Automobile alert information system, methods, and apparatus

An automobile alert method comprising:

• sensing accelerometer values over a first period of time to detect a collision;
• storing the sensed accelerometer values;
• determining a location with the GPS unit;
• storing the location;
• capturing a first video image with each of the plurality of cameras;
• storing first video data for each of the first video images captured by each of the plurality of cameras for a second period of time;
• transmitting, from the inter-automobile communication unit, automobile identification data for the first automobile;
• determining whether at least one accelerometer value exceeds a predetermined threshold which is indicative of a collision with a second automobile;
• and
• in response to the at least one accelerometer value exceeding the predetermined threshold:
• storing automobile identification data of the second automobile received at the inter-automobile communication unit;
• continuing to capture a second video image with each of the plurality of cameras;
• storing second video data for each of the second video images captured by each of the plurality of cameras;
• transmitting, from the external communication unit, the at least one accelerometer value that exceeded the predetermined threshold, the location, and the automobile identification data of the second automobile;
• and
• transmitting, from the external communication unit, the first video data and the second video data, which were recorded during the second period of time prior to the collision, during a third period of time while the collision occurred, and during a fourth period of time after the collision occurred,
• wherein an alert message is received at a user device in response to the at least one accelerometer value exceeding the predetermined threshold, and the user device is configured to access the first video data and the second video data.

An automobile alert method comprising:

• sensing accelerometer values over a first period of time to detect a collision;
• storing the sensed accelerometer values;
• determining a location with the GPS unit;
• storing the location;
• capturing a first video image with each of the plurality of cameras;
• storing first video data for each of the first video images captured by each of the plurality of cameras for a second period of time;
• determining whether at least one accelerometer value exceeds a predetermined threshold which is indicative of a collision with a second automobile;
• and
• in response to the at least one accelerometer value exceeding the predetermined threshold:
• continuing to capture a second video image with each of the plurality of cameras;
• storing second video data for each of the second video images captured by each of the plurality of cameras;
• transmitting, from the external communication unit, the at least one accelerometer value that exceeded the predetermined threshold and the location;
• and
• transmitting, from the external communication unit, the first video data and the second video data, which were recorded during the second period of time prior to the collision, during a third period of time while the collision occurred, and during a fourth period of time after the collision occurred,
• wherein an alert message is received at a user device in response to the at least one accelerometer value exceeding the predetermined threshold, and the user device is configured to access the first video data and the second video data.