67 results about "Breath alcohol" patented technology

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 controller compares detected breath alcohol levels of the vehicle operator with a threshold value, and is configured to prevent vehicle ignition if a breath alcohol level detected by the breath analyzer is greater than or equal to a threshold value. The controller also requires the vehicle operator to periodically take breath analyzer retests after vehicle ignition in order to allow vehicle operation to continue. The controller can reduce the frequency of periodic retests in response to one or more retests when the breath alcohol level of the vehicle operator is below a threshold value. The system may include a transdermal alcohol sensor, a mouth contamination sensor, a mouth contamination sensor, and redundant alcohol sensors.

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 the breath alcohol level of a vehicle operator and is configured to prevent 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 also includes 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 of the vehicle operator. The controller may require 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.

A device, a system and a process is provided for the use of a breath alcohol-measuring device (1) with improved personal identification. The breath alcohol-measuring device (1) is combined with a pulse oscillometer (4) such that the initially measured values of the complex airway resistance of a test subject are stored in an evaluating and control unit (3) connected to the breath alcohol-measuring device (1) and to the pulse oscillometer (4) and compared to subsequently measured values of a test subject. A breath alcohol measurement is released and / or a vehicle immobilizer (2) is actuated in case of agreement of stored values with subsequently measured values.

A process is provided for distinguishing between wet from dry gas with a breath alcohol measuring device, in which a defined sample volume from a gas blown in is fed for sampling to an electrochemical sensor (6), which generates a sensor signal that depends on the reaction of ethyl alcohol. The sensor signal is sent to a control and evaluating unit (4) and is evaluated there to determine the alcohol concentration. To distinguish dry gas from wet gas, provisions are made for the sensor signal to be detected in its time dependence and for the presence of wet gas to be determined when it is observed that a sensor signal of a polarity opposite the polarity of the sensor signal caused by the reaction of ethyl alcohol appeared at first at the beginning of sampling. The process may be used, e.g., in conjunction with the calibration of breath alcohol measuring devices or in so-called interlock systems with a breath alcohol measuring device in order to recognize attempts at manipulation.

An system for monitoring alcohol in the breath of a test client confirms the identity of the test client based on spirometric data. The system includes a sample chamber receiving a breath sample, an alcohol sensor measuring the alcohol content of the breath sample, and a spirometric sensor generating spirometric data from the breath sample over the test client's entire exhalatory phase. A processor analyzes the spirometric data with stored client characterization data for a known client to confirm the identity of the test client. The client characterization data can be a probability density in a phase space in which at least two spirometric variables (e.g., flow and volume time-series data) are correlated.

A breath alcohol measuring device (7) is provided with features for superior handling especially of the replaceable mouthpiece (1). A direct physical contact between the test subject being tested and the measuring device is practically ruled out by the combination. The mouthpiece (1) of the breath alcohol measuring device (7) has a trapezoidal cross section, which is complementary to a corresponding negative shape in a holder (6) of the breath alcohol measuring device (7) for the flush mounting of the mouthpiece (1).

The apparatus is for use with a motor vehicle operated by a driver and includes a scanning device and a computing facility. The scanning device, in use, gathers information about the eye activity of the driver. The computing facility determines, based on the information gathered, whether the driver is watching the road. The determination can include one or more of: ascertaining an orientation of at least one of the driver's eyes; and ascertaining an orientation of the head of the driver. The computing facility can be defined by a microprocessor. If the facility determines that the driver is not watching the road, the facility can trigger an alarm state of the vehicle. The apparatus can be employed for persons convicted of driving while texting in a manner analogous to the manner in which breath alcohol ignition interlocks are employed for persons convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol.