Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.

61/245,556, filed September 24, 2009; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/245,799, filed September 25, 2009; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/246,737, filed

September 29, 2009; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/245,815, filed September 25, 2009; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/245,820, filed September 25, 2009; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/245,891, filed September 25, 2009; U.S.

Provisional Patent Application No. 61/245,839, filed September 25, 2009; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/245,900, filed September 25, 2009; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/246,587, filed September 29, 2009. The contents of all of the foregoing are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

Background of the Invention

[0002] The problem of mobile devices being used by people while operating vehicles or participating in other potentially dangerous activities is well-known. Drivers become distracted by these devices, and are at a higher risk of being involved in a driving-related incident, such as a collision or unintended departure from the roadway. Some reports indicate that "driving while talking" and "driving while texting" are as dangerous as driving while under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants.

[0003] As discussed in co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 11/956,067, filed December 13, 2007, one useful approach involves monitoring the speed at which a mobile device is traveling. When the mobile device is in transit (typically determined by comparing the speed of the mobile device to a predetermined threshold), access control messages are transmitted either by the mobile communications device itself or a vehicle associated with the mobile device. The access control messages indicate to the mobile device communications network that communication with the mobile communications device should be prevented or deflected until the mobile device is no longer in transit. Another useful approach is described in copending U.S. Patent Application No. 12/040,581, filed February 29, 2008, which includes a mobile phone -based system for disabling a cellular phone when the phone is known to be moving at a predetermined speed. These co-pending applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. [0004] Several existing technologies attempt to monitor the motion of a mobile device and restrict its operation when use of the mobile device is discouraged or prohibited. One way of monitoring a mobile device in motion is by continuously querying a global positioning system (GPS) that is configured to track and mobile device and return information regarding its position on the surface of the earth. Some existing technologies use GPS information for "geofencing" (i.e., to determine the relative position of the mobile device with respect to some boundary past which the mobile device should not be used), or to determine the speed of the mobile device. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Applicants have identified a number of shortcomings of existing mobile device monitoring technologies, which are addressed by the systems and methods disclosed herein. In particular, existing technologies that continuously or frequently query the GPS have excessively high power requirements. When GPS readings are taken by a battery-powered mobile device, such as a cellular phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA), GPS-based motion monitoring applications can drain the battery quickly, rendering the mobile device useless. Simply reducing the frequency at which GPS readings are taken to conserve power, though, has a negative impact on the accuracy and responsiveness of the monitoring application. Existing technologies do not anticipate or account for the variation in accuracy between sequential GPS readings. Additionally, in technologies that restrict use of the mobile device when the device exceeds a threshold speed, no consideration is given to using the threshold speed as part of the GPS sampling interval determination.

[0006] To address these and other shortcomings of existing mobile device monitoring technologies, systems and methods are provided herein for determining a sampling interval for taking position readings of a mobile device. In one aspect, a processor determines a first position accuracy measure of a first position reading of the mobile device taken at a first time. In some implementations, the first position accuracy measure is a radius indicative of a range of possible positions of the mobile device relative to the first position reading. A threshold speed is provided, and the processor determines a future position sampling interval based on the first position accuracy measure and the threshold speed. The processor then takes a second position reading after the determined future position sampling interval has elapsed from the first time.

[0007] In some implementations, the processor determines a distance between the first and second position readings, and compares the distance to a threshold distance. In some implementations, the threshold distance is based on the threshold speed, the first position accuracy measure, and the future position sampling period. When the distance is greater than the threshold distance, the processor generates an electronic signal that indicates that the mobile device is moving faster than the threshold speed. In response to the electronic signal, the operation of the mobile device may be adjusted, but when the nominal distance is less than the threshold distance, nominal use of the mobile device is permitted.

[0008] In some implementations, an accuracy factor is also provided. The accuracy factor is in the range of zero to one, and the future position sampling interval can be determined based on the accuracy factor.

[0009] In some implementations, the processor determines a second position accuracy measure of the second position reading. The processor may determine the second position accuracy measure by estimating the second position accuracy measure prior to taking the second position reading; for example, by setting the second prior accuracy measure equal to the first position accuracy measure. Alternately, the processor may determine the second position accuracy measure after taking the second position reading. The processor can also use the second position accuracy measure to determine the future position sampling interval. Furthermore, the processor may compare the nominal distance to a threshold distance, with the threshold distance based on the threshold speed, the first position accuracy measure, the second position accuracy measure, and the future position sampling period.

[0010] The methods described herein may be performed on a sliding window of position readings. For example, once a second position reading is taken, the processor may determine a second future position sampling interval based on the second position accuracy measure and the threshold speed, and then take a third position reading after the determined second future position sampling interval has elapsed from the time of the second position reading.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] The above and other objects and advantages of the systems and methods of the present disclosure will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mobile device configured to selectively permit its use;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a network-centric system for controlling permitted use of a mobile device; [0014] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a vehicle-centric system for controlling permitted use of a mobile device;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an alternative vehicle-centric system for controlling permitted use of a mobile device for use in the system of FIG. 3;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method of restricting use of a mobile device;

[0017] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method of generating or updating a mobility access profile;

[0018] FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method of determining a sampling interval for taking position readings of a mobile device;

[0019] FIG. 8 illustrates a first monitoring/sampling technique;

[0020] FIG. 9. illustrates a second monitoring/sampling technique; and

[0021] FIG. 10 illustrates a third monitoring/sampling technique.

Detailed Description

[0022] Described herein are systems and methods for selectively permitting use of a mobile device while the device is in motion. As used herein, "motion" of the mobile device may refer to any information regarding the context and movement of the mobile device, an associated vehicle and/or its user such as physical displacement, a geographic location, bearing, speed or acceleration. These systems and methods can be implemented in a number of different configurations. Several exemplary configurations are discussed below with reference to FIGS. 1-4. These configurations are not mutually exclusive, and it is anticipated that elements from each may be combined and still fall within the scope of the invention. After discussing the exemplary configurations of FIGS. 1-4, techniques that may be implemented in accordance with different embodiments are discussed with reference to FIGS. 5-6. Finally, techniques for determining sampling intervals for taking position readings are discussed and illustrated with reference to FIGS. 9-12. In all configurations disclosed herein, the sampling interval between motion measurements (e.g. , GPS or accelerometer readings) may be selected according to the monitoring/sampling techniques described herein.

[0023] FIG. 1 depicts a "mobile-centric" configuration in which control of a mobile device is at least partially exerted by a controller included in the mobile device itself. The mobile device could be a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, two-way pager, portable media player, laptop or notebook computer, or any other mobile communication or information device. [0024] In particular, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an illustrative mobile device 102, which includes a controller 104 for controlling operation of the mobile device 102. A radio frequency transceiver 106 provides radio access between the mobile device 102 and a communication system 204 (discussed below with reference to FIG. 2). The mobile device 102 also includes a user interface 108 so that the user of the mobile device 102 can interact and control the operation of the device 102.

[0025] The controller 104 is described herein as a general purpose processor included in the mobile device 102 that has been programmed with software (i.e., one or more modules of computer executable instructions) configured to perform the monitoring and control techniques described herein. The software may be a downloadable application (e.g., one that can be purchased from an online source and transmitted to the mobile device 102).

Alternatively, the controller 104 may be implemented via any combination of hardware, firmware, and software executing on a general purpose processor.

[0026] The user interface 106 includes interface elements such as an audio element 110, an input element 112, and a visual display element 114. The audio element 110 may include a microphone and speaker, and other audio transducers for generating alerts, music, audible messages and ringing sounds. The input element 112 may include, for example, a keypad, a software-based graphical user interface, a mechanical or optical mouse or trackball, a touch screen, voice recognition components, or other button/entry elements. The visual display element 114 may include, for example, a graphical display such as a liquid crystal display.

[0027] The mobile device 102 may use any of a number of techniques to determine that it is moving at a sufficient speed to indicate that is in a vehicle, or is in some other condition under which use of the mobile device 102 should be selectively permitted or restricted. For example, in a cellular communication application, the controller 104 may track the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) 118 of nearby serving cells (such as the serving cell 209 and the neighbor cell 211 of the mobile device support system 200 of FIG. 2). If the signal strength changes at a sufficiently rapid rate, it may be used as an indication that the mobile device 102 is in transit. In another example, the detection by the controller 104 of a handover between serving cells may be used as an indication that the mobile device 102 is in transit. Another method that may be employed leverages the presence of a satellite-positioning information receiver 116 (such as a GPS receiver) in the mobile device 102 to determine. The controller 104 may also detect motion using an embedded accelerometer, an

anemometer, a ground-based positioning system, or by monitoring changes in the mobile device's environment (such as changes in atmospheric pressure, acoustic changes such as the Doppler effect, or changes in local scenery detected using known computer vision algorithms). By tracking location and time, for example, the controller 104 can make a number of determinations about its motion, as described in detail below.

[0028] Upon determining that the mobile device 102 is in transit, the controller 104 processes data indicative of the device's movement to determine whether usage of the device should be restricted. In one embodiment, such processing includes comparing the motion information to data stored in a mobility access profile ("MAP") 123 stored therein. The MAP 123 is a file or record including information for setting the permitted uses of the mobile device 102. The MAP 123 may be stored or recorded in any suitable format or data structure. The MAP 123 includes two types of information about the mobile device 102: control criteria and permitted use parameters. Control criteria are criteria against which the motion of the mobile device 102 is compared to determine what operations and functions of the mobile device 102 should be enabled, disabled, or restricted. Each set of control criteria may be associated with a set of permitted use parameters. During use, controller 104 compares the motion of the mobile device 102 against the control criteria of the MAP 123 and applies the permitted use parameters associated with any control criteria that are met.

