Abstract:
A combined testing and tracking system that includes a breath alcohol ignition interlock, a personal portable breath test monitor, and an EMHA (Electronic Monitoring Home Arrest) system. These may preferably work in concert to provide a unitary system whose efficiency and effectiveness vastly exceed the sum of its individual parts.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/792,849, filed on Apr. 18, 2006, which is hereby filly incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to systems and arrangements for testing and tracking offenders such as DUI offenders.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Numerous systems have been developed for testing and tracking offenders such as DUI (driving under the influence) offenders. Among such systems are a wide variety of ignition interlock arrangements for motor vehicles, where the vehicle cannot be started without the offender passing a breath test in the vehicle. Challenges have long been addressed in that connection, as well, including the positive identification of the offender.  
         [0004]     Despite the advances made to date, however, a highly compelling need has been recognized in connection with providing a versatile, all-encompassing system that can test and track offenders in a more thorough manner that would reduce even more the likelihood of an offender circumventing the system.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Broadly contemplated herein, in accordance with at least one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a combined testing and tracking system that includes a breath alcohol ignition interlock, a personal portable breath test monitor, and an EMHA (Electronic Monitoring Home Arrest) system. These may preferably work in concert to provide a unitary system whose efficiency and effectiveness vastly exceed the sum of its individual parts.  
         [0006]     In summary, one aspect of the invention provides a monitoring system comprising: a vehicle ignition interlock device; an EMHA device; and a mobile breath test arrangement; the vehicle ignition interlock device, the EMHA device and the mobile breath test arrangement being configured for mutual data exchange. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a 3-component system for monitoring and tracking.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  schematically illustrates an ignition interlock component.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  schematically illustrates an EMHA component.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  schematically illustrates a personal breath test component.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0011]     For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.  
         [0012]     It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the apparatus, system, and method of the present invention, as represented in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments of the invention.  
         [0013]     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” (or the like) means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.  
         [0014]     The illustrated embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals or other labels throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and processes that are consistent with the invention as claimed herein.  
         [0015]     Generally, ignition interlock, EMHA, and personal breath testers are three separate pieces of monitoring devices used in the areas of corrections, criminal sentencing requirements, and legislative mandates, as imposed upon defendants with in the supervision or authority of a jurisdiction. Broadly contemplated herein is an arrangement which essentially integrates the functioning of these three separate devices into one product. Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a “three in one” system  100  may preferably include an ignition interlock  102 , EMHA  104  and personal breath tester  106  in communication with a common server  108 ; the three components  102 / 104 / 106  may also to some degree be in communication with one another as shown by the dotted lines. As will be appreciated herebelow, a common portable data sample head  110  can preferably be integrated into all three component systems  102 / 104 / 106  to facilitate coordination of the three systems  102 / 104 / 106  with each other.  
         [0016]     Preferably, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a first component of the “three in one” system broadly contemplated herein is breath alcohol ignition interlock device  102  which may optionally include a positive identification camera  111 . It is assumed such a base interlock device will meet or exceed all National Highway Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA) standard requirements for the certification of an interlock on the Certified Products List (CPL).  
         [0017]     In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment, portable data sample head  110  is capable as a breath sample head, is preferably wireless and contains data memory ( 110   a ) from user activity. The head  110  is preferably configured to communicate data to a relay logger  112  (positioned, e.g., under the vehicle dash) that also holds data memory. A power charger cradle  114 , preferably affixed in safe sight of the driver, will allow the head  110  to be attached in a stable manner and to maintain a charge in a battery contained in the head  110 . The cradle  114  also allows for the aforementioned optional camera  111  to be mounted for the positive identification of a driver using the interlock device  102 . Preferably, in concert with the camera  114 , bio-metric facial recognition software  116  is included to aid in positive identification. Alternatively or in addition, positive identification can also be effected via voice recognition software  118  and/or finger print identification software  120 . Titanium Technology Ltd. of Menlo Park, Calif. provides face recognition software that is found to be particularly advantageous in the context of embodiments of the present invention. The Well Company (Well-Co) of Hong Kong produces ignition interlock equipment having components that also can be made use of in the context of embodiments herein.  
         [0018]     The interlock device  102  is capable of transmitting data to server  108  (e.g., a server associated with the monitoring/testing provider) via cellular, GSM, DSL, or radio frequency technology, or any other suitable transmission medium. An operator using the server  108  can likewise access the interlock device  102  as needed or desired.  
         [0019]     Preferably, the interlock device  102 , via an appropriate input arrangement (not shown) is associated with user programmable codes that allow for disabling of interlocking functions for vehicle service requirements at a vehicle repair facility. A repair facility can also re-enter a code after repair to re-initiate the interlock for the defendant. The same type of code procedure can allow for a grace period to be entered after expiration of time in the data logger resulting from a missed appointment or exceeding a violation limit. The interlock device  102  is also preferably capable of using a vehicle&#39;s OBD II connection for starter interrupt and positive and negative wire connections.  
         [0020]     By way of some preferred refinements, the sample head  110  can preferably contain an LED screen to communicate with the user. It may also have an optional bogus air anti-thwarting device using a voice tone procedure. Finally, the head is preferably GPS-capable for tracking the defendant/offender and associated equipment.  
         [0021]     Preferably, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a second component of the three-component system is embodied by EMHA device  104 . A general discussion of EMHA, for background purposes, can be found at http://www.mentormunicipalcourt.org/faq.shtml#EMHA_Electronic_Monitoring_House.  
         [0022]     Preferably, a EMHA base unit  122  will power into an AC home outlet and may use a phone line for data transfer to server  108  or may use cellular, GSM, DSL, or radio frequency monitoring (or any other suitable transmission medium). As is known, a slim design ankle bracelet  124  will preferably communicate with the base unit  122  to identify the defendant&#39;s proximity within an allowed perimeter.  
         [0023]     The base unit  122  will preferably allow wireless head  110  to sit in an in-home cradle bracket  126 . This will allow for the base unit  122  to synchronize data from interlock device  102  ( FIG. 2 ) and recognize the head  110 ; this can be accomplished via a hardwired data transmission connection via cradle  126  or via wireless transmission directly from head  110 . The head  110  will preferably also receive power from the home base unit cradle  126 , thus allowing for ongoing operation and recharging of the head battery.  
         [0024]     Random breath tests via head  110 , while in-home, can preferably be asked of the defendant by means of an audible tone. A camera unit  128  attached to the home base unit  122  will preferably identify the defendant blowing a sample test and all data can thus be recorded in the head  110  as well as be transmitted to server  108 .  
         [0025]     Finally, as shown in  FIG. 4 , a third component of the three-component system can be embodied by Personal Breath Tester (PBT)  106 . By way of brief background, if it is to be assumed that a defendant is complying with an EMHA program and an ignition interlock program in conjunction with one another or even separately, it may well be the case that when the defendant leaves the home during allowed times, jurisdictions may be interested in randomly testing for alcohol while the defendant is mobile. A PBT  106 , as broadly contemplated herein will thus allow for such mobile testing. PBT&#39;s in general are well known and basic components thereof can readily be employed in the context of embodiments of the present invention; Well-Co produces PBT&#39;s having components that can be so employed.  
         [0026]     A head  110  as described hereinabove can preferably be body-mounted (e.g., belt-mounted in a belt cradle  130  similar to a cell phone attachment and worn on the person in the same fashion as such). The head  110  will preferably have been programmed at installation with random retest capability and can enter into a “personal breath testing mode” after a predetermined amount of time once it leaves placement from either a vehicle interlock cradle  114  ( FIG. 2 ) or a home base unit cradle  126  ( FIG. 3 ). The PBT function will preferably work throughout the day randomly, requiring the defendant to answer an audible tone prompt by administering a breath test into head  110 .  
         [0027]     The results of the breath tests will preferably be stored in the head&#39;s own data memory  110   a  and be automatically uploaded to the server  108 , e.g., once the head  110  synchronizes with a home base unit cradle  126  ( FIG. 3 ) which communicates (as mentioned before) with server  108   
         [0028]     If the PBT device  106  is used in conjunction with ignition interlock device  102  ( FIG. 2 ), then preferably the same sample head  110  will interchangeably synchronize to an “interlock mode” with the vehicle under-dash data logger  112  ( FIG. 2 ). This can preferably occur once the vehicle data logger  112  ( FIG. 2 ) detects that sample head  110  is within range (e.g., by detecting that sample head  110  has been placed in the vehicle&#39;s interlock cradle  114  [ FIG. 2 ]).  
         [0029]     By way of an advantageous variant, when the head  110  is in a PBT (portable breath tester) mode, it could require the defendant to identify himself or herself; this can be accomplished by ID technology  132  (e.g., fingerprint technology or voice recognition software) that can be integrated into the head  110 .  
         [0030]     If a failed test is detected over an established threshold, the sample head  110  will preferably immediately prompt for a second test. If two consecutive fails are detected then the unit will preferably communicate through cellular, GSM, or radio frequency technology (or other suitable transmission medium) to server  108 , notifying in real time of a problem. The same form of communication can also preferably occur if a requested test is not administered with in a set time period. A test refusal can be logged and communicated as well to server  108 .  
         [0031]     Preferably, the head is GPS capable and will permit geographical tracking of an offender that is violating the terms of a program.  
         [0032]     By way of brief recapitulation, there is broadly contemplated herein a product that economically and efficiently offers jurisdictions at different levels an option of consolidating into one system various separate monitoring devices such as ignition interlock, EMHA, and personal breath testers. Normally, these are three separate types of monitoring devices used in the areas of corrections, criminal sentencing requirements, and legislative mandates imposed upon defendants with in the supervision or authority of a jurisdiction. By integrating three separate devices into one product, the end results can include low costs of manufacture and operation, end-user friendliness, and a consolidated monitoring process.  
         [0033]     By way of general background, to provide an even more thorough understanding of the operational context of at least one embodiment of the present invention, a general discussion of ignition interlock arrangements may be found at http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/impaired/interlock/. Basic technology for affording breath tests is very widely known and is discussed, for example, at http://science.howstuffworks.com/breathalyzer.htm.  
         [0034]     If not otherwise stated herein, it is to be assumed that all patents, patent applications, patent publications and other publications (including web-based publications) mentioned and cited herein are hereby fully incorporated by reference herein as if set forth in their entirety herein.  
         [0035]     Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.