Pyroelectric intrusion detection in motor vehicles
First Claim
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1. A method of ensuring reliable thermal detection of the presence of a body having a thermal profile in a compartment of a parked motor vehicle comprising the steps of:
- providing a thermal energy detection system including a pyroelectric detector, said pyroelectric detector having a first pyroelectric sensing element and a second pyroelectric sensing element, said first and second pyroelectric sensing elements arranged in opposed connection, said thermal energy detection system further comprising control circuitry responsive to electrical indicatives generated by said opposed first and second sensing elements;
mounting said thermal energy detection system either in a trunk compartment or an interior compartment of the vehicle;
monitoring a thermal profile of said trunk compartment or said interior compartment of the vehicle using said thermal energy detection system when the vehicle is parked and operating under vehicle battery power;
sensing a change in the thermal profile due to the presence of a moving human body having a temperature different than the thermal profile; and
generating a signal indicative of the change in the sensed thermal profile in the trunk compartment or the interior compartment,wherein said thermal energy detection system is responsive to frequencies of change in sensed thermal profile in a restricted frequency range, thereby reducing the chance of a false alarm situation.
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Abstract
Pyroelectric detector systems may be used in vehicles for security applications, such as intrusion detection and anti-theft alarms. The pyroelectric detectors are small in size, highly reliable and consume very low power. They can be physically and electrically integrated with other vehicle components, including rear-view mirror assemblies in automobiles, without incurring additional installation costs. They can also be easily integrated into aircraft cockpits.
289 Citations
101 Claims
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1. A method of ensuring reliable thermal detection of the presence of a body having a thermal profile in a compartment of a parked motor vehicle comprising the steps of:
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providing a thermal energy detection system including a pyroelectric detector, said pyroelectric detector having a first pyroelectric sensing element and a second pyroelectric sensing element, said first and second pyroelectric sensing elements arranged in opposed connection, said thermal energy detection system further comprising control circuitry responsive to electrical indicatives generated by said opposed first and second sensing elements; mounting said thermal energy detection system either in a trunk compartment or an interior compartment of the vehicle; monitoring a thermal profile of said trunk compartment or said interior compartment of the vehicle using said thermal energy detection system when the vehicle is parked and operating under vehicle battery power; sensing a change in the thermal profile due to the presence of a moving human body having a temperature different than the thermal profile; and generating a signal indicative of the change in the sensed thermal profile in the trunk compartment or the interior compartment, wherein said thermal energy detection system is responsive to frequencies of change in sensed thermal profile in a restricted frequency range, thereby reducing the chance of a false alarm situation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of ensuring reliable thermal detection of the presence of a body having a thermal profile in a compartment of a parked motor vehicle comprising the steps of;
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providing a thermal energy detection system including a pyroelectric detector, said pyroelectric detector comprising a first pyroelectric sensing element and a second pyroelectric sensing element, said first and second pyroelectric sensing elements arranged in opposed connection, said thermal energy detection system further comprising control circuitry responsive to electrical indicatives generated by said opposed first and second sensing elements; mounting said thermal energy detection system either in a trunk compartment or an interior compartment of the vehicle; monitoring a thermal profile of said trunk compartment or said interior compartment of the vehicle using said thermal energy detection system when the vehicle is parked and operating under vehicle battery power; sensing a change in the thermal profile due to the presence of a moving human body having a temperature different than the thermal profile; and generating a signal indicative of the change in the sensed thermal profile in either the trunk compartment or the interior compartment, wherein said thermal energy detection system resolves movement of a human body at approximately 37°
C. moving at a distance of approximately 1 to 5 meters of said pyroelectric detector,whereby thermal radiation emitted by said moving human body incident on at least one of said first pyroelectric sensing element and said second pyroelectric sensing element generates an output of said thermal energy detection system indicative of presence of a human body in either the trunk compartment or the interior compartment. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of ensuring reliable thermal detection of the presence of a body in a compartment of a parked motor vehicle comprising the steps of:
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providing a thermal energy detection system including a pyroelectric detector, said pyroelectric detector comprising a first pyroelectric sensing element and a second pyroelectric sensing element, said first and second pyroelectric sensing elements arranged in opposed connection, said thermal energy detection system further comprising control circuitry responsive to electrical indicatives generated by said opposed first and second sensing elements; mounting said thermal energy detection system either in a trunk compartment or an interior compartment of the vehicle; monitoring a thermal profile of either said trunk compartment or said interior compartment of the vehicle using said thermal energy detection system when the vehicle is parked and operating under vehicle battery power; sensing a change in the thermal profile due to the presence of a moving human body having a temperature different than the thermal profile; and generating a signal indicative of the change in the sensed thermal profile in either the trunk compartment or the interior compartment, wherein said opposed sensors are arranged in one of a parallel opposed connection and series opposed connection, whereby thermal radiation emitted by said moving human body incident on at least one of said first pyroelectric sensing element and said second pyroelectric sensing element generates an output of said thermal energy detection system indicative of presence of a human body in either the trunk compartment or said interior compartment. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A method of ensuring reliable thermal detection of the presence of a body in a compartment of a parked motor vehicle comprising the steps of:
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providing a thermal energy detection system including a pyroelectric detector, said pyroelectric detector comprising a first pyroelectric sensing element and a second pyroelectric sensing element, said first and second pyroelectric sensing elements arranged in opposed connection, said thermal energy detection system further comprising control circuitry responsive to electrical indicatives generated by said opposed first and second sensing elements; mounting said thermal energy detection system either in a trunk compartment or an interior compartment of the vehicle; monitoring a thermal profile of either said trunk compartment or said interior compartment of the vehicle using said thermal energy detection system when the vehicle is parked and operating under vehicle battery power; sensing a change in the thermal profile due to the presence of a moving human body having a temperature different than the thermal profile; and generating a signal indicative of the change in the sensed thermal profile in either the trunk compartment or the interior compartment; wherein said thermal energy detection system consumes a current of less than 5.0 mA when operating under vehicle battery power, whereby thermal radiation emitted by said moving human body incident on at least one of said first pyroelectric sensing element and said second pyroelectric sensing element generates an output of said thermal energy detection system indicative of presence of a human body in either the trunk compartment or said interior compartment. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101)
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Specification