[0029] As a result, certain functions of the mobile device 102 may be modified or restricted; for example, the controller 104 may deny call setup requests; prohibit peer-to-peer and text messaging, Internet access, camera functionality, gaming applications, or the like; route incoming calls to a voice mail account associated with the mobile device 102 or provide a busy signal; divert an incoming communication to an e-mail, voicemail or other

communications medium, or otherwise modify any other mobile device function or feature, or any combination thereof. In some implementations, calling and/or receiving one or more specific phone numbers, such as an emergency number, a home number or a parent's cellular phone number, or a dispatcher or supervisor's number, may be allowed while all other call setup requests are blocked. In some implementations, enforcing the permitted use parameters includes the controller 104 shutting off, blocking, or inhibiting certain interface elements, such as the elements 110, 112 and 114 (FIG. 1). Disabling interface elements advantageously reduces user interaction with the mobile device 102; by doing so, a user is prevented from, for example, composing a text message on the mobile device 102, only to discover that the messaging service has been restricted upon trying to send the message. By disabling the text messaging interface elements, the user is not allowed to compose a message in the first place, thus preventing use of the mobile device 102 while in transit. The same methodology can be used to block voice messaging, web browsing, or any other mobile device function. [0030] FIG. 2 depicts a "network-centric" configuration in which control of a mobile device is at least partially exerted by a remote communication system in contact with the mobile device. In particular, FIG. 2 depicts a mobile device support system 200, which includes the mobile device 102, and a communication system 204 that enables

communication to and from the mobile device 102. A user of the mobile device 102 may use a vehicle 206 to drive to various destinations. The communication system 204 includes a base station 208, which provides a radio-air interface to subscribing mobile devices (such as the mobile device 102) in the vicinity of the base station 208. The region over which the mobile device 102 exchanges information with the base station 208 is the serving cell 209. The mobile device 102 may travel to other cells, and the communication system 204 will hand over communication service to each new serving cell as the device changes cell affiliation, as is well known in the art. A nearby base station 210 and its associated cell 211 are referred to as a neighbor cell. Quite often, even though the mobile device 102 is affiliated with the serving cell 209, the mobile device 102 can receive and measure signals from the neighbor cell 211 to determine, for example, when to make a handover or for reporting to the communication system 204, which may determine when a handover is needed.

[0031] In some mobile communications applications, the base stations 208 and 210 serve as intermediaries between the mobile device 102 and a mobile switching center (MSC) 212. The MSC 212 controls calling and other communication activity, and is connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 214. The MSC 212 sets up communication circuits for various modes of communication, in accordance with request and authorization protocols as known in the art. The MSC 212 controls communication access for subscribing and authorized roaming mobile devices (such as the mobile device 102) in accordance with a home location register and visit location register (HLR/VLR) 214. The HLR/VLR 214 maintains subscriber information and other parameters relating to mobility management, access control, and so on, which governs the manner in which the mobile device 102 operates within the communication system 204.

[0032] In certain implementations, the communication system 204 is informed of the apparent travel of the mobile device 102. The communication system 204 may be informed from any one of at least two sources. First, the mobile device 102, itself, may report to the communication system 204 that the mobile device 102 appears to be traveling. Second, a vehicle module 218 disposed in vehicle 206 may report to the communication system 204 when the vehicle 206 is being operated or is traveling. The monitoring of the mobile device 102 or the vehicle 206 is performed continuously, periodically, or aperiodically. [0033] When the mobile device 102 is in transit, the communication system 204 receives an access control message (ACM). An ACM is an information signal which includes information regarding the mobile device 102, such as its position, velocity, relative position with respect to a communications cell, relative position with respect to a beacon or marker, geographical coordinates, bearing, acceleration, altitude, or information derived from one or more thereof (such as rates of change, higher-order derivatives, and statistical measures like averages, standard deviations, and medians). The ACM is created by the mobile device 102, the vehicle module 218, the base station 208 or 210, or by another component of the mobile device support system 200 used to determine movement of the mobile device 102 or the vehicle 206 (as discussed in other implementations below). In some implementations, the ACM also includes identifying information about the user, the mobile device 102 or the vehicle 206, such as a communication address for the mobile device 102 or the vehicle 206 (i.e., a telephone number, an IP address, an e-mail address). Utilizing this information, the ACM enables the MSC 212 to determine whether or not the communication circuit needs to be reconfigured to selectively permit use of the mobile device 102 while the device is in motion.

[0034] The MSC 212 recognizes the ACM and routes it to an access control processor (ACP) 220 as a function of the information contained in the ACM. The ACP 220 then accesses an access database 222 to retrieve a MAP 123, (e.g., a cellular system mobility access profile (MAP)) stored therein. As described above, the MAP 123 includes control criteria and permitted use parameters for a given user. The ACP 220 provides the

information in the MAP 123 to the MSC 212, which then applies the permitted use parameters associated with the mobile device 102. More particularly, access to

communication resources of the communication system 204 by the mobile device 102 is selectively permitted by comparing the motion of the mobile device 102 or the vehicle 206 to the control criteria stored in the MAP 123. The communication system 204 may, for example, deny call setup requests, peer-to-peer and text messaging usage, Internet access; route incoming calls to a voice mail account associated with the mobile device 102; provide a busy signal upon receipt of an incoming call; divert an incoming communication to an e-mail, voicemail or other communications address, and so on as a function of the permitted use parameters stored in the MAP 123 and processed by the MSC 212 and the ACP 220. The communication system 204 may further allow exceptions to any restrictions imposed. For example, calling or receiving calls from one or more specific phone numbers, such as an emergency number, a home number or a parent's cellular phone number, a dispatcher, or supervisor, may be allowed while all other call setup requests are blocked. In some implementations, generic instructions to allow all emergency calls (91 1 , for example), may be executed by default at the MSC 212 or the ACP 220. This methodology applies whether the mobile device functions are triggered by actions originating at the mobile device 102 (e.g., outgoing calls) or are aimed at the mobile device 102 (e.g., incoming calls). Note that if a profile for the mobile device 102 associated with the generated ACM does not exist in the access database 222, then the user or another authorized party (such as the user's parent) may be notified by e-mail or an Internet site and a MAP may be created for a particular mobile device.

[0035] Once the information in the MAP 123 is provided to the MSC 212, the MSC 212 then updates the present permitted use parameters associated with the mobile device 102. The present permitted use parameters may be stored, for example, in the VLR 214, and may be accessed by the MSC 212 when the mobile device 102 requests communication resources, or when incoming communications are received which are bound for the mobile device 102.

[0036] FIG. 3 depicts a "vehicle-centric" configuration in which control of a mobile device is at least partially exerted by a vehicle-mounted control system in communication with the mobile device. In particular, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a vehicle-mounted control system 300. The vehicle-mounted control system 300 includes a vehicle module 218 for use in selectively permitting use of the mobile device 102. The vehicle module 218 is mounted in the vehicle 206. The vehicle module 218 determines that the vehicle 206 is in motion and/or is being operated. In some implementations, the vehicle module 218 has a modem 302, which includes a radio frequency transceiver capable of accessing the communication system 204 of FIG. 2 via an antenna 304. In these implementations, the vehicle module 218 may transmit an access control message (ACM) to the communication system 204 (and specifically to the ACP 220 or its functional equivalent as discussed above). The modem 302 may act as another subscribing device in the communications system 204 and use the same wireless interface to the communications system 204 as the mobile device 102.

Alternatively, the modem 302 may use an alternative wireless interface to the

communications system 204. The modem 302 operates under control of a vehicle controller 306, which is programmed to carry out operations such as creating an ACM.

[0037] In other implementations, the vehicle module 218 may use the modem 302 (or other communication device) to transmit an ACM or other communication including motion data directly to the mobile device 102, instead of transmitting such information to the

communications system 204. In such implementations, the mobile device 102 is configured to receive messages regarding the motion of the vehicle 206 and use its own internal hardware and software (e.g., a controller similar to controller 104 of FIG. 1) to compare the motion of the vehicle 206 to one or more sets of control criteria (e.g. , a MAP similar to MAP 123), and adjust the permitted uses of the mobile device 102 accordingly.

[0038] In some implementations, the vehicle controller 306 is interfaced though a vehicle interface 308 (e.g., via a cable connected to an OBD-compliant data port) to the vehicle control system 310. The vehicle control system 310 is the system in the vehicle 206 that controls, for example, instrumentation, engine operation, diagnostics, and other vehicle operation and monitoring functions. The vehicle control system 310 may be configured to provide information to the vehicle controller 306 as, for example, vehicle speed, vehicle access, the identity of a specific key or other access device used to operate the vehicle, and so on. The vehicle module 218 may use this information to determine when to transmit an ACM or motion information message, and what the contents of the ACM are to be. For example, when the vehicle speed reaches a preselected threshold, or if a key associated with a restricted user is used to access and operate the vehicle 206, the vehicle module 218 may transmit an ACM or other motion information message to the mobile device.

[0039] In some implementations, the vehicle module 218 may operate independently of the vehicle control system 310 and determine use of the vehicle by other means, such as, for example, a satellite positioning system receiver 312, which receives positioning signals from positioning satellites via an antenna 314. By using position information, the vehicle controller 306 can determine when the vehicle is moving, at what speed and subsequently transmit the ACM or other motion information message. Other means of triggering the transmission of an ACM may be used, such as pairing the vehicle module 218 with the mobile device 102 via a personal area network link. The vehicle module 218 may be installed such that pairing the mobile device 102 with the vehicle module 218 is required before the vehicle module 218 allows the vehicle 206 to start, for example, by using the personal area network media access information of the mobile device 102 as a sort of key.

[0040] The vehicle module 218 may, upon installation in the vehicle 206 , be programmed with information to identify the mobile device 102 to the ACP 220 of the communications system 204 (discussed above with reference to FIG. 2). For example, an international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI) or simply the phone number assigned to the mobile device 102 may be used. An identifier of the vehicle module 218 may be associated with the mobile device 102 at the ACP 220 and, when the ACP 220 receives the access control message, the ACP 220 cross references the vehicle module identifier with the identity of the mobile device 102 to locate the appropriate MAP 123 corresponding to the mobile device 102.

