Ethyl alcohol sensor and method of use
First Claim
1. An ethanol sensing unit located in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the ethanol sensing unit comprising:
- means for collecting ethanol vapors within an air sample taken from the passenger compartment while the collecting means is at a first temperature;
means for heating the collecting means to a second temperature higher than the first temperature so as to release ethanol vapors from the collecting means;
means for delaying operation of the heating means for a predetermined period of time during which the collecting means collects ethanol vapors from the air sample; and
means for sensing the ethanol vapors released from the collectingmeans when heated by the heating means and providing therefrom an output ethanol concentration signal;
means for sensing a state of a system of the vehicle that is capable of altering the concentration of vapors in the passenger compartment; and
means for modifying the output ethanol concentration signal responsive to the sensed state of the system of a vehicle that is capable of altering the concentration of vapors in the passenger compartment to provide a datum indicative of alcohol impairment of a vehicle driver in the passenger compartment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ethanol sensing unit and a method of using, wherein the unit is particularly suitable for use in a confined environment such as the passenger compartment of a passenger vehicle. The sensing unit comprises a device for collecting ethanol vapors while the device is at a first temperature, a device for heating the collecting device to a second temperature higher than the first temperature so as to release ethanol vapors from the collecting device, and a device for sensing the ethanol vapors released from the collecting device when heated by the heating device. The sensing unit is also adapted to delay the operation of the heating device until a period of time sufficient for the collecting device to adsorb ethanol vapors from air contained in the confined environment.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An ethanol sensing unit located in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the ethanol sensing unit comprising:
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means for collecting ethanol vapors within an air sample taken from the passenger compartment while the collecting means is at a first temperature; means for heating the collecting means to a second temperature higher than the first temperature so as to release ethanol vapors from the collecting means; means for delaying operation of the heating means for a predetermined period of time during which the collecting means collects ethanol vapors from the air sample; and
means for sensing the ethanol vapors released from the collectingmeans when heated by the heating means and providing therefrom an output ethanol concentration signal; means for sensing a state of a system of the vehicle that is capable of altering the concentration of vapors in the passenger compartment; and means for modifying the output ethanol concentration signal responsive to the sensed state of the system of a vehicle that is capable of altering the concentration of vapors in the passenger compartment to provide a datum indicative of alcohol impairment of a vehicle driver in the passenger compartment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A passive ethanol sensing unit located in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the sensing unit comprising:
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an adsorbent material capable of adsorbing ethanol vapors; means for flowing air from the passenger compartment over the adsorbent material to cause adsorption by the adsorbent material of any ethanol vapors contained in the air while the adsorbent material is at a first temperature; means for heating the adsorbent material to a second temperature higher than the first temperature so as to release ethanol vapors from the adsorbent material; means for delaying operation of the heating means for a predetermined period of time during which the adsorbent material adsorbs ethanol vapors from the air flowed over the adsorbent material by the flowing means; means for measuring the concentration of the ethanol vapors released from the adsorbent material when heated by the heating means and providing an output ethanol concentration signal based on the measured concentration; means for sensing a state of a system of the vehicle that is capable of altering the concentration of vapors in the passenger compartment; and means for modifying the output ethanol concentration signal responsive to the sensed state of a system of the vehicle that is capable of altering the concentration of vapors in the passenger compartment to provide a datum indicative of alcohol impairment of a vehicle driver in the passenger compartment. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of sensing ethanol vapors in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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collecting ethanol vapors from an air sample from an air sample taken from the passenger compartment with a collecting means at a first temperature; after a predetermined period of lime during which the collecting means to collects ethanol vapors from the air sample, heating the collecting means to a second temperature higher than the first temperature so as to release ethanol vapors from the collecting means;
sensing ethanol vapors released from the collecting means when heated and providing therefrom an output ethanol concentration signal;sensing a state of a system of the vehicle that is capable of altering the concentration of vapors in the passenger compartment; and
then modifying the output ethanol concentration signal responsive to the sensed state of a system of the vehicle that is capable of altering the concentration of vapors in the passenger compartment to provide a datum indicative of alcohol impairment of a vehicle driver in the passenger compartment. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification