Intoxicated Vehicle Driver Accident Reduction System
First Claim
1. An engine control device for use in a sobriety ignition interlock system comprises:
- a housing, an engine control processor (ECP), an electronic input port for connecting to an engine sensor assembly, an electronic output port for connecting to an engine control unit (ECU), and a wiring harness for connecting to a sobriety measuring device;
the ECP being positioned within the housing;
the electronic input port and the electronic output port being mounted into the housing;
the ECP being electronically connected in between the electronic input port, the electronic output port, and the wiring harness;
the ECP being configured to receive a sobriety signal from the sobriety measuring device;
the ECP being configured to intercept an engine signal transmitted from the engine sensor assembly to the ECU; and
the ECP being configured to manipulate the engine signal in response to the sobriety signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sobriety ignition interlock system including an engine control device and a method for managing available vehicle engine power using the sobriety ignition interlock system. The engine control device includes an engine control processor (ECP) that is electronically connected in between an engine control unit (ECU), an engine sensor assembly, and a sobriety processor. The sobriety processor determines a sobriety level of a vehicle driver and sends a corresponding sobriety signal to the ECP. The ECP intercepts an engine signal transmitted from the engine sensor assembly to the ECU and manipulates the engine signal according to the sobriety signal, in order to manage the available power of the vehicle engine.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An engine control device for use in a sobriety ignition interlock system comprises:
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a housing, an engine control processor (ECP), an electronic input port for connecting to an engine sensor assembly, an electronic output port for connecting to an engine control unit (ECU), and a wiring harness for connecting to a sobriety measuring device; the ECP being positioned within the housing; the electronic input port and the electronic output port being mounted into the housing; the ECP being electronically connected in between the electronic input port, the electronic output port, and the wiring harness; the ECP being configured to receive a sobriety signal from the sobriety measuring device; the ECP being configured to intercept an engine signal transmitted from the engine sensor assembly to the ECU; and the ECP being configured to manipulate the engine signal in response to the sobriety signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A sobriety ignition interlock system for a vehicle comprises:
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an engine control device, a sobriety measuring device, an engine control unit (ECU), and an engine sensor assembly; the engine control device comprises an engine control processor (ECP); the sobriety measuring device comprising a sobriety processor; the ECP being electronically connected in between the sobriety processor, the ECU, and the engine sensor assembly; the sobriety processor being configured to produce a sobriety signal; the ECP being configured to receive the sobriety signal from the sobriety processor; the ECP being configured to intercept an engine signal transmitted from the engine sensor assembly to the ECU; and the ECP being configured to manipulate the engine signal in response to the sobriety signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of managing available vehicle engine power, the method comprises the steps of:
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providing a vehicle engine, an engine control processor (ECP), a sobriety processor, an engine control unit (ECU), and an engine sensor assembly; calculating, by the sobriety processor, a sobriety level for a vehicle driver; comparing, by the sobriety processor, the sobriety level to a sobriety threshold in order to produce a sobriety signal; sending, by the sobriety processor, the sobriety signal to the ECP; intercepting, by the ECP, an engine signal transmitted from the engine sensor assembly to the ECU; and manipulating, by the ECP, the engine signal according to the sobriety signal.
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21. The method of managing available vehicle engine power, the method as claimed in claim 21 further comprises the step of:
terminating, by the ECP, the engine signal, if the sobriety level is above the sobriety threshold. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 28, 29, 30)
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24. The method of managing available vehicle engine power, the method as claimed in claim 24 further comprises the step of:
retarding, by the ECU, an ignition timing of the vehicle engine in response to the modified engine signal. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
Specification