Abstract: Systems are disclosed for enabling, disabling or restoring cellPhone operations when these cellPhones are in certain zones. A zone is comprised of cuboids (boxes). Entering or exiting such a zone can disable, enable or restore certain cellPhone operations. A first Global Position Satellite-based system determines if a cellPhone is entering a certain geographical zone. For instance, when it enters, dialing can be disabled. A second GPSS-like system using an ultrasonic signal determines if the cellPhone is in a zone in a moving vehicle. Such a zone might be the space around the driver. A third system uses table-lookup in a system like the second system to determine if the cellPhone is in the zone that the driver is in. In mobile vehicles, the two last-mentioned systems can prevent drivers from texting when the vehicle is in motion.

Abstract: A system for selectively restricting or enabling the use of a cellular telephone module in a zone is described, comprising: a control signal transmitter for generating a control signal at an entrance to the zone or alternatively generating control signals throughout the zone; the cellular telephone including a module; a receiver module within the cellular telephone responsive to the control signal for generating a module enable/restrict upon receipt of the control signal; and a switch within the cellular telephone responsive to the module enable/restrict for selectively enabling or inhibiting the operation of the module for a predetermined period of time after receipt of the control signal. Additionally, this system's cellular telephone can dial a telephone, send a message to it, receive a text message from it, and send digits to it, to handle emergencies or conduct business. Finally, the system can remind owners to recharge their cellular telephone batteries.

Abstract: A system and method are described for initiating, enabling, disabling or restoring cellphone operations when the cellphone is in a zone, which is where cellphone operation has to be so altered. A courtesy signal transmitter transmits a courtesy signal containing zone data, which is received by the cellphone's courtesy signal receiver. A GPSS receiver, embedded in the cellphone, outputs the current cellphone location. A cellphone's processor compares this location to the zone's coordinates; if it determines that the cellphone is in the zone, the cellphone's processor initiates, enables, or disables operations in it as directed by bits in the zone's data. Spread-spectrum technology securely passes zone data from courtesy signal transmitters to courtesy signal receivers in cellphones, using GPSS data to make this coding scheme more secure. Finally, the courtesy signal transmitter GPSS location is checked to determine if the courtesy signal transmitter has been moved after it is initialized.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for preventing teenage moving vehicle drivers from cellphone texting while that vehicle is moving. This system comprises a motion detector, ignition key input that indicates whether the driver is a teenager, and courtesy signal transmitter in a vehicle which sends the state of its motion detector and ignition key to a cellphone having a text keyboard, a microphone, and a courtesy signal receiver disposed in the microphone which is in the keyboard. Said vehicle may have a moving vehicle driver, who may also be the aforementioned cellphone user, disposed to operate these cellphone devices. The cellphone may enable or disable the driver's keyboard based on the motion indicator, closeness to the driver, or driver's maturity, but this determination may be overridden by the cellphone service provider, or person inserting an ignition key that permits texting while driving.

Abstract: A system and method are described for initiating, enabling, disabling or restoring cellphone operations when the cellphone is in a zone, which is where cellphone operation has to be so altered. A courtesy signal transmitter transmits a courtesy signal containing zone data, which is received by the cellphone's courtesy signal receiver. A GPSS receiver, embedded in the cellphone, outputs the current cellphone location. A cellphone's processor compares this location to the zone's coordinates; if it determines that the cellphone is in the zone, the cellphone's processor initiates, enables, or disables operations in it as directed by bits in the zone's data. Spread-spectrum technology securely passes zone data from courtesy signal transmitters to courtesy signal receivers in cellphones, using GPSS data to make this coding scheme more secure. Finally, the courtesy signal transmitter GPSS location is checked to determine if the courtesy signal transmitter has been moved after it is initialized.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for preventing moving vehicle drivers from cell phone texting while that vehicle is moving. This system comprises a motion detector and a moving vehicle's contiguous interior compartment containing at least four courtesy signal transmitters and at least one conventional cell phone having a text keyboard, a microphone, and a courtesy signal receiver disposed in the microphone which is in the keyboard. This compartment may also have devices in it which control the speed and direction the moving vehicle will go, and if so, it may have a moving vehicle driver, who may also be the aforementioned cell phone user, located to operate these devices. The cell phone may enable or disable the keyboard based on courtesy signal transit times and the motion indicator, but this determination may be overridden by the cell phone service provider, or person of authority located in the vehicle's contiguous interior compartment.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for preventing moving vehicle drivers from cell phone texting while that vehicle is moving. This system comprises a motion detector and a moving vehicle's contiguous interior compartment containing at least four courtesy signal transmitters and at least one conventional cell phone having a text keyboard, a microphone, and a courtesy signal receiver disposed in the microphone which is in the keyboard. This compartment may also have devices in it which control the speed and direction the moving vehicle will go, and if so, it may have a moving vehicle driver, who may also be the aforementioned cell phone user, located to operate these devices. The cell phone may enable or disable the keyboard based on courtesy signal transit times and the motion indicator, but this determination may be overridden by the cell phone service provider, or person of authority located in the vehicle's contiguous interior compartment.

Abstract: A first microcontroller running an application with input-output is coupled through a serial communication channel to a second microcontroller running a human interface display and keyboard. The aforementioned first microcontroller sends a C-language printf( )-like format string and raw binary data variables to the aforementioned second microcontroller, which converts this data into ASCII character strings, which it displays. This second microcontroller, responsive to keyboard activity, edits the ASCII character strings, and sends updated raw binary data over the serial communication channel to the aforementioned first microcontroller, which rewrites this raw binary data in its memory. This apparatus reduces the size of the application's program memory.

Abstract: A system for selectively restricting or enabling the use of a cellular telephone module in a zone is described, comprising: a control signal transmitter for generating a control signal at an entrance to the zone or alternatively generating control signals throughout the zone; the cellular telephone including a module; a receiver module within the cellular telephone responsive to the control signal for generating a module enable/restrict upon receipt of the control signal; and a switch within the cellular telephone responsive to the module enable/restrict for selectively enabling or inhibiting the operation of the module for a predetermined period of time after receipt of the control signal. Additionally, this system's cellular telephone can dial a telephone, send a message to it, receive a text message from it, and send digits to it, to handle emergencies or conduct business. Finally, the system can remind owners to recharge their cellular telephone batteries.