# US 10,375,229 B2 · Detecting driving with a wearable computing device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,229 B2 - Document ID: US10375229B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/921,239 - Filed: 2018-03-14 - Published: 2018-07-19 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-04-07 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Mohammed Waleed Kadous - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375229B2 ## CPC - H04W 4/027: {using movement velocity, acceleration information} - G06F 1/163: {Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt} - 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} - G06F 1/1698: {the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone (details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266)} - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - G06F 3/014: {Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves} - G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)} - G06F 3/0304: {Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042)} - G06F 3/0346: with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors - G06F 21/62: Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules - H04M 1/6091: {including a wireless interface} - H04M 1/72454: according to context-related or environment-related conditions - H04M 1/72457: according to geographic location - H04M 1/72463: to restrict the functionality of the device - H04W 4/026: {using orientation information, e.g. compass} - H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] - H04M 1/72412: using two-way short-range wireless interfaces - H04M 2250/02: including a Bluetooth® interface - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A wearable computing device is described that detects an indication of movement associated with the wearable computing device when a user of the wearable computing device detected being located within a moving vehicle. Based at least in part on the indication of movement, a determination is made that the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the moving vehicle. An operation is performed based on the determination that the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the moving vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, by a wearable computing device that is located in a vehicle, an indication of movement associated with the wearable computing device; determining, from inputting the indication of the movement into a machine learning system, a degree of likelihood that a user of the wearable computing device is driving the vehicle; responsive to determining that the degree of likelihood satisfies a threshold, determining that the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle; and responsive to determining that the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle, performing, by the wearable computing device, one or more operations that prevent the user from accessing at least one feature of the wearable computing device while the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the movement comprises sensor data indicating a turning motion detected by a sensor of the wearable computing device or a different device located in the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operation includes at least one of: disabling at least one input component of the wearable computing device; or disabling at least one output component of the wearable computing device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the input component includes a presence-sensitive input component of the wearable computing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the output component includes a display of the wearable computing device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operation includes disabling text messaging functions of the wearable computing device or a different computing device located in the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more operations further comprises restricting access to at least some functionality of a different computing device located in the vehicle while the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of movement comprises receiving the indication of movement from a different computing device located in the vehicle while the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, determining the degree of likelihood that the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle is in response to determining that a pattern identified from the movement associated with the wearable computing device is consistent with a pattern of movement associated with driving a vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: responsive to determining that the user of the wearable computing device is no longer driving the vehicle, enabling, by the wearable computing device, user access to the at least one feature of the wearable computing device. ### Claim 11 A wearable computing device comprising at least one processor configured to: receive, an indication of movement associated with the wearable computing device while the wearable computing device is located in a vehicle; determine, from inputting the indication of the movement into a machine learning system, a degree of likelihood that a user of the wearable computing device is driving the vehicle; responsive to determining that the degree of likelihood satisfies a threshold, determine that the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle; and responsive to determining that the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle, perform one or more operations that prevent the user from accessing at least one feature of the wearable computing device while the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The wearable computing device of claim 11, wherein the indication of the movement comprises sensor data indicating a turning motion detected by a sensor of the wearable computing device or a different device located in the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The wearable computing device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the indication of movement by receiving the indication of movement from a different computing device located in the vehicle while the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The wearable computing device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to responsive to determining that the user of the wearable computing device is no longer driving the vehicle, enable user access to the at least one feature of the wearable computing device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The wearable computing device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform the one or more operations by restricting access to at least some functionality of a different computing device located in the vehicle while the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle. ### Claim 16 A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor of a wearable computing device to: receive, an indication of movement associated with the wearable computing device while the wearable computing device is located in a vehicle; determine, from inputting the indication of the movement into a machine learning system, a degree of likelihood that a user of the wearable computing device is driving the vehicle; responsive to determining that the degree of likelihood satisfies a threshold, determine that the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle; and responsive to determining that the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle, perform one or more operations that prevent the user from accessing at least one feature of the wearable computing device while the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the indication of the movement comprises sensor data indicating a turning motion detected by a sensor of the wearable computing device or a different device located in the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to receive the indication of movement by receiving the indication of movement from a different computing device located in the vehicle while the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to responsive to determining that the user of the wearable computing device is no longer driving the vehicle, enable user access to the at least one feature of the wearable computing device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to perform the one or more operations by restricting access to at least some functionality of a different computing device located in the vehicle while the user of the wearable computing device is currently driving the vehicle.