Non-invasive optical blood alcohol concentration reader and vehicle ignition interlock system and method

• US 5,743,349 A
• Filed: 09/23/1996
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steven Steinberg
• Original Assignee: Steven Steinberg
• Inventors: Steinberg, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/718,759
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 180/272
• US Class Current: 180/272
• 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: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06

Abstract

A vehicle ignition interlock system including a non-invasive reader of a person'"'"'s blood-alcohol concentration in combination with ignition interlock circuitry that prevents operation of a vehicle by an intoxicated person. The non-invasive blood-alcohol concentration reader, termed alcoh-meter, utilizes optical spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation technology to determine the alcohol levels in the blood. The alcoh-meter is preferably a dash mounted sensor for receiving a person'"'"'s finger and absorbing incident light from a multiple wavelength light source and causing a light absorption reading to be generated based on the person'"'"'s blood alcohol concentration in the finger tissue. After registering a reading, the results are compared electronically against a table of impaired/non-impaired levels of blood alcohol concentration. The impaired/non-impaired results are communicated to interlock circuitry that either enables, or disables start-up of the vehicle. If an impaired status is determined, the results are displayed instructing the operator to wait, or find a non-impaired operator.

Claims

1. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus for preventing an alcohol impaired operator from starting a vehicle'"'"'s engine, said apparatus comprising:

a non-invasive, blood alcohol concentration tester member, said tester member comprising an electromagnetic energy light source, an incident light collector, a human tissue receptacle, an emanating light collector, a light absorption analyzer, and a blood alcohol concentration generator; and

electrical and electronic circuitry responsive to a signal generated by said tester member, said electrical and electronic circuitry comprising a blood alcohol concentration comparator for generating a first signal indicative of an operator'"'"'s non-impaired state for enabling start-up of a vehicle'"'"'s engine, and for generating a second signal indicative of an operator'"'"'s impaired state for disabling start-up of a vehicle'"'"'s engine.

2. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 1, wherein said electrical and electronic circuitry further comprises:

a message display member;

a first relay member responsive to a non-impaired state of said operator, said first relay being coupled to a starter member and facilitating starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine, said first relay being coupled to said message display member for communicating to said operator that starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine is possible based on non-impaired blood alcohol concentration test result; and

a second relay member responsive to an impaired state of said operator, said second relay being coupled to said message display member for communicating to said operator that starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine is not possible based on blood alcohol concentration test results.

3. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 1, wherein said human tissue receptacle comprises:

a dash mounted unit comprising a port for receiving an operator'"'"'s finger, said port including a power on/off sensor that facilitates electrically energizing said blood alcohol concentration tester member.

4. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 3, wherein said electrical and electronic circuitry further comprises:

a message display member;

a first relay member responsive to a non-impaired state of said operator, said first relay being coupled to a starter member and facilitating starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine, said first relay being coupled to said message display member for communicating to said operator that starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine is possible based on non-impaired blood alcohol concentration test result; and

a second relay member responsive to an impaired state of said operator, said second relay being coupled to said message display member for communicating to said operator that starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine is not possible based on blood alcohol concentration test results.

5. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 1, wherein said light absorption analyzer comprises:

light absorption data and corresponding blood alcohol concentration level data.

6. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 5, wherein said human tissue receptacle comprises:

a dash mounted unit comprising a port for receiving an operator'"'"'s finger, said port including a power on/off sensor that facilitates electrically energizing said blood alcohol concentration tester member.

7. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 6, wherein said electrical and electronic circuitry further comprises:

a message display member;

a first relay member responsive to a non-impaired state of said operator, said first relay being coupled to a starter member and facilitating starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine, said first relay being coupled to said message display member for communicating to said operator that starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine is possible based on non-impaired blood alcohol concentration test result; and

a second relay member responsive to an impaired state of said operator, said second relay being coupled to said message display member for communicating to said operator that starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine is not possible based on blood alcohol concentration test results.

8. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 1, wherein said electrical and electronic circuitry further comprises:

a storage member generating an impaired blood alcohol concentration threshold level for being manipulated by said blood alcohol concentration comparator.

9. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 8, wherein said human tissue receptacle comprises:

a dash mounted unit comprising a port for receiving an operator'"'"'s finger, said port including a power on/off sensor that facilitates electrically energizing said blood alcohol concentration tester member.

10. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 9, wherein said electrical and electronic circuitry further comprises:

a message display member;

a first relay member responsive to a non-impaired state of said operator, said first relay being coupled to a starter member and facilitating starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine, said first relay being coupled to said message display member for communicating to said operator that starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine is possible based on non-impaired blood alcohol concentration test result; and

a second relay member responsive to an impaired state of said operator, said second relay being coupled to said message display member for communicating to said operator that starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine is not possible based on blood alcohol concentration test results.

11. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus for preventing an alcohol impaired operator from starting a vehicle'"'"'s engine, said apparatus comprising:

a non-invasive, blood alcohol concentration tester member, said tester member comprising an electromagnetic energy light source, and a blood alcohol concentration generator; and

electrical and electronic circuitry responsive to a signal generated by said tester member, said electrical and electronic circuitry comprising a blood alcohol concentration comparator for generating a first signal indicative of an operator'"'"'s non-impaired state for enabling start-up of a vehicle'"'"'s engine, and for generating a second signal indicative of an operator'"'"'s impaired state for disabling start-up of a vehicle'"'"'s engine.

12. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 11, wherein said blood alcohol concentration tester member further comprises:

an incident light collector, a human tissue receptacle, an emanating light collector, and a light absorption analyzer, said human tissue receptacle comprising a dash mounted unit comprising a port for receiving an operator'"'"'s finger, said port including a power on/off sensor that facilitates electrically energizing said blood alcohol concentration tester member.

13. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 11, wherein said electrical and electronic circuitry further comprises:

a message display member;

a first relay member responsive to a non-impaired state of said operator, said first relay being coupled to a starter member and facilitating starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine, said first relay being coupled to said message display member for communicating to said operator that starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine is possible based on non-impaired blood alcohol concentration test result; and

a second relay member responsive to an impaired state of said operator, said second relay being coupled to said message display member for communicating to said operator that starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine is not possible based on blood alcohol concentration test results.

14. A vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, as described in claim 13, wherein said blood alcohol concentration tester member further comprises:

an incident light collector, a human tissue receptacle, an emanating light collector, and a light absorption analyzer, said human tissue receptacle comprising a dash mounted unit comprising a port for receiving an operator'"'"'s finger, said port including a power on/off sensor that facilitates electrically energizing said blood alcohol concentration tester member.

15. A method for preventing an alcohol impaired operator from starting a vehicle'"'"'s engine, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a vehicle ignition interlock system apparatus, said apparatus comprising;

a non-invasive, blood alcohol concentration tester member, said tester member comprising an electromagnetic energy light source, an incident light collector, a human tissue receptacle, an emanating light collector, a light absorption analyzer, and a blood alcohol concentration generator; and

electrical and electronic circuitry responsive to a signal generated by said tester member, said electrical and electronic circuitry comprising a blood alcohol concentration comparator for generating a first signal indicative of an operator'"'"'s non-impaired state for enabling start-up of a vehicle'"'"'s engine, and for generating a second signal indicative of an operator'"'"'s impaired state for disabling start-up of a vehicle'"'"'s engine;

(b) energizing said blood alcohol concentration tester member and positioning an operator'"'"'s body tissue within said human tissue receptacle and exposing said body tissue to incident light from said electromagnetic energy light source;

(c) absorbing said incident light by said body tissue;

(d) emanating light from said body tissue;

(e) determining quantitative amount of light absorbed by said body tissue;

(f) generating a blood alcohol concentration reading based on said determined quantitative amount of light absorbed by said body tissue;

(g) determining an impaired state based upon said generated blood alcohol concentration reading; and

(h) disabling start-up of a vehicle'"'"'s engine.

16. A method for preventing an alcohol impaired operator from starting a vehicle'"'"'s engine as described in claim 15;

wherein

said step (g) alternatively comprises the step of determining a non-impaired state based upon said generated blood alcohol concentration reading, and said step (h) comprises enabling start-up of a vehicle'"'"'s engine.

17. A method for preventing an alcohol impaired operator from starting a vehicle'"'"'s engine as described in claim 15;

wherein

said step (b) comprises said body tissue being an operator'"'"'s finger, said step (b) further comprises the step of recording optical information about said incident light, and said step (e) comprises determining a difference between said recorded incident light and said emanated light.

18. A method for preventing an alcohol impaired operator from starting a vehicle'"'"'s engine as described in claim 15;

wherein

said step (a) includes providing said blood alcohol concentration generator with light absorption data and corresponding blood alcohol concentrations levels relative to predetermined distances of light travel, and said step (f) comprises matching said determined quantitative amount of light absorbed to said provided light absorption data and determining a blood alcohol concentration reading based upon said provided corresponding blood alcohol concentrations levels.