Systems and methods for vehicle policy enforcement

Abstract

This disclosure relates to systems and methods for vehicle policy management and enforcement. In certain embodiments, a method for enforcing a policy may include receiving policy information at a device including one or more conditions relating to a policy-managed location in a vehicle. A determination may be made whether the device is within the policy-managed location based on signals received by a short-range communication system included in the device and/or the vehicle. The received policy information may be evaluated to determine and implement one or more device actions associated with the one or more conditions.

1 .- 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method for controlling the operation of an electronic device in a policy managed location, the steps comprising:
 sending policy information to a first device, said policy information including one or more instructions indicating one or more operations to be performed when said first device determines that it is located in a policy managed location, said determination at least in part based on said first device receiving short range communication signals from a first apparatus;   sending policy related information to said first apparatus, said policy related information including a validation code, said validation code to be communicated to said first device to authenticate presence in a policy managed location within or near the apparatus;   receiving, from said first device, contextual information relating to use of the first device while located in said policy managed location.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said contextual information includes information pertaining to the state of said first device while located in said policy managed location. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said contextual information includes information pertaining to the state of said first apparatus while boated in said policy managed location. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said state information indicates features of the first device that are enabled. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said state information indicates feature of the first device that are disabled. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said state information describes one or more environmental variables present while said first device is located in said policy managed location. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said state information indicates features of the first apparatus that are enabled. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said state information indicates feature of the first apparatus that are disabled. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said state information describes one or more environmental variables present while said first device is located in said policy managed location. 
     
     
         19 . A method for controlling the operation of an electronic device in a policy managed location, the steps comprising:
 sending policy information to a first device, said policy information including one or more instructions indicating one or more operations to be performed when said first device determines that it is located in a policy managed location, said determination at least in part based on said first device receiving short range communication signals from a first apparatus;   sending policy related information to said first apparatus, said policy related information including a validation code, said validation code to be communicated to said first device to authenticate presence in a policy managed location within or near the apparatus;   receiving, from said first apparatus, contextual information relating to use of the first device while located in said policy managed location.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said contextual information includes information pertaining to the state of said first device while located in said policy managed location. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said contextual information includes information pertaining to the state of said first apparatus while located in said policy managed location. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said state information indicates features of the first device that are enabled. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said state information indicates feature of the first device that are disabled. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said state information describes one or more environmental variables present while said first device is located in said policy managed location. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said state information indicates features of the first apparatus that are enabled. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said state information indicates feature of the first apparatus that are disabled. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said state information describes one or more environmental variables present while said first device is located in said policy managed location.