of the vehicle;

illuminating one or more indicators in the interior of the vehicle;

flashing one or more indicators on the exterior of the vehicle;

illuminating one or more lights on the exterior of the vehicle; and

sounding a horn on the vehicle.

8. The monitoring and control system of claim 7, wherein

the vehicle has one or more passenger sensors comprising at least one of a seat belt sensor and an airbag sensor, and

whether and when the programming executed by the processor triggers the alarm action is a function of output from the one or more passenger sensors.

9. The monitoring and control system of claim 1, further comprising an internet-accessible user interface usable to perform one or more remote administration tasks from the set of administration tasks consisting of:

associating one or more PCD'"'"'s with the system;

removing an existing association of one or more PCD'"'"'s with the system;

listing PCD'"'"'s associated with the system;

changing one or more aspects of the limited operation of the vehicle; and

changing the function relating one or more particular PCD'"'"'s to limitations on operation of the vehicle.

10. The monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the programming instructions are further executable by the processor to receive navigation information from the PCD via the data connection and convey it to the driver using built-in vehicle systems.

11. The monitoring and control system of claim 1, wherein the programming instructions are further executable by the processor to receive notification information from the PCD via the data connection and render it via built-in user interface devices of the vehicle.

12. A personal communications device (PCD)-vehicle monitoring and control system for use in a motorized vehicle that has a transmission, the system comprising:

a processor transported by a vehicle;

a memory in communication with the processor, wherein the memory is encoded with;

identifying information with which to identify one or more PCD'"'"'s, and programming instructions;

wherein the programming instructions are executable by the processor to;

attempt to establish a data connection with a PCD;

if the attempt is unsuccessful, prevent engagement of the transmission; and

if the attempt is successful, use the identifying information to determine whether the connected-to PCD is among the one or more identified PCD'"'"'s, and

if so, allow engagement of the transmission; and

if not, prevent engagement of the transmission.

13. The monitoring and control system of claim 12, wherein the programming instructions are further executable by the processor to:

allow engagement of the transmission, overwriting the preventing, upon activation of a valet mode that limits operation of the vehicle.

14. The monitoring and control system of claim 13, where the limited operation comprises at least one of limiting the speed of the vehicle and limiting the distance traveled in valet mode.

15. The monitoring and control system of claim 12, wherein the programming instructions are further executable by the processor to:

after establishment of the data connection, attempt to determine whether particular software is executing on the PCD;

enable engagement of the transmission when the connected-to PCD is among the one or more identified PCD'"'"'s only if it is successfully determined that the particular software is executing on the PCD.

16. The monitoring and control system of claim 12, wherein:

the vehicle includes user interface hardware; and

the programming instructions are further executable by the processor to, after establishment of the data connection, accept input of a user passcode, and if the user passcode matches a predetermined override passcode, enable engagement of the transmission even in the absence of a PCD that is among the one or more identified PCD.

17. The monitoring and control system of claim 12, wherein the programming instructions are further executable by the processor to receive navigation information from the PCD via the data connection and convey it to the driver using built-in vehicle systems.

18. The monitoring and control system of claim 12, further comprising an internet-accessible user interface usable to perform one or more remote administration tasks from the set of administration tasks consisting of:

associating one or more PCD'"'"'s with the system;

removing an existing association of one or more PCD'"'"'s with the system;

listing PCD'"'"'s associated with the system;

changing one or more aspects of the limited operation of the vehicle; and

changing the function relating one or more particular PCD'"'"'s to limitations on operation of the vehicle.

19. The monitoring and control system of claim 12, wherein the programming instructions are further executable by the processor to receive notification information from the PCD via the data connection and render it via built-in user interface devices of the vehicle.

20. A transmission-smartphone interlock system suitable for use in a personal or commercial motorized vehicle, the system comprising:

a data system that

searches for a PCD; and

connects with the PCD;

a PCD that

connects with the data system; and

uses and stores software applications; and

a computer comprising a processor and a memory in communication with the processor, wherein the memory is encoded with programming instructions executable by the processor to;

control the vehicle'"'"'s transmission; and

selectively restricts the transmission from being engaged as a function of the software applications being used by the PCD.