Control of notifications on a mobile communication device based on driving conditions

1. A computer program product comprising a non-volatile computer readable medium and non-transitory program instructions embodied therein, the program instructions being configured to be executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying one or more driving conditions along a roadway associated with a current location of a mobile communication device, wherein the one or more driving conditions are accessed from at least one source outside the mobile communication device and include at least one driving condition other than a speed of a vehicle;

receiving a notification to be output on the mobile communication device;

preventing the mobile communication device from outputting the notification in response to identifying a first driving condition other than a speed of a vehicle; and

outputting the notification on the mobile communication device in response to identifying a second driving condition other than a speed of a vehicle, wherein the second driving condition is not the same as the first driving condition.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:

storing a list of hazardous driving conditions including the first driving condition;

wherein preventing the mobile communication device from outputting the notification in response to identifying a first driving condition includes preventing the mobile communication device from outputting the notification in response to identifying any driving condition on the list of hazardous driving conditions; and

wherein outputting the notification on the mobile communication device in response to identifying a second driving condition includes outputting the notification on the mobile communication device in response to determining that none of the one or more driving conditions are on the list of hazardous driving conditions.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the one or more driving conditions include at least one driving condition that is independent of operation of the vehicle.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the notification provides notice of an event selected from an incoming call, an incoming text message, an incoming email, an application state change, a weather alert, and a timer expiration.

5. The computer program product of claim 1 , where the notification is related to an incoming message from a sender, the operations further comprising:

sending an automatic reply message to the sender indicating that notifications have been temporarily blocked.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more driving conditions along a roadway associated with a current location of a mobile communication device, includes identifying the current location of the mobile communication device and accessing map data for a roadway that includes the identified current location of the mobile communication device.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the map data identifies one or more predetermined driving conditions associated with the roadway, wherein the one or more predetermined driving conditions is selected from a speed limit, a construction zone, merging lanes, roadway curves, roadway straight-ways, stop lights, stop signs, and accident history.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the map data identifies one or more variable driving conditions associated with the roadway, wherein the one or more variable driving conditions is selected from road hazards and traffic conditions.

9. A computer program product comprising a non-volatile computer readable medium and non-transitory program instructions embodied therein, the program instructions being configured to be executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying a plurality of driving conditions along a roadway associated with a current location of a mobile communication device, wherein the identified plurality of driving conditions are accessed from at least one source outside the mobile communication device, and wherein each of the identified plurality of driving conditions are associated with a number of driving hazard points;

calculating a driving hazard score as a mathematical function of the number of driving hazard points associated with each of the identified plurality of driving conditions;

receiving a notification to be output on the mobile communication device;

preventing the mobile communication device from outputting the notification in response to the driving hazard score exceeding a first threshold value; and

outputting the notification on the mobile communication device in response to the driving hazard score being less than a second threshold value.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:

periodically updating the current location of the mobile communication device; and then

repeating the steps of identifying a plurality of driving conditions along a roadway associated with the current location of the mobile communication device, and calculating a driving hazard score as a mathematical function of the identified plurality of driving conditions.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-volatile computer readable medium and non-transitory program instructions embodied therein, the program instructions being configured to be executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying one or more driving conditions along a roadway associated with a current location of a mobile communication device, wherein the one or more driving conditions are accessed from at least one source outside the mobile communication device;

calculating a driving hazard score as a function of the one or more driving conditions;

identifying a driving experience level associated with the user of the mobile communication device;

selecting a first threshold value as a function of the identified driving experience level;

receiving a notification to be output on the mobile communication device;

preventing the mobile communication device from outputting the notification in response to the driving hazard score exceeding the first threshold value; and

outputting the notification on the mobile communication device in response to the driving hazard score being less than a second threshold value.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the driving experience level is positively correlated to the number of times that the mobile communication device has been at the current location of the identified roadway.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the notification is received during a period that the driving hazard score exceeds the first threshold and is prevented from being output on the mobile communication device delaying output of the notification until the driving hazard score is less than the second threshold value.

14. The computer program product of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:

receiving a notification having a high importance flag; and

outputting the notification having the high importance flag regardless of whether the driving hazard score exceeds the first threshold value.

15. The computer program product of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:

automatically selecting an output device of the mobile communication device based on the driving hazard score, wherein the output device is selected from a display screen, a speaker, and a vibrator.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein automatically selecting an output device of the mobile communication device based on the driving hazard score includes automatically selecting a speaker as the output device in response to the driving hazard score exceeding the first threshold value.

17. The computer program product of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:

in response to the driving hazard score exceeding the first threshold value, outputting a message on the mobile communication device indicating that notifications are currently being prevented.

18. The computer program product of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:

identifying an planned route of the mobile communication device;

calculating a driving hazard score as a function of the identified one or more driving conditions at multiple points along the planned route;

estimating a period of time or a distance of travel after which notifications will no longer be prevented; and

outputting the estimated period of time or distance of travel.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein outputting the estimated period of time or distance of travel includes displaying a map indicating at least a portion of a roadway where notifications will be prevented.