Mobile computing device emergency warning system and method

Abstract

A warning system and method include a memory device configured to store one or more condition criteria. A monitoring device is configured to monitor a status of the one or more condition criteria. The monitoring device is triggered by a triggering event related to the status to generate a warning signal responsive to the triggering event. A mobile computing device is configured to communicate with the monitoring device and an external network to receive the warning signal and output a warning message on the external network to one or more designated entities.

1 . A warning system, comprising:
 a memory device configured to store one or more condition criteria;   a monitoring device configured to monitor a status of the one or more condition criteria, the monitoring device being triggered by a triggering event related to the status to generate a warning signal responsive to the triggering event; and   a mobile computing device configured to communicate with the monitoring device and an external network to receive the warning signal and output a warning message on the external network to one or more designated entities.   
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system is disposed on a vehicle and the monitoring device and the memory device are part of an on-board computer system. 
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device includes one or more sensors for determining the status of the system, the sensors being configured to measure at least one of a condition of a vehicle, a condition of a driver of the vehicle and a traffic condition related to the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device includes a wireless communication device and the external network includes a cellular network. 
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the designated entities are selected in advance by a user and stored in the memory device. 
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the designated entities include one or more of emergency personnel, a personal contact and other users. 
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the designated entities include users which achieve user-defined limitations. 
     
     
         8 . A warning system, comprising:
 a vehicle including:
 a memory device to store one or more condition criteria; 
 a monitoring device configured to monitor a status of the one or more condition criteria, the monitoring device being triggered by a triggering event related to the status to generate a warning signal responsive to the triggering event; 
 a transceiver configured to communicate with a local network; 
   a mobile computing device configured to communicate with the vehicle using the local network and to communicate with an external network, the mobile computing device configured to receive the warning signal and output a warning message on the external network to one or more designated entities.   
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the vehicle includes an interface to permit user determined parameters to be monitored. 
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the monitoring device includes one or more sensors for determining the status of the system, the sensors being configured to measure at least one of a condition of the vehicle, a condition of a driver of the vehicle and a traffic condition related to the vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the mobile computing device includes a wireless communication device and the external network includes a cellular network. 
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the designated entities are selected in advance by a user and stored in the memory device. 
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the designated entities include one or more of emergency personnel, a personal contact and other users. 
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the designated entities include users which achieve user-defined limitations. 
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the external network includes a service provider that manages policies to limit communications to the user designated entities. 
     
     
         16 . A warning notification method, comprising:
 storing one or more condition criteria in a memory device;   monitoring a status of the one or more condition criteria;   generating a warning signal responsive to a triggering event related to the status; and   using a mobile computing device, communicating between the monitoring device and an external network to receive the warning signal and output a warning message on the external network to one or more designated entities.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein monitoring a status of the one or more condition criteria includes monitoring a vehicle using an on-board computer system. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein monitoring a status of the one or more condition criteria includes employing one or more sensors for determining the status of system, the sensors being configured to measure at least one of a condition of a vehicle, a condition of a driver of the vehicle and a traffic condition related to the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the mobile computing device includes a wireless communication device and the external network includes a cellular network. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the designated entities are selected in advance by a user and stored in the memory. 
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the designated entities include one or more of emergency personnel, a personal contact and other users. 
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the designated entities include users which achieve user-defined limitations. 
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the external network includes a service provider that manages policies to limit communications to the user designated entities. 
     
     
         24 . A computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of:
 storing one or more condition criteria in a memory device;   monitoring a status of the one or more condition criteria;   generating a warning signal responsive to a triggering event related to the status; and   enabling communication to an external network to receive the warning signal and to output a warning message on the external network to one or more designated entities.   
     
     
         25 . The computer readable storage medium as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising a mobile computing device to enable the communication to the external network.