Patent ID: 8461973

Claim:
A method of discouraging the use of a wireless communication device by the operator of a motor vehicle, comprising: detecting radio frequency signals with at least one antenna located in the vicinity of the operator and providing an electrical signal representative of the radio frequency signals detected by said at least one antenna; amplifying the electrical signal representative of the radio frequency signals detected by said at least one antenna and outputting an amplified signal representative of the radio frequency signals detected by said at least one antenna in a specified frequency range, said specified frequency range being a range of frequencies used by the wireless communication device; connecting the amplified signal to a processing unit; processing the amplified signal in the processing unit to detect whether the wireless communication device is in use in the vehicle; outputting a control signal from the processing unit to a warning unit, said control signal having a value indicative of whether the wireless communication device has been detected; and if the control signal output from the processing unit has a value indicating that a wireless communication device has been detected, then taking action by the warning unit to discourage the operator from using the wireless communication device while driving the motor vehicle.