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WO2009030754A1 - System and device used to prevent drunk people from driving a motor vehicle - Google Patents

System and device used to prevent drunk people from driving a motor vehicle Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2009030754A1
WO2009030754A1 PCT/EP2008/061782 EP2008061782W WO2009030754A1 WO 2009030754 A1 WO2009030754 A1 WO 2009030754A1 EP 2008061782 W EP2008061782 W EP 2008061782W WO 2009030754 A1 WO2009030754 A1 WO 2009030754A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
driver
engine
seat
motor vehicle
vehicle
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.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/EP2008/061782
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Mauro Serafini
Euro Vecchiola
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of WO2009030754A1 publication Critical patent/WO2009030754A1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K28/00—Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions
    • B60K28/02—Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions responsive to conditions relating to the driver
    • B60K28/06—Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions responsive to conditions relating to the driver responsive to incapacity of driver
    • B60K28/063—Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions responsive to conditions relating to the driver responsive to incapacity of driver preventing starting of vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
    • B60N2/002—Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon
    • B60N2/0021—Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon characterised by the type of sensor or measurement
    • B60N2/0024—Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon characterised by the type of sensor or measurement for identifying, categorising or investigation of the occupant or object on the seat
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
    • B60W2540/00—Input parameters relating to occupants
    • B60W2540/24—Drug level, e.g. alcohol

Definitions

  • the present patent application relates to a system used to prevent drunk people from driving a motor vehicle, and to the device used for the practical implementation of the said system.
  • the idea on which the present invention is based is to subordinate the start of the engine of a motor vehicle to the preventive evaluation of the driver's blood alcohol content by means of an alcohol tester installed aboard; it being provided that the failure to comply with the blood alcohol content value permitted by the law involves the impossibility to start the engine of the motor vehicle.
  • the system of the invention also comprises a series of additional features that prevent users from tampering the system in order to void its action and start the engine of the motor vehicle.
  • the system of the invention prevents the engine of the motor vehicle from being started if the alcohol test is not carried out by the driver. This means that the failure to carry out the test produces the same effect that is determined when the driver is not provided with the key that is necessary to start the engine.
  • the system of the invention is designed to prevent a drunk person from having a sober person at the wheel of his/her vehicle, when it is stopped, having this person carry out the alcohol test successfully and start the engine, and finally having the same person get out of the vehicle to take his/her place as a driver.
  • each change in the weight on the driver's seat (as inevitably occurs when a person gets out of a vehicle to let another person sit down) is instantaneously detected by special sensors and switches off the engine automatically, while resetting the entire procedure.
  • the weight sensors prevent the engine of the motor vehicle from being started if nobody is sitting at the driver's seat, as it may happen if a sober person wants to breath in the breath analyser from the passenger's seat or without getting inside the vehicle, possibly through the open door, and then let another person with high blood alcohol content drive.
