Mobile communicator device including user attentiveness detector

• US 9,026,780 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Communication Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mobile Communication Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Ewell, Jr., Robert C., Garmany, Douglas L., Kelly, Charles T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choudhury, Zahid
• Application Number:
  US13/914,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20140045477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 713/100, 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 455/410, 455/411, 455/466
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a mobile communicator that includes a speed detection system for determining whether the mobile communicator is moving faster than a threshold speed. The mobile communicator further includes a user attentiveness detector configured to determine whether a user is inattentive and a sensor element configured to determine orientation of the mobile communicator. The mobile communicator further includes a circuit configured to ensure that a functionality of the mobile communicator is in a turned off state when the speed detection system determines that the mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and at least one of: (a) the user attentiveness detector determines that the user is inattentive; and (b) the sensor element determines that the mobile communicator is in a substantially vertical position.

Claims

1. A mobile communicator comprising:

a speed detection system for determining whether the mobile communicator is moving faster than a threshold speed;

a user attentiveness detector configured to determine whether a user is attentive;

a sensor element configured to determine orientation of the mobile communicator; and

a circuit configured to disable a functionality of the mobile communicator is when the speed detection system determines that the mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and

the sensor element determines that the mobile communicator is in a vertical position;

wherein the circuit is configured to enable the functionality of the mobile communicator when the speed detection system determines that the mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the sensor element determines that the mobile communicator is in a horizontal position and the user attentiveness detector determines that the user is attentive.

2. The mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the mobile communicator includes a notification that displays a message informing a user to rotate the mobile communicator in a horizontal position to resume using the functionality.

3. The mobile communicator of claim 1, further comprising an override system that enables the functionality even if the circuit has placed the functionality in the turned off state.

4. The mobile communicator of claim 3, wherein the override system enables the functionality based on a second condition selected from the group consisting of biometrics, an accelerometer, motion detection, the time of day, a password, a voice command, and a wifi signal being present.

5. The mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein a wifi signal is configured to override the circuit and enable the functionality that has been otherwise turned off by the circuit.

6. The mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to ensure that the mobile communicator is in a turned off state when the speed detection system is unable to discern the speed of the mobile communicator.

7. The mobile communicator of claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to retain the functionality in its most recent state if the speed detection system becomes unable to discern the speed of the mobile communicator.

8. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program code stored therein, said computer-readable program code containing instructions configured to be executed by a processor of a mobile communicator to implement a method of restricting the functionality of the mobile communicator, the method comprising:

the processor determining whether the mobile communicator is moving faster than a threshold speed;

the processor determining whether a user is attentive;

the processor determining whether the mobile communicator is in a vertical position or a horizontal position;

the processor disabling a functionality of the mobile communicator if the mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the mobile communicator is in the vertical position; and

the processor enabling the functionality of the mobile communicator if the mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the mobile communicator is in the horizontal position and the user is attentive.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, the method further comprising the processor displaying a message informing a user to rotate the mobile communicator in a horizontal position to resume using the functionality.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, the method further comprising the processor enabling the functionality with an override system even if the circuit has placed the functionality in the turned off state.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the override system enables the functionality based on a second condition selected from the group consisting of biometrics, an accelerometer, motion detection, the time of day, a password, a voice command, and a wifi signal being present.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein a wifi signal is configured to enable the functionality that has been otherwise turned off by the processor.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, the method further comprising the processor ensuring that the mobile communicator is in a turned off state when the speed detection system is unable to discern the speed of the mobile communicator.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, the method further comprising retaining the functionality in its most recent state if the speed detection system becomes unable to discern the speed of the mobile communicator.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable memory unit coupled to the processor, the memory unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor implement a method of restricting the functionality of the computer system, the method comprising;

determining whether the mobile communicator is moving faster than a threshold speed;

determining whether a user is attentive;

determining whether the mobile communicator is in a vertical position or a horizontal position;

disabling a functionality of the mobile communicator if the mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the mobile communicator is in the vertical position; and

enabling the functionality of the mobile communicator if the mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed and the mobile communicator is in the horizontal position and the user is attentive.

16. The computer system of claim 15, the method further comprising the processor displaying a message informing a user to rotate the mobile communicator in a horizontal position to resume using the functionality.

17. The computer system of claim 15, the method further comprising the processor enabling the functionality with an override system even if the circuit has placed the functionality in the turned off state.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the override system enables the functionality based on a second condition selected from the group consisting of biometrics, an accelerometer, motion detection, the time of day, a password, a voice command, and a wifi signal being present.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein a wifi signal is configured to enable the functionality that has been otherwise turned off by the processor.

20. The computer system of claim 15, the method further comprising the processor ensuring that the mobile communicator is in a turned off state when the speed detection system is unable to discern the speed of the mobile communicator.

21. The computer system of claim 15, the method further comprising retaining the functionality in its most recent state if the speed detection system becomes unable to discern the speed of the mobile communicator.