Methods, devices and systems supporting driving and studying without distraction

• US 9,699,301 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2016
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emma Michaela Siritzky
• Original Assignee: Emma Michaela Siritzky
• Inventors: Siritzky, Emma Michaela
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Mahendra
• Application Number:
  US15/168,196
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 455418, 427 80, 438520, 715210
• 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 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• 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 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems support focused driving, working, and studying without distraction. A method of operating a mobile phone includes setting the phone into a driving focused mode and keeping the phone in the driving focused mode while the phone is moving, wherein in the focused mode certain features of the mobile phone are modified or at least partially disabled. A method also includes setting one or more computer devices, including mobile phones, into a focused mode to prevent usage of and distraction by the devices.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a display; and

one or more processors and one or more memories supporting cellular communication, said device comprising a normal mode and a focused mode, wherein one or more controllers are configured to;

(a) in response to a first selection of first region of a user interface (UI) on said display of said device, set a focused mode for said device; and

(b) while in said focused mode, in response to a second selection of a second region of said UI,

(b)(1) determine if said device is moving or has moved within a first predefined time since said second selection;

(b)(2) based on said determining in (b)(1), if it is determined (x) that said device is moving or has moved within the first predefined time since said second selection, and (y) that movement of said device within the first predefined time since said second selection corresponds to driving, then

(b)(2)(i) remain in said focused mode, and present, via the UI, a notification that the device is in the focused mode, otherwise

(b)(2)(ii) set a normal mode for said device; and

,

wherein said normal mode is distinct from said focused mode, and wherein, when said device is in said focused mode one or more features of said device are at least partially disabled;

wherein the one or more features of said device that are at least partially disabled in the focused mode include one or more features relating to cellular communications; and

wherein one or more aspects of said controller are integrated with an operating system of said device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the one or more features of said device that are at least partially disabled in the focused mode include one or more of:

(a) notifications of one or more incoming calls;

(b) notifications of one or more incoming messages;

(c) one or more outgoing calls; and

(d) one or more applications on said device.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein emergency calls are not disabled in the focused mode.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the one or more applications on the device comprise one or more of:

one or more social networking applications;

one or more texting applications;

one or more browser applications;

one or more messaging applications;

one or more conferencing applications; and

one or more photography applications.

5. The device of claim 1 further configured to:

(c) while in said focused mode, if said device has not moved for a second predefined time, set said normal mode for said device.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said device comprises a cellular phone.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is at least partially integrated in a vehicle.

17. The communication device of claim 1 wherein said one or more controllers comprise software instructions executing on said one or more processors.

18. The communication device of claim 1 wherein said one or more controllers comprise one or more mechanisms.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more features that are at least partially disabled in said focused mode are not normally disabled in said normal mode.

8. A method for controlling operation of a communication device, said device comprising a display and having a user interface (UI), the method comprising:

(a) in response to a first selection of first region of the user interface (UI) on the display of the device, setting a focused mode for said device; and

(b) while in said focused mode, in response to a second selection of a second region of said UI,

(b)(1) determining if said device is moving or has moved within a first predefined time since said second selection; and

(b)(2) based on said determining in (b)(1), if it is determined (x) that said device is moving or has moved within the first predefined time since said second selection, and (y) that movement of said device within the first predefined time since said second selection corresponds to driving, then

(b)(2)(i) remaining in said focused mode and presenting a notification that the device is in the focused mode, otherwise

(b)(2)(ii) setting a normal mode for said device; and

,

wherein said normal mode is distinct from said focused mode, and wherein, when said device is in said focused mode one or more features of said device are at least partially disabled, and

wherein the one or more features of said device that are at least partially disabled in the focused mode include one or more features relating to cellular communications; and

wherein one or more aspects of the method are implemented by an operating system of said device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the one or more features or aspects of said device that are at least partially disabled in the focused mode include one or more of:

(a) notifications of one or more incoming calls;

(b) notifications of one or more incoming messages;

(c) one or more outgoing calls; and

(d) one or more applications on said device.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

(c) while in said focused mode, if said device has not moved for a second predefined time, setting said normal mode for said device.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(c) setting event information for each of a plurality of events, said event information for each event including a device mode corresponding to said each event, wherein said device mode is selected from the group comprising;

said normal mode and said focused mode; and

(d) for each particular event of one or more of said plurality of events,

(d)(1) at a start time of said particular event, automatically setting a mode of said device to said device mode corresponding to said particular event.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

for a particular event of one or more of said plurality of events,

(d)(2) when said particular event ends and said device was in said focused mode during said particular event, setting the mode of said device to said normal mode.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said UI comprises a planner or scheduler.

21. The method of claim 8 wherein determining that movement of said device corresponds to driving uses one or more sensors of the device.

11. A method of operating a mobile phone in a vehicle, said mobile phone comprising a display and having a user interface (UI), the method comprising:

(a) in response to a first selection of first region of the user interface (UI) on the display of the mobile phone, said first region being within a control panel of said mobile phone, said control panel for controlling aspects of one or more integrated applications on said phone, setting the phone into a focused mode;

(b) while said phone is in said focused mode, in response to a second selection of a second region of said UI,

(b)(1) determining if said mobile phone is moving or has moved within a first predefined time since said second selection; and

(b)(2) based on said determining in (b)(1),

if it is determined (x) that said mobile phone is moving or has moved within the first predefined time since said second selection, and (y) that movement of said mobile phone within the first predefined time since said second selection corresponds to driving, then

(b)(2)(i) remaining in said focused mode and presenting a notification that the device is in the focused mode, otherwise

(b)(2)(ii) setting the mobile phone to a normal mode; and

,

wherein said normal mode is distinct from said focused mode, and wherein, when said mobile phone is in said focused mode one or more features of said mobile phone are modified or at least partially disabled; and

wherein one or more aspects of the method are implemented by an operating system of said mobile phone.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more features of said phone that are modified or at least partially disabled in the focused mode include one or more of:

(a) notifications of one or more incoming calls to said mobile phone;

(b) notifications of one or more incoming messages to said mobile phone;

(c) one or more outgoing calls from mobile phone; and

(d) one or more applications on said mobile phone.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said mobile phone is at least partially integrated in a vehicle.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with one or more computer programs stored therein that, when executed by one or more processors of a mobile communication device, cause the one or more processors to perform, the operations of:

(A) in response to a first selection of first region of a user interface (UI) on a display of the device, setting a focused mode for said device; and

(B) while in said focused mode, in response to a second selection of a second region of said UI,

(B)(1) determining if said device is moving or has moved within a first predefined time since said second selection; and

(B)(2) based on said determining in (b)(1),

if it is determined (x) that said device is moving or has moved within the first predefined time since said second selection, and (y) that movement of said device within the first predefined time since said second selection corresponds to driving, then

(B)(2)(i) remaining in said focused mode and providing a notification that the device is in the focused mode, otherwise

(B)(2)(ii) setting a normal mode for said device; and

wherein said normal mode is distinct from said focused mode, and wherein, when said device is in said focused mode one or more features of said device are at least partially disabled;

wherein the one or more features of said device that are at least partially disabled in the focused mode include one or more features relating to cellular communications; and

wherein one or more aspects of the one or more computer programs are integrated with an operating system of said device.