Portable RF breathalyzer

• US 7,341,693 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Loran Technologies, Inc. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Loran Technologies, Inc. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Der Ghazarian, Ohanes, Der Ghazarian, Viken
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, LYLE
• Application Number:
  US10/673,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20060193749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: 422/84, 436/132
• US Class Current: 422/84
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/204165 Ethanol

Abstract

A RF breathalyzer system, which transmits a unique RF signal in response to a toxic or non-toxic breath sample given to a RF breathalyzer by the user. An immobilizer CPU is installed in a vehicle to receive commands from the RF breathalyzer and to control a horn and lights of a vehicle, to immobilize the engine, and is connected to a GPS antenna driver through a mobile phone/pager unit to communicate with a monitoring station.

Claims

1. A radio frequency breathalyzer system for selectively permitting an individual to operate a vehicle comprising:

a. a breathalyzer unit for determining a concentration of alcohol present in a breath sample provided by said individual;

b. a radio frequency transmitter unit operatively interconnected with said breathalyzer, said transmitter unit being operative to transmit a first signal corresponding to an alcohol concentration identified by said breathalyzer falling below a threshold level and a second signal corresponding to an alcohol concentration identified by said breathalyzer falling above said threshold level;

c. a wearable transceiver device operative to transmit a unique coded signal;

d. a vehicle mount immobilizer CPU for selectively controlling access to the operation of said vehicle, said immobilizer CPU having a radio frequency transceiver operative to receive said first and second signals transmitted from said radio frequency transmitter unit, further operative to receive said unique coded signal from said wearable transceiver device, and further operative to transmit periodic warning signals to said wearable transceiver device causing said wearable transceiver device to signal the operator of the vehicle to provide a breath sample into said breathalyzer unit; and

e. wherein when said immobilizer CPU receives said second signal, said immobilizer CPU prevents operation of said vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said second signal transmitted by said radio frequency transmitter is encoded and said immobilizer CPU is operative to receive said encoded signal.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said immobilizer CPU is operatively interconnected to said vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a GPS locator PC operatively coupled to said immobilizer CPU, said GPS locator PC being operative to broadcast a signal indicative of the location of said vehicle when said second signal is received by said immobilizer CPU.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein said system further comprises an alarm operatively coupled to said immobilizer CPU, said alarm being operative to generate an alarming signal when said immobilizer CPU receives said second signal from said RF transmitter.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein said immobilizer CPU is operative to prevent operation of said vehicle via a means selected from the group consisting of preventing operation of a starter solenoid of said vehicle and locking an engine ignition of said vehicle.

7. The system of claim 2 further comprising a communications device operatively coupled to said immobilizer CPU and operative to transmit a communications signal when said immobilizer CPU receives said second signal from said transmitter.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said communications signal comprises a telephone call or a page.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said breathalyzer is battery powered.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said breathalyzer further includes a visual display for displaying data indicative of said concentration of alcohol present in said breath sample.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said breathalyzer further includes means for indicating when the breath sample is incapable of being accurately assessed.