IP Library Granted Patent US 12,465,284
Granted Patent B2
US 12,465,284 · App. 18/117,081 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Multi-sensor intoxication detection

Inventors: Caroline Chung (Royal Oak, MI); Thomas Herbert (Fenton, MI)
Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS, LLC
A61B5/4845A61B3/112A61B5/0077A61B5/0205A61B5/05A61B5/4561A61B5/6893G01N21/3504G01N33/4972G06V40/161G06V40/174A61B5/02444A61B5/0816A61B2503/22
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,465,284
App. No.
18/117,081
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An intoxication detection system of a vehicle includes: a passive breath sensor configured to measure an amount of an intoxicant present within a passenger cabin; a camera configured to capture images including a driver on a driver's seat within the passenger cabin; a radar sensor configured to output radar signals toward the driver's seat and receive signals reflected back to the radar sensor; a baseline module configured to determine baseline parameters for the driver based on images from the camera and the signals received by the radar sensor; and an intoxication indication module configured to output an indicator that the driver is intoxicated when both (a) the amount of the intoxicant is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount and (b) at least one present parameter of the driver is different than a respective one of the baseline parameters for the driver by at least a predetermined amount.

Claims (30)

1 . An intoxication detection system of a vehicle, comprising:

a passive breath sensor configured to measure an amount of an intoxicant present within a passenger cabin of the vehicle;

a camera configured to capture images including a driver on a driver's seat within the passenger cabin of the vehicle;

a radar sensor configured to output radar signals toward the driver's seat and receive signals reflected back to the radar sensor;

a baseline module configured to determine baseline parameters for the driver based on images from the camera and the signals received by the radar sensor; and

an intoxication indication module configured to output an indicator that the driver is intoxicated when both (a) the amount of the intoxicant is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount of the intoxicant and (b) at least one present parameter of the driver is different than a respective one of the baseline parameters for the driver by at least a predetermined amount.

2 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the intoxication indication module is configured to output the indicator that the driver is intoxicated when both (a) the amount of the intoxicant is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount of the intoxicant and (b) a present heart rate of the driver is greater than a baseline heart rate for the driver by at least a predetermined amount.

3 . The intoxication detection system of claim 2 further comprising a parameter module configured to determine the present heart rate of the driver based on the signals received by the radar sensor.

4 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the intoxication indication module is configured to output the indicator that the driver is intoxicated when both (a) the amount of the intoxicant is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount of the intoxicant and (b) a present breathing rate of the driver is greater than a baseline breathing rate for the driver by at least a predetermined amount.

5 . The intoxication detection system of claim 4 further comprising a parameter module configured to determine the present breathing rate of the driver based on the signals received by the radar sensor.

6 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the intoxication indication module is configured to output the indicator that the driver is intoxicated when both (a) the amount of the intoxicant is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount of the intoxicant and (b) a present body pose of the driver is different than a baseline body pose for the driver by at least a predetermined difference.

7 . The intoxication detection system of claim 6 further comprising a body detection module configured to determine the present body pose of the driver based on an image from the camera.

8 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the intoxication indication module is configured to output the indicator that the driver is intoxicated when both (a) the amount of the intoxicant is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount of the intoxicant and (b) a present pose of a face of the driver is different than a baseline face pose for the driver by at least a predetermined difference.

9 . The intoxication detection system of claim 8 further comprising a face detection module configured to determine the present pose of the face of the driver based on an image from the camera.

10 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the intoxication indication module is configured to output the indicator that the driver is intoxicated when both (a) the amount of the intoxicant is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount of the intoxicant and (b) a present dimension of a pupil of an eye of the driver is greater than a baseline pupil dimension for the driver by at least a predetermined amount.

11 . The intoxication detection system of claim 10 further comprising an eye detection module configured to determine the present dimension of the pupil of the eye of the driver based on an image from the camera.

12 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the baseline module is configured to selectively update the baseline parameters for the driver based on images from the camera and the signals received by the radar sensor when the amount of the intoxicant present within the passenger cabin of the vehicle measured by the passive breath sensor is zero.

13 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the passive breath sensor includes a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor.

14 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the intoxicant is alcohol.

15 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the intoxication indication module is further configured to selectively output an indicator that the driver is not intoxicated when both the amount of the intoxicant is less than the predetermined amount of the intoxicant.

16 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the intoxication indication module is configured to not output the indicator that the driver is not intoxicated when a second face is detected in an image from the camera within a predetermined distance of the passive breath sensor.

17 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the intoxication indication module is configured to not output the indicator that the driver is not intoxicated when an object having a predetermined shape is detected in a mouth of the driver in an image from the camera.

18 . The intoxication detection system of claim 17 wherein the predetermined shape is cylindrical.

19 . The intoxication detection system of claim 1 wherein the intoxication indication module is configured to not output the indicator that the driver is not intoxicated when the driver is determined to be holding his or her breath.

20 . An intoxication detection method for a vehicle, comprising:

by a passive breath sensor, measuring an amount of an intoxicant present within a passenger cabin of the vehicle;

capturing images including a driver on a driver's seat within the passenger cabin of the vehicle using a camera;

by a radar sensor, outputting radar signals toward the driver's seat and receiving signals reflected back to the radar sensor;

determining parameters for the driver based on images from the camera and the signals received by the radar sensor; and

outputting an indicator that the driver is intoxicated when both (a) the amount of the intoxicant is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount of the intoxicant and (b) at least one present parameter of the driver is different than a respective one of the parameters for the driver by at least a predetermined amount.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 22, 2024
From: VEONEER US, LLC
To: MAGNA ELECTRONICS, LLC
Reel/Frame 066660/0953 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2023
From: CHUNG, CAROLINE; HERBERT, THOMAS
To: VEONEER US LLC
Reel/Frame 062875/0267 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240293079A1 · Sep 5, 2024
References Cited (13)
US 11554665B1 · Liu et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20090090577A1 · Takahashi · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20130070043A1 · Geva · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20170274768A1 · Hök · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20190113502A1 · Ruland · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20210148892A1 · Ruland et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220055478A1 · Hök et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
CN 106828097A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 112674721A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 114611602A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2004018249A1 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2022134780A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2023/084581 mailed Apr. 3, 2024. [cited by applicant]