[0041] FIG. 4 depicts a second "vehicle-centric" configuration in which control of a mobile device is at least partially exerted by a vehicle-mounted control system in contact with the mobile device. In particular, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a vehicle system 400 based on the vehicle system 300 for selectively permitting use of the mobile device 102 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. In the vehicle system 400, the vehicle module 218 is interfaced with the vehicle control system 310. The vehicle control system 310 may detect the use of a key 402 to access and operate the vehicle 206. Automobile manufacturers routinely design a standard key and a valet key, for example. Manufacturers may likewise provide a "teen" key 402 to be used by a young family member to access and operate the vehicle 206. The key 402 is used by the person who also uses the mobile device 102, which is to be restricted upon operation of the vehicle 206. In addition to, or instead of the key 402 having a unique mechanical configuration, the key 402 may be provided with a memory element 304, which contains a unique identifier recognized by the vehicle control system 310 as one that is authorized to operate the vehicle.

[0042] In some implementations, a wireless key 406 may be used to access the vehicle 206 (instead of or in addition to the key 402). The wireless key 406 may transmit a code to the vehicle control system 310 over a short-range wireless link. This causes the vehicle control system 310 to cause the vehicle module 218 to transmit an ACM as discussed above (e.g. , to the communications network 104 or the mobile device 102). In certain implementations, the mobile device 102 is itself configured as a wireless key (such as the wireless key 406), using a personal area network interface such as that known in the industry by the trade name Bluetooth™, for example.

[0043] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for selectively permitting the use of a mobile device. Some of the steps of the flow chart in FIG. 5 are described as being performed by a "processor," which may be any suitable electronic processor included in the mobile device 102, the vehicle systems 300 or 400, or the mobile device support system 200 (FIG. 2) described above, or any combination thereof. For example, the steps depicted in FIG. 5 may be performed by the controller 104 included in mobile device 102, or by an MSC 212.

Additionally, the steps included in the flow chart of FIG. 5 may be distributed between two or more processors, which may perform their operations in parallel or in series.

[0044] FIG. 5 is a flow chart 500 of a method of restricting use of a mobile device. At Step 502, a processor commences monitoring the motion state of a mobile device, such as mobile device 102. The processor may begin the monitoring upon a user powering up the mobile device 102, upon the mobile device 102 exiting a sleep state, upon launch of a separate software application stored in memory on mobile device 102, or upon detection by the mobile device 102 of a signal indicative of the device being within a vehicle (for example, receiving a message from a vehicle module 218 indicating the proximity of a key 402 or 306). Monitoring includes, without limitation, determining by any suitable means whether control criteria stored in a mobility access profile (MAP) (either stored on the device or stored remotely) have been met. For example, the processor monitors whether the device is moving at a rate above a threshold speed. Additional or alternative control criteria may include, without limitation, location within a given governmental jurisdiction having restrictions on mobile device usage, and time of day. These determinations can be made in any suitable fashion, including by making various analyses described above in relation to FIG. 1. In implementations of the method involving remote enforcement of permitted use parameters, the mobile device regularly, or on an event-driven basis, forwards data it collects from monitoring to the MSC 212 in an ACM.

[0045] At decision block 504, the processor determines whether any of the control criteria has been met. As indicated above, this determination can be made by the mobile device controller 104 or by the MSC 212, or a combination of the two. The determination could also be made by the vehicle module 218. Upon determining that sufficient control criteria have been met to justify limiting mobile device functionality, the mobile device 102 and/or the MSC 212 begin enforcing the permitted use parameters described above (Step 506).

[0046] The processor continues to monitor the motion of the mobile device (Step 508). Upon a determination that sufficient control criteria sufficient to restrict device usage are no longer met, the mobile device 102 and/or MSC 212 restores full device operation (Step 510).

[0047] FIG. 6 is a flow chart 600 of a method for generating or updating a mobility access profile (MAP) (such as MAP 123 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3). At Step 602, a processor provides Internet access to a web server 224 (FIG. 1) to allow users and owners of mobile devices (such as the mobile device 102) to enter and edit information in mobility access profiles (such as MAP 123). At Step 604, a user, owner, or otherwise authorized party logs onto the web server 224 via an Internet connection 126 (FIG. 1). Examples of authorized parties include parents, managers, guardians, supervisors, law enforcement officials, insurance agents and other appropriate individuals or organizations. At Step 606, the web server 224 provides a web page or web pages requesting user input to establish settings and control criteria to be used as the parameters in adjusting the permitted uses of the mobile device 102. At Step 608, the user or other party enters the information, and by way of non-limiting example, may include the identity of the mobile device 102, a phone number assigned to the mobile device 102, the identity of the vehicle module 218, and one or more allowed phone numbers which will not be restricted. Emergency service numbers may be allowed by default, and may be updated by the user. At Step 610, the web server 224 uses the information to generate or update the MAP 123 (e.g., in the memory embedded in the mobile device 102, or the access database 222 of the communication system 204 of FIG. 1). At Step 612, the user may log off or otherwise terminate their session.

[0048] As discussed above, existing technologies fail to adequately address the challenge of proper sampling techniques for mobile device monitoring and control. In particular, existing technologies that continuously or frequently query the GPS have excessively high power requirements. When GPS readings are taken by a battery-powered mobile device, such as a cellular phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA), GPS-based motion monitoring applications can drain the battery quickly, rendering the mobile device useless. Simply reducing the frequency at which GPS readings are taken to conserve power, though, has a negative impact on the accuracy and responsiveness of the monitoring application. Existing technologies do not anticipate or account for the variation in accuracy between sequential GPS readings. Additionally, in technologies that restrict use of the mobile device when the device exceeds a threshold speed, no consideration is given to using the threshold speed as part of the GPS sampling interval determination. Described below are systems and methods for determining a sampling interval for taking position readings of a mobile device.

[0049] FIG. 7 is a flow chart 700 of a method for determining a sampling interval for taking position readings of a mobile device. The technique illustrated in FIG. 7 improves upon existing technologies in many ways; in particular, by accounting for position reading accuracy and the threshold speed against which the speed of the mobile device is to be compared. Several implementations of this technique are described in the discussion of FIG. 7 below.

[0050] At Step 702, a threshold speed is provided. The threshold speed may be a predetermined "safe" speed; when the mobile device 102 moves faster than the threshold speed, one or more of its functions may be restricted or disabled. For example, the threshold speed may be 6 miles per hour, to distinguish between walking (less than 6 miles per hour) and driving a vehicle (more than 6 miles per hour). The threshold speed may be supplied by a manufacturer of the mobile device 102, an administrator with the communications system 204, a manufacturer of the vehicle 206 or the vehicle module 218, an individual or organization (such as the user, a parent, a manager, a law enforcement official, or an insurance provider) or a third party provider of the mobile device monitoring and control hardware/software used to perform the techniques described herein. In some

implementations, the threshold speed is stored in the MAP 123, and further may be configured according to web-based customization method described above with reference to FIG. 6. In some implementations, the threshold speed may be dynamically supplied by a remote source, such as a traffic information dissemination system that wirelessly transmits traffic information to the mobile device 102. This traffic information may include, or be used to determine, a maximum safe speed at which the mobile device 102 may be used. The maximum safe speed may depend on driver experience, traffic conditions, environmental conditions (e.g., ice, darkness), or any other factor indicative of driving safety.

[0051] At Step 704, a processor determines a first position accuracy measure of a first position reading. As described above, the first position reading may be a GPS reading, or may be a reading from another position determination system (e.g., cell phone base station triangulation). The first position accuracy measure of the first position reading indicates how accurately the first position reading represents the actual position of the mobile device 102. In some implementations, the first position accuracy measure is a radius indicative of a range of possible positions of the mobile device relative to the first position reading. The first position accuracy measure can depend on a number of factors, including the number of satellites or beacons used to determine the first position reading, the quality of

communication or delay in determining the first position reading, the power of the antenna signal from the mobile device 102 used to initiate the first position reading, atmospheric and ionospheric interference, and the presence of a ground reference station (i.e., in wide area augmentation systems WAAS). For example, GPS systems commonly exhibit accuracy ranges from 1 meter radius to 30 meters radius.

[0052] Once the first position accuracy measure is determined at Step 704, the processor proceeds to determine a future position sampling interval at Step 706. A number of techniques for determining a future position sampling interval are described below, and illustrated with reference to FIGS. 8-10. Once the processor determines the future position sampling interval, the processor delays (at Step 708) taking a second position reading until the future position sampling interval has elapsed from the time of the first position reading. In other words, the future position sampling interval is approximately equal to the time delay between the first and second position readings. [0053] At Step 710, the processor takes a second reading of the position of the mobile device 102. The first and second position readings may be used by the processor for any of the mobile device control techniques described herein. In some implementations, the distance between the first and second position readings is calculated, and this distance is compared to a threshold distance. Examples of such implementations are discussed below with reference to FIGS. 8-10. When the distance exceeds the threshold distance, the processor may generate an internal or external electronic signal indicating that the mobile device 102 is moving faster than a threshold speed associated with the threshold distance. In response to this electronic signal, the permitted uses of the mobile device 102 may be adjusted or the control criteria may be altered in accordance with any of the implementations described herein, such as deny call setup requests, peer-to-peer messaging, text messaging, Internet access, disabling a camera or video function, diverting the communication to an e- mail, voicemail, text message or other communications address, or disabling the display or keyboard. If the distance does not exceed the threshold distance, the processor may permit nominal (e.g., unrestricted) use of the mobile device 102.

[0054] A number of implementations and variations of the method of FIG. 7 are now developed. First, we discuss a range of suitable techniques for determining the future position sampling interval that utilize the threshold speed (per Step 706 of FIG. 7), and illustrate these techniques with reference to FIGS. 8-10. In the discussion below, the threshold speed is indicated by "vmax."

