Method for automobile safe wireless communications

• US 7,738,831 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nattel Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nattel Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Patel, Rajesh, Nath, Sanjeev
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh; Sonny
• Application Number:
  US11/768,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20070281603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 455/1, 455/41.2, 455/418, 455/419, 455/569.2, 455/345, 455/420, 455/99, 340/438, 340/463
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information

Abstract

A method and system for preventing an operator of a vehicle from using a handheld wireless communication device without a hands-free communication device associated therewith when the vehicle is in motion.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing by a control system to a wireless communication device in a handheld operational mode in a moving vehicle, after said wireless communication device is turned on and when using said wireless communication device is considered a potential safety hazard in said moving vehicle, a control signal; and

restricting by said control system an operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode upon a lapse of a predetermined period of time after the receiving said control signal, unless during said predetermined period of time said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode being overridden by an operator of said moving vehicle because of an emergency.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal for said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode is provided to said wireless communication device only when said wireless communication device is not operating in a handheld operational mode in a communication session under any of emergency conditions, wherein said emergency conditions are comprised in a predefined list stored in said wireless communication device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said emergency conditions include one or more emergency telephone numbers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said potential safety hazard is present in said moving vehicle when operating conditions comprise:

a speed of said moving vehicle is above zero or is above a predefined threshold speed, and

said wireless communication device is turned on in said handheld mode or started a communication session in said handheld mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said potential safety hazard is present in said moving vehicle when said wireless communication device is located at a predetermined position in the moving vehicle associated only with an operator of said moving vehicle, such that other passengers of said moving vehicle are not restricted from using said wireless communication device in the handheld operational mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said restricting of the operation of the handheld wireless communication device is not implemented if during said predetermined period of time said moving vehicle is brought to a stop or said wireless communication device is switched to a hands-free operation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal for said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode is provided to said wireless communication device only after starting a communication session by said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device is a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant or a mobile personal computer, and wherein said moving vehicle is a truck, a bus, train, tractor, crane, a 2-wheel or 3-wheel conveyance, a motorcycle, a floating device, a boat, a ship or an airplane.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving by a wireless communication device in a handheld operational mode in a moving vehicle, after said wireless communication device is turned on and when using said wireless communication device is considered a potential safety hazard in said moving vehicle, a control signal; and

restricting by said wireless communication device, in response to said control signal, an operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode upon a lapse of a predetermined period of time after the receiving said control signal, unless during said predetermined period of time said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode being overridden by an operator of said moving vehicle because of an emergency.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the control signal for said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode is provided to said wireless communication device only when said wireless communication device is not operating in a handheld operational mode in a communication session under any of emergency conditions, wherein said emergency conditions are comprised in a predefined list stored in said wireless communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said emergency conditions include one or more emergency telephone numbers.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said potential safety hazard is present in said moving vehicle when operating conditions comprise:

a speed of said moving vehicle is above zero or is above a predefined threshold speed, and

said wireless communication device is turned on in said handheld mode or started a communication session in said handheld mode.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said potential safety hazard is present in said moving vehicle when said wireless communication device is located at a predetermined position in the moving vehicle associated only with an operator of said moving vehicle, such that other passengers of said moving vehicle are not restricted from using said wireless communication device in the handheld operational mode.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said restricting of the operation of the handheld wireless communication device is not implemented if during said predetermined period of time said moving vehicle is brought to a stop or said wireless communication device is switched to a hands-free operation.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the control signal for said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode is provided to said wireless communication device only after starting a communication session by said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said wireless communication device is a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant or a mobile personal computer and wherein said moving vehicle is a truck, a bus, train, tractor, crane, a 2-wheel or 3-wheel conveyance, a motorcycle, a floating device, a boat, a ship or an airplane.

