AU2010202482B2 - Alcohol Interlock System with Wireless Data Transfer and Emergency Bypass Function - Google Patents

Abstract

Alcohol Interlock System with Wireless Data Transfer and 5 Emergency Bypass Function The invention concerns an interlock system (1) for a vehicle, comprising a breathalyser (4), which is designed 10 to measure the alcohol level of a vehicle's driver, a control unit (2) that is connected to a breathalyser (4), said control unit (2) being designed to enable or prevent the starting of the vehicle depending on the measured alcohol level, a transceiver module (3) that is connected 15 to control unit (2), said transceiver module (3) being designed to wirelessly transmit data to a remotely located control system, or to wirelessly receive data from this control system, in which the transceiver module (3) is, moreover, designed to enable the control unit (2) 20 as a result of wirelessly received data to permit the starting of the vehicle independent of the operating state of the control unit. (Figure 1)

Description

Pool Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2) AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: Alcohol Interlock System with Wireless Data Transfer and Emergency Bypass Function The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: P111ABAU/1207 Alcohol Interlock System with Wireless Data Transfer and Emergency Bypass Function 5 The present invention concerns a device that is designed to prevent the starting of a vehicle or the operation of a machine by an inebriated user. A device of this kind is usually called an alcohol interlock system, or short 10 interlock, and generally embodies the combination of a breathalyser and an immobiliser for a vehicle or machine respectively. An interlock system is usually used to prevent an 15 inebriated driver from starting the engine of a vehicle (car, truck, bus etc.) after a positive breath-alcohol measurement. To achieve this, an interlock system is essentially comprised of two components: a breathalyser, which is usually located inside the vehicle, as well as a 20 control unit that is linked to the breathalyser. Said control unit may, for example, be installed permanently under the instrument panel of the vehicle and is designed to enable or disable the power supply to the vehicle's starter motor. The breathalyser is preferably one that is 25 designed as a hand-held unit, which is connected via an electric cable to the control unit. Alternatively, the hand-held unit may be linked wirelessly to the control unit, for example through infrared, Bluetooth or similar protocols. 30 An interlock system of this kind usually works this way: After switching on the vehicle's ignition, the interlock system requests a breath sample from the driver. The 2 result of the measured breath-alcohol concentration, from which the blood-alcohol level can be determined by way of known algorithms, decides whether the vehicle's starter motor can be enabled to allow the engine to start. 5 It is basically possible to manipulate the functionality of the interlock system in that, for example, the requested alcohol measurement is carried out by a second person who is not the driver to be tested. To prevent 10 this possibility of bypassing the system, known interlock systems usually provide a repeat procedure of the alcohol measurement. That means that the interlock system requires the driver to carry out the alcohol measurement again after a randomly generated time interval. 15 To determine the breath-alcohol concentration, or the blood-alcohol level respectively, the measuring system of an interlock system usually comprises an electro-chemical sensor system such as is also used in police 20 breathalysers. This sensor system reacts very specifically to alcohol, which means that the exhaling of other substances, or cigarette smoke, will not distort the measuring result. 25 All events relevant for the operation, such as, for example, date, time, provision or refusal of a breath sample, measured alcohol concentration, engine starts and stops, electrical bypassing of the interlock system as well as other manipulation attempts are recorded in a 30 memory unit of the interlock system during operation of the vehicle. The obtained data can be compiled to a protocol and, for example, read out on an external computer that is connected via a data transfer cable to 3 the hand-held unit of the interlock system. The readout process may, for example, take place at an authorised workshop, or on location by an authorised technician. 5 The document DE 197 42 261 Al describes a device for blocking the operation of a vehicle by an inebriated user. Here the breathalyser is designed such that it can be attached to a body part (arm or leg) of the driver to measure the blood-alcohol level of the driver by means of 10 an electro-chemical gas sensor via skin permeation. The actual evaluation unit of the device, which is used to enable or disable the vehicle, is mounted permanently inside the vehicle and communicates wirelessly with the measuring unit. 15 The document US 7,256,700 Bl concerns an interlock system that is used to prevent the starting of a vehicle by an inebriated user. The interlock system is coupled with a mobile telephone or similar communication device. The 20 mobile telephone is.used to transmit a spoken message. Moreover, the mobile telephone can also be used to transmit data that is stored in the interlock system. The document US 2007/0273537 Al discloses a combined 25 testing and locating system, which also comprises an interlock system. The interlock system has the already known purpose of preventing the starting of a vehicle by an inebriated user. The system moreover includes an EMHA system (Electronic Monitoring Home Arrest), which can 30 communicate with a remote server via a mobile telephone, for example. This same mobile telephone can also be used to transfer data to the server that is stored in the interlock system.

