Networked intoxication vehicle immobilization

• US 10,040,349 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2017
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Consumer Safety Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Consumer Safety Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: DeVries, Douglas Edward, McGrath, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Condra, Darlene P
• Application Number:
  US15/621,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0009 Testing for drug or alcohol abuse
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0087 Breath samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/002 Locking of control actuating or transmitting means of steering mechanism B60R25/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/045 by limiting or cutting the electrical supply to the propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/30 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A vehicle immobilization system includes a detection element operable to detect a level of an intoxicant in a user'"'"'s breath. A control module is operable to receive a signal from the detection element indicating the level of intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath, and to selectively restrict operation of a vehicle based on the level of intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath exceeding a threshold. A wireless relay is operable to replace a standard relay in the vehicle, and to wirelessly communicate with the control module such that the control module is operable to control the wireless relay to selectively restrict operation of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle immobilization system, comprising:

a detection element operable to detect a level of an intoxicant in a user'"'"'s breath;

a control module operable to receive a signal from the detection element indicating the level of intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath, and to selectively restrict operation of a vehicle based on the level of intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath exceeding a threshold; and

a wireless relay comprising;

a wireless relay housing configured such that the wireless relay can be plugged directly in place of a standard automotive relay of a vehicle;

a communication module facilitating wireless bidirectional communication between the wireless relay and the control module; and

a controller contained within the wireless relay housing and drawing power from the vehicle and operable to control the state of the wireless relay based on wireless signals received from the control module.

2. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 1, wherein the wireless relay is operable to communicate with the control module via a bidirectional wireless connection operating in the industrial, scientific and medical (“

ISM”

) band from 2.4-2.485 GHz.

3. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 1, wherein the wireless relay is operable to control operation of at least one of a fuel pump, a starter motor, a governor, or an ignition of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 1, wherein the wireless relay is operable to communicate its state to the control module.

5. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 1, wherein the wireless relay is operable to selectively restrict operation of the vehicle if the control module is not in communication with the wireless relay.

6. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 1, wherein the wireless relay is further operable to switch off the relay upon determining that the wireless relay is not in communication with the control module.

7. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 1, wherein the control module is further operable to register a violation upon determining that the control module is not in communication with the wireless relay.

8. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 1, wherein the wireless relay further comprises a processor operable to control operation of the wireless relay.

9. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 1, wherein the control module further comprises at least one of an automotive security system operable to prevent theft of the vehicle and a seller payment assurance system operable to permit a seller to remotely disable the vehicle if the user does not make payments for the vehicle.

10. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle interface operable to couple the control module to the vehicle through a data link connector of the vehicle, the vehicle interface further operable to provide communication between the control module and the vehicle.

11. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 10, wherein the control module is further operable to perform at least one of honking a horn, flashing hazard lights, and turning down volume of a radio via the vehicle interface if a user reverification is missed.

12. The vehicle immobilization system of claim 10, wherein the control module is further operable to selectively restrict operation of the vehicle based on the level of intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath exceeding a threshold by selectively controlling operation of one or more vehicle systems or components.

13. A wireless vehicle relay, comprising:

a wireless relay housing configured such that the wireless relay can be plugged directly in place of a standard automotive relay of a vehicle;

a communication module facilitating wireless bidirectional communication between the wireless relay and an external intoxication interlock device operable to selectively restrict operation of a vehicle based on the level of an intoxicant in a user'"'"'s breath exceeding a threshold; and

a controller contained within the wireless relay housing and drawing power from the vehicle and operable to control the state of the wireless relay based on wireless signals received from the external intoxication interlock device.

14. The wireless vehicle relay of claim 13, wherein the communication module operates in the ISM band from 2.4-2.485 GHz.

15. The wireless vehicle relay of claim 13, wherein the external intoxication interlock device further comprises at least one of an automotive security system operable to prevent theft of the vehicle, and a seller payment assurance system operable to permit a seller to remotely disable the vehicle if the user does not make payments for the vehicle.

16. A method of selectively immobilizing a vehicle based on an intoxication state of a user, comprising:

detecting a level of an intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath using a detection element;

determining whether the detected level of intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath exceeds a threshold using a control module; and

selectively restricting operation of the vehicle based on whether the detected level of intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath exceeds the threshold by wirelessly controlling from the control module a wireless relay, such that the control module is operable to control the wireless relay to selectively restrict operation of the vehicle;

wherein the wireless relay comprising;

a wireless relay housing configured such that the wireless relay can be plugged directly in place of a standard automotive relay of a vehicle;

a communication module facilitating wireless bidirectional communication between the wireless relay and an external intoxication interlock device operable to selectively restrict operation of a vehicle based on the level of an intoxicant in a user'"'"'s breath exceeding a threshold; and

a controller contained within the wireless relay housing and drawing power from the vehicle and operable to control the state of the wireless relay based on wireless signals received from the external intoxication interlock device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein wirelessly controlling the wireless relay from the control module comprises wireless communication using a bidirectional wireless connection operating in the ISM band from 2.4-2.485 GHz.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein selectively restricting operation of the vehicle comprises controlling the wireless relay to selectively enable operation of at least one of a fuel pump, a starter motor, or an ignition of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising at least one of communicating a state of the wireless relay from the relay to the control module, and selectively restricting operation of the vehicle if the wireless relay is not in communication with the control module.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising registering in the controller a violation upon determining that the control module is not in communication with the wireless relay.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising coupling the control module to the vehicle through a data link connector of the vehicle, the coupling through the data link connector operable to provide communication between the control module and the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising at least one of honking a horn, flashing hazard lights, and turning down volume of a radio via the coupling through the data link connector if a user reverification is missed.

23. A method of selectively immobilizing a vehicle based on an intoxication state of a user, comprising:

detecting a level of an intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath using a detection element;

determining whether the detected level of intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath exceeds a threshold using a control module;

selectively restricting operation of the vehicle based on whether the detected level of intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath exceeds the threshold by wirelessly controlling from the control module a wireless relay operable to replace a standard relay in the vehicle, such that the control module is operable to control the wireless relay to selectively restrict operation of the vehicle;

coupling the control module to the vehicle through a data link connector of the vehicle, the coupling through the data link connector operable to provide communication between the control module and the vehicle;

at least one of honking a horn, flashing hazard lights, and turning down volume of a radio via the coupling through the data link connector if a user reverification is missed; and

rewriting firmware via the coupling through the data link connector to selectively restrict operation of the vehicle based on the level of intoxicant in the user'"'"'s breath exceeding a threshold by selectively controlling operation of one or more vehicle systems or components via the data link connector of the vehicle.