SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ALCOHOL MONITOR BASED ON DRIVER STATUS

• US 20110032096A1
• Filed: 08/05/2009
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Thomas Lee, Schondorf, Steven Yellin, Bennie, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,847,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for performing an alcohol monitor in a vehicle based on a driver being one of a primary driver and a secondary driver is provided. The apparatus comprises an electronic device that is positioned within the vehicle. The electronic device is configured to receive a driver status signal indicating that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver. The electronic device is further configured to receive an alcohol content measurement from an alcohol monitoring device (AMD) indicative of blood alcohol content for the secondary driver. The electronic device is further configured to compare the alcohol content measurement to a predetermined alcohol content.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing an alcohol monitor in a vehicle based on a driver being one of a primary driver and a secondary driver, the apparatus comprising:

an electronic device positioned within the vehicle and being configured to;

receive a driver status signal indicating that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver;

receive an alcohol content measurement from an alcohol monitoring device (AMD) indicative of blood alcohol content for the secondary driver; and

compare the alcohol content measurement to a predetermined alcohol content.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is further configured to transmit a limit signal corresponding to a command to control the vehicle to operate at one of a zero speed and a non-zero limited speed value if the alcohol content measurement is greater than the predetermined alcohol content.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the electronic device is further configured to store a time window interval in electronic memory that is established by the primary driver, the time window interval corresponding to a period of time in which the secondary driver is required to provide the alcohol content measurement with the AMD.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the electronic device is further configured to receive an ignition switch status signal indicative of the secondary driver attempting to drive the vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the electronic device is further configured to generate a first time value corresponding to the time of day in which the ignition switch status signal is received and to determine whether the first time value is within the time window interval.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the electronic device is further configured to alert the secondary driver to provide the alcohol content measurement if the first time value is within the time window interval.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the electronic device is further configured to control an entertainment system to disable the operation of transmitting at least one of audio and video signals to the secondary driver if the first time value is within the time window interval.

8. A method for performing an alcohol monitor in a vehicle based on a driver being one of a primary driver and a secondary driver, the method comprising:

receiving a driver status signal indicating that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver;

receiving an alcohol content measurement from an alcohol monitoring device (AMD) indicative of blood alcohol content for the secondary driver;

comparing the alcohol content measurement to a predetermined alcohol content; and

wirelessly transmitting a notification to the primary driver if the alcohol content measurement is greater than the predetermined alcohol content.

9. A method comprising:

providing an alcohol monitoring device (AMD) in a vehicle;

storing a time window interval corresponding to a period of time in which a driver is required to provide an alcohol measurement with the AMD;

receiving a time value corresponding to a moment in time the driver is attempting to drive; and

generating an alert for the driver to provide the alcohol measurement if the time value is within the time window interval.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving a driver status signal indicating whether the driver is one of a primary driver and a secondary driver.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein generating an alert for the driver to provide the alcohol measurement further comprises generating the alert for the driver to provide the alcohol measurement with the AMD if the time value is within the time window interval and if the driver status signal indicates that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining whether the driver has provided the alcohol measurement with the AMD within a predetermined amount of time if the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising recording an event for transmission to the primary driver in response to determining that the driver has not provided the alcohol measurement with the AMD within the predetermined amount of time and that the driver status signal indicates that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising disabling an entertainment system in the vehicle in response to determining that the driver has not provided the alcohol measurement with the AMD within the predetermined amount of time and that the driver status signal indicates that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising controlling the vehicle to operate at one of a zero speed and a non-zero limited speed value in response to determining that the driver has not provided the alcohol measurement with the AMD within the predetermined amount of time and that the driver status signal indicates that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.

17. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving the alcohol measurement from the driver and determining whether the alcohol measurement is greater than a predetermined alcohol content.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising controlling the vehicle to operate at one of a zero speed and a non-zero limited speed value if the alcohol measurement is greater than the predetermined alcohol content.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising disabling an entertainment system in the vehicle if the alcohol measurement is greater than the predetermined alcohol content.

20. The method of claim 9 wherein generating the alert further comprises:

generating at least one of an audio and a video warning if the time value is within the time window interval; and

disabling an entertainment system in the vehicle if the time value is within the time window interval.

11. The method of 10 wherein receiving the time value further comprises receiving the time value corresponding to the moment in time the driver of the vehicle is attempting to drive the vehicle if the driver status signal indicates that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.