  • figure 1 is a block diagram that illustrates the devices comprised in the actuation of the system of the invention, together with their cooperation modes.
  • the system of the invention is based on the following operative logical principle: - the engine of the vehicle can only be started if the person sitting on the driver's seat has passed the blood alcohol content test using the alcohol tester provided aboard the same vehicle;
  • the engine of the vehicle is switched off as soon as the person sitting at the driver's seat gets off the vehicle to leave the seat to a different person, detected as such based on the different body weight (this circumstance being a proof that the engine of the vehicle was started by a sober person that leaves the seat to another person who was not willing to perform the blood alcohol test).
  • the practical actuation of the system provides for the use of a dedicated system, in which the main component is an electronic control unit (1 ) that manages and controls the functions of the other components of the same system.
  • control unit (1 ) is interfaced with an alcohol tester (2) provided aboard the vehicle (and mounted in the driver's seat), with an ON-OFF switch (3) associated with the electrical circuit of the engine (M) of the vehicle and with a load cell (4) mounted inside the driver's seat (such as the one provided in numerous vehicles to oblige people to wear seat belts).
  • control unit (1 ) turns ON the switch (3) associated with the electrical circuit of the vehicle, thus allowing the engine to start, only after verifying two simultaneous conditions based on the data received respectively from the alcohol tester installed aboard the vehicle (2) and the load cell (4) mounted inside the driver's seat.
  • the first condition relates to the successful outcome of the blood alcohol test performed by the driver on the alcohol tester (2), while the second condition relates to the detection, during the alcohol test, of the actual - A -
  • control unit (1 ) is designed to turn OFF the switch (3) and stop the engine again when the load cell (4) detects that the person sitting at the driver's seat when the engine was started has got out of the vehicle and has been replaced by a different person, based on the weight difference that is detected immediately.
  • the new person who is sitting at the driver's seat is able to restart the engine of the vehicle only after successfully performing the blood alcohol content test with the alcohol tester (2).
  • system of the invention includes additional features designed to absolutely exclude that a person different from the driver sitting on the driver's seat may perform the blood alcohol content test with the alcohol tester (2).
  • the system is designed to prevent the alcohol test from being performed by a person who is outside of the vehicle and gets inside the vehicle through an open door, window or sun roof, or by a person who is sitting in one of the passengers' seats.
  • the control unit (1 ) is interfaced with additional load cells
  • control unit (1 ) starts the engine following to the successful outcome of the blood alcohol content test, on condition that the additional load cells (40) and the closing sensors (50) have detected that, upon performing the test, no other passengers were in the vehicle and the windows, doors and sunroof of the vehicle were perfectly closed to prevent a person staying outside of the vehicle from getting inside the vehicle to reach the alcohol tester (2).
  • control unit (1 ) is programmed to deactivate the operation of the entire system when the vehicle is motion.
  • the control unit (1 ) will reactivate the system if the engine is turned off or if the vehicle is stopped, although with the engine on, to prevent the driver from being replaced by another person.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Drives, Propulsion Controls, And Safety Devices (AREA)
  • Platform Screen Doors And Railroad Systems (AREA)
  • Forklifts And Lifting Vehicles (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system used to prevent a motor vehicle from being started if the driver has a blood alcohol content higher than the permitted value, and to the device installed aboard the vehicle for the practical implementation of the said system.

Description

Description
System and device used to prevent drunk people from driving a motor vehicle.
The present patent application relates to a system used to prevent drunk people from driving a motor vehicle, and to the device used for the practical implementation of the said system.
As it is known, drunk driving causes a large number of car accidents, with heavy life losses and damage to properties.
As an attempt to limit this negative phenomenon, pecuniary sanctions have been so far used against those people who are found driving a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content higher than the limit values permitted by the law. Regardless of the continuous increase of the said sanctions and the large number of blood alcohol tests carried out on drivers, no substantial progress has been achieved in the fight against drunk driving.
A careful examination of such a delicate problem has resulted in devising the system of the invention, which is based for the first time on an unavoidable prevention action rather than on sanctions that are often theoretical.
The idea on which the present invention is based is to subordinate the start of the engine of a motor vehicle to the preventive evaluation of the driver's blood alcohol content by means of an alcohol tester installed aboard; it being provided that the failure to comply with the blood alcohol content value permitted by the law involves the impossibility to start the engine of the motor vehicle.
In short, a drunk person will never be able to start the engine of his/her vehicle and drive it, thus endangering his/her own physical integrity and the safety of other people.
The system of the invention also comprises a series of additional features that prevent users from tampering the system in order to void its action and start the engine of the motor vehicle.
To that end, it must be noted that the system of the invention prevents the engine of the motor vehicle from being started if the alcohol test is not carried out by the driver. This means that the failure to carry out the test produces the same effect that is determined when the driver is not provided with the key that is necessary to start the engine.
Moreover, the system of the invention is designed to prevent a drunk person from having a sober person at the wheel of his/her vehicle, when it is stopped, having this person carry out the alcohol test successfully and start the engine, and finally having the same person get out of the vehicle to take his/her place as a driver.
According to the system of the invention, each change in the weight on the driver's seat (as inevitably occurs when a person gets out of a vehicle to let another person sit down) is instantaneously detected by special sensors and switches off the engine automatically, while resetting the entire procedure.
In view of the above, the person who sits on the driver's seat replacing the previous person, will have to carry out the alcohol test before starting the engine.
Moreover, the weight sensors prevent the engine of the motor vehicle from being started if nobody is sitting at the driver's seat, as it may happen if a sober person wants to breath in the breath analyser from the passenger's seat or without getting inside the vehicle, possibly through the open door, and then let another person with high blood alcohol content drive.
For purposes of clarity the description of the present invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawing, which is intended for purposes of illustration only and not in a limiting sense, wherein figure 1 is a block diagram that illustrates the devices comprised in the actuation of the system of the invention, together with their cooperation modes.
As mentioned above, the system of the invention is based on the following operative logical principle: - the engine of the vehicle can only be started if the person sitting on the driver's seat has passed the blood alcohol content test using the alcohol tester provided aboard the same vehicle;
- the engine of the vehicle cannot be started, even if a person has passed the blood alcohol content test, if the driver's seat is not occupied (this circumstance being a proof that the test has been performed by a different person from the driver);
- although started correctly, the engine of the vehicle is switched off as soon as the person sitting at the driver's seat gets off the vehicle to leave the seat to a different person, detected as such based on the different body weight (this circumstance being a proof that the engine of the vehicle was started by a sober person that leaves the seat to another person who was not willing to perform the blood alcohol test).
The practical actuation of the system provides for the use of a dedicated system, in which the main component is an electronic control unit (1 ) that manages and controls the functions of the other components of the same system.
With reference to fig. 1 , the control unit (1 ) is interfaced with an alcohol tester (2) provided aboard the vehicle (and mounted in the driver's seat), with an ON-OFF switch (3) associated with the electrical circuit of the engine (M) of the vehicle and with a load cell (4) mounted inside the driver's seat (such as the one provided in numerous vehicles to oblige people to wear seat belts).
These components cooperate in such a way that the control unit (1 ) turns ON the switch (3) associated with the electrical circuit of the vehicle, thus allowing the engine to start, only after verifying two simultaneous conditions based on the data received respectively from the alcohol tester installed aboard the vehicle (2) and the load cell (4) mounted inside the driver's seat. The first condition relates to the successful outcome of the blood alcohol test performed by the driver on the alcohol tester (2), while the second condition relates to the detection, during the alcohol test, of the actual - A -
presence of the driver on the driver's seat, as shown by the load cell (4) that detects the body weight.
Also in the case in which the engine of the vehicle has started, the control unit (1 ) is designed to turn OFF the switch (3) and stop the engine again when the load cell (4) detects that the person sitting at the driver's seat when the engine was started has got out of the vehicle and has been replaced by a different person, based on the weight difference that is detected immediately.
Obviously, the new person who is sitting at the driver's seat is able to restart the engine of the vehicle only after successfully performing the blood alcohol content test with the alcohol tester (2).
It is important to note that the system of the invention includes additional features designed to absolutely exclude that a person different from the driver sitting on the driver's seat may perform the blood alcohol content test with the alcohol tester (2).
In particular, the system is designed to prevent the alcohol test from being performed by a person who is outside of the vehicle and gets inside the vehicle through an open door, window or sun roof, or by a person who is sitting in one of the passengers' seats. At that end, the control unit (1 ) is interfaced with additional load cells
(40) provided in all the other seats of the vehicle (designed to detect the presence/absence of passengers), as well as with suitable sensors (50) applied to doors, windows or sunroof to provide information about their opening/closing. In such a situation, the control unit (1 ) starts the engine following to the successful outcome of the blood alcohol content test, on condition that the additional load cells (40) and the closing sensors (50) have detected that, upon performing the test, no other passengers were in the vehicle and the windows, doors and sunroof of the vehicle were perfectly closed to prevent a person staying outside of the vehicle from getting inside the vehicle to reach the alcohol tester (2).
Finally, it must be noted that the control unit (1 ) is programmed to deactivate the operation of the entire system when the vehicle is motion.
The control unit (1 ) will reactivate the system if the engine is turned off or if the vehicle is stopped, although with the engine on, to prevent the driver from being replaced by another person.

