Mobile Call Filtering With Hands-Free Activation During Driving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile device applications and hands-free devices are inadequate in preventing distracted driving, as they either overly restrict incoming calls and notifications, potentially blocking emergencies, or fail to significantly reduce distraction through auditory or visual alerts, and do not consider factors like traffic conditions or emergency situations.
Innovation Solution
A system that analyzes incoming telephonic events on a mobile device in relation to vehicle operational data and user preferences, applying a soft block to prevent display during driving unless it is safe to do so, and uses a hands-free device for communication when appropriate, based on calculated driver and road risk scores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If mobile applications comprehensively restrict all incoming calls, messages, and notifications during driving, then distracted driving is reduced, but emergency communications may be blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different blocking rules to different types of communications based on their urgency and importance. Essential communications (emergency services, predefined contacts) are excluded from blocking while non-essential communications are blocked during driving. This selective approach reduces distraction while ensuring emergency communications reach the driver.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts communication blocking based on driving context, including vehicle motion detection, location awareness, and time of day. When the vehicle is detected to be in motion, blocking rules are applied; when stationary, normal communication is permitted. This dynamic adaptation ensures safety during driving while maintaining communication reliability when needed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If mobile applications restrict communications based on GPS velocity readings, then distracted driving is reduced, but GPS privileges can be restricted or velocity can be maintained through cruise control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple detection methods including GPS velocity, accelerometer data, and gyroscope information to determine vehicle motion status. By merging multiple sensing approaches, the system achieves more reliable motion detection that cannot be easily subverted by restricting a single GPS privilege or maintaining constant speed through cruise control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses accelerometer and gyroscope data as intermediary measurements to verify vehicle motion status. These intermediary sensors provide additional verification layers that make it difficult for users to deceive the system through GPS restriction alone, as the physical motion detected by accelerometers cannot be faked.
3Ease of operation
If hands-free devices audibly and visually generate all incoming calls, messages, and notifications, then communication accessibility is improved, but distracted driving is not significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies selective auditory and visual notification based on communication type and driving context. Instead of announcing all incoming communications, the system selectively notifies the driver only for essential communications (emergency services, predefined contacts) while silencing non-essential notifications. This selective approach maintains communication accessibility for important matters while reducing overall distraction from constant notifications.
4Device complexity
If hands-free devices use pre-stored user selections for incoming communications, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to current conditions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic communication filtering that adapts to current driving conditions, location, and time of day. Rather than relying solely on static pre-stored user selections, the system continuously evaluates contextual factors such as vehicle motion status, geographic location, and temporal information to dynamically determine which communications should be permitted. This dynamic approach provides adaptability to changing conditions while maintaining manageable system complexity through rule-based decision logic.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for analyzing an incoming telephonic event (e.g., call, message, and/or notification) to a mobile device during operation of a vehicle in relation to a combination of factors to determine if the incoming telephonic event is to be allowed to be received during vehicle operation. The mobile device may receive the incoming telephonic event during operation of the vehicle. An incoming telephonic event analysis application operating on the mobile device may apply a soft block preventing the incoming telephonic event from being displayed on the mobile device. Based on the incoming telephonic event data, vehicle operational data, user preferences, hands-free device activation, and driver and road ratings, the incoming telephonic event analysis application may determine whether or not to maintain the soft block or allow the incoming telephonic event to be displayed on the mobile device during operation of the vehicle.