IP Library Granted Patent US 8,706,349
Granted Patent B2
US 8,706,349 · App. 12/632,375 · Granted Apr 22, 2014

Devices, systems and methods for controlling permitted settings on a vehicle

Inventors: Jay Daryl Rector (Loganville, GA); John Potts Davis, III (Marietta, GA); Justin Michael Anthony McNamara (Dunwoody, GA)
Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,706,349
App. No.
12/632,375
Granted
Apr 22, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for altering permitted settings of a vehicle according to a driver identified through short range wireless communication. The vehicle captures a unique identifier from a wireless communication device of the driver of the vehicle. This unique identifier is used to reference a database to determine the identity of the driver as well as settings for the driver created by a controlling authority. The controlling authority may be, for instance, a parent or employer of the driver. The settings may limit certain devices within the vehicle and/or the vehicle itself. Speed control settings, radio settings, wireless communication device settings, and various other settings are all possible to limit distractions to the driver. Further, the settings may be influenced by the number or identities of passengers within the vehicle.

Claims (36)

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

transmitting, to a wireless communication device via a short range wireless communication, a request for a unique identifier associated with a user of the wireless communication device,

receiving, from the wireless communication device via the short range wireless communication, the unique identifier associated with the user,

determining an identity of the user of the wireless communication device based on the unique identifier,

determining a setting corresponding to the identity of the user of the wireless communication device, and

implementing the setting, wherein implementation of the setting controls a function of the vehicle based on the identity of the user of the wireless communication device.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an antenna located near a driver seat and the operations further comprising determining that the user is a driver of the vehicle based on the wireless communication device of the user being close to the antenna located near the driver seat.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the setting comprises a radio control and wherein implementation of the setting causes at least one of a maximum radio volume of a radio of the vehicle to be set, allowed radio stations to be set, or compact discs prohibited from being played by the radio of the vehicle to be set.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the setting comprises a permitted speed setting and wherein implementation of the setting causes a maximum allowed speed of the vehicle to be set.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a passenger wireless communication device in addition to the wireless communication device; and

changing the setting based on detection of the passenger wireless communication device.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a biometric sensor or a weight scale coupled to a seat in the smart vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device is a contactless smart card.

8. A method, comprising:

transmitting, from a vehicle comprising a processor to a wireless communication device via a short range wireless communication, a request for a unique identifier associated with a user of the wireless communication device;

receiving, at the vehicle from the wireless communication device via the short range wireless communication, the unique identifier associated with the user;

determining, by the vehicle, an identity of the user of the wireless unique identifier;

determining, by the vehicle, a setting corresponding to the identity of the user of the wireless communication device; and

implementing, by the vehicle, the setting, wherein implementation of the setting controls a function of the vehicle based on the identity of the user of the wireless communication device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining that the user is a driver of the vehicle based on the wireless communication device of the user being close to an antenna located near a driver seat of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the setting comprises a permitted speed setting and wherein implementation of the setting causes a maximum allowed speed of the vehicle to be set.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the setting comprises a radio control and wherein implementation of the setting causes at least one of a maximum radio volume of a radio of the vehicle to be set, allowed radio stations to be set, or compact discs prohibited from being played by the radio of the vehicle to be set.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the setting comprises a wireless communication device control and wherein implementation of the setting causes prohibition of acceptance of communications received via the wireless communication device.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

detecting a passenger wireless communication device in addition to the wireless communication device; and

changing the setting based upon detection of the passenger wireless communication device.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising sending a blocked call notification to the wireless communication device.

15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising verifying the identity of the user using at least one of a biometric sensor or a weight scale.

16. A non-transitory computable-readable, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a vehicle, cars the processor to perform operations comprising: transmitting to a wireless communication device via a range wireless communication, a request for a unique identifier associated with a user of the wireless communication device; receiving from the wireless communication device via the short range wireless communication, the unique identifier associated with the user; determining an identity of the user of the wireless communication device based on the unique identifier; determining a setting corresponding to the identity of the user of the wireless communication device; and implementing the settings, wherein implementation of this setting controls a function of the vehicle based on the identity of the user of the wireless communication device.

17. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the setting comprises a wireless communication device control and wherein implementation of the setting causes prohibition of acceptance of communications received via the wireless communication device.

18. The computer-readable memory of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise determining that the user is a driver of the vehicle based on the wireless communication device of the user being close to an antenna located near a driver seat of the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier is at least one of an MSISDN address, an IMSI address, or a MAC address of the wireless communication device.

20. The computer-readable memory of claim 16 , wherein the setting comprises a wireless communication device control and wherein implementation of the setting causes prohibition of acceptance of communications received via the wireless communication device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2023
From: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
To: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062372/0042 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2009
From: RECTOR, JAY DARYL; DAVIS, JOHN POTTS, III; MCNAMARA, JUSTIN MICHAEL ANTHONY
To: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
Reel/Frame 023614/0153 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110137520A1 · Jun 9, 2011