Multifunction occupancy sensor

• US 5,764,146 A
• Filed: 10/25/1996
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Baldwin, John R., Batko, Thomas J., Ellison, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Glen
• Application Number:
  US08/738,045
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 340/567, 340/521, 340/522, 340/693, 307/116, 307/117, 250/338.3, 250/340, 250/221
• US Class Current: 340/567
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0806 Focusing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or concave mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/10 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/34 using capacitors, e.g. pyroelectric capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/16 Special arrangements for conducting heat from the object to the sensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0425 Safety, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19 using infrared-radiation detection systems G08B13/194 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/193 using focusing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0201 Thermal arrangements, e.g. for cooling, heating or preventing overheating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor functions as an occupancy sensor for security systems and also as an occupancy sensor for energy management control systems. The occupancy sensor comprises at least one segmented infrared lens array wherein the segments of the infrared lens array establish different optical lobes in the field of view of the occupancy sensor. At least one pyroelectric infrared detector is positioned at or near the focal point of the segmented infrared lens array, for detecting movement of infrared sources within the field of view of the occupancy sensor and producing an output signal representative thereof. A processing means analyzes the output signal of the detector for security detection purposes by detecting changes in the output signal greater than a given security threshold. The processing means also analyzes the output signal of the detector for energy management purposes by detecting changes in the output signal greater than a given energy management threshold, which is less than the security threshold. In one embodiment first and second processing circuits detect changes in the detector output signal greater than the security threshold and energy management threshold. In a second embodiment the output of the detector is coupled to an analog to digital converter, the output of which is coupled to a digital processor which utilizes one of two different software processing routines, a security threshold processing routine, and an energy management threshold processing routine. A further embodiment electronically switches detector elements in a detector element array.

Claims

1. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor which functions as an occupancy sensor for security systems and also as an occupancy sensor for energy management control systems comprising:

a. a segmented infrared lens array means, wherein the segments of the infrared lens array means establish different optical lobes in the field of view of the occupancy sensor;

b. a pyroelectric infrared detector means, positioned at or near the focal point of the segmented infrared lens array means, for detecting movement of infrared sources within the field of view of the occupancy sensor and producing an output signal representative thereof;

c. a processor comprising a first processing means for analyzing the output signal of the detector for security detection purposes by detecting changes in the output signal greater than a given security threshold, and a second processing means for analyzing the output signal of the detector for energy management purposes by detecting changes in the output signal greater than a given energy management threshold, wherein the energy management threshold of the second processing means is less than the security threshold of the first processing means.

2. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the segmented infrared lens array means comprises a single optical lens array.

3. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the single optical lens array is designed to meet security requirements and provides an optical gain of 2X or more, and a minimal number of optical segment fields of view which provides less sensitivity to small movements within the field of view of the sensor than an optical lens array designed for energy management requirements.

4. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy detector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first processing means comprises a first processing circuit for detecting changes in the detector output signal greater than the given security threshold, and the second processing means comprises a second processing circuit for detecting changes in the detector output signal greater than the given energy management threshold.

5. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector output signal is coupled to an analog to digital converter, the output of which is coupled to the processor which comprises a single digital processor which utilizes one of two different software processing routines, the first processing routine utilizing a security threshold and the second processing routine utilizing an energy management threshold.

6. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein an analog control switch controls amplification of the detector output signal under control of a microcontroller to configure the sensor as an energy management control sensor with a greater circuit amplification gain or as a security sensor with a lesser circuit amplification gain.

7. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector means comprises an array of a number of separate sensing elements, wherein the number of active sensing elements is electronically switched to control the number of fields of view provided by each lens array segment, to increase the field of view density for the energy management control sensor by adding sensing elements, and to decrease the field of view density for the security sensor by subtracting sensing elements.

8. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein the number of separate detector elements in the array comprises three or more detector elements.

9. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein a processor electronically switches the number of active sensing elements to control the number of fields of view provided by each lens array segment.

10. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens means comprises a first optical lens array designed for security and having a first number of lens segments, and a second optical lens array designed for energy management and having a second number of lens segments, greater than said first number of lens segments, which provides greater sensitivity to small movements within the field of view of the sensor.

11. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection means comprises a separate security detector and a separate energy management detector, and further comprises a separate security amplifier having a security amplification gain, and a separate energy management amplifier having an energy management circuit amplification gain which is greater than the security amplification gain.

12. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 11, wherein the ratio of energy management amplifier gain to the security amplifier gain is in the range of 3:

1 to 5;

1.

13. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the segmented infrared lens has an optical gain in the range of 1X to 4X.

14. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor detects predetermined positive or negative changes in the output signal from a baseline average voltage level.

15. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 14, wherein the predetermined changes in the output signal are greater than 500 millivolts.

16. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 14, wherein the processor detects two sequential changes of opposite polarity in the output signal which occur within a window timeframe.

17. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 16, wherein the window timeframe is greater than 75 milliseconds and less than 2 seconds.

18. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy detector as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first and second processing means detect three or more sequential changes in the output signal of alternating opposite polarity and adjacent changes in the output signal occur within a window timeframe.

19. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 18, wherein the window timeframe is greater than 75 milliseconds and less than 2 seconds.

20. A multifunction passive infrared occupancy sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multifunction sensor is normally configured as an energy management control sensor and when a detected event occurs, the sensor switches to a security sensor configuration for a period of time and looks for security detected events, and if no security events are detected, the sensor returns to an energy management control sensor.