The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring breath alcohol concentration of a user. A flow of an expired breath sample is passed through a fuel cell sensor giving an output signal proportional to the amount of alcohol present in the breath sample. By measuring the flow rate, the volume of the breath sample may be calculated, whereas the breath alcohol concentration is calculated based on the fuel cell output signal. Both the sample volume and the breath alcohol concentration values are continually updated by integrating the measured instantaneous flow rate and the fuel cell output signal over time. If the user stops blowing, flow compensation is performed to obtain a compensated fuel cell output signal using a stored calibration volume. Hence, an improved method for accurately measuring the breath alcohol concentration of a test person is achieved, capable of handling varied expired volumes of breath, which obviates the need for a sampling mechanism.
A61B 5/097 - Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
B60K 28/06 - 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
G01N 33/98 - Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urineTesting involving biospecific ligand binding methodsImmunological testing involving alcohol, e.g. ethanol in breath
Process and device to authenticate a subject undergoing a sobriety test, by testing the blood alcohol content (BAC) of the subject, emitting an indication of the confirmed test, and recording said indication together with a picture of said subject, wherein said indication comprises a representation of a temporary validation code.
G01N 33/497 - Physical analysis of biological material of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
B60K 28/00 - 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
A method and apparatus for measuring user breath alcohol concentration. A flow of an expired breath sample is passed through a fuel cell sensor giving an output signal proportional to the amount of alcohol present in the sample. By measuring pressure, the volume of the sample may be calculated by integrating pressure over expiration time of the sample, whereas breath alcohol concentration is calculated based on the fuel cell output signal. Both sample volume and breath alcohol concentration values are continually updated by integrating measured instantaneous pressure and fuel cell output signal over time, irrespective of breath sample volume. When the user stops blowing, volume compensation is performed to obtain a compensated fuel cell output signal using a stored calibration volume. Hence, an improved method for accurately measuring breath alcohol concentration of a user is achieved, capable of handling varied expired volumes of breath, obviating the need for sampling mechanism.
G01N 33/497 - Physical analysis of biological material of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
A61B 5/097 - Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
A61B 5/085 - Measuring impedance of respiratory organs or lung elasticity
G01N 33/98 - Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urineTesting involving biospecific ligand binding methodsImmunological testing involving alcohol, e.g. ethanol in breath
G01N 33/48 - Biological material, e.g. blood, urineHaemocytometers
A61B 5/08 - Measuring devices for evaluating the respiratory organs
A61B 5/00 - Measuring for diagnostic purposes Identification of persons
B60W 40/08 - Estimation or calculation of driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit related to drivers or passengers
A calibration device (1) for a breath alcohol testing device, comprising a pump (2) configured to provide a controlled flow of air at a predetermined rate, a chamber (3) in fluid communication with the pump and adapted to receive the flow of air from the pump, and an outlet opening (4) in fluid communication with the chamber adapted to allow the flow of air to exit the chamber, and heating means (5) configured to heat the chamber and/or outlet opening to a predetermined temperature and to maintain the predetermined temperature during operation of the pump, wherein the calibration device is configured to be releasably connected to or brought in fluid communication with a breath alcohol testing device such that the flow of air exiting the outlet opening is passed into the breath alcohol testing device. The calibration device is adapted to receive a sealed cartridge (7) containing a predetermined concentration of alcohol in the chamber and further com¬ prises a lid for opening/closing the chamber and co-operating with means for piercing the cartridge such that the flow of air provided by the pump to the chamber will pass through the cartridge, thereby providing a sample containing the predetermined concentration of alcohol to the breath alcohol testing device.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring breath alcohol concentration of a user. A flow of an expired breath sample is passed through a fuel cell sensor giving an output signal proportional to the amount of alcohol present in the breath sample. By measuring the pressure, the volume of the breath sample may be calculated by integrating the pressure over the time of expiration of the breath sample, whereas the breath alcohol concentration is calculated based on the fuel cell output signal. Both the sample volume and the breath alcohol concentration values are continually updated by integrating the measured instantaneous pressure and the fuel cell output signal over time, irrespective of the breath sample volume. When the user stops blowing,volume compensation is performed to obtain a compensated fuel cell output signal using a stored calibration volume. Hence, an improved method for accurately measuring the breath alcohol concentration of a test person is achieved, capable of handling varied expired volumes of breath,which obviates the need for a sampling mechanism.
An apparatus for heating a breath alcohol testing device having a fuel cell sensor (2) prior to performing a measurement of breath alcohol concentration, characterised in that the apparatus comprises means (1) for receiving a flow of expired air from a user and leading it to the fuel cell sensor, a separate conduit (3)in fluid communication with the receiving means and the fuel cell sensor and configured to receive the flow of expired air, wherein the conduit comprises means (4) for reducing the humidity of the expired air before the dehumidified expired air is further directed to the fuel cell sensor in order to heat the fuel cell sensor.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring breath alcohol concentration of a user. A flow of an expired breath sample is passed through a fuel cell sensor giving an output signal proportional to the amount of alcohol present in the breath sample. By measuring the pressure, the volume of the breath sample may be calculated by integrating the pressure over the time of expiration of the breath sample, whereas the breath alcohol concentration is calculated based on the fuel cell output signal. Both the sample volume and the breath alcohol concentration values are continually updated by integrating the measured instantaneous pressure and the fuel cell output signal over time, irrespective of the breath sample volume. When the user stops blowing,volume compensation is performed to obtain a compensated fuel cell output signal using a stored calibration volume. Hence, an improved method for accurately measuring the breath alcohol concentration of a test person is achieved, capable of handling varied expired volumes of breath,which obviates the need for a sampling mechanism.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring breath alcohol concentration of a user. A flow of an expired breath sample is passed through a fuel cell sensor giving an output signal proportional to the amount of alcohol present in the breath sample. By measuring the flow rate, the volume of the breath sample may be calculated, whereas the breath alcohol concentration is calculated based on the fuel cell output signal. Both the sample volume and the breath alcohol concentration values are continually updated by integrating the measured instantaneous flow rate and the fuel cell output signal over time. If the user stops blowing,flow compensation is performed to obtain a compensated fuel cell output signal using a stored calibration volume. Hence, an improved method for accurately measuring the breath alcohol concentration of a test person is achieved, capable of handling varied expired volumes of breath,which obviates the need for a sampling mechanism.
B60K 28/06 - 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
G01N 1/22 - Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
G01N 33/497 - Physical analysis of biological material of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
G01N 33/98 - Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urineTesting involving biospecific ligand binding methodsImmunological testing involving alcohol, e.g. ethanol in breath
9.
METHOD FOR MEASURING BREATH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring breath alcohol concentration of a user. A flow of an expired breath sample is passed through a fuel cell sensor giving an output signal proportional to the amount of alcohol present in the breath sample. By measuring the flow rate, the volume of the breath sample may be calculated, whereas the breath alcohol concentration is calculated based on the fuel cell output signal. Both the sample volume and the breath alcohol concentration values are continually updated by integrating the measured instantaneous flow rate and the fuel cell output signal over time. If the user stops blowing,flow compensation is performed to obtain a compensated fuel cell output signal using a stored calibration volume. Hence, an improved method for accurately measuring the breath alcohol concentration of a test person is achieved, capable of handling varied expired volumes of breath,which obviates the need for a sampling mechanism.
G01N 33/497 - Physical analysis of biological material of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
B60K 28/06 - 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
G01N 1/22 - Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
G01N 33/98 - Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urineTesting involving biospecific ligand binding methodsImmunological testing involving alcohol, e.g. ethanol in breath
10.
System and method for determining a time when the blood alcohol concentration has passed a threshold level
A system operable to determine a future point of time, at which the alcohol concentration in blood of a user is less than a threshold value. The system includes an alcohol sensor operable to detect a current alcohol concentration in blood of the user, and a portable apparatus. The alcohol sensor and the portable apparatus comprises each a wireless communication apparatus. The wireless communication apparatus in the alcohol sensor is operable to wirelessly transmit the current alcohol concentration to the wireless communication apparatus in the portable apparatus.
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