Vehicle sobriety interlock system with personal identification element

• US 7,451,852 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Guardian Interlock, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sherman Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Charles E., Stewart, Jeffrey, McClelland, James
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Toan C
• Application Number:
  US11/683,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20070144812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 180/272, 422/84, 340/426.11, 340/576, 73/233, 600/532
• US Class Current: 180/272
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol

Abstract

An interlock system for measuring the sobriety of a potential motorized apparatus operator is coupled to the starting mechanism of said motorized apparatus. The interlock system includes a microprocessor controlled handset, base unit and photographic device. The photographic device facilitates the identification process of the person taking the test by taking at least two consecutive pictures, one before and one during the test, which makes circumvention of the test a recordable event for later viewing by a monitoring person or facility. Further, rolling re-tests are used in the event the motorized apparatus was allowed to engage and operate and to once again verify the blood alcohol content of the person operating said apparatus and verify their identity during said test with said photographic device.

Claims

1. A sobriety interlock system having an output coupled to a starter mechanism of a motorized apparatus for detecting the presence of alcohol in a breath sample of an individual introduced into said system, the sobriety interlock system preventing the motorized apparatus from being started if said apparatus is not yet operational and if said individual does not provide a passing sample from said breath sample, or, if said motorized apparatus is already operational, the sobriety interlock system recording a level of blood-alcohol content of the individual, the sobriety interlock system comprising:

a) a handset having a gas intake channel for receiving the breath sample;

b) a breath sampling housing enclosed within the handset and having a gas sampling channel in axial alignment with the handset gas intake channel;

c) a fuel cell positioned along the gas sampling channel of the breath sampling housing for measuring an alcohol vapor value of the breath sample;

d) a pressure transducer located within the handset in fluid communication with the gas sampling channel of the breath sampling housing for measuring a pressure value of the breath sample;

e) a microprocessor located within the handset in electrical communication with the fuel cell and the pressure transducer, the microprocessor containing an executable algorithm for determining a measured blood-alcohol content of the breath sample through an offset adjustment of the measured alcohol vapor value in relation to the measured breath sample pressure value;

f) a solenoid valve positioned upstream from the fuel cell along the gas sampling channel of the breath sampling housing for limiting the size of the breath sample across the fuel cell by opening for a finite period of time, the solenoid valve having a normally open state;

g) a photographic device for recording at least a first image on a storage medium before the breath sample is introduced into the handset gas intake channel; and

h) a power source coupled to the handset and the photographic device.

2. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein the photographic device comprises at least one data interface port for connection to a computing device.

3. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein the storage medium is a memory device disposed within a housing of the photographic device.

4. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein the photographic device comprises a removable memory card.

5. The sobriety interlock system of claim 4, wherein the removable memory card is Flash Memory.

6. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein the photographic device comprises a single port for connection to the base unit providing bi-directional communication with said base unit and for deriving power from said power source.

7. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein the photographic device comprises a means for illuminating a low light level environment in and around an area defined as the operational position for said motorized apparatus.

8. The sobriety interlock system of claim 7, wherein the means for illuminating a low light level environment is a plurality of infrared diodes positioned around a lens of the photographic device.

9. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein a format of recording for the photographic device includes digital stills, film, analog and digital video, real-time video and still picture broadcast and real-time video and still picture data network transfer.

10. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein the photographic unit records the first image and a second image before the individual is capable of engaging the starter mechanism of the motorized apparatus, the second image being recorded as the breath sample is being introduced into the handset gas intake channel.

11. The sobriety interlock system of claim 10, wherein the starter mechanism of the motorized apparatus can not be engaged if a predetermined amount of time elapses between the recording of the first and second images by the photographic device.

12. The sobriety interlock device of claim 1, wherein the starter mechanism of the motorized apparatus can not be engaged if a predetermined amount of time elapses between the recording of the first image and the providing of the breath sample by the individual.

13. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein a current date and time and a unique serial number is associated with every recorded image and every test result of which are stored in the storage medium.

14. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein position location identification of the individual is recorded when a breath sample is provided.

15. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein the starter mechanism of the motorized apparatus is already engaged thereby making the motorized apparatus operational, the sobriety interlock system further comprising a means for determining the current blood-alcohol content of the individual operating said motorized apparatus.

16. The sobriety interlock system of claim 15, wherein the means for determining the current blood-alcohol content of the individual operating said motorized apparatus comprises a retest of a breath sample of the individual, the photographic device recording a further image of the individual as the breath sample is introduced into the handset gas intake channel for said retest.

17. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor applies a signal to the interlock system output dependent on the measured blood-alcohol content of the breath sample as compared to a predetermined threshold level of said system if the motorized apparatus is currently in a non-operational state.

18. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor disposed within the gas sampling channel of the breath sampling housing for measuring the breath sample introduced into the interlock system, the temperature sensor electrically coupled to the microprocessor.

19. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, further comprising a water filter mounted within a passageway in fluid communication with the gas sampling channel of the breath sampling housing upstream from the fuel cell, the water filter eliminating water from the breath sample while permitting alcohol vapors to pass through to the fuel cell.

20. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, further comprising at least one accelerometer for measuring movement of the motorized apparatus.

21. The sobriety interlock system of claim 20, wherein the motorized apparatus includes vehicles, automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, buses, airplanes, boats and other similar vehicles that are operational by a driver.

22. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein the motorized apparatus includes machinery requiring an operator for use thereof.

23. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, further comprising a display screen electrically coupled to the microprocessor for displaying messages relative to the operation and test results of the interlock device.

24. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, further comprising:

a) a housing sensor for measuring the temperature of the breath sampling housing, the housing sensor mounted juxtaposed an outer side wall of the breath sampling housing and electrically coupled to the microprocessor, and

b) a housing heater for increasing the temperature of the breath sampling housing when the temperature of the housing falls below a predefined tolerant level temperature, the housing heater mounted along a bottom side of the breath sampling housing and electrically coupled to the microprocessor.

25. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, further comprising a base unit electrically coupled to the handset, the base unit including the output for the interlock system and having a microprocessor for interfacing with the handset microprocessor and receiving the signal dependent on the results of the measured blood-alcohol content as compared to predetermined threshold level of the interlock system.

26. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, wherein the output of the interlock system comprises at least one relay.

27. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, further comprising a data log stored on a computing device readable storage medium of the handset, the data log accessible through the data interfacing means of the handset.

28. The sobriety interlock system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of auxiliary connection ports of the base unit.

29. The sobriety interlock system of claim 28, wherein the photographic device is connected to the base unit through one of the plurality of auxiliary connection ports.

30. The sobriety interlock device of claim 1, wherein the photographic device further comprising a housing enclosing a camera lens, the storage medium, low light illumination means, a power and data jack and a computing device data interface jack.

31. A method of measuring the sobriety of an operator of a motorized apparatus, the motorized apparatus having a starter mechanism in a normally disengaged state, said starter mechanism engaging if a predetermined threshold of blood to alcohol content is not exceeded during the measurement process, the steps of the method comprising:

a) providing an interlock device for coupling to the motorized apparatus starter mechanism, the interlock device having a handset for use in receiving a breath sample of the motorized apparatus operator, a microprocessor controlled base unit for interfacing with said handset and a predefined threshold level for a permitted blood to alcohol content for the operator;

b) providing a photographic device having a low light illumination means, a camera lens and a photo memory storage medium, the photographic device interfacing with the interlock device base unit;

c) providing power to the interlock device;

d) recording a first photograph of the operator of the motorized apparatus non-responsive to the measurement process of the blood alcohol content;

e) prompting the operator to provide a breath sample;

f) providing a breath sample into the handset of the interlock device;

g) recording a second photograph of the operator at a moment substantially simultaneously with the step of providing the breath sample;

h) measuring the blood alcohol content of the breath sample;

i) comparing the measured blood alcohol content of he breath sample against the predefined threshold level for permitted blood to alcohol content for the operator; and

h) affecting the starter mechanism of the motorized apparatus based upon a pass or fail of the comparison step.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising requiring a retest of the operator'"'"'s blood to alcohol content if the starter mechanism of the motorized apparatus was re-engaged.

33. The method of the claim 32, further comprising recording a photograph during the step of requiring a retest of the operator'"'"'s blood to alcohol content.