A SAFETY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DRIVER'S MOBILE TELEPHONE

摘要

A safety system and method for a mobile telephone comprises a memory and a communications module for communicating with a mobile communications network and for short range communications with a communications system onboard a motor vehicle. A user interface is for receiving inputs from the user and a display is used for displaying information to the user. A processor for controls operation of the system to determine the position of the mobile telephone in the motor vehicle cabin by i) comparing the strength of a short range communications signal received via the communications module with signal strengths stored in the memory to thereby determine if the mobile telephone is located in the front or the rear of the motor vehicle cabin and ii) comparing the strength of a magnetic field received on the left side of the mobile telephone with the strength of a magnetic field received on the right side of the mobile telephone, wherein if the received strength of the magnetic field is stronger on the left side of the mobile telephone determining that the mobile telephone is on the left side of the motor vehicle cabin and if the strength of the received magnetic field is stronger on the right side of the mobile telephone determining that the mobile telephone is on the right side of the motor vehicle cabin. The determined position of the mobile telephone is then used to make a determination if the mobile telephone is the driver's mobile telephone or not and if the mobile telephone is the driver's mobile telephone then entering the mobile telephone into a safe driver mode.