Methods of Detecting Gaseous Component Levels in a Breath

• US 20110009765A1
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OmegaPoint Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: OmegaPoint Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Gollar, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,901,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0878 using temperature sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/117 Identification of persons methods or arrangements for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints, G06F18/00, G06V40/00; identification of persons by analysing their voice or speech G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06

Abstract

Method for detecting gaseous component levels in a breath, comprising: receiving a breath through a breath channel, wherein the breath channel is in fluid communication with a flow rate sensor and an electrochemical fuel cell gas sensor; measuring a flow rate of the breath received through the breath channel; measuring a first time, wherein the first time corresponds to an amount of time elapsed while receiving the breath in the breath channel; and calculating a current gaseous component level utilizing the flow rate, first time and an output from the gas sensor. Methods for detecting an error condition while measuring gaseous component levels in a breath comprising: determining if the peak output occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel; and if the peak output occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel, alerting a user of an error condition.

Claims

1. A method for detecting gaseous component levels in a breath, comprising:

receiving a breath through a breath channel, wherein the breath channel is in fluid communication with a flow rate sensor and an electrochemical fuel cell gas sensor, and wherein the flow rate sensor and the electrochemical fuel cell gas sensor are in electrical communication with a processing device;

measuring a flow rate of the breath received through the breath channel utilizing the flow rate sensor and transmitting a corresponding flow rate signal to the processing device;

measuring a gas level of the breath received through the breath channel with the electrochemical fuel cell gas sensor and transmitting a corresponding gas level signal to the processing device;

measuring a first time, wherein the first time corresponds to an amount of time elapsed while receiving the breath in the breath channel;

calculating a current gaseous component level on the processing device utilizing the flow rate signal, the first time and the gas level signal from the gas sensor, wherein the gaseous component level is proportional to the gas level signal, the flow rate and the first time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaseous component is ethanol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow rate sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow rate sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the current gaseous component level further comprises calculating a volume of breath received based on the flow rate signal and the first time.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising measuring the flow rate at a plurality of time intervals;

and

calculating the volume of breath based on the plurality of flow rates and time intervals by integrating the flow rates over the time intervals.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the gas level signal from the gas sensor is a peak gas level signal.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

measuring a second time, wherein the second time corresponds to an elapsed time from the time corresponding to when the breath has ceased being received and the time corresponding to the peak gas level signal from the gas sensor;

wherein calculating the current gaseous component level further comprises utilizing the second time.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining if the peak gas level signal occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel; and

if the peak gas level signal occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel, alerting a user of an error condition.

10. A method for detecting an error condition while measuring gaseous component levels in a breath, comprising:

receiving a breath through a breath channel, wherein the breath channel is in fluid communication with a flow rate sensor and an electrochemical fuel cell gas sensor;

measuring a flow rate of the breath received through the breath channel;

measuring a first time, wherein the first time corresponds to an amount of time elapsed while receiving the breath in the breath channel;

measuring a peak output form the gas sensor;

determining if the peak output occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel; and

if the peak output occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel, alerting a user of an error condition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the gaseous component is ethanol.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the flow rate sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the flow rate sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying instructions for allowing a computer system to detect gaseous component levels in a breath received through a breath channel, the instructions comprising a method of:

measuring a flow rate of the breath received through the breath channel utilizing a flow rate sensor in fluid communication with the breath channel and transmitting a corresponding flow rate signal to a processing device, wherein the processing device and the flow rate sensor are in electrical communication;

measuring a gas level of the breath received through the breath channel utilizing an electrochemical fuel cell gas sensor in fluid communication with the breath channel and transmitting a corresponding gas level signal to the processing device, wherein the processing device and the electrochemical fuel cell gas sensor are in electrical communication;

measuring a first time, wherein the first time corresponds to an amount of time elapsed while receiving the breath in the breath channel;

calculating a current gaseous component level utilizing the flow rate signal, the first time and the gas level signal, wherein the current gaseous component level is proportional to the gas level signal, the flow rate and the first time.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein calculating the current gaseous component level further comprises calculating a volume of breath received based on the flow rate signal and the first time.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising measuring the flow rate at a plurality of time intervals;

and

calculating the volume of breath based on the plurality of flow rates and time intervals by integrating the flow rates over the time intervals.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining if the gas level signal from the gas sensor is a peak gas level signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

measuring a second time, wherein the second time corresponds to an elapsed time from the time corresponding to when the breath has ceased being received in the breath channel to the time corresponding to the peak gas level signal from the gas sensor;

wherein calculating the current gaseous component level further comprises utilizing the second time.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining if the peak gas level signal occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel; and

if the peak gas level signal occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel, alerting a user of an error condition.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying instructions for allowing a computer system to detect an error condition while measuring gaseous component levels in a breath received through a breath channel, the instructions comprising a method of:

measuring a flow rate of the breath received through the breath channel;

measuring a first time, wherein the first time corresponds to an amount of time elapsed while receiving the breath in the breath channel;

measuring a peak output form the gas sensor;

determining if the peak output occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel; and

if the peak output occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel, alerting a user of an error condition.

21. A propagated computer data signal transmitted via a propagation medium, the computer data signal comprising a plurality of instructions for detecting gaseous component levels in a breath received through a breath channel, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the act of:

measuring a flow rate of the breath received through the breath channel utilizing a flow rate sensor in fluid communication with the breath channel and transmitting a corresponding flow rate signal to the processor, wherein the processor and the flow rate sensor are in electrical communication;

measuring a gas level of the breath received through the breath channel utilizing an electrochemical fuel cell gas sensor in fluid communication with the breath channel and transmitting a corresponding gas level signal to the processor, wherein the processor and the electrochemical fuel cell gas sensor are in electrical communication;

measuring a first time, wherein the first time corresponds to an amount of time elapsed while receiving the breath in the breath channel;

calculating a current gaseous component level utilizing the flow rate signal, the first time and the gas level signal, wherein the current gaseous component level is proportional to the gas level signal, the flow rate and the first time.

22. A propagated computer data signal transmitted via a propagation medium, the computer data signal comprising a plurality of instructions for detecting gaseous component levels in a breath received through a breath channel, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the act of:

measuring a flow rate of the breath received through the breath channel;

measuring a first time, wherein the first time corresponds to an amount of time elapsed while receiving the breath in the breath channel;

measuring a peak output form the gas sensor;

determining if the peak output occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel; and

if the peak output occurs while breath is still being received in the breath channel, alerting a user of an error condition.

23. A method for detecting gaseous component levels in a breath, comprising:

receiving a breath through a breath channel, wherein the breath channel is in fluid communication with an electrochemical fuel cell gas sensor, wherein the electrochemical fuel gas sensor is in electrical communication with a processing device;

measuring a volume of the breath received through the breath channel;

calculating on the processing device a current gaseous component level utilizing the volume and an output from the gas sensor.