Granted Patent B2

US 12,621,639 · App. 18/370,968 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventors: Joseph E. Breaux, III (Baton Rouge, LA); John Wright (Baton Rouge, LA); Chad A. Kennedy (Baton Rouge, LA)

Assignee: CELLCONTROL, INC.

H04W4/48G06V20/593H04M1/72403H04M1/72454H04M1/72463H04N23/61G06F2218/10H04M1/0264H04M2250/52

Abstract

Claims (38)

1 . A method comprising:

prompting, in response to a request to disable blocking of a user interaction with one or more functions of a mobile device of a user in a vehicle, a positioning of a camera of the mobile device in a specified orientation, the positioning of the camera being focused on the user;

generating an illuminating image for presentation on a display of the mobile device, the illuminating image having a white or gray graphical portion configured to enhance visibility of objects in a field of view of the camera;

presenting the illuminating image on the display of the mobile device;

capturing, by the camera of the mobile device, an image of the user while the specified orientation is maintained and while the illuminating image is presented on the display;

determining whether one or more disallowed movements has occurred between the positioning of the mobile device in the specified orientation and the capture of the image; and

upon determining that the one or more of the disallowed movements has not occurred between the positioning of the mobile device and the capture of the image, disabling the blocking of the user interaction with the one or more functions of the mobile device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, upon determining that one of the one or more disallowed movements has occurred between the positioning and the capture, reprompting for the positioning of the camera in the specified orientation.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the one or more disallowed movements has comprises detecting, by an accelerometer of the mobile device, at least one of a tilting, a turning, a vertical shift, or a horizontal shift of the mobile device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prompting the user to specify a seat in the vehicle on which the user is sitting.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein prompting the user to specify the seat of the vehicle comprises presenting, on the mobile device, a graphical user interface of a top-level view representation of the vehicle, wherein the top-level view representation of the vehicle comprises one or more locations each indicative of one of a plurality of seats in the vehicle.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prompting, while the specified orientation is maintained, a capture of at least a second image by a second camera of the mobile device, the second image including one or more items;

determining, as a function of the at least the second image, whether the one or more items included in the second image is captured from a passenger seat of the vehicle while the specified orientation is maintained;

upon determining that the one or more items is captured from the passenger seat of the vehicle, prompting the user to provide an input;

upon validating the input, disabling the blocking of the user interaction with the one or more functions of the mobile device;

receiving accelerometer and gyroscope sensor data indicating that the mobile device has been moved to a driver seat of the vehicle from the passenger seat; and

reenabling, in response to the received accelerometer and gyroscope sensor data, the blocking of the user interaction with the one or more functions of the mobile device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the prompting of the positioning of the mobile device occurs while the vehicle is in motion.

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions, which, when executed on one or more processors, causes a mobile device to:

prompt, in response to a request to disable blocking of a user interaction with one or more functions of a mobile device of a user in a vehicle, a positioning of a camera of the mobile device in a specified orientation, the positioning of the camera being focused on the user;

generate an illuminating image for presentation on a display of the mobile device the illuminating image having a white or gray graphical portion configured to enhance visibility of objects in a field of view of the camera;

present the illuminating image on the display of the mobile device;

capture, by the camera of the mobile device, an image of the user while the specified orientation is maintained and while the illuminating image is presented on the display;

determine whether one or more disallowed movements has occurred between the positioning of the mobile device in the specified orientation and the capture of the image; and

upon a determination that the one or more of the disallowed movements has not occurred between the positioning of the mobile device and the capture of the image, disable the blocking of the user interaction with the one or more functions of the mobile device.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of instructions further causes the mobile device to, upon a determination that one of the one or more disallowed movements has occurred between the positioning and the capture, reprompt for the positioning of the camera in the specified orientation.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the determination of whether the one or more disallowed movements has occurred comprises detecting, by an accelerometer of the mobile device, at least one of a tilting, a turning, a vertical shift, or a horizontal shift of the mobile device.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of instructions further causes the mobile device to prompt the user to specify a seat in the vehicle on which the user is sitting.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein to prompt the user to specify the seat of the vehicle comprises to present, on the mobile device, a graphical user interface of a top-level view representation of the vehicle, wherein the top-level view representation of the vehicle comprises one or more locations each indicative of one of a plurality of seats in the vehicle.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of instructions further causes the mobile device to:

prompt, while the specified orientation is maintained, a capture of at least a second image by a second camera of the mobile device, the second image including one or more items;

determine, as a function of the at least the second image, whether the one or more items included in the second image is captured from a passenger seat of the vehicle while the specified orientation is maintained;

upon a determination that the one or more items is captured from the passenger seat of the vehicle, prompt the user to provide an input;

upon validation of the input, disable the blocking of the user interaction with the one or more functions of the mobile device;

receive accelerometer and gyroscope sensor data indicating that the mobile device has been moved to a driver seat of the vehicle from the passenger seat; and

reenable, in response to the received accelerometer and gyroscope sensor data, the blocking of the user interaction with the one or more functions of the mobile device.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the prompting of the positioning of the mobile device occurs while the vehicle is in motion.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (116)