EQUIPMENT CONTROL APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND CONTROL PROGRAM

• US 20090043409A1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Ota, Shunji
• Application Number:
  US12/186,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20090043409A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0836 due to alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers

Abstract

An alcohol density test can be avoided, but the alcohol density test is prevented from being easily avoided at the same time. A vehicle control unit sets a controlled vehicle in a mobile state when an alcohol density detected from the driver is determined to be lower than a predetermined threshold based on results of a test conducted using an alcohol test unit or when an instruction for exemption of the alcohol test is input through an input unit. When an instruction for exemption of the alcohol test is input, a history recording control unit records a history indicating that the alcohol density test has been exempted in a recording unit. The invention may be applied to a vehicle control apparatus for controlling a vehicle based on results of an alcohol density test conducted on the driver.

Claims

1. An equipment control apparatus comprising:

an operation control unit which inhibits or limits an operation of predetermined equipment until an alcohol density detected from an operator operating the equipment is determined to be lower than a predetermined threshold based on a result of an alcoholic test on the operator or until an instruction for exemption of the alcohol density test is input and which cancels the inhibition or limitation on the operation of the equipment when the alcohol density of the operator is determined to be lower than the predetermined threshold or when the instruction for exemption of the alcohol density test is input; and

a history recording unit which records the fact that the alcohol density test is exempted.

2. The equipment control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the history recording unit records at least the time when the alcohol density test is exempted.

3. The equipment control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit cancels the inhibition or limitation on the operation of the equipment regardless of the result of the test when the instruction of invalidation of the test result is input;

and

the history recording unit records the fact that the test result is invalidated.

4. The equipment control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the history recording unit records at least the time when the test result is invalidated.

5. The equipment control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation state recording unit which records the state of operation of the equipment after exemption of the alcohol density test is instructed.

6. The equipment control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image recording unit which records an image including the face of the operator when exemption of the alcohol density test is instructed.

7. The equipment control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a recognition unit which executes a process of recognizing the operator when exemption of the alcohol density test is instructed and records the result of recognition.

8. The equipment control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reporting unit which provides an outgoing report by transmitting information indicating the fact that he alcohol density test is exempted to another apparatus.

9. An equipment control method comprising:

an operation control step for inhibiting or limiting an operation of predetermined equipment until an alcohol density detected from an operator operating the equipment is determined to be lower than a predetermined threshold based on a result of an alcoholic test on the operator or until an instruction for exemption of the alcohol density test is input and canceling the inhibition or limitation on the operation of the equipment when the alcohol density of the operator is determined to be lower than the predetermined threshold or when the instruction for exemption of the alcohol density test is input; and

a history recording step for recording the fact that the alcohol density test is exempted.

10. A program for causing a computer to execute a process comprising:

an operation control step for inhibiting or limiting an operation of predetermined equipment until an alcohol density detected from an operator operating the equipment is determined to be lower than a predetermined threshold based on a result of an alcoholic test on the operator or until an instruction for exemption of the alcohol density test is input and canceling the inhibition or limitation on the operation of the equipment when the alcohol density of the operator is determined to be lower than the predetermined threshold or when the instruction for exemption of the alcohol density test is input; and

a history recording step for recording the fact that the alcohol density test is exempted.