Patent ID: 6967581
Filing Date: 2005-11-22
Classification: B60K,B60R

Abstract:
1. A breath alcohol detection system having operator identity verification capabilities, comprising: a skin sensor device capable of determining a vehicle operator's skin characteristics by sensing skin on the operator's face or in the operator's mouth, the skin sensor being further capable of generating a skin sensor signal based on sensed skin characteristics; a breath alcohol detection device capable of detecting breath alcohol concentration based on breath alcohol information, the breath alcohol detection device being further capable of generating a breath alcohol signal based on the operator's breath alcohol concentration; a storage medium capable of storing reference skin characteristics and a predetermined breath alcohol threshold level; a comparison device capable of comparing sensed skin characteristics to reference skin characteristics and generating a first comparison signal based on the compared skin characteristics, the comparison device being further capable of comparing detected breath alcohol information to stored breath alcohol information and generating a second comparison signal based on compared breath alcohol information; circuitry responsive to the comparison device, the circuitry being capable of generating an enable signal and a disable signal; wherein the enable signal indicates a non-impaired state of an operator based on breath alcohol concentration test results and identity verification based on sensed skin characteristics, thus enabling the starting of a vehicle, and wherein the disable signal indicates either an impaired state of the operator based on breath alcohol concentration test results, or nonverification of the operator's identity based on sensed skin characteristics, thus disabling the starting of a vehicle.