Detector

• US 6,031,456 A
• Filed: 05/13/1998
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Aleph Corp.
• Original Assignee: Nippon Aleph Corp.
• Inventors: Hanyuda, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US09/076,733
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 340/555, 340/556, 340/567, 340/506, 340/693.5, 250/221, 250/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 340/555
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/046 prevention of tampering with detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 250/01 Passive intrusion detectors

Abstract

A detector that can detect an obstacle in a detection field with simple configuration and at low cost is provided. In the detector 10 having a base 11 to be mounted on a ceiling, a wall, or the like, a sensor section 12 which is mounted on the surface of the base, and a cover which is mounted on the base so as to cover the sensor section, the detector 10 is configured such that a obstacle detection sensor 20 for detecting a change of reflectance on and around the surface of the cover can be provided outside the cover 13. The obstacle detection sensor 20 includes light emitting elements 25 and 26 for emitting light to locations on and around the surfaces of the cover, and a light receiving element 24 for receiving reflected light from those locations.

Claims

1. A detector comprising:

a base to be mounted on a ceiling, a wall or the like;

a sensor section mounted on the surface of the base;

a cover mounted on the base so as to cover the sensor section; and

an obstacle detection sensor provided outside said cover and separate from said base for detecting a change of reflectance on and around the surface of said cover.

2. The detector according to claim 1, wherein said obstacle detection sensor further comprises a light emitting element for emitting light to locations on and around the surface of said cover;

and a light receiving element for receiving reflected light from these locations.

3. The detector according to claim 1, wherein said obstacle detection sensor further comprises a first light emitting element, a second light emitting element and a light receiving element, which are arranged in the sequence of said first light emitting element, said light receiving element and said second light emitting element.

4. The detector according to claim 1, wherein said obstacle detection sensor includes a particular detection area that intersects the detection area of the sensor section.

5. The detector according to claim 1, wherein said obstacle detection sensor is configured so as to be a separate unit which is detachable from said detector.

6. The detector according to claim 1, wherein said obstacle detection sensor further comprises a light emitting unit;

a light receiving unit which receives light emitted from said light emitting unit and outputs an output signal based on the quantity of the received light;

a first threshold output circuit for outputting the first threshold based on said output signal from said light receiving unit;

a second threshold output circuit for outputting the second threshold based on said output signal from said light receiving unit; and

a comparison circuit for outputting a specified signal based on the output signals from said first threshold output circuit and said second threshold output circuit.

7. A detector comprising:

a base to be mounted on a ceiling, a wall or the like;

a sensor section mounted on the surface of the base;

a cover mounted on the base so as to cover the sensor section; and

an obstacle detection sensor provided outside said cover and separate from said base for detecting a change of reflectance on and around the surface of said base.

8. The detector according to claim 7, wherein said obstacle detection sensor is configured so as to be a separate unit which is detachable from said detector.

9. A detector comprising:

a base to be mounted on a ceiling, a wall or the like;

a sensor section mounted on the surface of the base;

a cover mounted on the base so as to cover the sensor section; and

an obstacle detection sensor provided outside said cover for detecting a change of reflectance on and around the surface of said cover;

wherein said obstacle detection sensor comprises a light emitting unit;

a light receiving unit which receives light emitted from said light emitting unit and outputs a signal based on the quantity of the received light;

a first threshold output circuit for outputting a first threshold based on the output signal from said light receiving unit;

a second threshold output circuit for outputting a second threshold based on said output signal; and

a comparison circuit for outputting a specified signal based on the output signals from said first and second threshold output circuits;

wherein said first and second threshold output circuits automatically set the threshold levels based on the output signal from said light receiving unit, and output the setting to said comparison circuit.

10. The detector according to claim 9, wherein said threshold levels are set when a specified delay time has passed after the output signal from said light receiving unit.