Infrared detectors having front and rear fields of view

• US 5,393,978 A
• Filed: 09/30/1993
• Issued: 02/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frank Schwarz
• Original Assignee: Frank Schwarz
• Inventors: Schwarz, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US08/129,741
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.3, 250/342, 250/353, 250/DIG. 1, 340/567, 340/600
• US Class Current: 250/353
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0806 Focusing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or concave mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/193 using focusing means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 250/01 Passive intrusion detectors

Abstract

A motion sensor having front and rear fields of view includes a housing containing an infrared sensor mounted on a surface which may be a circuit board containing associated electronics to form the motion detector which produces an output in response to the motion of a warm body passing through the sensor'"'"'s field of view. A front part of the housing is provided with a forward looking optical system, preferably a multifaceted Fresnel lens, and a rear part of the housing is provided with at least one rearward looking optical system. A reflector is provided directly between the sensor and the forward looking optical system for reflecting infrared light entering the rearward looking optical system onto the detector. According to one embodiment of the invention, the rearward looking optical system includes a pair of Fresnel lenses and the reflector is a flat mirror. In another embodiment of the invention, the rearward looking optical system includes a pin hole and the reflector is a reflective surface on the inside of the forward looking optical system. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the rearward looking optical system is a window without any lens and the reflector is a focusing mirror. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rearward field of view is directed downward.

Claims

1. An infrared detector, comprising:

a) a housing having a front portion and a rear portion;

b) an infrared sensor mounted within said housing and facing said front portion of said housing;

c) a forward looking optical means mounted in said front portion of said housing for directing infrared energy onto said infrared sensor from a source of infrared energy located forward said housing, said forward looking optical means facing in a first direction;

d) a rearward looking optical means mounted in said rear portion of said housing for permitting infrared energy to enter said housing from a source of infrared energy located rearward said housing, said rearward looking optical means facing in a second direction which is substantially more than ninety degrees from said first direction; and

e) reflective means mounted inside said housing directly between said infrared sensor and said forward looking optical means for reflecting infrared energy entering said housing through said rearward looking optical means onto said infrared sensor.

2. An infrared detector according to claim 1, wherein:

said infrared sensor is mounted on a mounting base in said rear portion of said housing, said mounting base being located substantially in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said housing, the longitudinal axis extending from said front portion to said rear portion, and

said rearward looking optical means is mounted at an angle relative to said plane.

3. An infrared detector according to claim 2, wherein:

said mounting base is provided with at least one cut-out which permits infrared rays entering said rearward looking optical means to pass through said mounting base to said reflective means.

4. An infrared detector according to claim 3, wherein:

said mounting base comprises a circuit board.

5. An infrared detector according to claim 2, wherein:

said mounting base comprises a circuit board.

6. An infrared detector according to claim 1, wherein:

said rearward looking optical means comprises at least one Fresnel lens angled relative to a longitudinal axis of said housing defined by an orientation of said infrared sensor toward said front portion of said housing.

7. An infrared detector according to claim 6, wherein:

one of said angled Fresnel lens and said reflective means is oriented at a downward angle from said housing and provides a rearward field of view which is angled downward from said sensor.

8. An infrared detector according to claim 1, wherein:

said rearward looking optical means comprises a pair of Fresnel lenses each angled oppositely relative to a longitudinal axis of said housing defined by an orientation of said infrared sensor toward said front portion of said housing.

9. An infrared detector according to claim 5, wherein:

said reflective means comprises at least one mirror.

10. An infrared detector according to claim 9, wherein:

said mirror includes at least one flat portion.

11. An infrared detector according to claim 9, wherein:

said mirror is curved.

12. An infrared detector according to claim 9, wherein:

said mirror is a focusing mirror.

13. An infrared detector according to claim 1, wherein:

said rear portion of said housing includes at least one wall angled relative to a longitudinal axis of said housing defined by an orientation of said infrared sensor toward said front portion of said housing, and

said rearward looking optical means comprises at least one pin hole in said angled wall.

14. An infrared detector according to claim 8, wherein:

said at least one wall comprises a pair of walls oppositely angled relative to said longitudinal axis, and

said rearward looking optical means comprises at least one pin hole in each of said angled walls of said rear portion of said housing.

15. An infrared detector according to claim 14, wherein:

said reflective means comprises a polished portion of an inner surface of said forward looking optical means.

16. An infrared detector according to claim 14, wherein:

said reflective means comprises a plated portion of an inner surface of said forward looking optical means.

17. An infrared detector according to claim 13, wherein:

said infrared sensor is mounted on a mounting base in said rear portion of said housing, and

said mounting base is provided with at least one cut-out which permits infrared rays entering said rearward looking optical means to pass through said mounting base to said reflective means.

18. An infrared detector according to claim 17, wherein:

said mounting base comprises a circuit board.

19. An infrared detector according to claim 13, wherein:

one of said angled wall and said reflective means is oriented at a downward angle from said housing and provides a rearward field of view which is angled downward from said sensor.

20. An infrared detector according to claim 1, wherein:

said rear portion of said housing includes at least one wall angled relative to a longitudinal axis of said housing defined by an orientation of said infrared sensor toward said front portion of said housing, and

said rearward looking optical means comprises a window covered with an infrared transparent material.

21. An infrared detector according to claim 20, wherein:

one of said angled wall and said reflective means is oriented at a downward angle from said housing and provides a rearward field of view which is angled downward from said sensor.

22. An infrared detector according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one wall comprises a pair of oppositely angled walls, and

said rearward looking optical means comprises at least one window covered with infrared transparent material in each of said pair of angled walls of said rear portion of said housing.

23. An infrared detector according to claim 1, wherein:

said forward looking optical means comprises a Fresnel lens.

24. An infrared detector according to claim 23, wherein:

said Fresnel lens is a segmented Fresnel lens arranged along a convex arc.

25. An infrared detector according to claim 1, further comprising:

f) a first sideward looking optical means mounted in a first side portion of said housing for permitting infrared energy to enter said housing from an infrared source located in a first sideward direction from said housing; and

g) second reflective means mounted inside said housing for reflecting infrared energy entering said housing through said first sideward looking optical means onto said infrared sensor.

26. An infrared detector according to claim 25, further comprising:

h) a second sideward looking optical means mounted in a second side portion of said housing for permitting infrared energy to enter said housing from an infrared source located in a second sideward direction from said housing; and

i) third reflective means mounted inside said housing for reflecting infrared energy entering said housing through said second sideward looking optical means onto said infrared sensor.

27. An infrared detector according to claim 26, wherein:

said forward looking optical means, said rearward looking optical means, said first sideward optical means and said second sideward optical means together provide said infrared sensor with a substantially 360 degree field of view.