Surveillance detector

• US 20050030180A1
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Deustings, Maurice, Pantus, Math, Woezik, Jan Van, Julicher, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,265,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/556
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/046 prevention of tampering with detection circuits

Abstract

A surveillance detector comprising a light emitter and a light guide which is optically connected to the light emitter, which light guide includes reflectors mounted therein, a special feature being the fact that the light guide is capable of converting the light from the light emitter at least in part into a light beam to be built up in the space to be kept under surveillance, and in that the light guide is capable of guiding light from the light beam that is reflected by an object in the space to be kept under surveillance to a light receiver of the detector, which is optically coupled to the light guide.

Claims

1. A surveillance detector comprising a light emitter and a light guide which is optically connected to the light emitter, which light guide includes reflectors mounted therein, wherein the light guide is capable of converting the light from the light emitter at least in part into a light bean to be built up in the space to be kept under surveillance, and wherein the light guide is capable of guiding light from the light beam that is reflected by an object in the space to be kept under surveillance to a light receiver of the detector, which is optically coupled to the light guide.

2. A surveillance detector according to claim 1, wherein the light beam propagates convergingly from a light guide surface that faces towards the space to be kept under surveillance.

3. A surveillance detector according to claim 2, wherein the light beam propagates divergingly from a distance of 5-100 cm, from the light guide surface that faces towards the space to be kept under surveillance.

4. A surveillance detector according to claim 1, wherein the light guide is capable of guiding part of the light from the light emitter to the light receiver before said light exits the detector.

5. A surveillance detector according to claim 4, wherein the light guide is capable of guiding 1-50% of the light from the light emitter to light receiver before said light exits the detector.

6. A surveillance detector according to claim 4, wherein the light from the light emitter that is guided to the light receiver by the light guide before it exits the detector comprises, at least in part, light which is reflected from the light guide surface that faces towards the space to be kept under surveillance.

7. A surveillance detector according to claim 1, wherein the light guide comprises retroflectors for reflecting light which is being scattered back into the light guide to the light receiver.

8. A surveillance detector according to claim 1, wherein the light guide guides the light to the light receiver by means of another light guide, which includes reflectors mounted therein.

9. A surveillance detector according to claim 8, wherein said other light guide guides the light to the light receiver via a light—

transmitting window of the detector, behind which said light receiver is disposed.

10. A surveillance detector according to claim 9, wherein the window comprises an outwardly extending projection.

11. A surveillance detector according to claim 8, wherein said other light guide tapers off into a pointed shape, adjoining surfaces of which form internal reflection surfaces which are inclined at a certain angle so as to cause the light to exit along a desired path.

12. A surveillance detector according to claim 1, further comprising alarm means for generating an alarm in the case that the light received by the light receiver corresponds to a signal value which is higher than a maximum level or lower than a minimum level.

13. A surveillance detector according to claim 1, further comprising a passive sensor for detecting an object entering the space to be kept under surveillance.

14. A surveillance detector according to claim 13, wherein said passive sensor is a passive infrared sensor.

15. A surveillance detector according to claim 1, further comprising an active sensor for detecting an object entering the space to be kept under surveillance, in which said active sensor comprises a wave signal source and a wave signal detector coupled thereto.

16. A surveillance detector according to claim 15, wherein said wave signal source and said wave signal detector operate on the basis of ultrasonic waves or microwaves.

17. A surveillance detector according to claim 2, wherein the light beam propagates divergingly from a distance of 20-30 cm from the light guide surface that faces towards the space to be kept under surveillance.

18. A surveillance detector according to claim 4, wherein the light guide is capable of guiding 5-30%, of the light from the light emitter to light receiver before said light exits the detector.