System and method for managing access to software applications on a mobile communication device via a phone location unit

A system for managing an access to software applications installed on at least one mobile communication device via a phone location unit (PLU) in a defined volume, the system comprising:

• a PLU configured to determine a position of the at least one mobile communication device, relative to a frame of reference of the defined volume, based on at least one of:
• angle of arrival, time of flight, or received intensity of radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted by the at least one mobile communication device and received by the PLU located within the defined volume and comprising a transceiver and antennas and further configured to communicate with the at least one mobile communication device over a wireless communication channel;
• and
• an access management software application installed on the at least one mobile communication device, comprising a set of instructions that when executed on at least one computer processor of the at least one mobile communication device causes the at least one computer processor to:
• block access to the software applications installed on the at least one mobile communication device, whenever the at least one mobile communication device is detected by the PLU to be within a specific area within the defined volume, based on the position determined by the PLU;
• launch, at least one whitelisted software application, out of the software applications installed on the at least one mobile communication device, responsive to a selection by a human user,
• wherein the PLU is configured to repeatedly instruct the at least one mobile communication device, over the wireless communication channel, to re-launch the at least one whitelisted software application, as long as the at least one mobile communication device is detected within the specific area.

A server for managing an access to software applications installed on at least one mobile communication device via a phone location unit (PLU) in a defined volume, the server comprising:

• a network interface configured to receive, from a PLU, a position of the at least one mobile communication device, relative to a frame of reference of the defined volume, based on at least one of:
• angle of arrival, time of flight, or received intensity of radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted by the at least one mobile communication device and received by the PLU located within the defined volume and comprising a transceiver and antennas and further configured to communicate with the at least one mobile communication device over a wireless communication channel;
• a processing device;
• and
• a memory interface comprising a set of instructions that when executed on the processing device, causes the processing device to send the at least one mobile communication device via the network interface instructions that:
• block access to the software applications installed on the at least one mobile communication device, whenever the at least one mobile communication device is detected by the PLU to be within a specific area within the defined volume, based on the position determined by the PLU;
• launch, at least one whitelisted software application, out of the software applications installed on the at least one mobile communication device, responsive to a selection by a human user,
• repeatedly instruct the PLU to instruct the at least one mobile communication device, over the wireless communication channel, to re-launch the at least one whitelisted software application, as long as the at least one mobile communication device is detected within the specific area.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium for managing access to software applications installed on at least one mobile communication device via a phone location unit (PLU) in a defined volume, the computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that when executed cause at least one computer processor on the at least one mobile communication device to:

• receive from the PLU, a position of the at least one mobile communication device, relative to a frame of reference of the defined volume, based on at least one of:
• angle of arrival, time of flight, or received intensity of radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted by the at least one mobile communication device and received by the PLU located within the defined volume and comprising a transceiver and antennas and further configured to communicate with the at least one mobile communication device over a wireless communication channel;
• block access to the software applications installed on the at least one mobile communication device, whenever the at least one mobile communication device is detected by the PLU to be within a specific area within the defined volume, based on the position determined by the PLU;
• launch, at least one whitelisted software application, out of the software applications installed on the at least one mobile communication device, responsive to a selection by a human user;
• and
• repeatedly re-launch the at least one whitelisted software application, responsive to instructions received from the PLU over the communication channel, as long as the at least one mobile communication device is detected within the specific area.