Patent ID: 8469134

Claim:
An engine starting controller mounted on a vehicle, comprising: a sensor for detecting a pulse of a driver of the vehicle at a detection part of a body of the driver with an optical method, and taking an image of the detection part; a case in which the sensor is installed; an individual certification means for determining whether the driver of the vehicle is an authorized person or not based on the image of the detection part taken by the sensor; an alcohol concentration determiner for calculating an index value of a blood alcohol concentration of the driver based on the pulse detected at the detection part by the sensor, and determining whether the index value exceeds a criterial value of a drinking assessment or not; and a permission means for permitting the driver to start an engine of the vehicle when it is determined by the individual certification means that the driver of the vehicle is the authorized person and it is determined by the alcohol concentration determiner that the index value does not exceed the criterial value of the drinking assessment, wherein the sensor is configured to detect the pulse of the driver at the detection part and to take the image of the detection part when the driver brings the detection part close to the case; the detection part is a finger of the driver of the vehicle; the case has a depressed portion configured to support the finger of the driver; the sensor includes a light emitting element for emitting a light, a camera for taking the image of a vein pattern of the detection part with the light that is emitted from the light emitting element and has passed through the detection part, and a light receiving element for taking an intensity of the light that is emitted from the light emitting element and has passed through the detection part; and the light receiving element is configured to be located closer to a distal end of the finger placed in the depressed portion than the camera.