Thermal image sensor and user interface

• US 10,641,509 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kusukame, Koichi, Shikii, Shinichi, Silawan, Nawatt, Itoh, Tatsuo, Funase, Kazuki, Yoneda, Aki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Christine S.
• Application Number:
  US15/906,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20180187910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/12 Position of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/14 Activity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/0608 Height gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/047 Mobile mounting; Scanning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/20 using multiple transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A thermal image sensor including: a plurality of infrared detector elements that detect infrared light in a detection area; and rotors that scan the detection area in a scanning direction to detect, with the plurality of infrared detector elements, infrared light in an area to be captured as a single thermal image. The plurality of infrared detector elements include infrared detector elements arranged in mutually different positions in a rotational direction corresponding to the scanning direction of the plurality of infrared detector elements.

Claims

1. A thermal image sensor comprising:

a plurality of infrared detector elements that detect infrared light in a detection area;

a scanning device that scans the detection area in a predetermined direction to generate a thermal image based on information obtained by each of the plurality of infrared detector elements; and

a baffle disposed in an area around the plurality of infrared detector elements,

wherein the plurality of infrared detector elements include a first infrared detector element and a second infrared detector element arranged in mutually different positions in the predetermined direction,

the first infrared detector element and the second infrared detector element are arranged such that a portion of a first detection area and a portion of a second detection area overlap, the first detection area being an area in which the first infrared detector element detects infrared light by scanning by the scanning device, and the second detection area being an area in which the second infrared detector element detects infrared light by scanning by the scanning device,

the baffle is disposed on one side of the plurality of infrared detector elements so that a long side of the baffle is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction to block infrared light at an end of the detection area on the one side of the plurality of infrared detector elements,

the plurality of infrared detector elements are arranged in a plurality of element lines, and

the plurality of element lines are arranged in mutually different positions in the predetermined direction.

2. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of element lines include a first element line and a second element line arranged in mutually different positions in the predetermined direction,

the first infrared detector element is included in the first element line, and

the second infrared detector element is included in the second element line.

3. The thermal image sensor according to claim 2,

wherein the first element line further includes a third infrared detector element that is arranged in a different position than the first infrared detector element and detects infrared light in a third detection area by scanning by the scanning device, and

the third infrared detector element is arranged such that a portion of the third detection area and a portion of the second detection area overlap.

4. The thermal image sensor according to claim 2,

wherein the plurality of element lines include a third element line arranged in a different position in the predetermined direction than the first element line and the second element line,

the first element line, the second element line, and the third element line are arranged in stated order, and

a distance between the first element line and the second element line is different from a distance between the second element line and the third element line.

5. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein each of the plurality of element lines is configured of infrared detector elements aligned in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

6. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of element lines include:

an element line of infrared detector elements aligned in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction; and

an element line of infrared detector elements aligned in an intersecting direction intersecting both the predetermined direction and the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

7. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein a number of infrared detector elements constituting one element line included in the plurality of element lines is different from a number of infrared detector elements constituting another element line included in the plurality of element lines.

8. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of infrared detector elements include two types of infrared detector elements different in at least one of shape, thermal capacity, size, or material.

9. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the scanning device scans the detection area in the predetermined direction by moving the plurality of infrared detector elements in the predetermined direction.

10. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1, further comprising

an optical system that introduces infrared light from a target object to the plurality of infrared detector elements,

wherein the scanning device scans the detection area in the predetermined direction by moving the optical system.

11. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1, further comprising

a perpendicular scanning device that scans the detection area in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

12. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the thermal image sensor detects a change in the thermal image by comparing first infrared information detected for the first detection area at a first point in time by the first infrared detector element and second infrared information detected for the first detection area at a second point in time by the second infrared detector element.

13. A user interface for an air conditioner including the thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the thermal image sensor is a sensor for generating a thermal image showing a temperature distribution of a target area, and

the user interface comprises:

a first setting-receiver that receives a setting for a target temperature of a room; and

a second setting-receiver that receives a setting for a target temperature of a certain part of the target area.

14. The user interface according to claim 13, further comprising

a third setting-receiver that receives a setting for an air flow direction and a setting for a fan speed for the air conditioner,

wherein when the setting for the target temperature for the first setting-receiver is set and the setting for the target temperature for the second setting-receiver is set, the third setting-receiver refrains from receiving the setting for the air flow direction and the setting for the fan speed.

15. The user interface according to claim 14, further comprising

a display device that displays at least the air flow direction and the fan speed,

wherein when the setting for the target temperature for the first setting-receiver is set and the setting for the target temperature for the second setting-receiver is set, the display device displays that input of a setting to the third setting-receiver is not possible.

16. The user interface according to claim 15,

wherein the air conditioner detects a location of a person in the target area by image processing by the thermal image sensor, and

the display device further displays a temperature at the location of the person detected by the air conditioner.

17. The user interface according to claim 16,

wherein the temperature at the location of the person includes at least one of a temperature at a location of a face of the person, a temperature at a location of a hand of the person, or a temperature at a location of a leg of the person.

18. The user interface according to claim 17,

wherein the second setting-receiver receives, as the target temperature of the certain part, a setting for a target temperature of at least one of a location of a face of the person, a location of a hand of the person, or a location of a leg of the person.