Method and apparatus for detecting vehicle occupants under the influence of alcohol
First Claim
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1. A non-intrusive method of detecting the sobriety of a person in a vehicle, comprising:
- generating and transmitting a beam of electromagnetic energy through an interior compartment of a vehicle containing airborne alcohol molecules emitted by a person in the vehicle;
detecting the beam after it has passed through the compartment;
processing the detected beam to determine the concentration of the airborne alcohol molecules in the compartment and hence the sobriety of a person in the vehicle.
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Abstract
A system for non-intrusive drunk driver screening comprising a wavelength modulated laser, harmonic detector, and signal analyzer apparatus for quantitative absorption spectroscopy detection of low level concentrations of alcohol molecules in a contained gaseous volume within the operator compartment of vehicles.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A non-intrusive method of detecting the sobriety of a person in a vehicle, comprising:
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generating and transmitting a beam of electromagnetic energy through an interior compartment of a vehicle containing airborne alcohol molecules emitted by a person in the vehicle; detecting the beam after it has passed through the compartment; processing the detected beam to determine the concentration of the airborne alcohol molecules in the compartment and hence the sobriety of a person in the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A non-intrusive system for detecting the presence of a person in a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, comprising:
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transmitter means for generating and transmitting a coherent wavelength modulated energy beam through an interior compartment of a vehicle; receiver means for (i) intercepting the beam after it has passed through the compartment, (ii) extracting modulation introduced by airborne alcohol molecules in the compartment, and (iii) developing an output signal representative of such modulation; and signal processing means for analyzing the output signal from the receiver means and for indicating to a user of the system the concentration of airborne alcohol molecules in the compartment and hence the sobriety of a person in the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification