Infrared sensor device

• US 8,969,810 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Aisu, Katsuhiko, Watanabe, Hirofumi, Nagahisa, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Makiya, David J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malkowski, Kenneth J
• Application Number:
  US13/795,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20130284931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 250/221, 250/349
• US Class Current: 250/349
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/46 using a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/10 using electric radiation detectors

Abstract

An infrared sensor device includes a plurality of infrared sensors that is provided in a plurality of divided areas in which an infrared-receiving area is radially divided in one plane; a detector that detects presence or absence of movement of an object in the infrared-receiving area for each of the divided areas based on an output of the infrared sensor; and a determiner that determines whether the object is in a detection area in a predetermined distance range from the infrared sensor, based on an arrangement pattern of the divided areas in which the movement of the object is detected, in an alignment of the divided areas in the infrared-receiving areas.

Claims

1. An infrared sensor device comprising:

a plurality of infrared sensors that is provided in a plurality of divided areas in which an infrared-receiving area is radially divided in one plane;

a detector that detects, for each divided area amongst the divided areas, presence or absence of movement of an object in the infrared-receiving area based on signals output from the plurality of infrared sensors; and

a determiner that determines whether the object is in a detection area in a predetermined distance range from the infrared sensor, based on an arrangement pattern of the signals output from the infrared sensors, in an alignment of the divided areas in the infrared-receiving areas,

wherein the determiner determines how distant a position occupied by the object is from the infrared sensor device based on the arrangement pattern of the signals output from the infrared sensors.

2. The infrared sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the determiner performs detection based on the number of consecutive divided areas in which the movement of the object is detected, and which are consecutive.

4. The infrared sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the detector includes

a dummy sensor that has the same constitution as that of the infrared sensors, and where reception of infrared from the infrared-receiving area is blocked;

a plurality of high-pass filters that is provided for each of the infrared sensors and the dummy sensor, and to which outputs of the infrared sensors or the dummy sensor are inputted, respectively;

an amplifier that amplifies a voltage difference between output voltages of the high-pass filters connected to the infrared sensors corresponding to the divided areas and an output voltage of the high-pass filter connected to the dummy sensor; and

a window comparator that outputs a signal that indicates that the movement of the object is detected when the amplified voltage difference is larger than a detection upper-limit voltage or less than a detection lower-limit voltage, outputs a signal that indicates that the movement of the object is not detected when the amplified voltage difference is less than or equal to the detection upper-limit voltage, or equal to or more than the detection lower-limit voltage, and outputs those signals corresponding to the divided areas.

5. The infrared sensor device according to claim 4, wherein the detector further includes:

a plurality of switches that switches the output voltages of the high-pass filters connected to the infrared sensors in a time-division multiplex manner, and inputs them to one amplifier; and

a register that stores an output signal of the window comparator corresponding to the divided areas.

6. The infrared sensor device according to claim 4, wherein the detector further includes:

the comparator and the window comparator per high-pass filter connected to the infrared sensor.

3. The infrared sensor device according to claim wherein the determiner determines the number of divided areas in which the movement of the object is not detected inserted between a plurality of the divided areas in which the movement of the object is detected.

7. An infrared sensor device comprising:

a plurality of infrared sensors that is provided in a plurality of divided areas in which an infrared-receiving area is radially divided in one plane;

a detector that detects presence or absence of movement of an object in the infrared-receiving area for each of the divided areas based on an output of the infrared sensor; and

a determiner that determines whether the object is in a detection area in a predetermined distance range from the infrared sensor, based on an arrangement pattern of the divided areas in which the movement of the object is detected, in an alignment of the divided areas in the infrared-receiving areas,

wherein the detector includes

a dummy sensor that has the same constitution as that of the infrared sensors, and where reception of infrared from the infrared-receiving area is blocked;

a plurality of high-pass filters that is provided for the infrared sensors and the dummy sensor, and to which outputs of the infrared sensors or the dummy sensor are inputted, respectively;

an amplifier that amplifies a voltage difference between output voltages of the high-pass filters connected to the infrared sensors corresponding to the divided areas and an output voltage of h high-pass filter connected to the dummy sensor; and

a window comparator that outputs a signal that indicates that the movement of the object is detected when the amplified voltage difference is larger than a detection upper-limit voltage or less than a detection lower-limit voltage, outputs a signal that indicates that the movement of the object is not detected when the amplified voltage difference is less than or equal to the detection upper-limit voltage, or equal to or more than the detection lower-limit voltage, and outputs those signals corresponding to the divided areas.

8. The infrared sensor device according to claim 7, wherein the detector includes

a plurality of switches that switches the output voltages of the high-pass filters connected to the infrared sensors in a time-division multiplex manner, and inputs them to one amplifier;

and

a register that stores an output signal of the window comparator corresponding to the divided areas.

9. The infrared sensor device according to claim 7, wherein the detector includes the comparator and the window comparator per high-pass filter connected to the infrared sensor.