Alerts for drivers of wireless communication restrictions

1. A method for providing to a wireless mobile unit an alert representing a warning that legally imposed restrictions on the use of wireless mobile units by drivers of moving vehicles in predetermined zones, the method comprising:

determining by a communication system if a first mobile unit is being used for wireless communications;

acquiring by the communication system the location of the first mobile unit;

comparing by the communication system the location of the first mobile unit to locations of said predetermined zones having restrictions on the use of wireless mobile units by drivers of moving vehicles;

upon the first mobile unit entering a warning zone that is adjacent the predetermined zone and the first mobile unit being used for wireless communications, initiating the transmission of an alert to the first mobile unit where the alert causes the first mobile unit to output an audible or visual communication available to the user of the first mobile unit, said audible or visual communication providing a warning that a legally imposed restriction on the use of the first wireless mobile unit by a driver of moving vehicle is imposed in the predetermined zone.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the first mobile unit is moving towards the predetermined zone.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the first mobile unit is in a moving vehicle based on a calculation of the speed at which the first mobile unit is traveling based on a computed distance between a first and second location of the mobile unit and the elapsed time to travel between the first and second locations.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a communication from the first mobile unit where the communication identifies the first mobile unit as being used by the driver of a vehicle, said step of initiating the transmission of an alert further requiring a condition precedent of the first mobile unit having been identified as being used by the driver of a vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the first mobile unit is engaged in a voice communication with another party, said step of initiating the transmission of the alert to the first mobile unit comprising initiating a warning telephone call to the first mobile unit wherein the warning telephone call causes the first mobile unit to output audible or visual indicia representing that a legally imposed restriction on the use of mobile units by drivers of a moving vehicle is imposed in a nearby predetermined zone.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the first mobile unit is engaged in a text-based communication with another party, said step of initiating the transmission of the alert to the first mobile unit comprising generating and transmitting a warning text-based message to the first mobile unit wherein the warning text-based message causes the first mobile unit to output audible or visual indicia representing that a legally imposed restriction on the use of mobile units by drivers of a moving vehicle is imposed in a nearby predetermined zone.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the first mobile unit is engaged in a voice communication with another party, determining that the first mobile unit is capable of receiving a text-based message while remaining engaged in the voice communication, the step of initiating the transmission of the alert to the first mobile unit comprising generating and transmitting a warning text-based message to the first mobile unit wherein the warning text-based message causes the first mobile unit to output audible or visual indicia representing that a legally imposed restriction on the use of mobile units by drivers of a moving vehicle is imposed in a nearby predetermined zone.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an acknowledgment communication from the first mobile unit in response to the first mobile unit having received the transmission of the alert, monitoring the location of the first mobile unit relative to the predetermined zone, and upon the first mobile unit exiting the predetermined zone, transmitting a further message to the first mobile causes the first mobile unit to output audible or visual indicia representing that the first mobile unit is no longer subject to the predetermined zone.

9. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable tangible medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for providing to a wireless mobile unit an alert representing a warning that legally imposed restrictions on the use of wireless mobile units by drivers of moving vehicles in predetermined zones, the method comprising:

determining by a communication system if a first mobile unit is being used for wireless communications;

acquiring by the communication system the location of the first mobile unit;

comparing by the communication system the location of the first mobile unit to locations of said predetermined zones having restrictions on the use of wireless mobile units by drivers of moving vehicles;

upon the first mobile unit entering a warning zone that is adjacent the predetermined zone and the first mobile unit being used for wireless communications, initiating the transmission of an alert to the first mobile unit where the alert causes the first mobile unit to output an audible or visual communication available to the user of the first mobile unit, said audible or visual communication providing a warning that a legally imposed restriction on the use of the first wireless mobile unit by a driver of moving vehicle is imposed in the predetermined zone.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 in which the method further comprises determining that the first mobile unit is in a moving vehicle based on a calculation of the speed at which the first mobile unit is traveling based on a computed distance between a first and second location of the mobile unit and the elapsed time to travel between the first and second locations.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 in which the method further comprises receiving a communication from the first mobile unit where the communication identifies the first mobile unit as being used by the driver of a vehicle, said step of initiating the transmission of an alert further requiring a condition precedent of the first mobile unit having been identified as being used by the driver of a vehicle.

