AU5501200A - Means and procedure for measuring breath alcohol content - Google Patents
Means and procedure for measuring breath alcohol content Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- AU5501200A AU5501200A AU55012/00A AU5501200A AU5501200A AU 5501200 A AU5501200 A AU 5501200A AU 55012/00 A AU55012/00 A AU 55012/00A AU 5501200 A AU5501200 A AU 5501200A AU 5501200 A AU5501200 A AU 5501200A
- Authority
- AU
- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- concentration
- breath alcohol
- sensor
- measuring
- evaluator unit
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 206010006326 Breath odour Diseases 0.000 title claims description 30
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 13
- 230000000241 respiratory effect Effects 0.000 claims description 18
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 claims description 14
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000005070 sampling Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 235000009917 Crataegus X brevipes Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 235000013204 Crataegus X haemacarpa Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 235000009685 Crataegus X maligna Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 235000009444 Crataegus X rubrocarnea Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 235000009486 Crataegus bullatus Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 235000017181 Crataegus chrysocarpa Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 235000009682 Crataegus limnophila Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 235000004423 Crataegus monogyna Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 240000000171 Crataegus monogyna Species 0.000 claims 1
- 235000002313 Crataegus paludosa Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 235000009840 Crataegus x incaedua Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 230000001960 triggered effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 25
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 3
- LFQSCWFLJHTTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethanol Chemical compound CCO LFQSCWFLJHTTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000036962 time dependent Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000008280 blood Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000004369 blood Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 238000007664 blowing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005494 condensation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009833 condensation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000006735 deficit Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011156 evaluation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000010354 integration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013208 measuring procedure Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920002994 synthetic fiber Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000013519 translation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005406 washing Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
- G01N33/48—Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
- G01N33/483—Physical analysis of biological material
- G01N33/497—Physical analysis of biological material of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
- G01N33/4972—Determining alcohol content
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/08—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs
- A61B5/083—Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
- A61B5/0836—Measuring rate of CO2 production
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/08—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs
- A61B5/097—Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
Description
orrluuiju 1 1 ZLWS/U Regulation 3.2(2)
AUSTRALIA
Patents Act 1990
ORIGINAL
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: MEANS AND PROCEDURE FOR MEASURING BREATH ALCOHOL CONTfENTf The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us Translation from German of Patent Application 199 41 586.2 Means and procedure for measuring breath alcohol content The invention concerns a means for measuring breath alcohol content according to characterising clause of Claim 1 and a procedure for measuring breath alcohol content according to characterising clause of Claim 7.
Measuring of breath alcohol content is known and is conducted using various measuring methods. For example, the generic US 5,376,555 describes a measuring device using an infrared measuring cell which features one infrared radiation source and three associated infrared radiation detectors. In this device both the breath alcohol concentration and the CO2 concentration are recorded continuously, while the third infrared radiation detector serves as a reference detector for recording and calculating the overall intensity of the radiation emitted by the infrared radiation source. The formation of the differential between the two measured gas concentrations is designed to ensure that only the alveolar breath alcohol concentration correlating with the blood alcohol concentration is evaluated, while the mouth alcohol concentration is not recorded at all.
Breath analysing devices of this type have been in use for several years especially in automobiles, where they serve the purpose of preventing operation (departure stop) depending on the breath alcohol concentration reading of the driver.
In this situation it is particularly important to have a means for determining whether a proper exhaling action suitable for taking a reading was effected, or whether the exhaled air was changed by a an act of manipulation, such as blowing through a washing bottle, air supply from an air tank or similar means, resulting in a false breath alcohol reading.
The objective of the invention is to propose a device of the type mentioned above as well as an associated 10 procedure, by means of which it is possible to recognise any acts of manipulation during the breath alcohol measuring procedure. The task is solved by means of the characteristics according to Claim 1 for the device according to the invention and by means of the.
characteristics according to Claim 7 for the associated procedure according to the invention. The subordinate claims contain preferred embodiments of the means according to Claim 1 or preferred examples of the procedure according to Claim 7.
An essential advantage of the invention is the fact that the measured CO 2 concentration of the respiratory gases constitutes a unique parameter for air exhaled by a human being. A CO 2 sensor with a fast response time is used, preferably in the form of an infrared sensor so that the COz concentration is measured as the respiratory gas is exhaled.
Below an embodiment of the invented means is explained with the aid of a single diagram, which gives a schematic representation of arrangement 1 according to the invention.
The exhaled respiratory gas is exhaled in the direction of the arrow through an exchangeable mouthpiece 2, which is preferably made of a synthetic material. At the end of mouthpiece 2 is a discharge port 3 to the surrounding atmosphere which is designed to cause pressure to build up. As a result, a proportion of only about 25% to 12% of the flow volume of the respiratory gas passes through the mouthpiece holder 4 and an orifice plate 5 into the measuring gas sampling chamber 7 and through discharge port 12 into the surrounding atmosphere.
Discharge port 3 of the embodiment has a diameter of o* o approximately 3 mm and the orifice plate 5 of the mouthpiece holder 4 has an internal diameter of approximately 2 mm.
15 The fact that only a relatively small proportion of the respiratory gas volume flow passes through the measuring gas sample chamber 7 means that the temperature in the measuring gas sample chamber 7 remains virtually unaffected, preventing any interference with the detector 20 signal due to temperature fluctuations.
0* On the input side, the pressure sensor 6 is connected via a gas conduit to the interior of mouthpiece holder just in front of the orifice plate 5, and on the output side, the pressure sensor 6 is connected to the evaluator unit 16. Calibration of the measured respiratory gas pressure inside mouthpiece 2 allows the determination of the respiratory gc.s volume flow and from that by means of time integration the volume of respiratory gas.
In order to achieve a fast response time, the C02 sensor 8, 9, 10,11 in the embodiment of the example is preferably an infrared sensor incorporating an infrared radiation source 8 with electrical connections 9, a C02- 4 selective interference filter 11 and an infrared radiation detector 10. As the C02 concentration of the exhaled respiratory gas is relatively high at 5 vol. an absorption distance of approximately 5 to 10 mm inside the measuring gas sample chamber 7 between the infrared radiation source 8 and the infrared detector 10 is adequate. The bulb of the infrared radiation source 8 is located directly inside the measuring gas sample chamber 7 and thus acts as a source of heat, so that the heat emanating at the radiation source heats up all internal parts of the device 1 within a short time to a temperature above the condensation temperature of the respiratory gases of approximately 37 degrees Celsius, which prevents any impairment and errors of measurement.
Additional heating is therefore not required.
The fast response time of the infrared sensor used for measuring the C02 concentration is made possible by the small dimensions of the measuring gas sample chamber 7.
From the discharge port 12 of measuring gas sample chamber 7, a gas measuring tube 14 is connected to the breath alcohol sensor 13, which is preferably designed as an electrochemical sensor unit fitted with a pump controlled by the evaluator unit 16. The pump 15 is only activated for the purpose of taking a breath alcohol reading once a valid breath alcohol test result is available, that is to say, once the measurement of the CO2 concentration has produced a proper reading.
The following procedures can be used to detect any attempts at manipulating the breath alcohol measurement process: Immediately prior to taking the respiratory gas sample, the signal from the infrared radiation detector 10 is stored in the evaluator unit 16 as a reference value. As the C02 concentration increases as a result of the human respiratory gas sample in the measuring gas sample chamber 7, the light from the infrared radiation source 8 dims and the signal measured at the infrared radiation detector becomes weaker. The CO2 concentration can be determined on the basis of the level of attenuation relative to the reference value.
The specific dependency between the measured CO2 concentration and the respiratory gas volume flow and the respiratory gas volume makes it possible to spot any manipulations attempted by the test subject. This can be achieved by directly comparing the reading for the CO2 concentration with the stored reference value for the CO2 concentration, or by comparing the time-dependent curve of the C02 reading with a reference curve for a C02 reading stored in the evaluator unit 16.
Any attempts to manipulate the reading will result either in the expected CO2 concentration not being reached at all (supply of air from an air reservoir) and/or the curve is slowed down, that is, there will be a time lag, resulting in the time history of the CO2 reading deviating from the stored reference curve. Only in the event of a predetermined match in or of a tolerated deviation from the current reading of the CO2 concentration after a predetermined time period and by a predetermined value in comparison with a stored reference value for the C02 concentration, or in the event of a tolerated deviation from the rate of increase of the time-dependent reading of the CO2 concentration in comparison with the rate of increase of the reference value for the C02 concentration stored in the evaluator unit 16, is the pump 15 activated and the reading of the breath alcohol concentration measured by the breath alcohol sensor 13 recorded by means of the evaluator unit 16.
Alternatively, the evaluation by the evaluator unit 16 may also be performed in such a way that the reading of the CO2 concentration is computed as a function of the 0 volume and compared with the reference values for the CO2 concentration and/or with the stored volume-dependent "curve for the CO2 concentration serving as a reference.
Only in the event of a predetermined, acceptable deviation of the measured values and/or of the curve for the C02 concentration from the stored reference values is pump 15 activated by the evaluator unit 16 for the purpose of taking a breath alcohol concentration reading deemed admissible, by the breath alcohol sensor 13 which is preferably designed as a electrochemical measuring cell.
Devices according to the invention are suitable preferably for use in a motor vehicle for the purpose of preventing operation of the motor vehicle depending on the reading of the CO2 concentration in the respiratory gas and/or of the breath alcohol concentration.
Claims (8)
1. Means for measuring breath alcohol inside a measuring gas sample chamber by means of a COz 2 sensor for determining the COz 2 concentration in respiratory gas and by means of a breath alcohol sensor for determining the breath alcohol concentration, characterised in that a) the input side of measuring gas sampling 0 chamber is connected laterally to a mouthpiece featuring an additional discharge port into the surrounding atmosphere by means of a mouthpiece holder (4) with an orifice plate b) a pressure sensor for recording the time- and volumc-d.ependent pressure is connected on the input side to the interior of the mouthpiece holder just in front of the orifice plate and to the evaluator unit (16) on the output side, and c) the COz 2 sensor 9,10,11) and the breath alcohol sensor (13) are connected to the evaluator unit (16).
2. Means according to claim 1, characterised in that the COz 2 sensor 9, 10, 11) is an infrared sensor 9) which is fitted inside a measuring gas sample chamber together with an infrared radiation detector 8
3. Means according to one of the claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the breath alcohol sensor (13) is an electrochemical sensor with a pump and is connected to the discharge port (12) of the measuring gas sample.chamber by means of a gas measuring tube (14).
4. Means according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the discharge port of the mouthpiece has a diameter of approximately 3 mm 10 and the orifice plate of the mouthpiece holder has a diameter of approximately 2 mm.
Means according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the discharge port of the mouthpiece and the orifice plate of the mouthpiece holder are dimensioned in such a way that only about 25% to 12% of the respiratory gas volume flow enters the measuring gas sample chamber
6. Means according to one of the claims 1 to characterised in that it is fitted to a motor vehicle for the purpose of preventing operation of the motor vehicle depending on the reading of the CO2 concentration in the respiratory gas and/or of the breath alcohol concentration.
7. Procedure for measuring breath alcohol content employing a means according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a) by means of pressure sensor the time- and/or volume-dependent signal curve of the C02 sensor 9, 10, 11) caused by the exhaled air is evaluated in the evaluator unit so that b) either in the event of the difference between the current reading for the C02 concentration and a stored reference value being exceeded and/or in the event of the deviation in the 10 rate of increase of the current reading for the C02 concentration compared with a reference o* curve stored in the evaluator unit (16) by a predetermined value, a indication by the evaluator unit (16) is triggered, and/or c) in the event of the difference between the current reading for the C02 concentration after a predetermined time span and a stored .reference value not being exceeded and/or in the event of a predetermined deviation in the rate of increase of the current reading for the C02 concentration compared with a reference curve for the C02 concentration stored in the evaluator unit (16) not being exceeded, the reading of the breath alcohol concentration measured by the breath alcohol sensor (13) is recorded by means of the evaluator unit (16)
8. Procedure for measuring breath alcohol content according to claim 7, characterised in that in the event of the difference of the current reading of the CO 2 concentration compared with a stored reference value and/or the deviation of the rate of increase of the current reading for the CO2 concentration compared with a reference curve of the C02 concentration stored in the evaluator unit (16) being exceeded by a predetermined value, the evaluator unit (16) issues a signal preventing operation of a motor vehicle. DATED this 30th day of August 2000. DRAGER SICHERHEITSTECHNIK GMBH WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN. VIC. 3122. coo•
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE19941586 | 1999-09-01 | ||
| DE1999141586 DE19941586A1 (en) | 1999-09-01 | 1999-09-01 | High-integrity breathalyzer apparatus suitable for vehicle immobilization in event of unacceptable result, includes sensors for carbon dioxide, alcohol and pressure profile |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| AU5501200A true AU5501200A (en) | 2001-06-07 |
Family
ID=7920385
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU55012/00A Abandoned AU5501200A (en) | 1999-09-01 | 2000-08-30 | Means and procedure for measuring breath alcohol content |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU5501200A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE19941586A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE60300172T2 (en) | 2002-06-11 | 2005-11-03 | Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA | Apparatus and method for measuring breath alcohol |
| GB2417083B (en) * | 2004-08-13 | 2006-08-16 | Mark Sinclair Varney | An electrochemical carbon dioxide gas sensor |
| GB2431470A (en) * | 2005-10-21 | 2007-04-25 | Autoliv Dev | Assessing blood concentration of a volatile constituent |
| US8449473B2 (en) | 2006-10-18 | 2013-05-28 | Anaxsys Technology Limited | Gas sensor |
| DE102008007956A1 (en) * | 2008-02-07 | 2009-08-27 | Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Analytischen Wissenschaften e.V. | Fluid sample e.g. breathable air of patient, removing method for fluid system, involves automatically removing predetermined sample quantity from system by control device, when predetermined threshold exceeds or falls below system condition |
| CN102056540A (en) * | 2008-04-10 | 2011-05-11 | 安纳克斯系统技术有限公司 | Gas sensor |
| EP2816352B1 (en) | 2013-06-21 | 2016-12-28 | Sensirion AG | Concentration measurements with a mobile device |
| RU209546U1 (en) * | 2021-03-25 | 2022-03-17 | Общество c ограниченной ответственностью "АМОТЕЛ24" | Operator control device |
Family Cites Families (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3830630A (en) * | 1972-06-21 | 1974-08-20 | Triangle Environment Corp | Apparatus and method for alcoholic breath and other gas analysis |
| DE2928433A1 (en) * | 1979-07-13 | 1981-01-29 | Sachs Systemtechnik Gmbh | Alcohol content breath analyser - has control selecting alveolar breath measurement and derives control signal from pressure or constituent reference comparison |
| DE4235328A1 (en) * | 1992-10-20 | 1994-04-21 | Heinz Dr Rer Nat Hummel | Breath test to determine blood alcohol concentration - by measuring oxygen and carbon di:oxide concns. for sample reliability and to ensure exhaled air is taken from deep in the lungs |
| US5376555A (en) * | 1994-02-25 | 1994-12-27 | Intoximeters, Inc. | Method for testing breath alcohol with discrimination between alveolar and upper respiratory tract alcohol |
| FI102511B (en) * | 1995-06-26 | 1998-12-31 | Instrumentarium Oy | Contents measurement from respiratory air |
| DE19545794C2 (en) * | 1995-12-08 | 1998-03-19 | Draegerwerk Ag | Gas sampling system with a mouthpiece |
| DE29622607U1 (en) * | 1996-03-19 | 1997-03-06 | Maier Ludwig | Electronic immobilizer for a motor vehicle |
-
1999
- 1999-09-01 DE DE1999141586 patent/DE19941586A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2000
- 2000-08-30 AU AU55012/00A patent/AU5501200A/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE19941586A1 (en) | 2001-03-29 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US8377705B2 (en) | Breath analyzer system and method of operating the same | |
| CA2306885C (en) | Apparatus and method for determining a person's sobriety | |
| US7736903B2 (en) | Tracer to compensate for environmental variations that influence a chemical vapor sensor measurement | |
| JP6023075B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for measuring respiratory alcohol concentration | |
| EP1681554A2 (en) | Chemical vapor sensor | |
| US6620108B2 (en) | Apparatus and method for determining machine operator status | |
| TW542910B (en) | Isotopic gas analyzer and method of judging absorption capacity of carbon dioxide absorbent | |
| US20090187111A1 (en) | Gas analyzer | |
| Miyazaki et al. | Performance of a newly designed continuous soot monitoring system (COSMOS) | |
| CA2127106A1 (en) | Multi-channel gas sample chamber | |
| US20020108437A1 (en) | Combined respiratory flow sensor | |
| US6464941B1 (en) | Breath alcohol measuring apparatus having a sample intake channel and a temperature sensor mounted therein | |
| DK145977B (en) | APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENT OF CO2 CONTENTS IN BREATHING AIR | |
| KR101798972B1 (en) | Apparatus of Measuringorganic carbon and elemental carbon in particulate matter | |
| Jenkins et al. | Development and application of protocols for the determination of response of real-time particle monitors to common indoor aerosols | |
| AU5501200A (en) | Means and procedure for measuring breath alcohol content | |
| GB2313198A (en) | Device for calibrating an electrochemical gas measuring device | |
| US20100327167A1 (en) | Spectroscopic gas sensor and method for ascertaining an alcohol concentration in a supplied air volume, in particular an exhaled volume | |
| US4298010A (en) | Breathing alcohol testing device | |
| GB2335275A (en) | Correcting for mouthpiece temperature in breath sampling apparatus | |
| CN111239080A (en) | Quality control device and OCEC analytic system | |
| US3522009A (en) | Breath sampling,storing,and processing apparatus and method | |
| JP4158314B2 (en) | Isotope gas measuring device | |
| EP3561509B1 (en) | Portable device for detection of biomarkers in exhaled air and method of biomarker detection in exhaled air | |
| AU706520B2 (en) | Method for the determination of the concentration of alcohol in exhaled air |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MK1 | Application lapsed section 142(2)(a) - no request for examination in relevant period |