Vehicle ignition interlock systems with multiple alcohol sensors

• US 7,287,617 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monitech, LLC (LMG Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Monitech, LLC (LMG Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, James R., McMillin, Brian, Edwards, Jimmy H., Mobley, Larry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEBB, TIFFANY LOUISE
• Application Number:
  US11/113,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20060237254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 180/272, 180/279, 180/271, 180/735, 340/576, 340/573.1, 340/561, 340/522, 732/33, 436/132, 436/900, 600/532, 422/84, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 180/272
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06

Abstract

A vehicle ignition interlock system includes a breath analyzer and a controller operably connected to the breath analyzer and to an ignition system of the vehicle. The breath analyzer detects breath alcohol level of a vehicle operator and prevents vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level is greater than or equal to a threshold value. The controller requires the vehicle operator to periodically take breath analyzer “retests” after vehicle ignition in order to allow vehicle operation to continue. The breath analyzer includes first and second alcohol sensors. The second alcohol sensor is a backup for the first alcohol sensor and becomes operational if the first alcohol sensor malfunctions. The first or second alcohol sensors may be a mouth contamination sensor that distinguishes between mouth contaminants and alcohol contained within a deep lung breath sample. The system also includes sensors configured to detect impact (abuse) and vehicle motion.

Claims

1. A vehicle ignition interlock system, comprising:

a breath analyzer located within a vehicle, wherein the breath analyzer comprises first and second alcohol sensors, each configured to detect breath alcohol levels of an operator of the vehicle, wherein the second alcohol sensor is a backup for the first alcohol sensor and becomes operational if the first alcohol sensor malfunctions; and

a controller operably connected to the first and second alcohol sensors and to an ignition system of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to compare breath alcohol levels of the vehicle operator, as detected by either of the first or second alcohol sensor, with a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level detected by the breath analyzer is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

2. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 1, wherein the first and second alcohol sensors are selected from the group consisting of fuel cell sensors, infrared sensors, and metal oxide semiconductor sensors.

3. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface operably connected to the controller, wherein the controller displays operational messages via the user interface.

4. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface operably connected to the controller, wherein the controller provides audible operational messages and prompts via the user interface.

5. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 4, wherein the controller provides voice messages in one or more languages via the user interface.

6. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 1, further comprising a user selectable option that allows an individual to perform a breath alcohol test via the breath analyzer without enabling the vehicle ignition system.

7. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 1, further comprising an operator identification device operably connected to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to verify the identity of the vehicle operator via the operator identification device.

8. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 7, wherein the operator identification device comprises a fingerprint identification device.

9. A vehicle ignition interlock system, comprising:

a breath analyzer located within a vehicle, wherein the breath analyzer comprises first and second alcohol sensors, each configured to detect breath alcohol levels of an operator of the vehicle, wherein the second alcohol sensor is a backup for the first alcohol sensor and becomes operational if the first alcohol sensor malfunctions, and wherein at least one of the first and second alcohol sensors is a mouth contamination sensor that is configured to distinguish between contaminants in the mouth of a vehicle operator and alcohol contained within a deep lung breath sample; and

a controller operably connected to the first and second alcohol sensors and to an ignition system of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to compare breath alcohol levels of the vehicle operator, as detected by either of the first or second alcohol sensor, with a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level detected by the breath analyzer is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

10. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 9, wherein the first and second alcohol sensors are selected from the group consisting of fuel cell sensors, infrared sensors, and metal oxide semiconductor sensors.

11. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to trigger a breath alcohol retest of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer in response to detecting the presence of a contaminant within the mouth of the vehicle operator.

12. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 9, wherein the mouth contamination sensor comprises a metal oxide semiconductor sensor.

13. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 12, wherein the mouth contamination sensor comprises a Taguchi sensor.

14. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 9, wherein the mouth contamination sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

15. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to require periodic breath alcohol tests of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer, and wherein the controller is configured to increase the frequency of the periodic breath alcohol tests of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer in response to detecting the presence of a contaminant within the mouth of the vehicle operator.

16. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 9, further comprising a user interface operably connected to the controller, wherein the controller displays operational messages via the user interface.

17. A vehicle ignition interlock system, comprising:

a breath analyzer located within a vehicle, wherein the breath analyzer comprises first and second alcohol sensors, each configured to detect breath alcohol levels of an operator of the vehicle, wherein the first alcohol sensor is a fuel cell sensor, wherein the second alcohol sensor is a metal oxide semiconductor sensor, wherein the second alcohol sensor is a backup for the first alcohol sensor and becomes operational if the first alcohol sensor malfunctions, and wherein at least one of the first and second alcohol sensors is a mouth contamination sensor that is configured to distinguish between contaminants in the mouth of a vehicle operator and alcohol contained within a deep lung breath sample; and

a controller operably connected to the first and second alcohol sensors and to an ignition system of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to compare breath alcohol levels of the vehicle operator, as detected by either of the first or second alcohol sensor, with a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level detected by the breath analyzer is greater than or equal to the threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to require periodic breath alcohol tests of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer, and wherein the controller is configured to increase the frequency of the periodic breath alcohol tests of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer in response to detecting the presence of a contaminant within the mouth of the vehicle operator.

18. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 17, wherein the second alcohol sensor comprises a Taguchi sensor.

19. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to trigger a breath alcohol retest of the vehicle operator via the breath analyzer in response to detecting the presence of a contaminant within the mouth of the vehicle operator.

20. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 17, further comprising a user interface operably connected to the controller, wherein the controller displays operational messages via the user interface.

21. A vehicle ignition interlock system, comprising:

a breath analyzer located within a vehicle, wherein the breath analyzer is configured to detect breath alcohol levels of an operator of the vehicle;

an impact sensor that is configured to detect impact events experienced by one or more portions of the vehicle ignition interlock system;

a controller operably connected to the breath analyzer, to the impact sensor, and to an ignition system of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to compare detected breath alcohol levels of the vehicle operator with a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level detected by the breath analyzer is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and wherein the controller is configured to record impact events detected by the impact sensor.

22. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to provide a message to the vehicle operator in response to the impact sensor detecting an impact event.

23. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 22, further comprising a user interface operably connected to the controller, and wherein the controller provides a message to the vehicle operator via the user interface in response to the impact sensor detecting an impact event.

24. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 22, wherein the message is an audio message.

25. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 24, wherein the controller provides the audio message comprises a voice message in one or more languages.

26. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 21, wherein the impact sensor comprises an accelerometer.

27. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 21, further comprising a motion detector in communication with the controller, wherein the motion detector is configured to detect vehicle motion.

28. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 27, wherein the motion detector is selected from the group consisting of GPS devices, accelerometers, and gyroscopic motion sensors.

29. A vehicle ignition interlock system, comprising:

a breath analyzer located within a vehicle, wherein the breath analyzer is configured to detect breath alcohol levels of an operator of the vehicle;

a motion detector device configured to detect vehicle motion;

a controller operably connected to the breath analyzer, to the motion detector device, and to an ignition system of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to compare detected breath alcohol levels of the vehicle operator with a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level detected by the breath analyzer is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

30. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 29, wherein the controller is configured to provide a message to the vehicle operator in response to detecting movement of the vehicle via the motion detector device and to detecting that the breath alcohol level of the operator has not been measured within a predetermined period of time.

31. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 30, further comprising a user interface operably connected to the controller, and wherein the controller provides a message to the vehicle operator via the user interface in response to detecting movement of the vehicle via the motion detector device.

32. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 30, wherein the message is an audio message.

33. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 32, wherein the controller provides the audio message comprises a voice message in one or more languages.

34. The vehicle ignition interlock system of claim 29, wherein the motion detector is selected from the group consisting of GPS devices, accelerometers, and gyroscopic motion sensors.