Method and system for monitoring intoxication

1. A method for informing a user of an intoxication state over time, comprising:

upon receiving an input provided by the user at a user interface of a wrist-borne mobile computing device, prompting the user to provide a breath sample to a sample receiving module in communication with the wrist-borne mobile computing device, at a first time point;

at a processing subsystem in communication with the wrist-borne mobile computing device, receiving a breath sample signal derived from the breath sample;

at the processing subsystem, determining a value of a blood alcohol content (BAC) metric from the breath sample signal;

at the processing subsystem, generating a predicted temporal profile of the blood alcohol content metric for the user over time, including an estimated time point at which the user will reach a state of sobriety, based upon the value of the blood alcohol content metric and the first time point; and

transmitting commands, from the processing subsystem to the wrist-borne mobile computing device, that prompt the wrist-borne mobile computing device to display information from an analysis derived from the predicted temporal profile and informative of the estimated time point at the user interface, thus informing the user of the intoxication state over time.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising prompting the user to provide a second breath sample at a second time point after the first time point, and receiving a second breath sample signal at the processing subsystem.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising adjusting the predicted temporal profile based upon the second breath sample signal and the second time point.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein prompting the wrist-borne mobile computing device to display information from the analysis comprises prompting the wrist-borne mobile computing device to display a clock that actively displays a set of estimated values of the BAC metric for the user at each of a set of time points.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reminding the user, with a set of reminders, to provide a set of breath samples according to a schedule of time points, by way of a notification module executing at the wrist-borne mobile computing device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein in a first mode of operation, if the user responds positively to a reminder of the set of reminders provided according to the schedule, and provides a subsequent breath sample, providing subsequent reminders of the set of reminders according to the schedule continues; and

wherein in a second mode of operation, if the user ignores a reminder of the set of reminders provided according to the schedule and fails to provide a breath sample, providing subsequent reminders according to the schedule ceases for a period of time.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein informing the user of the intoxication state comprises providing information pertaining to the intoxication state, to the user at the user interface, comprising a display, of the wrist-borne mobile computing device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein prompting the wrist-borne mobile computing device to display information from the analysis comprises prompting the wrist-borne mobile computing device to render a countdown timer that actively displays a time duration until the estimated time point at which the user will reach the state of sobriety.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: at the processing subsystem, receiving a signal from the sample receiving module, indicative of provision of an inadequate breath sample by the user, and, using the user interface, comprising a display, of the wrist-borne mobile computing device, reminding the user to provide the breath sample after a duration of time has passed since performance of the behavior.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the value of the BAC metric based upon the breath sample signal comprises transforming an electrical current magnitude from the breath sample signal into a BAC value.

11. A method for informing a user of an intoxication state over time, comprising:

using a mobile computing device associated with the user and having a user interface, prompting the user to provide a breath sample to a sample receiving module in communication with the mobile computing device, at a first time point;

at a processing subsystem in communication with at least one of the mobile computing device and the sample receiving module, receiving a breath sample signal derived from the breath sample;

at the processing subsystem, determining a value of an intoxication metric from the breath sample signal;

at the processing subsystem, generating a predicted temporal profile of the intoxication metric for the user over time, including an estimated time point at which the user will reach a target intoxication state, based upon the value of the intoxication metric and the first time point; and

transmitting commands, from the processing subsystem to the mobile computing device, that prompt the mobile computing device to display information from an analysis derived from the predicted temporal profile and informative of the estimated time point at the user interface, thus informing the user of the intoxication state over time.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mobile computing device comprises a wrist-borne mobile computing device, and wherein prompting the user to provide the breath sample comprises receiving an input provided by the user at the user interface of the wrist-borne mobile computing device, and guiding the user in provision of the breath sample by rendering instructions at the user interface, comprising a display, of the wrist-borne mobile computing device.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein transmitting commands that prompt the mobile computing device to display information from the analysis comprises prompting the mobile computing device to display a countdown timer that actively displays a time duration until the estimated time point at which the user will reach the target intoxication state.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein generating the predicted temporal profile, including the estimated time point, includes determining the estimated time point at which the user will reach the target intoxication state.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein transmitting commands that prompt the mobile computing device to display information from the analysis comprises prompting the mobile computing device to display a clock and a set of estimated values of the intoxication metric for the user, in association with a set of time points of the clock.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the predicted temporal profile includes generating the predicted temporal profile of blood alcohol content vs. time for the user, based upon the breath sample signal, the first time point, and a predicted alcohol elimination rate.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein generating the predicted temporal profile comprises incorporating demographic information of the user, thereby adjusting the predicted temporal profile relative to a population-average profile of intoxication characteristics, based upon demographic information of the user.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein transmitting commands that prompt the mobile computing device to display information from the analysis comprises prompting the mobile computing device to display the determined value of the intoxication metric for the user at a current time point, as determined from the predicted temporal profile, and to display the estimated time point at which the user will reach the target intoxication state.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the value of the intoxication metric based upon the breath sample signal comprises transforming an electrical current magnitude from the breath sample signal into a blood alcohol content value.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising reminding the user to provide a set of breath samples according to a schedule of time points, by way of a notification module executing at the mobile computing device, and automatically adjusting the predicted temporal profile in response to reception of breath sample signals derived from the set of breath samples.