Sobriety interlock with bypass detection

A method of detecting bypassing of a sobriety interlock of the type normally operable to disable operation of a machine connected to the interlock unless a prospective operator of the machine satisfies at least one predetermined condition, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) determining whether said at least one predetermined condition has been satisfied;
• (b) electronically monitoring the machine to determine whether the machine has been started, and
• (c) storing in non-volatile memory a record indicating a bypass event has occurred unless said at least one predetermined condition has been satisfied within a first specified time before starting the machine.

In a sobriety interlock of the type normally operable to disable operation of a vehicle connected to the interlock unless a prospective operator of the vehicle passes a breath sobriety test, the improvement comprising:

• (a) means for determining whether a first predetermined condition has been satisfied, said first predetermined condition being satisfied upon passing a breath sobriety test;
• (b) means for electronically monitoring the vehicle to determine whether the vehicle has been started, and
• (c) means for recording in non-volatile memory a record indicating a bypass event has occurred when the vehicle is started unless said at least first predetermined condition has been satisfied within a first specified time before starting the vehicle.

An apparatus for detecting bypassing of a sobriety interlock of the type normally operable to disable starting of a machine unless one or more predetermined conditions is satisfied, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) condition sensing means operable to sense whether a predetermined condition normally imposed by the interlock as a prerequisite to permitting starting of the machine has not been satisfied;
• (b) machine monitoring means operable to sense whether the machine has been started, and
• (c) controller means connected to said condition sensing means and said machine monitoring means said controller means being responsive to said condition sensing means and said monitoring means to generate a bypass event signal provided the machine is started and said predetermined condition has not been satisfied within a predetermined time before said starting.

A method for detecting bypassing of a sobriety interlock of the type normally operable to disable starting of a machine unless one or more predetermined conditions is satisfied, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) sensing whether a predetermined condition normally imposed by the interlock as a prerequisite to permitting starting of the machine has not been satisfied;
• (b) monitoring the machine to sense whether the machine has been started, and
• (c) generating a bypass event signal provided the machine is started and said predetermined condition has not been satisfied within a predetermined time before said starting.