Managing features available on a portable communication device based on a travel speed detected by the portable communication device

• US 7,881,710 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2008
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McBrearty, Gerald F., Mullen, Shawn P., Keohane, Susann M., Shieh, Johnny M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US12/033,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20080139183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 4554561-4566, 455/414.2, 455/418, 340/425.5, 340/426.2, 340/430, 340/438, 340/441, 340/453, 340/457.1, 340/466, 340/467, 340/992, 340/993, 340/988, 340/436, 340/539.1, 705/5, 705/7, 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 455/418
• 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 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• 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

Abstract

A portable communication device detects a current speed of travel of the portable communication device independent of any vehicle temporarily transporting the portable communication device. A speed based setting controller of the portable communication device compares the current speed to at least one threshold value set at the portable communication device. Responsive to the current speed exceeding the threshold value, the speed based setting controller automatically assigns a separate speed based setting to a current setting for each feature assigned to the threshold value, wherein each current setting for each feature designates the operability of that feature within the portable communication device, such that the current setting for each feature adjusts with a speed of travel as detected by the portable communication device.

Claims

1. A portable communication device comprising:

a speed detection controller for detecting a first speed of travel at a first time and at least one subsequent speed of travel at at least one subsequent time of said portable communication device independent of any vehicle temporarily transporting said portable communication device;

a speed based setting controller for comparing a change in speed from said first speed to said at least one subsequent speed and an amount of time from said first time to said at least one subsequent time with a plurality of emergency thresholds each specifying a sequence of speed changes over a separate specified period of time for controlling at least one call notification feature if said change in speed over said amount of time indicate a particular sequence of speed changes over a particular specified period of time as an emergency when compared with said plurality of emergency thresholds;

said speed based setting controller for automatically assigning a separate speed based setting for a particular emergency threshold from among said plurality of emergency thresholds to a separate current setting for each of said at least on call notification feature, responsive to said change in speed over said amount of time exceeding said particular emergency threshold from among said plurality of emergency thresholds; and

a device feature controller for controlling an operability of each of said at least one call notification feature according to each said separate current setting for each of said plurality of features.

2. The portable communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a GPS receiver for detecting at a first point in time, a first location of said portable communication device from a first set of GPS signals detected at said portable communication device;

said GPS receiver for detecting at a second point in time, a second location of said portable communication device from a second set of GPS signals detected at said portable communication device; and

said speed detection controller for calculating one from among said first speed and said at least one subsequent speed based on a distance traveled between said first location and said second location over a time from said first point in time to said second point in time.

3. The portable communication device according to claim 1, said speed based setting controller further comprising:

means for prompting a user via an output interface of said portable communication device with a notification of said current speed of travel and a selectable option for setting a current speed of travel of at least one of said first speed and said at least one subsequent speed to a new threshold value at said portable communication device to limit at least one of said call notification feature for safe use of said portable communication device; and

means, responsive to receiving a selection by said user of said selectable option, for adding said current speed as a speed for said new threshold value to said plurality of emergency thresholds at said portable communication device.

4. The portable communication device according to claim 1, said speed based setting controller further comprising:

means, responsive to a current speed decelerating below said particular emergency threshold, automatically returning said separate current setting for each said feature to a previous non-speed based setting.

5. The portable communication device according to claim 1, said speed based setting controller further comprising:

means, responsive to a current speed decelerating below said particular emergency threshold, for automatically assigning to each said separate current setting for each said feature, of said plurality of features assigned to said particular emergency threshold to adjust on deceleration, a separate speed based setting.

6. The portable communication device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said first speed and said subsequent speed comprises a horizontal speed of travel element and a vertical speed of travel element.