Vehicle Wireless Device Detection and Shielding

Abstract

The disclosure includes an apparatus comprising a diagnostic unit configured to communicate with a rules engine to determine whether a transmission detected in a vehicle is classified as driver wireless device usage based on passenger data indicating whether a passenger is present in the vehicle. The disclosure also includes a system comprising a shielding unit configured to transmit a noise signal to interrupt a transmission detected in a vehicle, and a diagnostic unit configured to communicate with a rules engine to determine whether the detected transmission is classified as driver wireless device usage based on the passenger data indicating whether a passenger is present in the vehicle, and engage the shielding unit if the transmission is classified as driver wireless device usage.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a diagnostic unit configured to communicate with a rules engine to determine whether a transmission detected in a vehicle is classified as driver wireless device usage based on passenger data indicating whether a passenger is present in the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the passenger data indicates whether a passenger is positioned in a passenger seat, and wherein the transmission is classified as nondriver wireless device usage if the passenger is positioned in the passenger seat. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the passenger data is received from a seat sensor, and wherein the seat sensor is configured to sense weight in the passenger seat, sense a state of a safety restraint belt associated with the passenger seat, sense heat in a passenger seat, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the passenger data is received from a vehicle diagnostics port. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the passenger data indicates a number of people positioned in the vehicle, and wherein the transmission is classified as nondriver wireless device usage if the number of people positioned in the vehicle is greater than one. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein passenger data is received from a biometric sensor, radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic unit is further configured to engage a shielding unit to shield an ongoing transmission of a driver of the vehicle, engage an alert unit to alert the driver of the detected transmission, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic unit is configured to receive a command to engage a shielding unit from a rules engine, and wherein the diagnostic unit is configured to override the command if an override condition is present. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic unit is further configured to receive transmission data from a sensor configured to detect hands free wireless signal, and wherein the transmission is classified as nondriver wireless device usage if the transmission occurs contemporaneously with a hands free wireless signal. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a shielding unit configured to transmit a noise signal to shield a transmission detected in a vehicle; and   a diagnostic unit configured to:
 communicate with a rules engine to determine whether the detected transmission is classified as driver wireless device usage based on the passenger data indicating whether a passenger is present in the vehicle; and 
 engage the shielding unit if the transmission is classified as driver wireless device usage. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the noise signal is directed to a downlink frequency band associated with an uplink frequency band of the transmission. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the noise signal is directed to an uplink frequency of the transmission. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the noise signal comprises an electric field strength of about 200 microvolts per meter or less. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the noise signal is broadcast for about 0.5 seconds to about 3 seconds. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 a rules engine configured to communicate with a diagnostic unit to determine whether a transmission detected in a vehicle is classified as driver wireless device usage based on passenger data indicating whether a passenger is present in the vehicle.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein communicating with the diagnostic unit comprises receiving a message comprising transmission data and passenger data from the diagnostic unit, and wherein determining whether the transmission is classified as driver wireless device usage comprises classifying the transmission as nondriver wireless device usage when the passenger data indicates a passenger is in the vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the message further comprises vehicle status data, and wherein determining whether the transmission is classified as driver wireless device usage further comprises classifying the transmission as nondriver wireless device usage when the vehicle status data indicates an engine of the vehicle is off. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein determining whether the transmission is classified as driver wireless device usage further comprises classifying the transmission as nondriver wireless device usage when the vehicle status data indicates the vehicle is stationary. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein determining whether the transmission is classified as driver wireless device usage further comprises:
 classifying the transmission as nondriver wireless device usage when the transmission is a communication between the rules engine; and   classifying the transmission as nondriver wireless device usage when data indicating an override is received from the diagnostic unit.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the transmission is classified as driver wireless device usage when the transmission cannot be classified as nondriver wireless device usage, and wherein the rules engine is further configured cause a notification to be sent to an owner of the vehicle upon classifying the transmission as driver wireless device usage. 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 communicating with a diagnostic unit to determine whether a transmission detected in a vehicle is classified as driver wireless device usage based on passenger data indicating whether a passenger is present in the vehicle; and   alerting an owner of the vehicle upon classifying the transmission as driver wireless device usage.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising:
 classifying the transmission as nondriver wireless device usage if the vehicle status data indicates an engine of the vehicle is off; 
 classifying the transmission as nondriver wireless device usage if the vehicle status data indicates the vehicle is stationary; 
 classifying the transmission as nondriver wireless device usage if the transmission is a communication between the rules engine and the diagnostic unit; 
 classifying the transmission as nondriver wireless device usage if the passenger data indicates a passenger is in the vehicle; and 
 classifying the transmission as driver wireless device usage if the transmission cannot be classified as nondriver wireless device usage. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising shielding the transmission if the transmission is classified as driver wireless device usage and if the transmission is not associated with an override condition.