In message <201048ea81ba0745aca78e4cc8839001c8b...@desmdswms201.des.grplnk.net>, dated Tue, 3 Apr 2007, "Haynes, Tim (SELEX) (UK Capability Green)" <[email protected]> writes:
>If I were a mobile phone manufacturer [ I am not] should I hold the >view that people will be people - and that they are likely to think >that a battery is a battery and a charger is a charger (as long as it >fits and is the right voltage!) - so are likely to use the wrong device? The manufacturer may be prevented by 'restriction of trade' legislation >from actually preventing the phone working with an 'alien' battery, but, for example, an on-screen Dire Warning could be displayed. Genuine batteries could be identified, e.g. by RFID. > >Is this a case of foreseeable misuse - leaving the phone manufacturer >with the liability if harm is caused? It depends on what steps the manufacturer takes to dissuade people from disobeying the instructions. In any case, manufacturers DO have to take 'foreseeable misuse' into account, but a number of 'misuses' are not regarded as 'foreseeable' because there is no effective independent check. Replacement of a fuse by one of higher current rating or inadequate breaking capacity are examples. > >In fact - is the use of distributed (battery, phone, charger) >electronics making the phone more dangerous rather than more safe? Probably not. In my (limited) experience, phones (actually the 'smart' circuit in the battery) can identify 'alien' chargers with too low or too high output voltage and refuse to start the charging process. > >Should there be high visibility warnings on the battery and charger - >or are warnings in the handbook saying "only use genuine ***** (insert >maker) replacement parts" sufficient to reduce the liability? After >all, we know that everybody reads the whole manual before using the >product - don't we... :-) Warnings in the instructions are necessary, if only to avoid an on-screen warning being displayed in all known languages. -- OOO - Own Opinions Only. Try www.jmwa.demon.co.uk and www.isce.org.uk There are benefits from being irrational - just ask the square root of 2. John Woodgate, J M Woodgate and Associates, Rayleigh, Essex UK - This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to [email protected] Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas [email protected] Mike Cantwell [email protected] For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: [email protected] David Heald: [email protected] All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________
