Camera vision fire detector and system

• US 20060188113A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Tice, Lee D., Petrovic, Dragan P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,495,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/181
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/103 using a light emitting and receiving device
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/107 for detecting light-scattering due to smoke
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/125 by using a video camera to detect fire or smoke
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Wide area camera vision systems can respond to variations in light beams projected into a region being monitored. The variations are indicative of the presence of smoke in the region. In addition to providing viewable images of the region being monitored, analysis software can be used to evaluate the extent of smoke in the region or regions being monitored.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one source of radiant energy of a predetermined frequency, the source projects a beam at the predetermined frequency;

an optical-to-electrical transducer with a two dimensional radiant energy input port for receiving radiant energy from the beam, the transducer comprises a camera with a field of view;

control circuitry coupled to the transducer, the control circuitry evaluates electrical signals from the transducer relating to at least one pre-stored representation to establish the presence of an alarm condition and wherein the transducer comprises a camera, the camera having a field of view.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the camera provides an output comprising a human viewable image of a region within the field of view.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2 which includes software, the software, at least in part, establishes the presence of the alarm condition.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 which includes a surface on which the beam impinges, at least in part, to spatially modulate the beam.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the beam is spatially modulated.

6. An apparatus as in claim 2 where the projected beam exhibits spatial modulation within the field of view.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6 which includes smoke detection software, the software analyzes characteristics of the modulated beam within the field of view.

8. An apparatus as in claim I where the beam is one of, spatially modulated while being projected across a viewing region before impinging on a selected surface, or, projected onto a local surface where the local surface is within a predetermined viewing region.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 which includes smoke detection software, the software analyzes characteristics of the modulated beam within the viewing region.

10. A system comprising:

a camera with a predetermined field of view and an electrical output indicative of incident radiant energy;

a source of radiant energy with an output beam projected into the field of view;

a monitor for presentation of a visual representation of an image associated with the field of view;

control circuitry coupled at least to the camera, the circuitry responsive to sensed changes in the radiant energy projected into the field of view, determines, at least in part, the existence of a smoke condition in the field of view.

11. A system as in claim 10 which includes smoke related evaluation software.

12. A system as in claim 11 where the source projects first and second spaced apart beams of light.

13. A system as in claim 11 where the evaluation software compares a current light profile to a predetermined smoke profile.

14. A system as in claim 11 where the evaluation software evaluates a rate of change of received light profiles.

15. A system as in claim 10 where the monitor is coupled to the camera by a communications network.

16. A system as in claim 10 with circuitry to adjust an intensity parameter of the beam in accordance with an ambient light level.

17. A system as in claim 10 where the beam is incident on a selected surface within the field of view.

18. A system as in claim 10 which includes a structure to spatially modulate the beam.

19. A system as in claim 10 which includes circuitry to at least one of, temporally or frequency modulate the beam.

20. A system to monitor a space for an environmental condition comprising:

a camera having a viewing region;

a source which emits light in the viewing region of the camera;

the light source being modulated in at least one intensity or color;

the camera outputs first signals that include information regarding received light from the light source;

a processor that receives the first signals from the camera and analyzes the first signals for changes indicative of presence of the environment condition, the processor outputs a second signal to an indicator that is at least one of visual, audible or vibration;

where the indicator is activated by the second signal when the environment condition is present in the monitored space.

21. A system as in claim 20 where a decrease in light from the light source is indicative of presence of the environmental condition.

22. A system as in claim 21 wherein the environmental condition is at least one of smoke or dust.

23. A system as in claim 20 where the light source is modulated in intensity and that intensity is changed in a predetermined relationship to ambient light in the space.

24. A system as in claim 20 where the presence of ambient light in the space is determined from signals of a photo sensitive device which receives light from the space.

25. A system as in claim 24 where the photo sensitive device is at least one of, a photo diode or the camera.

26. A system as in claim 20 wherein the light source is powered from wiring connected through circuitry to a battery back-up.

27. A system as in claim 20 where the camera is sensitive to a frequency of the light emitted from the light source.

28. A system as in claim 20 where intensity of emitted light varies across a surface of the light source.

29. A system as in claim 20 where a decrease in clarity of the image of at least one of the light source or a region surrounding the light source, as represented by the first signal is indicative of the environmental condition.

30. A system as in claim 20 where the color of at least one of the light source or region surrounding the light source, as represented by the first signal is indicative of the environmental condition.

31. A system as in claim 30 where the color of at least one of the light source or region surrounding the light source varies.

33. A system as in claim 20 where the modulation is used to determine if the light source is functioning properly.

34. A system as in claim 20 where the indicator is displaced from the processor and receives the second signal via a predetermined medium.

35. A system as in claim 34 wherein the medium comprises at least one of a wired or a wireless medium.

32. A system which includes a plurality of light sources.

36. A system to monitor a space for an environmental condition comprising:

a camera;

a light source that emits light onto a surface within a viewing region in a monitored space;

the light source being modulated;

the camera outputs first signals that include information regarding received light from the surface;

a processor that receives the first signals from the camera and analyzes the first signals for changes indicative of the condition and outputs a second signal to an indicator that is at least one of visual, audible or vibration;

where the indicator is activated by the second signal when the environment condition is detected within the monitored space.

37. A system as in claim 36 where the light source includes at leat one of an LED, laser, or an incandescent light.

38. A system as in claim 36 where a decrease in received light from the surface is indicative of the environmental condition.

39. A system as in claim 38 wherein the environmental condition is at least one of smoke or dust.

40. A system as in claim 36 where the light source is modulated in intensity with intensity changed in a predetermined relationship to ambient light in the space.

41. A system as in claim 36 which includes a photo sensitive device responsive to ambient light in the space.

42. A system as in claim 41 wherein the photo sensitive device comprises at least one of a photo diode or the camera.

43. A system as in claim 36 where the camera is sensitive to a frequency emitted from the light source.

44. A system as in claim 36 wherein the intensity of emitted light varies across the surface of the said light source.

45. A system to monitor a space for an environmental condition comprising:

a camera having a viewing region;

a light source, the source is within the viewing region of the camera and projects a beam of radiant energy through a space;

the camera outputs first signals that include information regarding received radiant energy;

a processor that receives the first signals from the camera and analyzes the first signals for changes indicative of the environment condition, the processor outputs a second signal to an indicator that is at least one of visual, audible, or vibrational;

where the indicator is activated by the second signal when the environment condition is sensed within the space.

46. A system as in claim 45 where the source comprises a laser.