4 A disadvantage of the known interlock systems is that they cannot be deactivated and reactivated from a remotely located central office. Many interlock systems 5 are not used to prevent a person previously convicted of drunk driving, for example, to start their car under the influence of alcohol. Rather, many interlock systems are used on a voluntary basis, or are used to increase safety in areas such as heavy haulage transport, dangerous goods 10 transport, school buses, coaches or local public or private passenger transport, for example. If, for example, due to a technical defect of the interlock system or an erroneous measurement by the alcohol sensor the starting of the vehicle is prevented, the driver is 15 not in a position to start his vehicle even if he is not under the influence of alcohol. As described previously, the driver of a vehicle is requested by the interlock system to carry out an alcohol 20 test usually not only at the beginning of a trip but also during a trip at irregular and randomly determined time intervals. If a fault suddenly occurs in the interlock system it can happen that a dangerous goods transporter, for example, stops on a freeway and cannot be started. 25 The enabling or disabling of the defective interlock system can in such an instance only be carried out on location on the vehicle's interlock system itself. This would be done by a specifically trained and authorised technician who drives to the "stopped" vehicle and by 30 means of a computer, for example, which has to be connected with a data cable to a corresponding interface of the interlock system, enters a secret deactivation code into the interlock system. This releases or 5 deactivates the interlock system and the vehicle's engine can be started without the need to carry out another alcohol level check. (However, this is only possible if there is no hardware defect that prevents communication 5 with the interlock system entirely.) The interlock system must then be repaired and reactivated in a workshop. If no technician is available, the vehicle has to be towed to an authorised repair shop so that the interlock system can be released or deactivated. Both solutions take a 10 significant amount of time and lead to high consequential costs. Thus it is the object of the present invention to provide an interlock system with which the above-named 15 disadvantages can be overcome. A particular object of the invention is to provide an interlock system that is designed to prevent the starting of a vehicle or the operation of a machine by an inebriated driver or operator respectively, and which is designed to transmit 20 data located in the interlock system wirelessly to a remotely located control system and/or to transmit data wirelessly from a remotely located control system to the interlock system. 25 It is a further object of the present invention to deactivate (release or bypass) and/or to reactivate the interlock system wirelessly from a remotely located control system. 30 These and further objects are met by the interlock system with the characteristics of claim 1. The dependent claims describe advantageous and preferred further developments of the interlock system according to the invention.