12. An application server disposed in a communication system where the application server provides to a wireless mobile unit an alert representing a warning that legally imposed restrictions on the use of wireless mobile units by drivers of moving vehicles in predetermined zones, the application server comprising:

a microprocessing unit that accesses information from other nodes in the communication unit to determine if a first mobile unit is being used for wireless communications;

the microprocessing unit acquiring information from other nodes in the communication unit to determine the location of the first mobile unit;

the microprocessing unit making comparisons the location of the first mobile unit to locations of said predetermined zones having restrictions on the use of wireless mobile units by drivers of moving vehicles;

upon the microprocessing unit determining that the first mobile unit has entered a warning zone that is adjacent the predetermined zone and that the first mobile unit being used for wireless communications, the microprocessing unit causing the initiation of the transmission of an alert to the first mobile unit where the alert causes the first mobile unit to output an audible or visual communication available to the user of the first mobile unit, said audible or visual communication providing a warning that a legally imposed restriction on the use of the first wireless mobile unit by a driver of moving vehicle is imposed in the predetermined zone.

13. The application server of claim 12 further comprising the microprocessing unit determining that the first mobile unit is moving towards the predetermined zone.

14. The application server of claim 12 further comprising the microprocessing unit determining that the first mobile unit is in a moving vehicle based on a calculation of the speed at which the first mobile unit is traveling based on a computed distance between a first and second location of the mobile unit and the elapsed time to travel between the first and second locations.

15. The application server of claim 12 further comprising the microprocessing unit receiving a communication from the first mobile unit where the communication identifies the first mobile unit as being used by the driver of a vehicle, the microprocessing unit requiring a further condition precedent to said initiating the transmission of the alert, the condition precedent being the first mobile unit having been identified as being used by the driver of a vehicle.

16. The application server of claim 12 further comprising the microprocessing unit determining that the first mobile unit is engaged in a voice communication with another party, said initiating the transmission of the alert to the first mobile unit comprising the microprocessing unit initiating a warning telephone call to the first mobile unit wherein the warning telephone call causes the first mobile unit to output audible or visual indicia representing that a legally imposed restriction on the use of mobile units by drivers of a moving vehicle is imposed in a nearby predetermined zone.

17. The application server of claim 12 further comprising the microprocessing unit determining that the first mobile unit is engaged in a text-based communication with another party, said initiating the transmission of the alert to the first mobile unit comprising the microprocessing unit generating and transmitting a warning text-based message to the first mobile unit wherein the warning text-based message causes the first mobile unit to output audible or visual indicia representing that a legally imposed restriction on the use of mobile units by drivers of a moving vehicle is imposed in a nearby predetermined zone.

18. The application server of claim 12 further comprising the microprocessing unit determining that the first mobile unit is engaged in a voice communication with another party, the microprocessing unit also determining that the first mobile unit is capable of receiving a text-based message while remaining engaged in the voice communication, the initiating the transmission of the alert to the first mobile unit comprising the microprocessing unit generating and transmitting a warning text-based message to the first mobile unit wherein the warning text-based message causes the first mobile unit to output audible or visual indicia representing that a legally imposed restriction on the use of mobile units by drivers of a moving vehicle is imposed in a nearby predetermined zone.

19. The application server of claim 12 further comprising the microprocessing unit receiving an acknowledgment communication from the first mobile unit in response to the first mobile unit having received the transmission of the alert, the microprocessing unit monitoring the location of the first mobile unit relative to the predetermined zone, and upon the first mobile unit exiting the predetermined zone, the microprocessing unit transmitting a further message to the first mobile causes the first mobile unit to output audible or visual indicia representing that the first mobile unit is no longer subject to the predetermined zone.