System and Method for Determining a Time When the Blood Alcohol Concentration Has Passed a Threshold Level

• US 20080294059A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alco Systems Sweden AB
• Original Assignee: Alco Systems Sweden AB
• Inventors: Arias, Miguel
• Granted Patent: US 9,250,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4845 Toxicology, e.g. by detection of alcohol, drug or toxic products A61B5/4848 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0836 due to alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/12 Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06

Abstract

A system operable to determine a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value. The system includes an alcohol sensor operable to detect a current alcohol concentration in blood of the user, and a portable apparatus. The alcohol sensor and the portable apparatus comprises each a wireless communication apparatus. The wireless communication apparatus in the alcohol sensor is operable to wirelessly transmit the current alcohol concentration to the wireless communication apparatus in the portable apparatus.

Claims

1. :

A system operable to determine a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value, the system comprises an alcohol sensor means operable to detect a current alcohol concentration in blood of the user, and a portable apparatus, wherein the alcohol sensor means, and the portable apparatus each comprises a wireless communication means, wherein the wireless communication means in the alcohol sensor means is operable to wirelessly transmit the current alcohol concentration to the wireless communication means in the portable apparatus, and in that the portable apparatus also comprises a to the wireless communication means connected control means, a clock means, and a memory means, each connected to the control means, wherein the control means is operable to store the current alcohol concentration and a current time stamp from the clock means in the memory means, and in that the portable apparatus also comprises a to the control means connected calculation means operable to calculate the future point of time in dependence of a known alcohol burn rate of the user stored in the memory means, or an alcohol burn rate calculated by the calculation means in dependence of characteristics of the user which have an influence on the alcohol burn rate.

2. :

A system operable to determine a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value according to claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus also comprises an to the control means connected input means with the aid of which the user is able to input the characteristics of the user in the form of sex, age, weight, health status, pregnant, kidneys, stomach, diet, physical fitness, diseases that affects the alcohol burn rate, and any drugs that the user takes.

3. :

A system operable to determine a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value according to claim 1, wherein the alcohol sensor means also comprises a means operable to receive exhalation air from the user, and in that the alcohol sensor means comprises a fuel-cell.

4. :

A system operable to determine a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication means each is a radio transmitting and receiving device using low power.

5. :

A system operable to determine a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value according to claim 1, wherein that portable apparatus is in the form of a mobile telephone, a mobile communicator, a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, a navigation equipment, or a portable computer.

6. :

A system operable to determine a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value according to claim 1, wherein that portable apparatus can be connected to an ignition unit of a motor vehicle, whereby the vehicle is prevented from getting started if the current alcohol concentration is higher than a predetermined threshold value.

7. :

A method for determining a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value, the method comprise the steps;

(a) to detect a current alcohol concentration in blood of the user with the aid of an alcohol sensor means;

(b) to wireless transmit the current alcohol concentration to a portable apparatus; and

(c) to calculate the future point of time in dependence of a known alcohol burn rate of the user, or an alcohol burn rate calculated in dependence of characteristics of the user which have an influence on the alcohol burn rate.

8. :

A method for determining a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value according to claim 7, wherein the method also comprises the step;

(a) to input the characteristics of the user in the form of sex, age, weight, health status, pregnant, kidneys, stomach, diet, physical fitness, diseases that affects the alcohol burn rate, and any drugs that the user takes.

9. :

A method for determining a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value according to claim 7, wherein that the method also comprises the step;

(a) that the user exhales exhalation air into the alcohol sensor means, and in that the alcohol sensor means comprises a fuel-cell.

10. :

A method for determining a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value according to claim 7, wherein that the wireless transmission step is performed with the aid of a radio transmitting and receiving device using low power.

11. :

A method for determining a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value according to claim 7, wherein that the portable apparatus is in the form of a mobile telephone, a mobile communicator, a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, a navigation equipment, or a portable computer.

12. :

A method for determining a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value according to claim 7, wherein the method also comprises the steps;

(a) to connect the portable apparatus to an ignition unit of a motor vehicle; and

(b) to prevent the motor vehicle from getting started if the current alcohol concentration is higher than a predetermined threshold value.

13. :

At least one computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of at least one digital computer, comprising software code portions for performing the steps of claim 7 when at least one product is run on at least one computer.