Dual-mode vehicle mobile phone disabler

A dual-mode land vehicle mobile phone disabler for use within an interior of a land vehicle having an ignition switch with a first position and a second position, the disabler comprising:

• an antenna;
• a processor operably connected to the antenna, when the ignition switch is set to the first position, the processor, via the antenna, searches for a communication link between a mobile phone within the interior and a cell site;
• a means for immediately disabling operation of the ignition switch when the communication link is detected;
• and
• a means for continuously sending a disable signal via the antenna to the mobile phone within the interior during a first mode when the ignition switch is set to the first position and ceasing the sending of the disable signal during a second mode when the ignition switch is set to the second position, the disable signal prevents the mobile phone within the interior from establishing the link with the site, the means entering the second mode upon completion of the first mode and the first mode upon completion of the second mode.

A method for effectively preventing operation of a land vehicle having an interior when a mobile phone within the interior is in communication with a cell site, the method comprising:

• prior to the vehicle being turned on, during a first mode of a dual mode phone disabler, searching, via the phone disabler, for a communication link between the phone within the interior and the cell site;
• detecting, during the first mode, via the disabler, the link;
• preventing, during the first mode, via the disabler, the vehicle from being turned on until the link is severed;
• allowing, via the disabler, the vehicle to be turned on when the link is severed;
• periodically communicating, during a second mode of the disabler, with the phone within the interior to prevent the phone within the interior from establishing the link with the site;
• and
• ceasing, during the second mode, via the disabler, communicating with the phone within the interior when the vehicle is turned off, the disabler entering the second mode upon completion of the first mode and the first mode upon completion of the second mode.