Monitoring speed of a vehicle using a mobile network

1. A speed monitoring system comprising:

a network interface operable to receive a request from a third party to monitor a speed of a mobile device; and

a control system operable to periodically query a mobile network through the network interface for locations of the mobile device over a time period, and to receive responses from the mobile network through the network interface indicating the locations of the mobile device during the time period;

the control system is further operable to determine a distance traveled between two of the locations, to determine a time interval for travelling between the two locations, and to determine the speed of the mobile device based on the distance and the time interval;

the control system is further operable to query a map database to determine a speed limit corresponding with one of the locations of the mobile device, to determine whether the speed of the mobile device exceeds the speed limit by a threshold, and to send a notification message to the third party responsive to a determination that the speed of the mobile device exceeds the speed limit by the threshold.

2. The speed monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to query a map database to determine the distance traveled between the two locations.

3. The speed monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to send a warning message to the mobile device through the network interface indicating that the mobile device is exceeding the speed limit.

4. The speed monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to send the notification message to the third party in a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

5. The speed monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to send the notification message to the third party in an email message.

6. The speed monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the control system is further operable to send the notification message to the third party in an Instant Message (IM).

7. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a third party to monitor a speed of a mobile device;

periodically querying a mobile network for locations of the mobile device over a time period;

receiving responses from the mobile network indicating the locations of the mobile device during the time period;

determining a distance traveled between two of the locations;

determining a time interval for travelling between the two locations;

determining the speed of the mobile device based on the distance and the time interval;

querying a map database to determine a speed limit corresponding with one of the locations of the mobile device;

determining whether the speed of the mobile device exceeds the speed limit by a threshold; and

sending a notification message to the third party responsive to a determination that the speed of the mobile device exceeds the speed limit by the threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein determining a distance traveled between two of the locations comprises:

querying a map database to determine the distance traveled between the two locations.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

sending a warning message to the mobile device indicating that the mobile device is exceeding the speed limit.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein sending the notification message to the third party comprises:

sending the notification message to the third party in a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein sending the notification message to the third party comprises:

sending the notification message to the third party in an email message.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein sending the notification message to the third party comprises:

sending the notification message to the third party in an Instant Message (IM).

13. A speed monitoring system comprising:

a network interface operable to receive a Short Message Service (SMS) message from a third party over a mobile network, wherein the SMS message requests to monitor a speed of a mobile device; and

a control system operable to periodically query a location server in the mobile network through the network interface for locations of the mobile device over a time period, to receive responses from the location server through the network interface indicating the locations of the mobile device during the time period;

the control system is further operable to determine a distance traveled between two of the locations, to determine a time interval for travelling between the two locations, and to determine the speed of the mobile device based on the distance and the time interval;

the control system is further operable to determine a speed limit corresponding with one of the locations of the mobile device, to determine whether the speed of the mobile device exceeds the speed limit by a threshold, and to send a notification message to the third party responsive to a determination that the speed of the mobile device exceeds the speed limit by the threshold.

14. The speed monitoring system of claim 13 wherein:

the control system is further operable to send the notification message to the third party in an SMS message.

15. The speed monitoring system of claim 13 wherein:

the control system is further operable to send the notification message to the third party in an email message.

16. The speed monitoring system of claim 13 wherein:

the control system is further operable to send the notification message to the third party in an Instant Message (IM).