DOPPLER RADAR MOTION DETECTOR FOR AN OUTDOOR LIGHT FIXTURE

• US 20100109934A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Drake, George Michael, Kroeger, Scott, Crist, Ryan, Ketelhohn, Charlie, Siegel, Norm, Fleig, Tyler, Dallas, Milton
• Granted Patent: US 8,232,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/28
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/56 for presence detection presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A motion detector system includes the ability to detect motion through the use of a Doppler radar sensor or a combination of PIR sensors and a Doppler radar sensor. The system includes an outdoor light fixture having one or more lamps and a housing coupled to the outdoor light fixture. The housing includes a Doppler radar sensor and a microprocessor for analyzing the signals received by the Doppler radar sensor. Alternatively, the housing includes a combination of PIR sensors and a Doppler radar sensor and a microprocessor for analyzing the signals received from these sensors. The lamps in the light fixture are activated when either the PIR sensor or the Doppler radar sensor generates a signal indicating motion within the monitored area. Alternatively, the lamps can be activated when either the PIR sensor or the Doppler radar sensor senses predetermined number of motion activities over a limited time period.

Claims

1. A motion detector system for monitoring motion within a monitored area, comprising:

an outdoor light fixture comprising one or more lamps;

a Doppler radar sensor electrically coupled to the light fixture, wherein the sensor emits a first signal to a monitored area and receives a second signal from the monitored area; and

a microprocessor electrically coupled to the Doppler radar sensor, the microprocessor receiving and analyzing the second signal to determine whether a Doppler alarm condition exists.

2. The motion detector system of claim 1, further comprising a housing coupled to the outdoor light fixture, wherein the sensor and the microprocessor are disposed within the housing.

3. The motion detector system of claim 2, wherein the housing is rotatably coupled to the outdoor light fixture.

4. The motion detector system of claim 2, wherein the housing further comprises a clear lens positioned on the surface of the housing and a photocell disposed adjacent to the clear lens, wherein the photocell determines ambient light levels.

5. The motion detector system of claim 1, wherein the first signal is at a first frequency and the second signal is at a second frequency and wherein the first and second frequencies are different.

6. The motion detector system of claim 1, wherein the lamps are selected from a group consisting of incandescent lamp, HID lamp, LED lamp, halogen lamp, and fluorescent lamp.

7. The motion detector system of claim 1, wherein the Doppler radar sensor is positioned at a ten degree downward angle from a horizontal plane.

8. The motion detector system of claim 1, further comprising at least one PIR sensor electrically coupled to the microprocessor.

9. The motion detector system of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor receives and analyzes data obtained from the PIR sensor to determine whether a PIR alarm condition exists.

10. The motion detector system of claim 9, wherein the microprocessor activates the lamps based on a determination that a Doppler alarm condition exists and a PIR alarm condition exists.

11. The motion detector system of claim 9, wherein based on a positive determination that a PIR alarm condition exists, the microprocessor outputs a control signal to activate the lamps, and wherein the control signal is outputted pursuant to a Doppler alarm condition or a PIR alarm condition.

12. The motion detector system of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor includes motion detector variables comprising:

a radar sensitivity variable, a radar count threshold variable, a PIR sensitivity variable, a PIR count threshold variable, a time window variable, an ambient light control variable, and a lamp “

on”

time variable.

13. The motion detector system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the motion detector variables is adjustable using a wireless device.

14. An outdoor motion detector system for monitoring motion within a monitored area, comprising:

an outdoor light fixture comprising at least one lamp; and

a Doppler radar sensor electrically coupled to the outdoor lighting fixture, wherein the Doppler sensor emits a first signal to a monitored area and receives a second signal from the monitored area;

at least one passive infrared (PIR) sensor electrically coupled to the outdoor light fixture, wherein the PIR sensor receives infrared signals from the monitored area; and

a microprocessor electrically coupled to the Doppler radar sensor and the PIR sensor, the microprocessor receiving and analyzing the second signal to determine if a Doppler alarm condition exists and receiving and analyzing the infrared signals to determine if a PIR alarm condition exists.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the microprocessor outputs a control signal to activate the lamps based upon a positive determination that one of the Doppler alarm condition or the PIR alarm condition exists.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising a housing coupled to the outdoor light fixture, wherein the Doppler radar sensor, the PIR sensor and the microprocessor are disposed within the housing.

17. The motion detector system of claim 16, wherein the housing is rotatably coupled to the outdoor light fixture.

18. The motion detector system of claim 16, wherein the housing further comprises a sensitivity setting control knob for adjusting the sensitivity of the motion detector system, the sensitivity being adjusted by modifying one or more parameters of a radar count threshold variable, a PIR count threshold variable, and a time window variable, the radar count threshold variable, the PIR count threshold variable, and the time window variable being stored within the microprocessor.

19. The motion detector system of claim 18, wherein the sensitivity of the motion detector system is adjustable using a wireless device.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising a housing, wherein the outdoor light fixture, Doppler radar sensor, the PIR sensor and the microprocessor are each at least partially disposed within the housing.

21. The motion detector system of claim 14, wherein the Doppler radar sensor is positioned at a ten degree downward angle from a horizontal plane.

22. A method for detecting motion within a monitored area, comprising:

providing an outdoor light fixture comprising;

a lamp;

a Doppler radar sensor; and

a microprocessor electrically coupled to the lamp and the Doppler sensor;

emitting a first signal from the Doppler radar sensor into the monitored area;

receiving a second signal at the Doppler radar sensor from the monitored area;

with the microprocessor, comparing the first signal to the second signal; and

determining at the microprocessor if a Doppler alarm condition exists.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

outputting an activation signal from the microprocessor to activate the lamp based on a positive determination that the Doppler alarm condition exists; and

activating the lamp in response to the activation signal.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the outdoor light fixture further comprises at least one passive infrared (PIR) sensor electrically coupled to the microprocessor, the method further comprising:

receiving at the PIR sensor at least one infrared signals from the monitored area;

with the microprocessor, analyzing the infrared signal to determine whether a PIR alarm condition exists;

outputting an activation signal from the microprocessor to activate the lamp based on a positive determination that either the PIR alarm condition exists or the Doppler alarm condition exists; and

activating the lamp in response to the activation signal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein determining if the PIR alarm condition exists comprises the steps of:

receiving at the microprocessor a PIR count variable;

receiving at the microprocessor a PIR time window variable;

initiating at the microprocessor an analysis period, wherein the analysis period is derived from the PIR time window variable;

determining at the microprocessor if a PIR motion event has occurred based on an analysis of the infrared signal by the microprocessor;

based on a positive determination that the PIR motion event has occurred, incrementing at the microprocessor a PIR motion count by one;

determining with the microprocessor if the PIR motion count equals the PIR counter variable; and

determining at the microprocessor that the PIR alarm condition exists based on a positive determination that the PIR motion count equals the PIR counter variable.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein determining if a Doppler alarm condition exists comprises the steps of:

receiving at the microprocessor a count variable;

receiving at the microprocessor a time window variable;

initiating at the microprocessor an analysis period, wherein the analysis period is derived from the time window variable;

determining at the microprocessor if a motion event has occurred based on a comparison of the first signal to the second signal;

based on a positive determination that the motion event has occurred, incrementing at the microprocessor a motion count by one;

determining with the microprocessor if the motion count equals the counter variable; and

determining at the microprocessor that the Doppler alarm condition exists based on a positive determination that the motion count equals the counter variable.