For those people still neglecting to turn off their cellular phones in public places like movie theaters, churches and restaurants, a technology is in the works that will take the monitoring responsibilities away from the cell- phone user and automatically lower the volume of a cell phone in a specific area.
BlueLinx Inc. in Charlotte, N.C., developed Q-Zone, a patent-pending system that creates specific areas where electronic devices ring and beep at lower volume levels.
The Q-Zone system employs a series of small “nodes” installed in a quiet zone, such as a church. The nodes communicate with a Bluetooth-enabled wireless device, which waits for an authorized message from the node telling it to turn the volume down, explained Jeff Griffin, president of BlueLinx.
Unlike jammers, which are illegal in many countries and shut off a phone completely in a designated area without the user’s permission, Q-Zone is user controlled. Griffin said a cell-phone user can go in through a menu system and disarm Q-Zone, which might be necessary for doctors and others who must always be able to hear their phone ringing.
The technology requires client-side software in the handset, which is why the bulk of Griffin’s efforts right now are in finding cellular phone manufacturers with which to partner.
“It’s going well,” Griffin said, “except the manufacturers’ main problem is that everyone wants software on handsets now and they don’t have a common operating system.
“We’re not planning on selling software to go in each handset, we’re trying to hand out a proprietary specification. That way, we’re not overlapping or changing the way they make their own software,” Griffin said.
Because Q-Zone uses a Bluetooth wireless connection, the technology also is being delayed by the lack of Bluetooth-enabled devices.
“We have to have Bluetooth handsets on the market so there is significant penetration of handsets in general. As soon as the phones start showing up in quantity, it’s something they (carriers) can make an investment in,” Griffin said.
Griffin said the company plans to introduce the nodes in about two years, but he expects BlueLinx will have cooperation agreements in place with several major cellular phone manufacturers by next quarter.
BlueLinx announced at the end of June it is working with the Centre for Telecommunications Information Networking, part of the University of Adelaide in Australia, to further develop Q-Zone.
In related news, Nokia Corp. and San Diego Mayor Susan Golding are launching a citywide campaign to promote courteous mobile-phone usage.
Golding is declaring July 10-14, “Cell Phone Courtesy Week” in San Diego, and encouraging wireless users to exercise polite mobile phone manners within public areas like classrooms, libraries, theaters and museums.
Nokia and Golding established five suggested guidelines for good mobile-phone manners, including utilizing the caller ID feature; using text messaging; changing the ringing tones to match the environment; turning off the phone during public performances or while in public places; and not engaging in “cell yell,” or talking unnecessarily loud on a cellular phone.
The second phase of the program will introduce a visual reminder for the campaign with a logo identifying “quiet zones,” or areas where courteous mobile phone use is requested.
