JP4374397B2 - In-vehicle alcohol detection system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is a system that enables alcohol measurement and detection of a driver who is in operation as well as before the start of work in order to prevent drunk driving of a driver or the like (automobile, railway, etc.).

  There are the following patents as conventional alcohol detector systems.

Japanese Patent Application No. 04-204971 Japanese Patent Application No. 08-112465 Japanese Patent Application No. 08-109607 The above-mentioned invention is a device that simply measures the alcohol concentration contained in exhaled breath and is used by each individual, and has not been developed specifically for business use. There are the following patents as conventional alcohol detector systems.

  In recent years, there have been an increasing number of cases where drivers of public buses and trains drunk and cause major accidents. As a countermeasure, alcohol detectors are distributed to each business office, etc., and pre-start inspections are conducted. However, face-to-face point calls such as early morning departure points on shared / route buses, pre-starting calls with driver's accommodation on chartered / tour buses, and land transport operations with long-distance trucks and overnight nap etc. In the absence of a person, the alcohol drinking check at the start of the call was just a confirmation of the oral answer by telephone and an inspection by self-report. For this reason, it is impossible to grasp the actual state of whether or not the driver is actually drunk, and there are cases of accidents caused by not actually grasping the actual state. It was a challenge to reliably manage drinking checks and health management for drivers in remote areas where the managers and colleagues could not reach.

  Means of the present invention are as follows.

The in-vehicle alcohol detection system is a breath alcohol measuring device that uses an alcohol gas sensor and an anti-freezing heater, a mobile phone or a personal computer in conjunction with a subject's measurement image, ID code (employee no. Etc.), measurement time And means for sending by e-mail information on temperature, humidity, total number of measurements, measurement result concentration, measurement position (location) information and the like.

In the present invention, for the purpose of checking the drinking of a driver while driving, the alcohol is measured in the vehicle before operation, and the measurement result is sent by e-mail. At that time, it is necessary to inform the headquarters when and where the driver measured.
Regarding the time, the clock function on the mail reception side was used, and the current position information and images were read and transmitted from the GPS unit and camera connected to and built in the mobile phone or personal computer. For a mobile phone or personal computer without a GPS unit, the current position information can be obtained from the base station information being connected to the mobile phone, so that information can be used in place of the GPS information.

The temperature, humidity, number of measurements, total number of measurements, measurement results, etc. are read from the temperature sensor and humidity sensor inside the alcohol measuring instrument unit and transmitted.
The ID code uses ID information read from a magnetic card reader or the like.
In this way, the headquarters side can obtain reliable information at the time of measurement.

The measurement control system can use the alcohol detection system described above in harsh environments such as in-vehicle use while controlling the warm-up time of the alcohol sensor and the internal temperature of the measuring device using a freeze prevention heater and temperature sensor. did.

The present invention provides an internal anti-freezing heater when the alcohol sensor unit installed in the vehicle has been frozen due to condensation or the alcohol sensor is extremely cold in the morning of a cold region. Can be maintained within a specified temperature range.
Also, if the temperature is extremely high, the driver is informed of the instruction “Please lower the temperature inside the vehicle” until the temperature inside the vehicle drops to a certain level.
Management of the internal temperature is monitored by an internal temperature sensor.

The sequence control system is configured to perform blood oxygen concentration and alcohol measurement after blood pressure measurement by linking a blood pressure meter and a blood oxygen concentration meter provided for driver health management to the alcohol detection system. All the measurement data is automatically sent by e-mail when the alcohol measurement is completed.

According to the present invention, the health condition information of the driver is also transmitted at the same time as the alcohol measurement result, and if an abnormality is found in health, the driving can be stopped immediately.
A blood pressure monitor and a blood oximeter can be connected as health management measuring devices.
Regarding blood pressure measurement etc., breathing was considerably disturbed and blood pressure increased after alcohol measurement, so blood oxygen concentration measurement and alcohol measurement could not be performed without blood pressure measurement.
In addition, data transmission was automatically sent when alcohol measurement was completed to eliminate the burden on the operator.

The alcohol detection system is characterized in that alcohol measurement cannot be performed during operation.

According to the present invention, when a driver of a moving vehicle performs alcohol measurement or the like, the measurement can be performed only when the vehicle is surely stopped.
Specifically, the determination of stopping is obtained from a vehicle side brake signal or current position information such as GPS (stop determination means) .

The alcohol detection system has a vehicle driving time schedule, prompts the user to measure alcohol during a specified time period, and sends an unmeasured e-mail to the headquarters if it is violated. .

This invention requires alcohol measurement even during operation. At that time, time management is performed using a clock function in a mobile phone or a personal computer based on a driving schedule in advance for driving breaks. When it is the time of measurement, the display and warning sound will be sounded to stop the car, and then the driver will be instructed to take measurements.

The alcohol detection system allows ID information and operation data to be placed on a mobile phone or a personal computer, and these data files can be exchanged from the outside.

In the present invention, driver ID information, an operation schedule file, and the like are received from the headquarters using a mobile phone or a mail function of a personal computer (schedule receiving means) and replaced with the existing files. After the replacement, the new ID authentication and operation schedule will be switched.

If it is determined that alcohol has been consumed after alcohol measurement, an email will be sent immediately. Also, a warning display and a warning sound to that effect are generated from the measuring instrument body.
The warning is canceled by a reply mail (e.g. boarding prohibited) from the mail receiving side (headquarters).
If you drive the car with the alarm sounding, you will automatically receive an email saying “Driving drunk” and “Ignore driving”.
As described above, the alcohol detection system is characterized in that the warning can be canceled after the headquarters confirmation.

In the present invention, the vehicle is stopped and alcohol is measured. As a result, when a value exceeding a specified amount is detected, a warning is displayed to the driver. Furthermore, the contents are sent by e-mail simultaneously.
At that time, the alarm itself does not have a function of stopping by the driver. To the last, after the headquarters receives a mail (confirmation of drunkness), it keeps ringing until it receives a reply mail (prohibited driving) of the headquarters.
If a continuous operation is performed, mails such as “Driving drunk” and “Ignore driving prohibited” are automatically transmitted to the headquarters from position movement detection such as GPS or a brake release signal.

The alcohol detection system is characterized in that when there is an email transmission error in the alcohol measurement result, it is retransmitted after a certain interval time.

According to the present invention, when alcohol is measured outside the reach of the mobile phone, a mail transmission error occurs. In that case, a certain interval time is retransmitted a certain number of times.

In the alcohol detection system, when alcohol is detected (false detection) due to the use of another food or drink in the alcohol measurement, it can be canceled with the immediately preceding correction button. However, if it is not measured again within a certain time after correction, it is transmitted as a warning.

This invention is transmitted as drinking data (false detection) when the driver makes a mouthful of food and drink that causes the alcohol sensor to malfunction, and then makes an erroneous measurement.
In that case, the correction key (button) is pressed and remeasured within a certain period of time (time until no false detection is detected: generally about 20 minutes). If you are drunk, you will receive an email with a reasonable measurement result.
When the correction key is pressed, a mail to that effect is sent to the headquarters (error detection remeasurement schedule).

The alcohol detection system is characterized in that when the alcohol measurement is remeasured (measurement within a certain period of time after the measurement), the previous measurement result is overwritten and the previous measurement is deleted. Overwriting is performed on both the transmission side and the reception side.

According to the present invention, the measurement result is automatically dropped to a file on the personal computer as the head office history data. At that time, if there is a false detection, it is a problem to leave it as data. Therefore, the data after remeasurement is overwritten on the previous measurement value as normal data, and the previous data is deleted.

According to the present invention, the alcohol measurement after the driver's alcohol check before the start of work can be measured even if the driver is away from a remote place. Alcohol drinking during breaks during operation is also managed at the headquarters after the service is completed, and drunk drivers can be eradicated.
In addition, because blood pressure measurement and blood oxygen concentration measurement results are sent at the same time, health management can be properly grasped at the headquarters, and it is now possible to give instructions to take appropriate breaks.
In addition, in a vehicle, stable alcohol measurement is possible even under severe temperatures of about -20 ° C to 90 ° C.
As a result, it has become possible to eradicate malicious drunk drivers who may be anxious about ordinary passengers .

It is a block block diagram of this embodiment. It is an external view of this embodiment. It is an internal structure of an alcohol measuring device. It is a flowchart from power ON of this embodiment. It is a flowchart at the time of the measurement of this embodiment. It is a flowchart at the time of warming up using the alcohol sensor unit and anti-freezing heater of this embodiment. It is a flowchart at the time of ID information reception from the headquarters (external) of this embodiment. It is a mailer display of the mail receiving side of this embodiment. It is a flowchart at the time of the headquarters side mail reception of this embodiment. It is a table of temperature versus warm-up time of this embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present embodiment. It is roughly divided into a mobile phone (personal computer), an alcohol meter unit, and a sphygmomanometer unit.
The measuring instrument unit includes an alcohol gas sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and an air volume sensor, and can measure the amount of alcohol in the driver's breath.
The correction key 26 is a button for correcting when an alcohol is detected due to an erroneous detection of another food or drink.
The display of 30 indicates an instruction display from the headquarters and a result display of various measuring instruments.

The 26 correction keys and display may be on the alcohol meter unit side or on the mobile phone (personal computer) side. Moreover, you may exist in both.
A magnetic card reader 9 is an ID input device for inputting a magnetic card or the like given to the driver.
The brake input No. 8 is a side brake signal input output from the vehicle, and can inform the alcohol measuring device of a stop signal.
Twelve speakers generate alarm sounds and the like.

The driver's ID information and the operation schedule are stored in a FROM memory or the like in 14 mobile phones (personal computers) (schedule storage means) .
The GPS of 2 is built in to detect the current position of the vehicle, and the camera of 15 is used for proof that the driver himself is measuring alcohol. The shutter of the image is dropped during alcohol measurement, and the image and measurement result data at that time are transmitted to the headquarters.
Judgment when the vehicle is stopped is made by 2 GPS and 8 brake inputs. In addition, there is no problem even if it is used as a determination signal during stoppage using a vehicle speed meter signal or an acceleration sensor.

A mobile phone or the like without GPS can determine whether the vehicle is stopped or moving from the currently connected base station information.
The mail reception side at the head office side is shown in the flowchart of mail reception by time zone shown in FIG. (For sending / receiving emails and writing history files)
When a mail is received from the driver with the same ID in the same time zone, the history file is processed by overwriting (post-priority).
Further, a reminder mail is transmitted for unreceived persons (unmeasured persons).

In FIG. 2, nine magnetic card readers are mounted outside as an ID input device, and are composed of an alcohol measuring device, a mobile phone, and a sphygmomanometer.
The camera under measurement uses 14 mobile phone cameras.
Charging and power supply for measuring instruments and mobile phones were made available by inserting a plug from a cigarette lighter attached to the car.
The mail function transmits 13 alcohol measurement data via 14 mobile phones.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the mechanism part inside the alcohol measuring device.
The driver's exhalation is inhaled through a straw or the like from the 16 mouthpieces. The exhaled air that has entered 29 introduction pipes is blown into 3 alcohol gas sensors through 27 sensor paths. Most of the exhaled air is discharged to the outside through 28 discharge routes.
At that time, 17 actuators are driven and 19 switches are turned on to detect exhalation.
To prevent residual air and condensation, vents are provided at the top, bottom, and sides of the unit.
In a cold region, when the temperature sensor 4 is below a certain temperature, the antifreeze heater 7 is energized to increase the temperature inside the measurement unit.
On the contrary, when the inside of the vehicle becomes hot, the energization is stopped and the driver is instructed to display so as to lower the temperature inside the vehicle.

The operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7. FIG.
FIG. 4 illustrates a time when the alcohol measuring device is turned on (engine start).
When the power is turned on, the previous mail transmission / reception status is confirmed, and if it is received data, it is received, and if it is unsent mail, it is transmitted (retransmitted).
The heater (semiconductor gas sensor) of the alcohol gas sensor is turned off, and the current position information is read from the GPS or the like.

Then, the operation management scheduler determines whether or not there is an alcohol measurement instruction (measurement time zone determination means) , and if so, displays the measurement instruction (measurement instruction means) for the warm-up sequence of the alcohol gas sensor heater, etc. enter.
The 21 warm-up sequence is as described in FIG. (Less than)
First, after measuring the temperature in the alcohol measuring device, the warm-up time corresponding to the temperature is calculated from the temperature-warm-up time table in FIG. In this case, of course, the warm-up time becomes longer as it gets colder.

When the temperature is below a certain set value (here, 20 ° C.), the antifreeze heater 7 is turned on to raise the temperature inside the measuring instrument. At that time, the warm-up timer is also subtracted, and when the temperature exceeds 20 ° C., the antifreeze heater is turned off.
On the contrary, if a certain set value (60 ° C. in this case) is exceeded, a warning display (warning sound) is displayed to activate the air conditioner in the vehicle.
The alcohol measurement becomes ready after the temperature of 60 ° C. has been cut and the sensor heater warm-up time has ended. This enables stable measurements even in the harsh environment of summer and winter.

Returning to 21 in FIG. 4, after the warm-up process, the vehicle stop confirmation is entered (stop determination means) .
If it is moving, a chest instruction display and warning display will appear to stop the car and enter alcohol measurement.
Thereafter, after the vehicle stops, the ID information reception mode 22 is entered.
(FIG. 7 is a detailed flowchart of 22 and is replaced with new ID information.)
After receiving the ID shown in FIG. If the measurement is not performed for a certain period of time, an unmeasured mail is transmitted to the headquarters (unmeasured mail transmission means) .
After that, the process proceeds to the measurement mode flowchart of FIG. 5 to check whether or not a regular ID input has been entered (within the mobile phone or personal computer memory).
Thereafter, 23 blood pressure measurements are instructed and the blood pressure measurement is started.

