Method and apparatus for remote blood alcohol monitoring
First Claim
1. A blood alcohol monitoring device for continuous remote monitoring of a human subject comprising:
- a processing means;
an alcohol sensor means connectable to said processing means for taking a plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings at predetermined times without active participation by the human subject;
a drawing means connectable to said processing means for drawing a consistent and predetermined sample across said alcohol sensor means during each of said taking of said plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings;
an infrared sensor means connectable to said processing means for taking a plurality of distance readings used for detecting an obstruction between the blood alcohol monitoring device and a portion of skin of the human subject or removal of the blood alcohol monitoring device from the human subject;
a temperature sensor means connectable to said processing means for taking a plurality of temperature readings of said sample from the human subject; and
a radio frequency transceiver means connectable to said processing means for transmitting said plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings, said plurality of distance readings, and said plurality of temperature readings through radio frequency signals.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tamper proof transdermal alcohol content monitoring device is made up of analog and digital sides which are securely attached to the human subject to be monitored. The analog side has a sampling circuit which draws a measured insensible skin perspiration sample from the skin of the subject and measured with an electrochemical fuel cell. A distance measurement of the device from the skin of the subject and temperature of the sample are monitored along with the transdermal alcohol content, and converted to digital signals which are transmitted to a modem when the monitor is in proximity to the modem. The signals are stored in the modem and uploaded to a central monitoring station. Automatic alerts may be sent from the central monitoring station to a supervising agency. The supervising agency may also access the information through secured dedicated websites via the Internet.
35 Citations
44 Claims
-
1. A blood alcohol monitoring device for continuous remote monitoring of a human subject comprising:
-
a processing means;
an alcohol sensor means connectable to said processing means for taking a plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings at predetermined times without active participation by the human subject;
a drawing means connectable to said processing means for drawing a consistent and predetermined sample across said alcohol sensor means during each of said taking of said plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings;
an infrared sensor means connectable to said processing means for taking a plurality of distance readings used for detecting an obstruction between the blood alcohol monitoring device and a portion of skin of the human subject or removal of the blood alcohol monitoring device from the human subject;
a temperature sensor means connectable to said processing means for taking a plurality of temperature readings of said sample from the human subject; and
a radio frequency transceiver means connectable to said processing means for transmitting said plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings, said plurality of distance readings, and said plurality of temperature readings through radio frequency signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method for continuous remote blood alcohol monitoring of a human subject, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) taking with an alcohol sensor, controlled by a central processing unit, a plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings at predetermined times without active participation by the human subject;
(b) drawing with a pump, controlled by said central processing unit, a consistent and predetermined sample across said alcohol sensor during each of said taking of said plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings;
(c) taking with an infrared sensor, controlled by said central processing unit, a plurality of distance readings used for detecting an obstruction between said infrared sensor and a portion of skin of the human subject or removal of said infrared sensor from proximity to said portion of skin of the human subject;
(d) taking with a temperature sensor, controlled by said central processing unit, a plurality of temperature readings of said sample from the human subject;
(e) passing a continuous signal, controlled by said central processing unit, through a flexible circuit, wherein a disruption of said continuous signal indicates that a tamper condition exits; and
(f) transmitting with a radio frequency transceiver, controlled by said central processing unit, through radio frequency signals said plurality of transdermal alcohol concentration readings, said plurality of distance readings, said plurality of temperature readings, any said tamper conditions, and diagnostic data. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
Specification