6 As described above, an interlock system is a breathalyser coupled with an immobiliser. The alcohol measurement is usually done through a breath-alcohol measurement, 5 although this is not a necessary prerequisite for the interlock system according to the invention. Other methods of alcohol measurement can be used in principle for the interlock system according to the invention, such as the measurement of the alcohol concentration via skin 10 permeation. The aim of the interlock system according to the invention is to prevent an inebriated driver from starting the engine of the vehicle in which the interlock system is installed. Alcohol-related accidents can be prevented through the installation of the interlock 15 system. Moreover, the interlock system is suited to support long-term behavioural changes of the driver in relation to alcohol. The practical application is generally such that the 20 driver of the vehicle is requested by the interlock system to carry out an alcohol measurement when attempting to start the vehicle. Depending on the result of this measurement (that is, the alcohol level) the signal path to the starter motor of the engine is 25 completed and the driver is able to start the engine. All relevant processes in connection with the use of the interlock system in the vehicle are stored in the memory of the interlock system. This memory can be read at any 30 time by authorised persons or organisations. The memory can be read at regular intervals (once a month, for example) at authorised service centres within the scope of programs for drink drivers, for example. The data is 7 then processed by data management software, and the relevant information is then transmitted to a monitoring centre (e.g. probation officer) by e-mail, SMS, mobile telephone or Fax, for example. 5 There is, moreover, the possibility to reduce the length of the "service period" if certain events occur (such as a failed breath test), which would force an earlier than normal trip to the service centre. 10 Basically, a technical defect of the interlock system can cause the immobilisation of the vehicle. In such an instance the interlock system is usually bypassed. This may mean that the vehicle has to be towed to a service 15 centre, or that a technician has to drive to the stopped vehicle to correct the defect or to bypass the interlock function. As explained previously, the memory of known interlock 20 systems can only be read in regular intervals at a service centre, for example. This causes a time delay (4 weeks, for example) between the registration of an error in the memory and the informing of monitoring centres or supervisory authorities. The advantage of the interlock 25 system of the present invention lies in that the said time delay can be shortened to enable a quick reaction to inappropriate behaviour of the driver, and/or to grant an authorised person (e.g. the probation officer) direct access to the data stored in the interlock system. This 30 advantage is made possible through wireless communication between the interlock system and a remotely located control system.

8 A further advantage of the interlock system according to the invention lies in that the further operation of the vehicle in the event of a technical defect of the interlock system is made possible, and/or that certain 5 service procedures have to be carried out on the interlock system without the necessity of having to drive to a service centre. It is important to note here that the bypassing of the interlock function to continue the trip in case of a malfunction of the interlock system 10 cannot be implemented by the driver only, but that at least one authorised person or institution participates in the release. The release or deactivation of the interlock system and its subsequent reactivation also takes place through wireless communication between the 15 interlock system and the authorised person or institution that has access to the control system. The control system, or generally called tracking system, may be a database accessible via a computer, or simply a mobile telephone or Fax machine. The present invention also 20 provides that the release functionality in particular in case of a defective interlock system is not part of the (potentially defective) interlock system, but that the said release functionality is adapted to the interlock system. 25 The present invention has been described above for application in a motor vehicle generally. It must be understood, however, that the interlock system according to the invention can equally be used to prevent an 30 inebriated user from operating a machine. Examples of such machines are large construction plant, machines in industrial and/or chemical factories or power stations, etc.

9 The present invention is now described by way of an application example in a motor vehicle with reference to Figure 1, which depicts a block diagram of the interlock 5 system according to the invention. The interlock system 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises essentially a control unit 2 that is connected to the ignition system of a motor vehicle, a module 3 for 10 wireless data transmission, and a hand-held unit 4 for alcohol measurement. The control unit 2 is connected via the two connections 5, 6 to the battery of the vehicle (not shown) in which the interlock system 1 is installed. The components of the control unit are contained in a 15 solid housing, which is preferably attached behind the instrument panel of the vehicle or in another difficult to access and safe section of the vehicle. All essential components of control unit 2 are preferably located on a printed circuit board 7. These components include a relay 20 8, or an appropriate switching means (e.g., thyristor, MOSFET, etc), which is preferably integrated via electrical connection 9 into the power or control circuit of the starter motor (not shown) . Relay 8, for example, can be connected in form of an On/Off switch in series to 25 the starter motor, to the starter motor relay or a corresponding component of the electronic starting circuit. Thus, the vehicle's engine can only be started once relay 8 is "on", that is, the contact is closed. As mentioned previously, it will be apparent to an expert in 30 the field that instead of relay 8 also other switching means can be provided, such as power transistors, thyristors, MOSFETs, etc. It is, moreover, not absolutely necessary that relay 8 is connected into the power supply 10 circuit of the starter motor, or the starter motor relay of the vehicle's engine. Depending on the type of engine and the kind of motor control unit, other configurations are possible. Of importance is only that it is possible 5 to prevent the engine from starting via relay 8 or a corresponding switching means. Thus control unit 2 may form part of the electronic starting circuit, in which the relay/switching means 8 is then realised by a relevant switching element of the electronic starting 10 circuit. Moreover, a breathalyser 4 is connected electrically to control unit 2. The breathalyser 4 is preferably provided in form of a hand-held unit 4. The hand-held unit may, 15 for example, be a "Druger Interlock XT" hand-held unit, which is connected to the control unit via a power or data cable 10. Nevertheless, the connection may also be wireless, such as via infrared, Bluetooth etc. The hand held unit 4 usually comprises an exchangeable mouth piece 20 that is attached to the alcohol sensor. Furthermore, a display and multiple operating keys may be provided. The alcohol sensor may be connected to an electronic evaluation circuit for determining the alcohol level from the measured breath-alcohol concentration. 25 If a driver intends to start his vehicle, which is fitted with an interlock system, he must first switch on the ignition with the ignition key. The display of the hand held unit 4 then shows (an additional acoustic signal may 30 be provided) the request to blow into the mouth piece of the hand-held unit 4. The breath-alcohol concentration or the alcohol level respectively is now measured through the alcohol sensor. If said alcohol level lies within the 11 defined limits a release takes place, which is displayed by a message on the hand-held unit. (An additional acoustic signal may also be provided.) The driver is then able to start the engine with the ignition key. When 5 measuring the alcohol concentration/alcohol level, the alcohol sensor or the electronic evaluation circuit respectively generates a signal, which is transmitted from the hand-held unit 4 via data cable 10 to the control unit. If the measured breath-alcohol 10 concentration or the alcohol level respectively is within the defined limits, the electronic control unit (evaluation unit) of the control unit 2 generates a corresponding control signal to "switch on" relay 8 in the ignition circuit between battery and starter motor. 15 If the measured concentration lies outside those limits, relay 8 remains off, which prevents the starting of the engine. The defined limit range within which the staring of the engine is permissible is stored in a memory of the control unit itself or in the hand-held unit. Said limit 20 range may be set, and of course also changed, by an authorised person or an authorised organisation respectively. Moreover, all relevant data such as time of starting attempt, measured breath-alcohol concentration, possible manipulation attempts etc. are also stored in a 25 memory of control unit 2 or in hand-held unit 4 and may be read by the authorised person or authorised organisation respectively. The entering or reading of data may take place with the aid of a data cable that is connected to control unit 2 or hand-held unit 4, or may 30 occur wirelessly, which will be explained in detail later.

12 As is apparent from Figure 1, control unit 2 is provided with an interface to which a signal plug 11 can be attached. Said signal plug is connected via a data cable 12 to a further signal plug 13, which can be attached to 5 an interface on module 3. Module 3 is preferably a component that is separate from control unit 2, but may preferably be mechanically attached to the housing of the control unit. It is, 10 moreover, possible that the interfaces of control unit and module are designed as male/female connectors respectively so that the control unit and the module can be connected electrically directly to each other without data cable and plugs. The connection between control unit 15 and module may, however, also be accomplished via one or more terminals or similar connection methods so that the installation effort in the workshop is reduced to a minimum. Furthermore it is possible that control unit 2 and module 3 are implemented on the same printed circuit 20 board, which is mounted in a "common" housing. In this instance the coupling between hand-held unit 4 and control unit/module 2, 3 is preferably wireless since the housing that contains the integrated control unit 2 and module 3 is preferably installed permanently inside the 25 vehicle (for example under the instrument panel or in the engine compartment). Module 3 contains all important components for a wireless data transfer from/to a not depicted, remotely located 30 control system (computer/server/mobile telephone of an authorised person or organisation, for example) as well as an additional relay 14 for the purpose of bypassing relay 8 of control unit 2 in interlock system 1 in the 13 instance of a malfunction. The electrical connection (depicted as connector 11, 13 and data cable 12) between control unit 2 and module 3 comprises at least a power supply, a data connection as well as two connections with 5 which relay 14 is connected in parallel to relay 8 of the control unit to bypass relay 8. The components required for a wireless transmission (for example via UMTS, GSM, GPRS etc.) are shown in Figure 1 10 collectively by the block "transmitter/receiver" 15, or later simply called "transceiver". The transceiver module 3, or the transceiver 15 respectively, makes it possible to read the contents of a memory 16 in the transceiver module 3, or a memory 17 in control unit 2 (fully or 15 partially), without the need to visit a workshop. The memory 16 may be located in the module (as shown) or in control unit 2 (memory 17) . In the latter instance the data transmission from control unit 2 to module 3 takes place via the data wire(s) of the data cable 12. The 20 communication protocols required for data transmission depend on the type of communication used (UMTS, GSM, GPRS etc.) and are known to the expert in the field. Data transmission may take place in regular intervals, or be triggered by a certain event (for example an unsuccessful 25 breath test, a certain number of breath tests above a certain limit, a manipulation attempt registered by the interlock, the expiry of a service period or a calibration period etc.), or triggered with a signal (for example via SMS or through a suitable different protocol) 30 to the interlock system or to module 3 respectively. The data is then transferred from memory 16 or 17 of the interlock system to a tracking system (control system, 14 data management system, etc.). This tracking system stores and possibly processes the data. In the instance of a driver's wrong action (unsuccessful 5 alcohol test, manipulation attempt etc.) notification can be sent directly from the interlock system 1 to the responsible supervisors (or to the responsible organisation respectively) to a mobile telephone or via e-mail or Fax, for example, independent of the 10 transmission of data from memory 16 or 17. As shown in Figure 1, and as described above, module 3 is connected to control unit 2 of the interlock system 1 via a data cable 12 or another suitable connection. The power 15 supply for module 3 is taken from a position upstream of the connection point of the power supply for the electronic circuit of control unit 2 at the connections 5 and 6. That means that control unit 2 of the interlock system and module 3 for wireless data transmission are 20 connected in parallel in the preferred exemplary embodiment shown. This parallel connection provides a power supply for module 3 that is independent from the control unit, which ensures the functioning of module 3 even if control unit 2 is completely defective. 25 The depicted embodiment of the interlock system provides a so-called enabling relay 8 inside control unit 2, which interrupts the connection between the ignition lock and the starter motor of the engine until a valid breath 30 alcohol concentration measurement and a measuring result is available, which then enables the starting process. If the interlock system 1, and in particular control unit 2, is defective, the situation can arise where relay 8 can 15 no longer be activated and the driver is no longer able to start the engine of his vehicle. This situation is corrected with the described "bypass relay" 14, which forms part of module 3 and is connected in parallel to 5 the actual enabling relay 8 of the interlock system. Through this OR connection of the two relays 8 and 14 it is possible to bypass a blocked interlock system in that the bypass relay 14 is closed. The bypass relay 14 is 10 triggered through wireless data transmission between module 3 and the remotely located control system. Two preferred embodiments are possible for this. In a first embodiment module 3 comprises a transmitter/receiver (transceiver) in the form of a mobile telephone sub 15 module 15. Module 3 is thus able to receive an SMS (Short Message Service), for example, and to verify the sender as well as the content of the SMS. In this embodiment the driver of the vehicle has to contact an authorised person or organisation to carry out the bypass. This 20 organisation may, for example, be the probation officer, the employer or another institution. This institution sends, for example, an SMS via a previously defined mobile telephone with an enabling code to the mobile telephone sub-module 15 of the interlock module 3. The 25 executable software stored in module 3 then checks whether the enabling code of the sending mobile telephone is authorised. Methods are used to achieve this that are known to the expert in the field and are thus not explained in detail. After recognising and confirming the 30 authorisation of the enabling code, module 3 bypasses the open connection of the starter motor circuit with bypass relay 14 in that said bypass relay 14, which is connected 16 in parallel to the "defective" or open enabling relay 8, is closed. As soon as the interlock system, or relay 8 respectively, 5 is bypassed with module 3, or relay 14 respectively, an entry into memory 17 is made (provided that the defect in the control unit still permits that) via the data cable to the control unit of the interlock system, or an entry into the memory 16 respectively, so that this bypass is 10 registered as an "authorised intervention". As is apparent from the description so far, the memory 16 can be provided directly inside module 3 and/or a memory 17 can be provided in the control module 2 itself. 15 In another preferred embodiment the enabling code is transmitted via GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) . If GPRS is used, the amount of information transmitted in one lot is potentially larger, which permits not only the transmission of an enabling code of practically unlimited 20 length, but also additional information. This may include, amongst others, the time-limitation of the bypass. Furthermore, wireless data transmission makes it possible 25 to carry out "remote maintenance", that is, self diagnosis of the interlock system or a resetting of timers and locks (for example, if the interlock was set to "lockout mode" after infringements, which no longer permits further starting of the vehicle). Moreover, 30 service information in the interlock memory 16 and/or 17 as well as parameter settings (such as limit values etc.) can be read and overwritten, and software updates can be carried out.

17 The breathalyser 4 has been described above as a breath alcohol measuring device. However, instead of the breath alcohol measuring device a "transcutaneous" alcohol 5 measuring device may be used, which is attached to a body part of the person to be monitored. Such a measuring device permits the continuous monitoring of the blood alcohol level during operation of the vehicle. This measuring device can be worn hidden on the body, for 10 example on the leg of a person where it is covered by the trouser leg. It is also effective to attach the measuring device to the right forearm. It is advantageous to provide a wireless connection between the transcutaneous alcohol measuring device and the control unit, which 15 comprises the relevant evaluation unit. Suitable transmission systems are for this are those that operate optically, magnetically or with high frequencies. It is expedient here to make the transmission bidirectional to enable reciprocating data communication between the 20 transcutaneous measuring device and the evaluation unit of the interlock system.

Claims (12)

1. An interlock system for a vehicle, comprising: an alcohol tester, for measuring an alcohol level of a driver of the vehicle; 5 a control device coupled with said alcohol tester for allowing starting of the vehicle or preventing the vehicle from being started depending on the measured alcohol level; and a transceiver module coupled with said control device for sending data to a remotely located control system in a wireless manner, said transceiver module 10 releasing said control device in response to data received in a wireless manner in order to allow starting of the vehicle regardless of an operating state of said control device, said control device having a switching device coupled with a starter of the vehicle, said switching device being switched by means of an analyzing unit of said control device depending on the measured alcohol level, 15 said transceiver module having a transceiver module switching device connected in parallel to said switching device of said control device, said transceiver module switching device being switched in response to data received in a wireless manner.

2. An interlock system according to claim 1, wherein said alcohol tester is a 20 breath alcohol tester comprising a hand-held device connected to said control device via an electric cable.

3. An interlock system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said control device turns on or blocks a power supply to the starter of the vehicle depending on the measured alcohol level. 25

4. An interlock system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,wherein said transceiver module is connected to said control device via an electric cable, wherein said electric cable has at least one data line, power supply lines and lines for bypassing said switching device provided in said control device and coupled with the starter of the vehicle. 19

5. An interlock system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of said transceiver module and said control device have a memory written to and read by means of wireless data transmission.

6. An interlock system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said 5 transceiver module is releasing said control device in response to data received in a wireless manner has a time limitation or a duration of release is reported to said transceiver module by means of data transmitted in a wireless manner.

7. An interlock system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein maintenance of the interlock system and/or a self-test of the interlock system can 10 be performed by means of wireless data transmission, wherein the result of the self-test and/or individual checked values are transmitted to said control system in a wireless manner.

8. An interlock system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein parameter settings of the interlock system can be modified and/or software 15 updates of the interlock system can be performed by means of wireless data transfer.

9. An interlock system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said wireless data transmission takes place at regular intervals or is triggered by a certain event. 20

10. An interlock system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said control device and said transceiver module are embodied on a common printed circuit board.

11. An interlock system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said transceiver module is coupled directly with said control device and is electrically 25 connected to said control device by means of corresponding connections. 20

12. An interlock system according to claim 1, wherein the switching device comprises semiconductor switching means comprising one or more power transistors, thyristors or MOSFETs. DRAEGER SAFETY AG & CO KGAA WATERMARK PATENT AND TRADE MARKS ATTORNEYS P32912AUOO