Smartphone dock reminder for vehicles

A system for reminding a user to dock a mobile device during operation of a vehicle, the system comprising:

• telematics unit of the vehicle;
• and
• a docking apparatus, configured to hold the mobile device, the docking apparatus further comprising:
• one or more sensors, configured to detect whether the mobile device is present in the docking apparatus;
• an output device, configured to provide a reminder to a user to place the mobile device in the docking apparatus;
• a communication interface, configured to communicate with the telematics unit to receive an indication from the telematics unit that the vehicle ignition is started;
• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory, computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, facilitate the docking apparatus performing a method including:
• determining, based on the one or more sensors and the indication received from the telematics unit, that the vehicle ignition was started without the mobile device being placed in the docking apparatus;
• and causing, in response to determining that the vehicle ignition was started without the mobile device being placed in the docking apparatus, the output device to provide a reminder to the user to place the mobile device in the docking apparatus.

A method for reminding a user to dock a mobile device during operation of a vehicle in a docking apparatus having one or more sensors, an output device, a communications interface, a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the method comprising;

• receiving, by the docking apparatus, an indication that the vehicle ignition is started from a telematics unit of the vehicle via the communication interface of the docking apparatus;
• determining, by the docking apparatus, whether the mobile device is in the docking apparatus based on the one or more sensors of the docking apparatus;
• determining, by the docking apparatus, based on the one or more sensors and the indication received from the telematics unit, that the vehicle ignition was started without the mobile device being placed in the docking apparatus;
• and
• reminding, by the docking apparatus, in response to determining that the vehicle ignition was started without the mobile device being placed in the docking apparatus, the user to dock the mobile device in the docking apparatus by performing at least one of the following:
• causing a sound to be played to the user, causing the mobile device or the docking apparatus to vibrate, and causing a reminder to be displayed to the user.