BREATH ALCOHOL-MEASURING DEVICE, PROCESS AND SYSTEM

Abstract

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.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the most important components of a device and system with a breath alcohol-measuring device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings in particular, the breath alcohol-measuring device/system of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The breath alcohol-measuring device/system includes a breath alcohol-measuring device 1, a vehicle immobilizer (system shutoff/lock) 2, an evaluating and control unit 3, as well as a pulse oscillometer 4. The breath alcohol-measuring device 1 and the pulse oscillometer 4 may be embodied in one assembly unit generally designated 10. A test subject is connected by a breathing tube to the breath alcohol-measuring device 1 and to the pulse oscillometer 4. The pulse oscillometer 4 includes an external pulse generator 5 (generating pulses with a loudspeaker membrane) as well as a pressure sensor 6 and a flow sensor 7. The pressure sensor 6 and the flow sensor 7 are operatively (electrically, wirelessly, etc.) connected to the control unit 3. The breath alcohol measuring device 1 is operatively (electrically, wirelessly, etc.) connected to the control unit 3. The control unit 3 is operatively (electrically, wirelessly, etc.) connected to the vehicle immobilizer 2.

The personal identification of the driver, who is also called the test subject, is carried out by means of the pulse oscillometer 4 in the same breath as for the expired sample. The breath alcohol measurement takes place in the breath alcohol-measuring device 1. The driver's complex airway resistance, comprising a real portion, which represents the flow resistance proper, and an imaginary portion, which represents a blind resistance characteristic of the particular person, is suitable for the identification of the driver based on the characteristic behavior depending on a pressure surge imposed on the respiratory system from the outside. The resulting pressure-flow signal measured is generated in pulse oscillometry by the external pulse generator 5 as part of the pulse oscillometer 4, for example, by a correspondingly actuated loudspeaker membrane. The characteristic response of the particular, person-specific respiratory system is thereupon measured. The complex airway resistance of the particular driver or test subject is determined in a separate initial measurement and measured for each subsequent breath sample and compared to characteristic values stored in the evaluating and control unit 3. The vehicle immobilizer 2 is released in case of identity of the values.

The test subject, whose complex airway resistance is to be determined, breathes breathing air, for example, via a Y-piece with pressure and flow sensor 6, 7. The sensors record the signals of the total pressure and total flow, comprising a component that goes back to the spontaneous respiration and the superimposed pulse signal. The connected evaluating and control unit 3 separates the pulse signals from the respiration by a time and frequency analysis, especially a Fourier analysis.

The breath alcohol-measuring device 1 is preferably combined with the pulse oscillometer 4 in one assembly unit.

The breath alcohol-measuring device 1 contains, for example, an electrochemical measuring cell or an infrared optical measuring arrangement.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A breath alcohol-measuring process, comprising: providing a breath alcohol-measuring device;providing a pulse oscillometer;operating the pulse oscillometer in combination with the breath alcohol-measuring device such that an initial measurement of the airway resistance of a test subject is performed at first by means of the pulse oscillometer and measurement values of the test subject are stored;during each subsequent measurement comparing the stored values to currently measured values;releasing or accepting a subsequent breath alcohol measurement only if the currently measured values agree with the stored values.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein comparing the stored values includes an evaluation of the measured values carried out in a frequency-dependent manner for pressure and flow values.

3. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein pressure surges generated by means of said pulse oscillometer have a frequency in the range of 1 Hz to 50 Hz.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1, further comprising providing a vehicle immobilizer and actuating the vehicle immobilizer as a function of the result of the breath alcohol measurement.

5. A device for breath alcohol-measuring, the device comprising: a breath alcohol-measuring device for providing a breath alcohol measurement;a pulse oscillometer for providing initially measured values of the complex airway resistance of a test subject and providing subsequently measured values of the complex airway resistance;an evaluating and control unit connected to said breath alcohol-measuring device and connected to said pulse oscillometer, said evaluating and control unit comparing said initially measured values to said subsequently measured values and releasing or accepting a breath alcohol measurement.

6. A device according to claim 5, further comprising: a vehicle immobilizer connected to said evaluating and control unit, said vehicle immobilizer being released and/or actuated based on a breath alcohol measurement in the case of agreement between stored values and subsequently measured values.

7. A device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said breath alcohol-measuring device and said pulse oscillometer are embodied in one assembly unit.

8. A device in accordance with claim 7, further comprising a vehicle immobilizer wherein said breath alcohol-measuring device is connected to said vehicle immobilizer.

9. A breath alcohol-measuring system comprising: a breath alcohol-measuring device for providing a breath alcohol measurement;a pulse oscillometer for providing initially measured values of the complex airway resistance of a test subject and providing subsequently measured values of the complex airway resistance;an evaluating and control unit connected to said breath alcohol-measuring device and connected to said pulse oscillometer, said evaluating and control unit providing test subject personal identification based on a comparison of one or more of said initially measured values with one or more of said subsequently measured values.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein based on test subject personal identification or inability to provide test subject personal identification, said evaluating and control unit releases or accepts a breath alcohol measurement.

11. A device according to claim 10, further comprising: a vehicle immobilizer connected to said evaluating and control unit, said vehicle immobilizer being released and/or actuated based on a breath alcohol measurement in the case of agreement between stored values and subsequently measured values.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said breath alcohol-measuring device and said pulse oscillometer are embodied in one assembly unit.