Method and apparatus for determining alcohol content in a breath sample

• US 20070283745A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Atkinson Venture Holdings Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sterling Vending Ltd.
• Inventors: Pfeiffer, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US11/605,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20070283745A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/23.200
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining alcohol content in a breath sample, comprising at least one of breath sample exhaust means, resistance lowering means, and correction factor calculation means.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining alcohol content in an air sample, the apparatus comprising:

air sample input means for allowing the air sample to enter a location adjacent an electrochemical device;

the electrochemical device configured to sense the alcohol content in the air sample; and

air sample exhaust means for removing the air sample from the location adjacent the electrochemical device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air sample exhaust means comprise a vacuum pump.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrochemical device comprises a fuel cell, the fuel cell configured to generate electrical current proportional to the alcohol content in the air sample.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air sample input means comprise a tube for injecting the air sample into the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising tubing connecting the air sample input means and the electrochemical device, and connecting the electrochemical device and the air sample exhaust means.

6. An apparatus for determining alcohol content in an air sample, the apparatus comprising:

air sample input means for allowing the air sample to enter a location adjacent an electrochemical device;

the electrochemical device for sensing the alcohol content in the air sample;

resistance control means for selectively lowering resistance across the electrochemical device to generate a lower resistance, to enable increased current flow through the electrochemical device;

voltage amplification means for increasing voltage across the lower resistance; and

air sample output means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the electrochemical device comprises a fuel cell, the fuel cell configured to generate electrical current proportional to the alcohol content in the air sample.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the air sample input means comprise a tube for injecting the air sample into the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the resistance control means comprises a 5 ohm resistor.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the voltage amplification means comprise a differential operational amplifier.

11. An apparatus for determining alcohol content in an air sample, the apparatus comprising:

air sample input means for allowing the air sample to enter a location adjacent an electrochemical device;

the electrochemical device for sensing an uncorrected alcohol content in the air sample;

measurement data storage means for storing measurement data corresponding to air sample readings at various electrochemical device saturation levels;

correction factor calculation means for using the measurement data from the measurement data storage means to correct the uncorrected alcohol content; and

air sample output means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the air sample input means comprise a tube for injecting the air sample into the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the measurement data comprises electrical current data for known alcohol concentrations at various saturation levels for the electrochemical device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the correction factor calculation means uses a series of calibration values based on time since last air sample measurement.

15. An apparatus for determining alcohol content in an air sample, the apparatus comprising:

air sample input means for allowing the air sample to enter a location adjacent an electrochemical device;

the electrochemical device configured to sense an uncorrected alcohol content in the air sample;

measurement data storage means for storing measurement data corresponding to air sample readings at various electrochemical device saturation levels;

correction factor calculation means for using the measurement data from the measurement data storage means to correct the uncorrected alcohol content;

resistance control means for selectively lowering resistance across the electrochemical device to generate a lower resistance, to enable increased current flow through the electrochemical device;

voltage amplification means for increasing voltage across the lower resistance; and

air sample exhaust means for removing the air sample from the location adjacent the electrochemical device.

16. A method for determining alcohol content in an air sample, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an apparatus comprising an electrochemical device configured to sense the alcohol content in the air sample;

b. injecting the air sample to a location adjacent the electrochemical device;

c. allowing the air sample to contact the electrochemical device for a predetermined period; and

d. ejecting the air sample from the location adjacent the electrochemical device at expiry of the predetermined period of time to reduce saturation of the electrochemical device.

17. A method for determining alcohol content in an air sample, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an apparatus comprising;

an electrochemical device configured to sense the alcohol content in the air sample;

resistance control means for selectively lowering resistance across the electrochemical device to generate a lower resistance, to enable increased current flow through the electrochemical device; and

voltage amplification means for increasing voltage across the lower resistance;

b. injecting the air sample to a location adjacent the electrochemical device;

c. allowing the air sample to contact the electrochemical device to generate an electrochemical device current output;

d. allowing the electrochemical device current output to pass through the resistance control means;

e. amplifying the voltage across the lower resistance; and

f. allowing the air sample to move from the location adjacent the electrochemical device.

18. A method for determining alcohol content in an air sample, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an apparatus comprising;

an electrochemical device for sensing an uncorrected alcohol content in an air sample;

measurement data storage means for storing measurement data corresponding to air sample readings at various electrochemical device saturation levels; and

correction factor calculation means for using the measurement data from the measurement data storage means to correct the uncorrected alcohol content;

b. determining measurement data corresponding to air sample readings at various electrochemical device saturation levels;

c. storing the measurement data in the measurement data storage means;

d. injecting the air sample to a location adjacent the electrochemical device;

e. allowing the air sample to contact the electrochemical device to enable determination of an uncorrected alcohol content value;

f. using the correction factor calculation means to calculate a correction factor based on the measurement data;

g. applying the correction factor to the uncorrected alcohol content value to arrive at a corrected alcohol content value; and

h. allowing the air sample to move from the location adjacent the electrochemical device.

19. A method for determining alcohol content in an air sample, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an apparatus comprising;

an electrochemical device for sensing an uncorrected alcohol content in an air sample;

calibration data storage means for storing calibration data corresponding to time since last air sample measurement; and

correction factor calculation means for using the calibration data from the calibration data storage means to correct the uncorrected alcohol content;

b. determining calibration data for the electrochemical device;

c. storing the calibration data in the calibration data storage means;

d. injecting the air sample to a location adjacent the electrochemical device;

e. allowing the air sample to contact the electrochemical device to enable determination of an uncorrected alcohol content value;

f. using the correction factor calculation means to calculate a correction factor based on the calibration data;

g. applying the correction factor to the uncorrected alcohol content value to arrive at a corrected alcohol content value; and

h. allowing the air sample to move from the location adjacent the electrochemical device.

20. A method for determining alcohol content in an air sample, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an apparatus comprising;

an electrochemical device for sensing an uncorrected alcohol content in an air sample;

resistance control means for selectively lowering resistance across the electrochemical device to generate a lower resistance, to enable increased current flow through the electrochemical device;

voltage amplification means for increasing voltage across the lower resistance;

calibration data storage means for storing calibration data corresponding to time since last air sample measurement;

correction factor calculation means for using the calibration data from the calibration data storage means to correct the uncorrected alcohol content; and

air sample exhaust means for removing the air sample from the location adjacent the electrochemical device;

b. determining calibration data for the electrochemical device;

c. storing the calibration data in the calibration data storage means;

d. shorting current output from the electrochemical device;

e. purging any previous air samples using the air sample exhaust means;

f. allowing the current output across the resistance control means to arrive at an alcohol-free zero value;

g. shorting current output from the electrochemical device;

h. injecting the air sample to a location adjacent the electrochemical device;

i. allowing the air sample to contact the electrochemical device to generate an electrochemical device current output to allow determination of an uncorrected alcohol content value;

j. allowing the electrochemical device current output to pass through the resistance control means;

k. amplifying the voltage across the lower resistance;

l. shorting current output from the electrochemical device;

m. using the correction factor calculation means to calculate a correction factor based on the calibration data;

n. applying the correction factor to the uncorrected alcohol content value to arrive at a corrected alcohol content value; and

o. purging the air sample using the air sample exhaust means.