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US RE48,400 E1Granted
Safety features for portable electronic device
AssigneeTamiras Per Pte. Ltd., LLC
InventorsMichael S. Riemer, Melvin A. Barbera
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable device includes a safety feature that prevents some forms of use when the device is moving. The device may detect its speed or movement, compare that to a threshold, and provide a response or blocking function upon exceeding that threshold. The device may be a cell phone configured to disable transmission and reception of voice/text, conceal its display screen, and disable incorporated features and functions, if the cell phone is moving faster than walking speed or the movement is uncharacteristic of walking. The blocking function may be partially overridden based on a safety policy, which can be managed and customized. The introduction of hands-free devices may serve to override a blocking function and enable other functions.
Claims126
A portable electronic device system, comprising:
- a portable electronic device configured to provide a plurality of functions, wherein the portable electronic device includes one or more applications;
- a motion detection logic configured to receive data from a motion detector and to communicate one or more signals indicative of movements of the portable electronic device unrelated to speed, wherein the motion detector comprises an accelerometer;
- a safety logic configured to receive the one or more signals;
- a threshold logic configured to compare the movements to one or more thresholds and generate one or more threshold signals;
- and a safety policy of the portable electronic device, the safety policy indicating a consumer preference relating to modification of one or more functions from the plurality of functions and modification of behavior of at least one of the one or more applications in response to the one or more threshold signals;
- wherein the portable electronic device is configured to modify a behavior of the at least one application and the one or more functions in accordance with the safety policy based on the one or more threshold signals.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- detecting movements of a portable electronic device unrelated to speed, the portable electronic device configured to provide a plurality of functions, wherein the portable electronic device includes one or more applications, wherein detecting movements includes receiving data from a motion detector of the portable electronic device, and wherein the motion detector comprises an accelerometer;
- comparing the movements to one or more thresholds;
- determining whether the movements are in excess of the one or more thresholds;
- and
- modifying a behavior of one or more functions from the plurality of functions and at least one of the one or more applications in response to determining that the movements exceed the one or more thresholds and in accordance with a definable safety policy.
2 more elements
A system comprising:
- means for detecting movements of a portable electronic device unrelated to speed, the portable electronic device configured to provide a plurality of functions, wherein the portable electronic device includes one or more applications, wherein the means for detecting movements of the portable electronic device unrelated to speed comprises an accelerometer;
- means for comparing the movements to one or more thresholds;
- means for determining whether the movements are in excess of the one or more thresholds;
- means for modifying a behavior of one or more functions from the plurality of functions in response to determining that the movements exceed the one or more thresholds and in accordance with a definable safety policy;
- and
- means for modifying an application behavior of the one or more applications in response to determining that the movements exceed the one or more thresholds.
3 more elements
The system as recited in cairn 105, further comprising:
- means for sending an alert to one or more recipients according to one or more events defined in the safety policy.
A computer readable medium having instructions embodied thereon, the instructions comprising:
- instructions to detect movements of a portable electronic device unrelated to speed responsive to data received from an accelerometer, the portable electronic device configured to provide a plurality of functions, wherein the portable electronic device includes one or more applications;
- instructions to compare the movements to one or more thresholds;
- instructions to determine whether the movements are in excess of the one or more thresholds;
- instructions to modify a behavior of one or more functions from the plurality of functions in response to determining that the movements exceed the one or more thresholds and in accordance with a definable safety policy;
- and
- instructions to modify an application behavior of the one or more applications in response to determining that the movements exceed the one or more thresholds.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- a vehicle;
- a computer, the computer being included in the vehicle;
- and
- a portable electronic device system, comprising:
- a portable electronic device configured to provide a plurality of functions;
- a motion detection logic configured to receive data from a motion detector and to communicate one or more signals indicative of movements of the portable electronic device unrelated to speed, wherein the motion detector comprises an accelerometer;
- a safety logic configured to receive the one or more signals;
- a threshold logic configured to compare the movements to one or more thresholds and generate one or more threshold signals;
- and a safety policy of the portable electronic device, the safety policy indicating a consumer preference relating to modification of one or more functions from the plurality of functions;
- wherein the portable electronic device is configured to modify a behavior of the one or more functions in accordance with the safety policy based on the one or more threshold signals.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.