[0055] In a first implementation, the first position accuracy measure indicates a very small or negligible error in the first position reading. FIG. 8 illustrates such an implementation. In this illustration, the first position reading is indicated by "xl ." If the mobile device 102 is traveling at the threshold speed vmax and the second position reading is taken with a future position sampling interval At, then the distance traveled by the mobile device 102 over the sampling interval At is

dtrav = vmax * At. (1)

[0056] In FIG. 8, traveling at the speed vmax would place the mobile device 102 on the boundary of the circle 802 at the time the second position reading is taken. The second position reading is denoted by "x2" (not shown in FIG. 8). If the mobile device 102 is traveling faster than the threshold speed vmax, the mobile device 102 will be outside the boundary of the circle 802 at the time the second position reading x2 is taken, and if the mobile device 102 is traveling slower than the threshold speed vmax, the mobile device 102 will be inside the boundary of the circle 1002 at the time the second position reading x2 is taken. In the implementation of FIG. 8, the future sampling interval At or the traveled distance dtrav can be selected, and the other determined by application of Eq. 1. Depending on the positioning system used to make position readings, selecting one or the other of At and dtrav may be more appropriate. For example, when position readings are generated at a fixed frequency that is not under the control of the mobile device monitoring system, the parameter At is naturally selected and dtrav may be calculated. When position readings are generated at fixed distances (e.g., when the mobile device 102 comes into proximity with positioning beacons that are spaced apart equally), the parameter dtrav is naturally selected and At may be calculated. When neither the temporal or spatial frequencies of position readings are fixed, either dtrav or At may be selected and the other calculated.

[0057] A useful method for determining whether the mobile device 102 has traveled faster than the threshold speed vmax includes determining whether the distance between the first and second position readings, |xl-x2|, is greater than dtrav. If yes, the mobile device 102 has traveled faster than the threshold speed vmax. This method of determining if the speed of the mobile device 102 has exceeded a threshold speed is advantageous in that it does not require a determination of the speed of the mobile device 102.

[0058] In a second implementation, the first position accuracy measure indicates a non- negligible possible error in the first position reading. FIG. 9 illustrates such an

implementation, with the first position reading indicated by "xl " and a first position accuracy measure "el " which is the radius around xl defining a circle 902 in which the mobile device 102 is likely to be found at the time of the first reading. If the mobile device 102 is traveling at the threshold speed vmax and the second position reading is taken with a future position sampling interval At, then the distance traveled by the mobile device 102 over the sampling interval At is dtrav as calculated according to Eq. 1 above.

[0059] Due to the uncertainty el in the first position reading xl , traveling at the speed vmax could place the mobile device 102 as far away as the boundary of the circle 904 at the time the second position reading x2 is taken (x2 is not shown in FIG. 9). The distance from xl to the boundary of the circle 1 104 is given by

dmax = dtrav+el . (2)

In order for the mobile device 102 to be outside the boundary of the circle 904 at the time the second position reading x2 is taken, the mobile device 102 must have traveled at least as fast as vmax (and, in all likelihood, faster). In the implementation of FIG. 9, the future sampling interval At or the traveled distance dtrav can be selected, and the other determined by application of Eqs. 1 and 2. As described above with reference to the first scenario, selecting one or the other of At and dtrav may be more appropriate.

[0060] Another technique for selecting At uses a predetermined or user selected accuracy factor, denoted by A. The accuracy factor A represents an acceptable relative error between the maximum error in the distance traveled (here, twice the radius el) and the nominal distance traveled (here, dtrav). The accuracy factor A may be defined as

A = 2*el/dtrav. (3)

Substituting the relationships given by Eqs. 1 and 2 into Eq. 3 yields

A = 2*el/dtrav = 2*el/(vmax*At), (4) which can be rearranged to yield

At = 2* el /(A* vmax). (5)

In some implementations, the relationship of Eq. 5 is used to determine the future position sampling interval At, given the known quantities el, A and vmax. Choosing a value for the accuracy factor A will change how often a position reading need be taken. For example, in applications in which it is desirable for the maximum distance error to be very small as compared to the nominal distance traveled, the value of A may be chosen to be very small, which will require a longer sampling interval At.

[0061] As described above with reference to the first implementation (FIG. 8), another useful method for determining whether the mobile device 102 has traveled faster than the threshold speed vmax includes determining whether the distance between the first and second position readings, |xl-x2|, is greater than dmax = dtrav+el (see Eq. 2, above). If yes, the mobile device 102 has certainly traveled faster than the threshold speed vmax. This method of determining if the speed of the mobile device 102 has exceeded a threshold speed is advantageous in that it does not require a determination of the speed of the mobile device 102.

[0062] In a third implementation, the first position accuracy measure indicates a non- negligible possible error in the first position reading, and a non-negligible possible error is anticipated in the second position reading. FIG. 10 illustrates such an implementation. In FIG. 10, the first position reading is indicated by "xl" and the first position accuracy measure is indicated by "el" which is the radius around xl defining a circle 1002 in which the mobile device 102 is likely to be found at the time of the first reading. In FIG. 10, the second position reading is indicated by "x2" and the second position accuracy measure is indicated by "e2" which is the radius around x2 defining a circle 1004 in which the mobile device 102 is likely to be found at the time of the second reading. If the mobile device 102 is traveling at the threshold speed vmax and the second position reading is taken with a future position sampling interval At, then the distance traveled by the mobile device 102 over the sampling interval At is dtrav as calculated according to Eq. 1 above.

