US 7,181,229 B2Granted

System which automatically disables or switches off a cellphone

OwnerYash Pal Singh, Anirudh Singh +2inventors

InventorsYash Pal Singh, Anirudh Singh, Manu Singh, Lakinder Singh Verma

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Abstract

This invention relates to a system for disabling a cellphone in the presence of certain conditions, and for switching it off in the presence of some other conditions, while allowing its use in the normal fashion in the absence of these two sets of conditions. Thus, this system regulates cellphone use in accordance with specified restrictions in specific locations, and allows its normal functioning when these restrictions are not required. Specifically, a first condition is an attempt to operate a cellphone by the driver of a vehicle having its ignition on and/or moving above a certain speed. In such a condition the system would automatically disable the OK switch of a cellphone and may also perform the CALL END function. In the second condition the system automatically switches off any cellphone in the ON condition being carried on the person of an individual occupying a seat in an aircraft, or a committee room, or any other such location where such a restriction is envisaged. The system also makes a provision for automatic sequential dialing of a specified set of numbers like the police, medical services etc. during an emergency by allowing overriding any regulatory restriction. In addition, this invention also relates to control circuits provided in said system for preventing tampering with or bypassing the system by cellphone users.

A device for disabling cellphone use in the presence of a first or a second condition, and enabling its normal functioning upon removal of said conditions, said first condition being that of a signal generated from a vehicle in motion, said second condition being that of a signal generated from a restricted area, said device comprising:

(i) a signal generating circuit adapted to generate a polarity specific signal corresponding to said first or second condition;
(ii) a signal detection and processing circuit provided within said cellphone for receiving and processing the signal from said signal generating circuit, said signal detection and processing circuit coupled to the signal generating circuit through a first capacitive coupling to the signal detection and processing circuit, and a second capacitive coupling provided in the cellphone and linked to the signal detection and processing circuit;
(iii) an OK switch disabling circuit connected to said signal detection and processing circuit, said OK switch disabling circuit connected to the OK switch of the cellphone and disabling it in the presence of a signal corresponding to said first condition to said signal at an input to the signal detection and processing circuit;
(iv) a link and control circuit connected to said OK switch disabling circuit for terminating a call if a cellphone in an operating mode is passed on to a driver by another passenger in the presence of said first condition as well as to said signal detection and processing circuit;
(v) a call end circuit connected to said link and control circuit and also connected to the call end switch of the cellphone, and adapted to perform its function in the presence of a signal corresponding to the first condition at the input of said signal detection and processing circuit, when said OK switch is also disabled;
(vi) said link and control circuit also connected to said signal detection and processing circuit and adapted to initiate the function of the call end circuit in the presence of said first condition;
and
(vii) a cellphone switching off circuit, linked to said signal detection and processing circuit, for switching off the cellphone and disabling its ON function in the presence of said second condition at the input to the signal detection and processing circuit.

5 more elements

Facts

Application

10/490,833Filed 23 Sep 2002

Priority

IN 980/0125 Sep 2001

Published

US 2004/0198306 A17 Oct 2004

Granted

20 Feb 2007

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04M 1/66
Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers: with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling
H04M 1/72463
With means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions: to restrict the functionality of the device
H04W 4/30
Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor: services specially adapted for particular environments,…
H04M 1/6041
For providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets: portable telephones adapted for handsfree use

Abstract

Claims8