Highly accurate breath test system
First Claim
1. A system for testing air present from the breath of a person, the system comprising:
- a sensor unit comprising;
a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being configured to receive into the chamber air present in the breath of a person and the outlet being configured to discharge from the chamber air present in the breath of a person;
a plurality of sensor elements configured to (i) detect the concentration of a volatile substance present in air present in the chamber and to generate a signal corresponding to the concentration of the volatile substance present in air present in the chamber, and (ii) detect the concentration of a tracer gas present in air present in the chamber and to generate a signal corresponding to the concentration of the tracer gas present in air present in the chamber; and
a fan for drawing air present in the breath of a person into the inlet of the chamber and for expelling air present in the breath of a person out of the chamber, the fan being configured to substantially prevent air from being expelled out of the outlet when the concentration of the tracer gas exceeds a predetermined threshold.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a system for breath test of a person. It includes a sensor unit configured to sense the presence/concentration of a volatile substance, e.g. alcohol, present in air flowing through a predefined inlet area and generating a signal corresponding to the concentration of said substance. An analyzer determines the concentration of said substance in the breath of said person. It comprises means for the temporary interruption of said air flow at a point in time coinciding with the detection of a breath. It also relates to a method comprising interrupting the flow through said predefined area for a predetermined period of time, and detecting the concentration of said substance during said interruption.
125 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system for testing air present from the breath of a person, the system comprising:
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a sensor unit comprising; a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being configured to receive into the chamber air present in the breath of a person and the outlet being configured to discharge from the chamber air present in the breath of a person; a plurality of sensor elements configured to (i) detect the concentration of a volatile substance present in air present in the chamber and to generate a signal corresponding to the concentration of the volatile substance present in air present in the chamber, and (ii) detect the concentration of a tracer gas present in air present in the chamber and to generate a signal corresponding to the concentration of the tracer gas present in air present in the chamber; and a fan for drawing air present in the breath of a person into the inlet of the chamber and for expelling air present in the breath of a person out of the chamber, the fan being configured to substantially prevent air from being expelled out of the outlet when the concentration of the tracer gas exceeds a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for testing air present from the breath of a person, the method comprising:
providing a system comprising; a sensor unit comprising; a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being configured to receive into the chamber air present in the breath of a person and the outlet being configured to discharge from the chamber air present in the breath of a person; a plurality of sensor elements configured to (i) detect the concentration of a volatile substance present in air present in the chamber and to generate a signal corresponding to the concentration of the volatile substance present in air present in the chamber, and (ii) detect the concentration of a tracer gas present in air present in the chamber and to generate a signal corresponding to the concentration of the tracer gas present in air present in the chamber; and a fan for drawing air present in the breath of a person into the inlet of the chamber and for expelling air present in the breath of a person out of the chamber, the fan being configured to substantially prevent air from being expelled out of the outlet when the concentration of the tracer gas exceeds a predetermined threshold; operating the fan to draw air present in the breath of a person into the inlet of the chamber; detecting, using the plurality of sensor elements, the concentration of a tracer gas present in air present in the chamber; when the concentration of the tracer gas exceeds a predetermined threshold, causing the fan to substantially prevent air from being expelled out of the outlet; and detecting, using the plurality of sensor elements, the concentration of the volatile substance present in air present in the chamber.
Specification