After the blood pressure measurement is successfully completed, 24 alcohol measurement is started (control means). By this sequence, the order of measurement is specified, and blood pressure measurement after shortness of breath is not performed.
Alcohol measurement will not be completed until an accurate measurement is made unless a breath for a certain period of time is injected.
After the exhalation is sufficiently infused, the measurement is completed, and the blood pressure measurement value (or blood oxygen concentration value) and alcohol measurement value are sent together with the image being measured at the same time (result mail) (result mail sending means) .
If the reference value as a measurement result is exceeded, an operation prohibition display and an alarm sound are immediately generated (warning means).
Until 25 release mails are received from the headquarters (release mail receiving means), the alarm sound, display, etc. do not change.

If the car is driven as it is (side brake release, GPS position movement, etc.) (Driving judgment means) , the headquarters will automatically send “Drinking drunk” and “Don't drive prohibited” emails (Driving prohibited email) ( Sending mail for disregarding driving prohibition) .
FIG. 8 is a mailer screen received by a head office personal computer or the like. The person in charge of each vehicle, measurement results, and the like are displayed and stored in a history file.
When the same ID is received in the same time zone, all are overwritten. (As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9, the later reception is regarded as the original version)

1 Camera-equipped mobile phone and personal computer control unit 2 GPS unit 3 Alcohol detection sensor 4 Temperature sensor (thermistor, etc.)
5 Humidity Sensor 6 Flow / Wind Pressure Sensor 7 Antifreeze Heater 8 Side Brake Input Signal 9 Magnetic Card Reader Unit 10 Sphygmomanometer, Blood Oxygen Meter 11 Cigarette Plug 12 Speaker 13 Alcohol Measuring Unit 14 Camera Mobile Phone (Camera PC )
15 Digital camera 16 Mouthpiece 17 Actuator 18 Switch lever 19 Switch 20 Position information acquisition (from GPS etc.)
21 Warm-up process: Refer to FIG. 6 detailed flow 22 ID information reception: Refer to FIG. 7 detailed flow 23 Blood pressure measurement: Measurement 1
24 Alcohol measurement: Measurement 2
25 Cancellation mail : Reply mail to violent violators 26 Correction key 27 Sensor route 28 Discharge route 29 Inlet tube 30 Display

Claims (5)

An alcohol gas sensor for measuring the amount of alcohol in the breath of the driver of the vehicle, a stop determination means for determining whether or not the vehicle is stopped, and a control means for controlling measurement by the alcohol gas sensor Has
The in-vehicle alcohol detection system, wherein the control means performs the measurement when the stop determination means determines that the vehicle is stopped after the vehicle engine is started . Schedule storage means for storing the driving time schedule of the vehicle, measurement time zone determination means for judging whether or not it is a measurement time zone based on the driving time schedule stored by the schedule storage means, sound and Measurement instruction means for instructing the measurement by at least one of the display, and unmeasured mail transmission means for transmitting an unmeasured mail that is an email indicating that the measurement is not performed to the outside,
The measurement instruction means instructs the measurement when the measurement time zone determination means determines that it is the measurement time zone,
The in-vehicle e-mail according to claim 1, wherein the unmeasured mail transmission unit transmits the unmeasured mail when the measurement is not performed within a predetermined time after the instruction by the measurement instruction unit. Alcohol detection system. A schedule receiving means for receiving the driving time schedule from outside;
The on-vehicle alcohol detection system according to claim 2, wherein the schedule storage unit replaces the stored operation time schedule with the operation time schedule received by the schedule reception unit. Warning means for giving a warning by at least one of sound and display, result mail sending means for sending a result mail that is a mail indicating the result of the measurement to the outside, and a release mail that is a mail indicating that the warning is released Release email receiving means to receive from outside,
The warning means performs the warning when the result of the measurement is drinking, and cancels the warning when the release mail is received by the release mail receiving means. The in-vehicle alcohol detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Driving determination means for determining whether or not the vehicle is being driven, and driving prohibition ignore mail transmission means for transmitting a driving prohibition ignore mail, which is an email indicating that driving prohibition is ignored, to the outside ,
The driving prohibition ignoring mail transmitting means transmits the driving prohibition ignoring mail when the warning means performs the warning and when the driving determination means determines that the vehicle is driven. The on-vehicle alcohol detection system according to claim 4, wherein:

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