Improved techniques for facilitating emergency access to one or more contacts stored on a portable electronic device are disclosed. One or more contacts on the portable electronic device are designated as emergency contacts. While the portable electronic device is password-locked, a request to display the one or more emergency contacts on the password-locked portable electronic device is received. Without requiring a password, the one or more emergency contacts are displayed on the portable electronic device.

A method includes receiving a request to initiate an emergency call, directing, the mobile device to initiate the emergency call using a cellular network, receiving a network not available indication that the emergency call cannot be completed using the cellular network, selecting location information of the mobile device and requesting the emergency call be initiated by a VoIP client on the mobile device using the location information obtained from the selecting step.

Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to context-enhanced emergency service. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a victim device can execute a victim emergency application. The victim emergency application can preemptively collect emergency event data associated with a victim of an emergency event before the emergency event occurs. The victim device can communicate the emergency event data towards an emergency network. In response to the emergency event, the victim device can initiate an emergency call directed to the emergency network, and subsequently the emergency call can fail. Since the emergency network has the emergency event data preemptively collected by the victim emergency application, emergency personnel is more likely to be able to help the victim even after the emergency call fails.

Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to context-enhanced emergency service. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a victim device can execute a victim emergency application. The victim emergency application can preemptively collect emergency event data associated with a victim of an emergency event before the emergency event occurs. The victim device can communicate the emergency event data towards an emergency network. In response to the emergency event, the victim device can initiate an emergency call directed to the emergency network, and subsequently the emergency call can fail. Since the emergency network has the emergency event data preemptively collected by the victim emergency application, emergency personnel is more likely to be able to help the victim even after the emergency call fails.

One variation of method includes, at a mobile radio: receiving an audio communication from an originating device over a wireless network at a first time; storing the audio communication in local memory; outputting the audio communication, at approximately the first time, at a first volume level set manually by a user associated with the mobile radio prior to the first time; calculating a confidence score that the audio communication was comprehended by the user based on the first volume setting; accessing a priority of the audio communication defined at the originating device; and, in response to a discrepancy between the confidence score and the priority of the audio communication, replaying the audio communication, from local memory, at a second volume setting greater than the first volume setting.

One variation of method includes, at a mobile radio: receiving an audio communication from an originating device over a wireless network at a first time; storing the audio communication in local memory; outputting the audio communication, at approximately the first time, at a first volume level set manually by a user associated with the mobile radio prior to the first time; calculating a confidence score that the audio communication was comprehended by the user based on the first volume setting; accessing a priority of the audio communication defined at the originating device; and, in response to a discrepancy between the confidence score and the priority of the audio communication, replaying the audio communication, from local memory, at a second volume setting greater than the first volume setting.

Short range wireless location and motion sensing devices and reporting methods are provided herein. An example device includes a housing configured to couple with a power port of a vehicle. The housing includes a wireless interface, a motion sensor that senses at least one of velocity, acceleration, and orientation of the vehicle, a processor and a memory that stores logic that is executed by the processor to receive motion signals from the motion sensor and transmit the motion signals on the wireless interface to a mobile device that is communicatively coupled with the wireless adapter.

A community safety system (CSS) including a notification management entity (NME) comprising servers, the NME communicatively coupled to multiple user devices and one or more administrator devices (collectively, registered user devices). The CSS includes a plurality of registered users, wherein each registered user is associated with an organization, and a user category of a set of user categories. The NME may maintain a list of the registered users and associated information. The registered users may have user devices including a CSS application operating thereon. In some embodiments the CSS enables inter-organizational communication, allowing for members of a first organization to provide alerts that the NME can pass to a second organization when the registered user is physically located within a security zone associated with a second organization but not a member of the second organization.

A software or interface or method is disclosed for allowing requests for emergency or other services to be made by a user. The software or method may be related to a mobile (e.g., cell phone) application and can improve identification of a user or associated information to request services (e.g., emergency services and/or other convenience services) at a particular location.

A doorbell system can include a doorbell and a chime. The chime can emit a notification sound in response to a visitor pressing a button of the doorbell. Electrical switches can be electrically coupled between the doorbell and the chime to control the flow of electricity to the chime. In some embodiments, the switches prevent the chime from emitting notification sounds.