US3823601A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Anti-evasion system for a breath alcohol tester
Assignee: ALCOHOL COUNTERMEASURE SYSTEMS CORP
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Filing: 1972-12-26
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Granted: 1974-07-16
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Expires: 1992-12-26
Abstract
Abstract A system for discouraging evasion of a breath tester (especially those testers designed to be used by an unsupervised or undersupervised subject) employing the effect that the response of certain detector elements (e.g., catalytic and semiconductor alcohol detecting elements) to non-alcoholic breath differs from the response or other produced for air substitutable gases. Means employing the differing responses to cause a ''''pass'''' only if the output is in a ''''window'''' between substantially the non-alcoholic breath signal and the signal level produced by breath having a predetermined alcohol concentration (e.g., 0.1 percent blood alcohol concentration) are disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 J Hoppesch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:50
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/483; G01N33/497; G01N33/4972; A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/16; A61B5/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A breath tester comprising; means for producing electrical signals in response to gas samples supplied to the tester, said signal means producing signals of one magnitude for ambient air, signals of second magnitude, significantly above that produced for ambient air, for a non-alcoholic breath sample and for producing signals of a yet higher magnitude for breath samples containing significant concentrations of alcohol; means for producing a pass indication; third means, coupled to receive signals from the aforementioned signal means and coupled to said pass indication means, for at least preventing the production of a ''''pass'''' by said pass indication means for signals below a substantial part of the second magnitude signal produced by non-alcohol containing breath and for also preventing the production of a ''''pass'''' for signals above a predetermined higher magnitude corresponding to the signals produced by a predetermined significant alcohol concentration in a breath sample.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
A breath tester comprising; means for producing electrical signals in response to gas samples supplied to the tester, said signal means producing signals of one magnitude for ambient air, signals of second magnitude, significantly above that produced for ambient air, for a non-alcoholic breath sample and for producing signals of a yet higher magnitude for breath samples containing significant concentrations of alcohol; means for producing a pass indication; third means, coupled to receive signals from the aforementioned signal means and coupled to said pass indication means, for at least preventing the production of a ''''pass'''' by said pass indication means for signals below a substantial part of the second magnitude signal produced by non-alcohol containing breath and for also preventing the production of a ''''pass'''' for signals above a predetermined higher magnitude corresponding to the signals produced by a predetermined significant alcohol concentration in a breath sample.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The breath tester of claim 1 wherein: said signal producing means is a single detector of the type that responds to human breath to produce a signal of a significant magnitude and responds to alcohol containing human breath to produce signals of higher magnitudes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
148 words
The breath tester of claim 2 wherein: said third means includes: source means for producing two reference signals (VA and VB) one of whose magnitude is equal to a significant part of the significant magnitude signal for non-alcohol containing breath and the other of whose magnitude is equal to the magnitude of a signal from a predetermined significant alcohol concentration containing breath sample; two comparators coupled to receive respectively said one reference signal and said other reference signal and both coupled to receive the signals from the signal producing means and for respectively producing an output when the signal from said signal producing means is above and below said one and other reference signals; and an AND gate coupled to govern the pass indicator for producing an output ''''pass'''' signal to cause said pass indicator to indicate a pass only if both of said comparator signals are present.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
135 words
In a breath tester of the type having output apparatus which produces an output in response to a gas sample tested with an alcohol detector, capable of yielding an electrically detectable response, which response is of significant magnitude above that of ambient air for non-alcoholic breath and a response of a still greater magntiude for alcoholic breath the improvement comprising: means responsive to said alcohol detector whose response is indicative of the gas tested, such means responding differently to responses within and without of preset magnitudes; and means coupled to first said means for not producing a ''''pass'''' signal for such detector responses that are below a substantial part of the significant response produced by non-alcoholic breath such means including provisions for not producing a ''''pass'''' signal for responses produced by a predetermined alcohol concentration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
135 words
In a breath tester of the type having output apparatus which produces an output in response to a gas sample tested with an alcohol detector, capable of yielding an electrically detectable response, which response is of significant magnitude above that of ambient air for non-alcoholic breath and a response of a still greater magntiude for alcoholic breath the improvement comprising: means responsive to said alcohol detector whose response is indicative of the gas tested, such means responding differently to responses within and without of preset magnitudes; and means coupled to first said means for not producing a ''''pass'''' signal for such detector responses that are below a substantial part of the significant response produced by non-alcoholic breath such means including provisions for not producing a ''''pass'''' signal for responses produced by a predetermined alcohol concentration.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-15 | 1978-01-14 | 1978-07-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-15 | 1982-01-14 | 1982-07-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-15 | 1986-01-14 | 1986-07-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |