Phone activity tracking device

• US 9,596,357 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Netzer Ruperto
• Original Assignee: Netzer Ruperto
• Inventors: Ruperto, Netzer
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US14/871,969
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/72 by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A method and system for tracking usage of applications in handheld devices is disclosed. The method includes scanning for pre-connected devices present in a vehicle at the moment when the vehicle is in an ignition mode. Further, the method includes establishing connectivity with the pre-connected devices. Furthermore, the method includes recording usage data of the vehicle and usage data of the handheld device with a start time and end time. Moreover, the method includes uploading the recorded usage data in a cloud. The method also includes permitting one or more users to view the recorded usage data.

Claims

1. A method for tracking usage of applications in a handheld device, the method comprising:

scanning for pre-connected handheld devices present in a vehicle at the moment when the vehicle is in an ignition mode;

establishing connectivity with the pre-connected handheld devices;

recording usage data of the vehicle and usage data of the handheld devices with a start time and end time;

uploading the recorded usage data in a cloud; and

permitting one or more users to view the recorded usage data.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

retrieving geographical information of the pre-connected handheld devices; and

including the geographical information into the recorded usage data of the handheld devices.

3. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

recording usage information of one or more unauthorized handheld devices present in the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

validating a driver and one or more passengers present in the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 and further comprising:

triggering a connected camera to capture one of a picture and a video of the driver and the passengers; and

transferring the capture done of the one of a picture and a video and corresponding data to the cloud.

6. The method of claim 4 and further comprising:

storing personal information of the driver and the passengers in a corresponding record in the cloud;

sending alerts based on preferences at the occurrence of pre-defined events; and

limiting the usage of applications on the handheld devices.

7. The method of claim 6 and further comprising:

sending regular reports to concerned people, wherein the reports indicate the usage of applications on corresponding handheld devices and are configured by the users.

8. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

recording usage data of the vehicle and usage data of the pre-connected handheld device with a start time and end time in a stretch of non-connectivity; and

synchronizing the recorded usage data immediately upon connection.

9. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium that when executed by a processor, performs a method for tracking usage of applications in a handheld device, the computer program product comprising:

scanning for pre-connected devices present in a vehicle at the moment when the vehicle is in an ignition mode;

establishing connectivity with the pre-connected devices;

recording usage data of the vehicle and usage data of the handheld device with a start time and end time;

uploading the recorded usage data in a cloud;

permitting one or more users to view the recorded usage data.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 and further comprising:

retrieving geographical information of the pre-connected handheld devices; and

including the geographical information into the recorded usage data of the handheld devices.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 and further comprising:

recording usage information of one or more unauthorized handheld devices present in the vehicle.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 and further comprising:

validating a driver and one or more passengers present in the vehicle.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 and further comprising:

triggering a connected camera to capture one of a picture and a video of the driver and the passengers; and

transferring the captured one of a picture and video and corresponding data to the cloud.

14. The computer program product of claim 12 and further comprising:

storing personal information of the driver and the passengers in a corresponding record in the cloud;

sending alerts based on preferences at the occurrence of pre-defined events; and

limiting the usage of applications on the handheld devices.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 and further comprising:

sending regular reports to concerned people, wherein the reports indicate the usage of applications on corresponding handheld devices and are configured by the users.

16. The computer program product of claim 10 and further comprising:

recording usage data of the vehicle and usage data of the pre-connected handheld device with a start time and end time in a stretch of non-connectivity; and

synchronizing the recorded usage data immediately upon connection.

17. A system for tracking usage of applications in a handheld device, the system comprising:

a vehicle operated by a driver and one or more passengers;

a plurality of handheld devices operated by the driver and passengers, the handheld devices are configured with a wireless technology;

a mobile network;

an application server that is accessed by a plurality of users;

a tracking device configured within the vehicle to track usage of applications in handheld devices present in the vehicle; and

a processor configured within the tracking device and operable to perform;

establishing connectivity with the pre-connected devices;

recording usage data of the vehicle and usage data of the handheld device with a start time and end time;

uploading the recorded usage data in a cloud;

permitting one or more users to view the recorded usage data.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the tracking device further comprises:

a Bluetooth unit to scan for pre-connected handheld devices present in the vehicle at the moment when the vehicle is in an ignition mode;

a micro computer to handle the Bluetooth unit; and

a wireless modem to transfer the recorded usage data over communication lines.

19. The system of claim 17 and further comprising:

a camera device configured with a wireless technology to capture one of a picture and a video of the driver and passengers in the vehicle and subsequently to transfer the one of a picture and a video to the tracking device.