Vehicle ignition interlock systems with mouth alcohol contamination sensor
First Claim
1. A vehicle ignition interlock system, comprising:
- a breath analyzer located within a vehicle, wherein the breath analyzer comprises an alcohol sensor that is configured to detect breath alcohol levels of an operator of the vehicle, and a mouth contamination sensor that is configured to distinguish between contaminants in the mouth of a vehicle operator and alcohol contained within a deep lung breath sample; and
a controller operably connected to the alcohol sensor, to the mouth contamination sensor, and to an ignition system of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to compare detected breath alcohol levels of the vehicle operator with a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level detected by the breath analyzer is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and wherein the controller is configured to trigger a breath alcohol retest of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer in response to detecting the presence of a contaminant within the mouth of the vehicle operator.
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Abstract
A vehicle ignition interlock system includes a breath analyzer and a controller operably connected to the breath analyzer and to an ignition system of the vehicle. The breath analyzer detects the breath alcohol level of a vehicle operator and is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level is greater than or equal to a threshold value. The controller requires the vehicle operator to periodically take breath analyzer “retests” after vehicle ignition in order to allow vehicle operation to continue. The breath analyzer also includes a mouth contamination sensor that is configured to distinguish between contaminants in the mouth of a vehicle operator and alcohol contained within a deep lung breath sample of the vehicle operator. The controller may require a breath alcohol retest of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer in response to detecting the presence of a contaminant within the mouth of the vehicle operator.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A vehicle ignition interlock system, comprising:
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a breath analyzer located within a vehicle, wherein the breath analyzer comprises an alcohol sensor that is configured to detect breath alcohol levels of an operator of the vehicle, and a mouth contamination sensor that is configured to distinguish between contaminants in the mouth of a vehicle operator and alcohol contained within a deep lung breath sample; and
a controller operably connected to the alcohol sensor, to the mouth contamination sensor, and to an ignition system of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to compare detected breath alcohol levels of the vehicle operator with a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level detected by the breath analyzer is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and wherein the controller is configured to trigger a breath alcohol retest of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer in response to detecting the presence of a contaminant within the mouth of the vehicle operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A vehicle ignition interlock system, comprising:
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a breath analyzer located within a vehicle, wherein the breath analyzer comprises an alcohol sensor that is configured to detect breath alcohol levels of an operator of the vehicle, and a mouth contamination sensor that is configured to distinguish between contaminants in the mouth of a vehicle operator and alcohol contained within a deep lung breath sample, wherein the mouth contamination sensor comprises a metal oxide semiconductor sensor;
a controller operably connected to the alcohol sensor, to the mouth contamination sensor, and to an ignition system of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to compare detected breath alcohol levels of the vehicle operator with a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level detected by the breath analyzer is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and wherein the controller is configured to trigger a breath alcohol retest of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer in response to detecting the presence of a contaminant within the mouth of the vehicle operator, and wherein the controller provides a user selectable option that allows an individual to perform a breath alcohol test via the breath analyzer without enabling the vehicle ignition system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A vehicle ignition interlock system, comprising:
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a breath analyzer located within a vehicle, wherein the breath analyzer comprises an alcohol sensor that is configured to detect breath alcohol levels of an operator of the vehicle, and a mouth contamination sensor that is configured to distinguish between contaminants in the mouth of a vehicle operator and alcohol contained within a deep lung breath sample, wherein the mouth contamination sensor comprises a metal oxide semiconductor sensor;
a controller operably connected to the alcohol sensor, to the mouth contamination sensor, and to an ignition system of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to compare detected breath alcohol levels of the vehicle operator with a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level detected by the breath analyzer is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and wherein the controller is configured to trigger a breath alcohol retest of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer in response to detecting the presence of a contaminant within the mouth of the vehicle operator; and
an operator identification device operably connected to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to verify the identity of the vehicle operator via the operator identification device. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification