Immobilizer system for a motor vehicle

• US 9,630,497 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2016
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Quix, Hans Guenter, Van Bebber, David, Angst, Monika
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US15/084,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20160303967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0066 using buttons or a keyboard connected to the on-board processor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An immobilizer system for a motor vehicle having an starter mechanism and a substance detector for detecting impairing drugs/substances in a driver'"'"'s bode, the allowing the vehicle to be started/operated only when the substance detector delivers a result which is below a limit value. An electronic controller of the immobilizer system is programmed by the driver to pre-specify which restrictions the starter mechanism is subject to if the substance detector delivers a positive test result (above a limit level). The immobilizer may be programmed to either a) prevent operation of the vehicle, or b) allow operation but present a notification to the driver. The driver may set a future time interval during which a selection of option a) cannot be changed by the driver.

Claims

1. An immobilizer system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a detector configured to measure a level of an impairing substance in a body of a driver;

an interlock configured to alternatively allow and prevent operation of the vehicle; and

a controller programmed to

during a pre-programmed time period, require a negative test result from the detector before allowing operation of the vehicle, and

outside of the pre-programmed time period, allow operation of the vehicle without requiring use of the detector.

2. The immobilizer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further operative to deactivate the immobilizer system.

3. The immobilizer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further operative to allow the driver to pre-specify a limit level of the impairing substance corresponding to the positive test.

4. The immobilizer system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further operative to send a notification to a pre-specified address via a wireless communication mode in response to the positive test result.

5. The immobilizer system of claim 4, wherein the notification comprises a request to a passenger transport service to dispatch a second vehicle to a current location of the vehicle.

17. The immobilizer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to, during the pre-programmed time period, disable overriding of the requirement for the negative test result before allowing operation of the vehicle.

6. An immobilizer system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a controller coupled to a detector configured to measure a level of an impairing substance in a body of a driver, the controller programmed to, during a pre-programmed time interval, allow operation of the vehicle only after receiving a signal from the detector indicating a negative test result from the detector.

7. The immobilizer system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further operative to deactivate the immobilizer system.

8. The immobilizer system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further operative to allow the driver to pre-specify a limit level of the impairing substance corresponding to the operation-inhibit condition.

9. The immobilizer system of claim 6 wherein the controller is further operative to send a notification to a pre-specified address via a wireless communication if the impairing substance is detected in the driver'"'"'s body.

10. The immobilizer system of claim 9, wherein the notification comprises a request to a passenger transport service to dispatch a second vehicle to a current location of the vehicle.

18. The immobilizer system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further programmed to, during the pre-programmed time period, disable overriding of a requirement to allow operation of the vehicle only after receiving the signal from the detector indicating the negative test result from the detector.

11. A method of operating an immobilizer system for a vehicle comprising:

via a controller, providing a driver with an option to select between, upon a positive test for an impairing substance in the driver'"'"'s body,

a) preventing vehicle operation, and

b) allowing vehicle operation and generating a notification indicating the positive test results, and

via the controller, preventing the driver from changing the selection of option a) during a time period designated by the driver.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the driver may deactivate the immobilizer system.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising preventing deactivation of the immobilizer system during the time period.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the system is programmable by the driver to pre-specify a limit level of the impairing substance which results in vehicle operation being inhibited.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending a notification to a pre-specified address via a wireless communication if the impairing substance is detected in the driver'"'"'s body.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the notification comprises a request to a passenger transport service to dispatch a second vehicle to a current location of the vehicle.