TUNNEL CAMERA SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A tunnel camera system comprisinga frame sized to fit within a tunnel;
- an animal detection unit that detects cold-blooded animals and small mammals traversing the tunnel, the animal detection unit including;
an elevated threshold that extends across a width of the tunnel,a photo emitter that generates a light beam, the photo emitter being located at a first end of the elevated threshold,a photoelectric receiver that receives the light beam, the photoelectric receiver located at a second end of the elevated threshold, wherein the light beam is low enough with respect to the elevated threshold that cold-blooded animals and small mammals moving over the elevated threshold are raised in height sufficiently to block the light beam as the cold-blooded animals and small mammals move over the elevated threshold; and
,a camera, mounted on the frame, the camera being aimed and focused to capture visual recordings of the cold-blooded animals and small mammals as they move over the elevated threshold;
wherein the photoelectric receiver sends a trigger signal when an animal blocks the light beam, the camera capturing a first visual recording of the animal when the photoelectric receiver sends the trigger signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An animal detection unit detects cold-blooded animals and small mammals traversing a tunnel or other constricted area. The animal detection unit includes an elevated threshold that extends across a width of the tunnel or other constricted area. A photo emitter generates a light beam. The photo emitter is located at a first end of the elevated threshold. A photoelectric receiver receives the light beam. The photoelectric receiver is located at a second end of the elevated threshold. The light beam is low enough with respect to the elevated threshold that cold-blooded animals and small mammals moving over the elevated threshold are raised in height sufficiently to block the light beam as the cold-blooded animals and small mammals move over the elevated threshold. A camera is mounted on the frame. The camera is aimed and focused to capture visual recordings of the cold-blooded animals and small mammals as they move over the elevated threshold. The photoelectric receiver sends a trigger signal when an animal blocks the light beam. The camera captures a first visual recording of the animal when the photoelectric receiver sends the trigger signal.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A tunnel camera system comprising
a frame sized to fit within a tunnel; -
an animal detection unit that detects cold-blooded animals and small mammals traversing the tunnel, the animal detection unit including; an elevated threshold that extends across a width of the tunnel, a photo emitter that generates a light beam, the photo emitter being located at a first end of the elevated threshold, a photoelectric receiver that receives the light beam, the photoelectric receiver located at a second end of the elevated threshold, wherein the light beam is low enough with respect to the elevated threshold that cold-blooded animals and small mammals moving over the elevated threshold are raised in height sufficiently to block the light beam as the cold-blooded animals and small mammals move over the elevated threshold; and
,a camera, mounted on the frame, the camera being aimed and focused to capture visual recordings of the cold-blooded animals and small mammals as they move over the elevated threshold; wherein the photoelectric receiver sends a trigger signal when an animal blocks the light beam, the camera capturing a first visual recording of the animal when the photoelectric receiver sends the trigger signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An animal detection unit that detects cold-blooded animals and small mammals traversing a constricted area, the animal detection unit including:
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an elevated threshold that extends across a width of the constricted area; a photo emitter that generates a light beam, the photo emitter being located at a first end of the elevated threshold; and
,a photoelectric receiver that receives the light beam, the photoelectric receiver located at a second end of the elevated threshold, wherein the light beam is low enough with respect to the elevated threshold that cold-blooded animals and small mammals moving over the elevated threshold are raised in height sufficiently to block the light beam as the cold-blooded animals and small mammals move over the elevated threshold, wherein the photoelectric receiver sends a trigger signal whenever any cold-blooded animal or small mammal blocks the light beam, the trigger signal used to trigger a camera to capture a visual recording. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for detecting cold-blooded animals and small mammals traversing a constricted area, the method comprising:
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placing an elevated threshold across a width of the constricted region; generating a light beam that travels across the width of the constricted region over the elevated threshold, the light beam being low enough with respect to the elevated threshold that cold-blooded animals and small mammals moving over the elevated threshold are raised in height sufficiently to block the light beam as the cold-blooded animals and small mammals move over the elevated threshold; detecting when the light beam is blocked; generating a trigger signal upon detecting the light beam is blocked; and
,capturing a visual recording when the trigger signal is generating, the visual recording capturing any cold-blooded animal moving over the elevated threshold. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A camera system comprising:
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a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor, the PIR motion sensor including, pyroelectric field effect transistor (FET) having a source pin and a drain pin; and
,a relay and a resistor connected in series with the source pin and the drain pin so that the relay, in response to a control signal, completes a circuit from the drain pin of the pyroelectric FET through the resistor to the source pin of the pyroelectric FET. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification