System for safeguarding a device against being operated and used by persons of reduced capacity

• US 3,913,086 A
• Filed: 10/04/1973
• Issued: 10/14/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Georges Ducommun, Karl Adler
• Original Assignee: Georges Ducommun, Karl Adler
• Inventors: Adler, Karl, Ducommun, Georges
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wannisky, William M.
• Application Number:
  US05/403,657
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 340/279,63,64,53R 128/2R,2N,2.5R 317/134 35/11,22R 307/1R 180/99
• US Class Current: 340/576
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/161 Flicker fusion testing eye testing A61B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00

Abstract

A system for safeguarding an installation such as a vehicle against being operated and used by persons of reduced capacity, wherein an apparatus for testing various abilities of the person such as the flicker fusion frequency (CFF), muscular motive functions, reaction ability and memory potential may be preset for testing a particular person by means of a key such as a punched card, this key containing information associated with the characteristics of this person. Thus, the installation may only be operated and used by persons having a key and being in possession of the required abilities for properly operating the test apparatus when their key is inserted.

Claims

1. A method of safeguarding a device from being operated and used by persons of reduced capacity, whereby a person by correctly carrying out a capacity test on an automatic safety system coupled to the device cancels an inhibiting network of the device, the method comprising the steps of:

precoding a key in accordance with the personal normal capacity of the holder of the key;

inserting the key into a reader to program the automatic safety system to the personal characteristics of the key holder;

testing the muscular motive functions, the reaction ability, the memory potential and the physio-psychic state of the key holder; and

comparing the test results to the characteristics programmed into the automatic safety system to determine the state of the inhibited network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said testing step comprises:

pulsing a luminous indicator with a falling frequency;

testing the muscular-motive functions by providing a button for initiation of said drop in frequency by actuation when the first observation of said indicator is made, testing reaction ability by measuring the time of release of the button upon reaching the programmed flicker-fusion frequency of the operator, testing memory potential by providing a predetermined luminous indicator image, and testing physio-psychic state by measurong the deviation of indicated flicker-fusion frequency from the operator'"'"''"'"'s programmed normal frequency.

3. A safety system for inhibiting operation of a device by persons of reduced capacity, comprising:

first means for providing an output responsive to the functional capabilities of an operator, second means for comparing said output of said first means with a predetermined standard, third means adapted to inhibit operation of the device, said third means coupled with said second means and responsive to the output of said first means substantially meeting said predetermined standard to enable operation of the device, and fourth means responsive to a coded key to preset said predetermined standard to characteristics individually associated with said key whereby each test performed is individualized to the operator whose key is used.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein punched cardS are provided as keys.

5. A system as recited in cliam 3, wherein said first means includes an oscillator of variable frequency and a luminous indication supplied with current by said oscillator to provide a flicker frequency signal, and said second means includes a comparison circuit comparing the flicker-merging frequency ascertained from an operator with a personal frequency derived from a code on said operator'"'"''"'"'s key.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein said first means further includes control means having a start button causing said oscillator after actuation of said button to fall automatically from a maximum starting value, fall of said frequency being stopped when said button is released.

7. A system as recited in claim 6, including means for testing muscular-motive functions coupled with said button.

8. A system as recited in claim 3, further including a counter coupled to said first means for ascertaining the number of tests sequentially carried out, and locking means connected to disable the device, said counter on attaining a predetermined count actuating said locking means for a certain period.

9. A system as recited in claim 8 further including a holding circuit for maintaining said locking means out of action during short breaks in the operation of said device.

10. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein said luminous indication is provided by a disc with having a flickering light with an annular adaptation light.