17. A wireless communication device in a moving vehicle, comprising:

a receiver, configured to receive, after said wireless communication device is turned on being in a handheld operational mode in said moving vehicle and when using said wireless communication device is considered a potential safety hazard in said moving vehicle, a control signal for restricting an operation of said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode after a predetermined period of time; and

an overriding module, configured to override during said predetermined period of time said control signal for restricting the use of said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode upon receiving a corresponding command from an operator of said moving vehicle because of an emergency.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 17, further comprising:

a restricting module, configured to perform restricting of the operation of said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode in accordance with the control signal upon a lapse of said predetermined period of time.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 18, wherein said restricting module is configured to restrict the operation of said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode unless during said predetermined period of time said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode is not overridden by said overriding module upon receiving a corresponding command from the operator of said moving vehicle because of the emergency.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 18, wherein said restricting module is configured to perform said restricting of the operation of said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode unless during said predetermined period of time said vehicle is brought to a stop or said wireless communication device is switched to a hands-free operation.

21. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein the control signal for said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode is provided to said wireless communication device only when said wireless communication device is not operating in a handheld operational mode in a communication session under any of emergency conditions, wherein said emergency conditions are comprised in a predefined list stored in said wireless communication device.

22. The wireless communication device of claim 21, wherein said emergency conditions include one or more emergency telephone numbers.

23. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein said potential safety hazard is present in said moving vehicle when operating conditions comprise:

a speed of said moving vehicle is above zero or is above a predefined threshold speed, and

said wireless communication device is turned on in said handheld mode or started a communication session in said handheld mode.

24. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein said potential safety hazard is present in said moving vehicle when said wireless communication device is located at a predetermined position in a vehicle associated only with an operator of said vehicle, such that other passengers of said vehicle are not restricted from using said wireless communication device in the handheld operational mode.

25. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein the control signal for said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode is provided to said wireless communication device only after starting a communication session by said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode.

26. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein said receiver is configured to receive said control signal using a BLUETOOTH protocol or an infrared technology.

27. A control system in a moving vehicle for preventing an operation of a wireless communication device in a handheld operational mode in said moving vehicle, said control system comprises:

a transmitter, configured to send a control signal to said wireless communication device after said wireless communication device is turned on, when using said wireless communication device is considered a potential safety hazard in said moving vehicle, to restrict the operation of said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode after a predetermined period of time,

wherein said wireless communication device operating in said handheld operational mode is configured to override during said predetermined period of time said control signal for restricting the use of said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode upon receiving a corresponding command from an operator of said moving vehicle because of an emergency.

28. The control system of claim 27, wherein said potential safety hazard is present in said moving vehicle when operating conditions comprise:

a speed of said moving vehicle is above zero or is above a predefined threshold speed, and

said wireless communication device is turned on in said handheld mode or started a communication session in said handheld mode,

such that said control system further comprises;

means for detecting said speed of the vehicle; and

means for sensing whether said wireless communication device in a handheld operational mode is turned on or in a communication session.

29. The control system of claim 27, further comprising:

a restricting module, configured to restrict the operation of said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode in accordance with the control signal upon a lapse of said predetermined period of time, unless during said predetermined period of time said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode is not overridden said by an operator of the moving vehicle because of the emergency.

30. The control system of claim 29, wherein said restricting module is configured to perform said restricting of the operation of said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode, unless during said predetermined period of time said vehicle is brought to a stop or said wireless communication device is switched to a hands-free operation.

31. The control system of claim 27, wherein said transmitter is configured provide the control signal for said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode to said wireless communication device only when said wireless communication device operating in a only when said wireless communication device is not operating in a handheld operational mode in a communication session under any of emergency conditions, wherein said emergency conditions are comprised in a predefined list and include one or more emergency telephone numbers and stored in said control system or in said wireless communication device.

32. The control system of claim 27, wherein said potential safety hazard is present in said moving vehicle when said wireless communication device is located at a predetermined position in a vehicle associated only with an operator of said vehicle, such that other passengers of said vehicle are not restricted from using said wireless communication device in the handheld operational mode.

33. The control system of claim 27, wherein said transmitter is configured to provide said control signal using a BLUETOOTH protocol or an infrared technology.

34. The control system of claim 27, wherein said transmitter is configured to provide the control signal for said restricting of the operation of the wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode to said wireless communication device only after starting a communication session by said wireless communication device in said handheld operational mode.

35. The control system of claim 27, wherein said control system in said moving vehicle is implemented as a part of a computer control system of the vehicle or implemented as a stand-alone device which is installed within the moving vehicle and configured to communicate with the computer control system of the moving vehicle.