[0063] Due to the uncertainty el in the first position reading xl and the uncertainty e2 in the second position reading x2, traveling at the speed vmax could place the mobile device 102 as far away as the boundary of the circle 1004 at the time the second position reading x2 is taken. The maximum distance from xl to the boundary of the circle 1004 is given by

dmax = dtrav+el+e2. (6)

One technique for selecting At uses a predetermined or user selected accuracy factor, denoted by A (as described above with reference to the second implementation, illustrated in FIG. 9). The accuracy factor A represents an acceptable relative error between the maximum error in the distance traveled |Axmax-Axmin| (here, twice the radius el plus twice the radius el) and the nominal distance traveled (here, dtrav). The accuracy factor A may be defined as

A = I Axmax-Axmin|/dtrav=(2*el+2*e2)/dtrav. (7)

Substituting the relationships given by Eqs. 1 and 2 into Eq. 6 yields

A = (2*el+2*e2)/(vmax*At), (8) which can be rearranged to yield

At = (2*el+2*e2)/(A*vmax). (9)

In some implementations, the relationship of Eq. 9 is used to determine the future position sampling interval At, given the known quantities el, e2, A and vmax. Choosing a value for the accuracy factor A will change how often a position reading need be taken. For example, in applications in which it is desirable for the maximum distance error to be very small as compared to the nominal distance traveled, the value of A may be chosen to be very small, which will require a longer sampling interval At.

[0064] As described above with reference to the first and second scenarios, another useful method for determining whether the mobile device 102 has traveled faster than the threshold speed vmax includes determining whether the distance between the first and second position readings, |xl-x2|, is greater than dmax = dtrav+el+e2 (see Eq. 6, above). If yes, the mobile device 102 has certainly traveled faster than the threshold speed vmax. This method of determining if the speed of the mobile device 102 has exceeded a threshold speed is advantageous in that it does not require a determination of the speed of the mobile device 102.

[0065] In some applications, the second position accuracy measure of the second position reading is not known at the time of the first position reading when determining the future position sampling interval. In such applications, the position accuracy measure can be estimated based on any of a number of factors, including previous position accuracy measures, the known accuracy and tolerances of the positioning system, and corroboration between multiple positioning sources. In some implementations, the second position accuracy measure is assumed to be equal to the first position accuracy measure. In some implementations, the second position accuracy measure is estimated using a statistical estimation technique (e.g., a maximum likelihood estimator, a Bayesian estimator, a neural network model estimator) that relies on one or more of the data sources described above. In some implementations, more information about the second position accuracy measure may be received by the processor as the future position sampling interval passes. In such

implementations, the duration of the future position sampling interval can be continuously re- evaluated and changed according to the anticipated value of the second position accuracy measure.

[0066] In some implementations, the sampling interval determination techniques described herein may be applied over a sliding window of position readings. For example, once a second position reading is taken, the processor may determine a second future position sampling interval based on the second position accuracy measure and the threshold speed, and then take a third position reading after the determined second future position sampling interval has elapsed from the time of the second position reading. The value of the second position accuracy measure may be revised from an a priori value (before the second position reading has taken place) to an a posteriori value (after the second position reading has taken place).

[0067] In some applications, the user of the mobile device 102 is not the only party responsible for the mobile device 102 or the user. Other responsible or interested parties include administrators, parents and employers. In some implementations, when the mobile device 102 exceeds a threshold speed, a notification is sent to one or more of these interested parties (or friends or business associates of the user of the mobile device 102). Such a message notifies the receiving party that the user is traveling, and should not be contacted. It may be in these parties' interests to confirm that any control hardware or software (as described herein) has not been tampered with or removed. In some implementations, the controller 104 of the mobile device 102 is configured to detect whether any settings or functions of the mobile device 102 have been tampered with. In particular, the controller 104 may be configured to process identifying information about a mobile device control application (such as the name, size of the file, associated properties and identification of an associated mobile device such as the mobile device 102). On a periodic or triggered basis, the controller 104 may receive a "check application" query from a network server or other device to determine whether the control application is still active on the device. This check may include verifying whether the application has the appropriate identifying information; if not, notification may be provided to at least one of the mobile device 102 or a device or electronic communications account associated with an interested party. The device or electronic communications account information (such as an e-mail address) may be stored in the MAP 123. In some implementations, the controller 104 detects that a control application has been tampered with when the control application fails to operate during a predetermined time period. For example, if the control application is a tracking application, and a position of the mobile device 102 has not been reported to the communications network 404 within the previous 24-hour period, a "check application" query would be transmitted by the communications network 404. Tamper detection and notification techniques may be performed by any suitable processor or system involved in the configuring, monitoring or control of the mobile device 102.

[0068] It is to be understood that while various illustrative embodiments have been described, the forgoing description is merely illustrative and does not limit the scope of the invention. While several examples have been provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, components, and methods may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0069] The examples disclosed can be implemented in sub-combinations with one or more other features described herein. A variety of systems and methods may be implemented based on the disclosure and still fall within the scope of the invention. Also, the various features described or illustrated above may be combined or integrated in other systems or certain features may be omitted, or not implemented.

[0070] Examples of changes, substitutions, and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could be made without departing from the scope of the information disclosed herein. Certain particular aspects, advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the following claims.