Sensor for detecting human intruders, and security system

• US 7,616,115 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Burne, Richard A., Horak, Dan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/705,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20080191871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 340/566, 340/541, 340551-554, 340/565, 340/522, 367/136, 367/178, 367/14
• US Class Current: 340/566
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1618 using ultrasonic detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1663 using seismic sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/183 Single detectors using dual technologies G08B13/1672, G08B13/2448, G08B13/2494 take precedence

Abstract

A dual-modality sensor for detecting a presence of a human intruder within a secure setting includes a seismic sensor for acquiring a seismic signature of a disturbance, and includes an active acoustic sensor to acquire an acoustic signature of the disturbance. A system processor is electrically connected to the seismic and active acoustic sensors to receive and process the seismic and acoustic signatures, and generate an alarm signal when the disturbance is determined to come from a human intruder. Also included is an antenna and/or hard-wire connection arranged for communicating the alarm signal. The dual-modality sensor is arranged in a sensor housing constructed to contact a surface of the secure setting. The sensor may include a battery or other means for providing electrical power.

Claims

1. A dual-modality sensor for detecting human intruders to a secure setting, comprising:

a seismic sensor for detecting and measuring seismic disturbances;

an active acoustic sensor for acquiring a Doppler effect acoustic signature from acoustic energy reflected from a source of the detected seismic disturbance; and

a processor for processing and correlating the measured seismic disturbance and the active acoustic signature to verify a presence of a human characteristic therein, and for generating a human intruder alarm signal where said human characteristic presence is verified.

2. The dual-modality sensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the seismic sensor allows the active acoustic sensor to acquire the acoustic signature when the seismic sensor determines that the detected seismic disturbance meets a seismic threshold level.

3. The dual modality sensor as set forth in claim 2, wherein the seismic sensor generates a seismic trigger signal upon its determination that the seismic disturbance meets the seismic threshold level.

4. The dual-modality sensor as set forth in claim 3, wherein the active acoustic sensor is activated by the seismic trigger signal.

5. The dual-modality sensor as set forth in claim 3, wherein the measured seismic disturbance and acoustic signature are measured for a fixed time period in response to the seismic trigger signal.

6. The dual-modality sensor as set forth in claim 3, wherein the processor may generate the trigger signal to acquire an acoustic signature related to the measured seismic disturbance upon one of:

periodically, in response to a command signal received at the dual-modality sensor, and in response to an ambiguous processing result.

7. The dual-modality sensor as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a sensor housing arranged to contact a surface comprising the secure setting, which houses the seismic sensor, the active acoustic sensor and the processor.

8. The dual-modality sensor as set forth in claim 7, wherein the housing comprises spike for coupling to the surface.

9. The dual modality sensor as set forth in claim 7, wherein the active acoustic sensor comprises an array of ultrasonic transducers arranged to acquire acoustic signature data in a field that exceeds the field that a single active acoustic sensor can cover.

10. The dual-modality sensor as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an electrical power source.

11. The dual-modality sensor as set forth in claim 10, wherein the electrical power source is a battery.

12. The dual-modality sensor as set forth in claim 1, further including a transmitter for communicating the human intruder alarm signal.

13. The dual modality sensor as set forth in claim 12, further comprising an antenna for sending and receiving signals.

14. The dual modality sensor as set forth in claim 13, wherein the antenna transmits the measured seismic disturbance data and the acoustic signature.

15. The dual modality sensor as set forth in claim 13, wherein the antenna transmits the human intruder alarm signal.

16. The dual modality sensor as set forth in claim 12, wherein the seismic sensor is a geophone.

17. The dual modality sensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the active acoustic sensor is a piezoelectric transducer.

18. A security system for protecting a secure setting, comprising:

a command center including a command center processor;

at least one dual-modality sensor in communication with the command center for detecting a presence of a human intruder within the secure setting, comprising;

a seismic sensor for detecting and measuring a seismic disturbance;

an active acoustic sensor for acquiring a Doppler effect acoustic signature from acoustic energy reflected from a source of the detected seismic disturbance; and

a sensor processor for processing and correlating the measured seismic disturbance and acoustic signature and generating an alarm signal if a correlation is found by said processing indicative of a human gait; and

means for communicating with the at least one dual-modality sensor.

19. The security system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the at least one dual-modality sensor includes a sensor housing arranged to contact a surface comprising the secure setting, and which houses the seismic sensor, the active acoustic sensor, and the sensor processor.

20. The security system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the seismic sensor generates a trigger signal if it determines that the seismic disturbance exceeds a predetermined seismic threshold value.

21. The security system as set forth in claim 20, wherein the trigger signal activates the active acoustic sensor to acquire acoustic data.

22. The security system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the dual-modality sensor includes an antenna.

23. The security system as set forth in claim 22, wherein the sensor processor communicates the alarm signal to the command center upon determining that the disturbance was human-generated.

24. The security system as set forth in claim 22, wherein the at least one dual-modality sensor communicates the measured seismic disturbance and acoustic signature to the command center for processing to identify indicia of human gait.

25. The security system as set forth in claim 18, wherein all signals exchanged between the command center and the at least one dual-modality sensor are encrypted.