Claims

Claims
1 ) System used to prevent drunk people from driving a motor vehicle, characterised in that it automatically provides that:
- the engine of a motor vehicle receives the electrical power supply that is necessary for starting only after the person sitting on the driver's seat has successfully performed the blood alcohol content test with an alcohol tester installed aboard the vehicle;
- the engine of the motor vehicle does not receive the electrical power supply that is necessary for starting, also if a person has successfully performed the alcohol test, if a load cell mounted in the driver's seat detects that the driver's seat is not occupied when the alcohol test is performed;
- although started correctly, the engine of the motor vehicle suffers an interruption of the electrical power supply (being immediately turned off) as soon as the load cell mounted on the driver's seat detects that the driver who has successfully performed the alcohol test has got out of the vehicle. 2) System as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the engine of the motor vehicle receives the electrical power supply that is necessary for starting only on condition that during the performance of the alcohol test by the driver sitting on the driver's seat the load cells mounted in the passengers' seats detect that the passengers' seats are not occupied and the sensors associated with the vehicle doors, windows and sunroof detect that they are perfectly closed.
3) System as claimed in the first or second of the above claims, characterised in that it also provides that:
- the functions related with the activation and interruption of the electrical power supply of the engine of the motor vehicle are deactivated when the motor vehicle is in motion;
- the functions related with the activation and interruption of the electrical power supply of the engine of the motor vehicle are reactivated in case of a new stop of the engine or driver's replacement, including with the engine on, detected by the weight sensors. 4) Device for the actuation of the system used to prevent drunk people from driving a motor vehicle, characterised in that it comprises a management and control unit (1 ) interfaced with a blood alcohol content tester (2) installed on the driver's seat of the vehicle, with an ON-OFF switch (3) associated with the electrical power supply system of the engine of the motor vehicle and with one or more load cells (4) installed in the driver's seat; it being provided that the control unit (1 ) turns ON the electrical switch (3), thus starting the engine, only after verifying, based on the information received respectively from one or more load cells (4) and from the alcohol tester (2), that the person sitting on the driver's seat has successfully performed the alcohol test; it being also provided that the control unit (1 ) turns OFF the electrical switch (3), thus stopping the engine again, as soon as the data coming from the one or more load cells (4) detect that the person sitting on the driver's seat when the engine was started has left the driver's place. 5) Device as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the control unit (1 ) is additionally interfaced with load cells (40) installed in the passengers' seats and with sensors (50) designed to detect the perfect closing of the vehicle doors, windows and sunroof; it being provided that the control unit (1 ) turns ON the electrical switch (3) on condition that it has received, while the alcohol test is performed by the driver sitting on the driver's seat, the information from the load cells (40) on the absence of persons sitting on the passengers' seats and information from the sensors (50) on the perfect closing of doors, windows and sunroof. 6) Device as claimed in claim 4 or in both the above claims, characterised in that the electronic control unit (1 ) is designed to deactivate the aforementioned functions and interrupt the electrical power supply of the engine when the vehicle is in motion, and reactivate them immediately in case of a new stop of the engine or driver's replacement, including with the engine on, as detected by one or more load cells (4).
PCT/EP2008/061782 2007-09-07 2008-09-05 System and device used to prevent drunk people from driving a motor vehicle Ceased WO2009030754A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMC2007A000173 2007-09-07
IT000173A ITMC20070173A1 (en) 2007-09-07 2007-09-07 SYSTEM AND PLANT TO PREVENT THE MOTOR VEHICLE GUIDE TO PEOPLE IN A SEASON.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2009030754A1 true WO2009030754A1 (en) 2009-03-12

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ID=39930670

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2008/061782 Ceased WO2009030754A1 (en) 2007-09-07 2008-09-05 System and device used to prevent drunk people from driving a motor vehicle

Country Status (2)

Country Link
IT (1) ITMC20070173A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2009030754A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20130325204A1 (en) * 2012-06-05 2013-12-05 GM Global Technology Operations LLC Procedure and monitoring device for supervising an enterprise of a vehicle
KR101798787B1 (en) 2016-09-27 2017-11-16 정혁 Vehicle system with breath alcohol analyzer, control method of starting a vehicle using the same

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2232284A (en) * 1989-04-27 1990-12-05 David Duckett In-car drunk driver eliminator
WO2004018249A1 (en) * 2002-08-08 2004-03-04 Sauro Bianchelli Motor vehicle equipped with a deception-proof safety control system
GB2431496A (en) * 2005-10-21 2007-04-25 Inertia Switch Ltd Alcohol test based vehicle safety system

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2232284A (en) * 1989-04-27 1990-12-05 David Duckett In-car drunk driver eliminator
WO2004018249A1 (en) * 2002-08-08 2004-03-04 Sauro Bianchelli Motor vehicle equipped with a deception-proof safety control system
GB2431496A (en) * 2005-10-21 2007-04-25 Inertia Switch Ltd Alcohol test based vehicle safety system

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20130325204A1 (en) * 2012-06-05 2013-12-05 GM Global Technology Operations LLC Procedure and monitoring device for supervising an enterprise of a vehicle
DE102012011154A1 (en) * 2012-06-05 2013-12-05 GM Global Technology Operations LLC (n. d. Gesetzen des Staates Delaware) Method and monitoring device for monitoring operation of a vehicle
KR101798787B1 (en) 2016-09-27 2017-11-16 정혁 Vehicle system with breath alcohol analyzer, control method of starting a vehicle using the same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITMC20070173A1 (en) 2009-03-08

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