DRUNKEN DRIVING PREVENTION DEVICE, DRUNKEN DRIVING PREVENTION METHOD, AND DRUNKEN DRIVING PREVENTION PROGRAM

• US 20100010689A1
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Yasushi, Mitsuo, Yanagidaira, Masatoshi
• Application Number:
  US12/526,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010689A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A drunken driving prevention device having an alcohol sensor and being mounted on a vehicle including an automobile includes a judging element for judging whether inspection for detecting alcohol via the alcohol sensor should be performed or not based on predetermined conditions when the vehicle is started. The drunken driving prevention device further includes an element for performing the inspection via the alcohol sensor when the judging element judges to perform inspection, and a control element for disabling operation of the vehicle if alcohol is detected as a result of the inspection.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A drunk driving preventing apparatus installed on a vehicle and including an alcohol sensor, comprising:

a test determining unit which determines whether or not to perform a test for detecting alcohol by the alcohol sensor, based on a predetermined condition, when the vehicle is started;

a test performing unit which performs the test by the alcohol sensor when the test determining unit determines to perform the test;

a control unit which disables driving operation of the vehicle when the test performing unit performs the test and alcohol is detected as a result of the test;

a specific time storing unit which stores a specific time; and

a present time obtaining unit which obtains a present time,

wherein the test determining unit determines whether or not to perform the test based on the present time obtained by the present time obtaining unit and the specific time stored by the specific time storing unit, when the vehicle is started.

13. The drunk driving preventing apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the test performing unit performs the test by measuring an alcohol concentration by the alcohol sensor when the test determining unit determines to perform the test, and

wherein the control unit disables the driving operation of the vehicle when the test performing unit performs the test and the alcohol concentration measured by the alcohol sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value.

14. The drunk driving preventing apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein the alcohol sensor includes:

simple alcohol sensors installed at a driver'"'"'s seat and a rear seat of the vehicle, respectively, and capable of detecting alcohol; and

a measuring alcohol sensor installed at the driver'"'"'s seat and capable of measuring an alcohol concentration,

the drunk driving preventing apparatus further comprising a simple detecting unit which detects alcohol near the driver'"'"'s seat and alcohol near the rear seat, respectively, by the simple alcohol sensors,

wherein the test determining unit determines whether or not to perform the test based on a detection result of alcohol near the driver'"'"'s seat and a detection result of alcohol near the rear seat by the simple alcohol sensors, and

wherein the test performing unit performs the test by measuring the alcohol concentration by the measuring alcohol sensor when the test determining unit determines to perform the test.

15. The drunk driving preventing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the control unit disables the driving operation of the vehicle without performing the test by the test performing unit, when the simple detecting unit detects alcohol near the driver'"'"'s seat and does not detect alcohol near the rear seat.

16. The drunk driving preventing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the test determining unit determines to perform the test when the simple detecting unit detects weak alcohol near the driver'"'"'s seat and detects strong alcohol near the rear seat.

17. A drunk driving preventing apparatus installed on a vehicle and including an alcohol sensor, comprising:

a test determining unit which determines whether or not to perform a test for detecting alcohol by the alcohol sensor, based on a predetermined condition, when the vehicle is started;

a test performing unit which performs the test by the alcohol sensor when the test determining unit determines to perform the test;

a control unit which disables driving operation of the vehicle when the test performing unit performs the test and alcohol is detected as a result of the test;

a specific position storing unit which stores a position of a specific place; and

a vehicle stopped position obtaining unit which obtains a vehicle stopped position,

wherein the test determining unit determines whether or not to perform the test based on the vehicle stopped position obtained by the vehicle stopped position obtaining unit and the position of the specific place stored by the specific position storing unit, when the vehicle is started.

18. A drunk driving preventing apparatus installed on a vehicle and including an alcohol sensor, comprising:

a test determining unit which determines whether or not to perform a test for detecting alcohol by the alcohol sensor, based on a predetermined condition, when the vehicle is started;

a test performing unit which performs the test by the alcohol sensor when the test determining unit determines to perform the test;

a control unit which disables driving operation of the vehicle when the test performing unit performs the test and alcohol is detected as a result of the test;

a vehicle stopped time storing unit which stores a vehicle stopped time; and

a vehicle stopping time period determining unit which determines a vehicle stopping time period by calculating a difference between the present time obtained by the present time obtaining unit and the vehicle stopped time stored by the vehicle stopped time storing unit,

wherein the test determining unit determines whether or not to perform the test if the vehicle stopping time period determined by the vehicle stopping time period determining unit is equal to or longer than a predetermined time period, when the vehicle is started.

19. A drunk driving preventing method executed by a drunk driving preventing apparatus installed on a vehicle and including an alcohol sensor, comprising:

a test determining process which determines whether or not to perform a test for detecting alcohol by the alcohol sensor, based on a predetermined condition, when the vehicle is started;

a test performing process which performs the test by the alcohol sensor when the test determining process determines to perform the test;

a control process which disables driving operation of the vehicle when the test performing process performs the test and alcohol is detected as a result of the test;

a specific time storing process which stores a specific time; and

a present time obtaining process which obtains a present time,

wherein the test determining process determines whether or not to perform the test based on the present time obtained by the present time obtaining process and the specific time stored by the specific time storing process, when the vehicle is started.

20. A computer program product in a computer-readable medium for preventing drunk driving, which is executed by a computer installed on a vehicle and including an alcohol sensor, and which makes the computer function as:

a test determining unit which determines whether or not to perform a test for detecting alcohol by the alcohol sensor, based on a predetermined condition, when the vehicle is started;

a test performing unit which performs the test by the alcohol sensor when the test determining unit determines to perform the test;

a control unit which disables driving operation of the vehicle when the test performing unit performs the test and alcohol is detected as a result of the test;

a specific time storing unit which stores a specific time; and

a present time obtaining unit which obtains a present time,

wherein the test determining unit determines whether or not to perform the test based on the present time obtained by the present time obtaining unit and the specific time stored by the specific time storing unit, when the vehicle is started.