Thermal image sensor and user interface

• US 9,939,164 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2014
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kusukame, Koichi, Shikii, Shinichi, Silawan, Nawatt, Itoh, Tatsuo, Funase, Kazuki, Yoneda, Aki
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, CHRISTINE SUNG
• Application Number:
  US14/414,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20150204556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/12 Position of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/14 Activity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/0608 Height gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• 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 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/047 Mobile mounting; Scanning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/20 using multiple transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A thermal image sensor including: a plurality of infrared detector elements that detect infrared light in a detection area; and rotors that scan the detection area in a scanning direction to detect, with the plurality of infrared detector elements, infrared light in an area to be captured as a single thermal image. The plurality of infrared detector elements include infrared detector elements arranged in mutually different positions in a rotational direction corresponding to the scanning direction of the plurality of infrared detector elements.

Claims

1. A thermal image sensor comprising:

a plurality of infrared detector elements that detect infrared light in a detection area; and

a scanning device that scans the detection area in a predetermined direction to generate a thermal image based on information obtained by each of the plurality of infrared detector elements,

wherein the plurality of infrared detector elements include a first infrared detector element and a second infrared detector element arranged in mutually different positions in the predetermined direction, and

the first infrared detector element and the second infrared detector element are arranged such that a portion of a first detection area and a portion of a second detection area overlap, the first detection area being an area in which the first infrared detector element detects infrared light by scanning by the scanning device, and the second detection area being an area in which the second infrared detector element detects infrared light by scanning by the scanning device, and

the plurality of infrared detector elements each have a square shape, and the plurality of infrared detector elements are arranged such that a first diagonal line of each of the plurality of infrared detector elements is parallel to the predetermined direction,

the plurality of infrared detector elements are arranged such that a second diagonal line of each of the plurality of infrared detector elements is perpendicular to the predetermined direction such that (i) the second diagonal line of the first infrared detector element is aligned in a first line extending in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction and (ii) the second diagonal line of the second infrared detector element is aligned in a second line extending in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction,

the first line and the second line are adjacent to one another in the predetermined direction,

the plurality of infrared detector elements are arranged in a plurality of element lines, and

the plurality of element lines are arranged in mutually different positions in the predetermined direction.

2. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of infrared detector elements are aligned in a third line extending in an intersecting direction intersecting both the predetermined direction and the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

3. The thermal image sensor according to claim 2,

wherein the first infrared detector element and the second infrared detector element are adjacent elements in the third line.

4. The thermal image sensor according to claim 2,

wherein, relative to the predetermined direction, an angle of the intersecting direction in which the plurality of infrared detector elements are aligned is 45 degrees.

5. The thermal image sensor according to claim 2, further comprising

a structure that adjusts an angle of the intersecting direction relative to the predetermined direction by rotating the plurality of infrared detector elements.

6. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of element lines include a first element line and a second element line arranged in mutually different positions in the predetermined direction,

the first infrared detector element is included in the first element line, and

the second infrared detector element is included in the second element line.

7. The thermal image sensor according to claim 6,

wherein the first element line further includes a third infrared detector element that is arranged in a different position than the first infrared detector element and detects infrared light in a third detection area by scanning by the scanning device, and

the third infrared detector element is arranged such that a portion of the third detection area and a portion of the second detection area overlap.

8. The thermal image sensor according to claim 6,

wherein the plurality of element lines include a third element line arranged in a different position in the predetermined direction than the first element line and the second element line,

the first element line, the second element line, and the third element line are arranged in stated order, and

a distance between the first element line and the second element line is different from a distance between the second element line and the third element line.

9. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein each of the plurality of element lines is configured of infrared detector elements aligned in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

10. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of element lines include:

an element line of infrared detector elements aligned in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction; and

an element line of infrared detector elements aligned in an intersecting direction intersecting both the predetermined direction and the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

11. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein a number of infrared detector elements constituting one element line included in the plurality of element lines is different from a number of infrared detector elements constituting another element line included in the plurality of element lines.

12. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of infrared detector elements include two types of infrared detector elements different in at least one of shape, thermal capacity, size, or material.

13. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the scanning device scans the detection area in the predetermined direction by moving the plurality of infrared detector elements in the predetermined direction.

14. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1, further comprising

an optical system that introduces infrared light from a target object to the plurality of infrared detector elements,

wherein the scanning device scans the detection area in the predetermined direction by moving the optical system.

15. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1, further comprising

a perpendicular scanning device that scans the detection area in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

16. The thermal image sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the thermal image sensor detects a change in the thermal image by comparing first infrared information detected for the first detection area at a first point in time by the first infrared detector element and second infrared information detected for the first detection area at a second point in time by the second infrared detector element.