Sensible motion detector

• US 8,063,375 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Care Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Intel-GE Care Innovations, LLC (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Ghassemi, Marzyeh, Cobbinah, Kofi B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malevic; Djura
• Application Number:
  US11/766,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 250/353, 250/347, 250/338.3
• US Class Current: 250/353
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6889 Rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/193 using focusing means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2494 by interference with electro-magnetic field distribution combined with other electrical sensor means, e.g. microwave detectors combined with other sensor means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0415 detecting absence of activity per se
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0469 Presence detectors to detect unsafe condition, e.g. infrared sensor, microphone G08B21/0476 takes precedence

Abstract

According to some embodiments, an apparatus having a first sensor having a first adjustable lens and a second sensor having a second adjustable lens is disclosed. A controller is coupled to the first sensor and the second sensor. The controller is to cause the first sensor and the second sensor to operate independently in a first mode and is to cause the first motion sensor and the second motion sensor to operate interdependently in a second mode.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first sensor having a first adjustable lens;

a second sensor having a second adjustable lens; and

a controller coupled to the first sensor and the second sensor, wherein the controller is to cause the first sensor and the second sensor to operate independently in a first mode and is to cause the first sensor and the second sensor to operate interdependently in a second mode, wherein, in the second mode, the controller is configured to compare simultaneous inputs received from both the first sensor and the second sensor, wherein the controller is configured to determine, based upon data received from one sensor operating in independent mode or both the first sensor and the second sensor operating in interdependent mode, that if either the first sensor or the second sensor is not suitable for motion detection at a particular time, then that unsuitable sensor is not used for motion detection during that time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a microwave sensor, wherein the second sensor is a pyroelectric infrared (PIR) sensor, and wherein the first adjustable lens and the second adjustable lens are Fresnel lenses.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is to cause at least one of the first adjustable lens and the second adjustable lens to zoom in on a subject.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first adjustable lens and the second adjustable lens are connected to each other at a hinged joint, and wherein the hinged joint is configured to move along a track to zoom in on the subject.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is to control the movement of the first adjustable lens and the second adjustable lens along the track.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is capable of using the first sensor and the second sensor to identify and track a subject based on the height of the subject.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are housed in a single housing and are separated from one another by approximately 3.5 centimeters.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the first sensor is not suitable for motion detection based on a speed of motion of an objected detected by the first sensor, second sensor, or both, based on a distance of the first sensor to the detected object, or based on any combination thereof, and

wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the second sensor is not suitable for motion detection based on a speed of motion of an objected detected by the first sensor, second sensor, or both, based on a distance of the second sensor to the detected object, or based on any combination thereof.

9. A method comprising:

monitoring a room with at least two sensors having separate lenses;

determining, based upon data received from the at least two sensors operating in independent mode or in interdependent mode, that if a sensor of the at least two sensors is not suitable for motion detection at particular time, then that unsuitable sensor is not used for motion detection during that time; and

after detecting a subject in the room, changing a zoom level of at least one lens to zoom in on the subject.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining whether the subject is one of a primary subject and a non-primary subject using a height of the primary subject and a height of the non-primary subject as detected by at least one of the two sensors.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising vertically enhancing the height of the subject to make a height distinction between the primary subject and the non-primary subject.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein monitoring a room with at least two sensors having separate lenses comprises monitoring the room with a PIR sensor for a time period while a microwave sensor is in a power saving mode and switching to monitor the room with the microwave sensor for the time period while the PIR sensor is in a power saving mode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the time period is approximately one minute.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting the subject in the room comprises receiving data from the at least two sensors simultaneously and localizing motion sensed by comparing simultaneous inputs from the at least two sensors.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining whether the first sensor is not suitable for motion detection is based on a speed of motion of an objected detected by the first sensor, second sensor, or both, based on a distance of the first sensor to the detected object, or based on any combination thereof, and

wherein determining whether the second sensor is not suitable for motion detection is based on a speed of motion of an objected detected by the first sensor, second sensor, or both, based on a distance of the second sensor to the detected object, or based on any combination thereof.

16. A system comprising:

a microwave sensor coupled to a microwave lens and a microwave sensor controller;

a PIR sensor coupled to a PIR lens and a PIR sensor controller; and

a master controller coupled to the PIR sensor controller and the microwave sensor controller, wherein the master controller is configured to perform data processing on data received from at least one of the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor and is configured to direct at least one of the PIR sensor controller and the microwave sensor controller to adjust a zoom level for at least one of the PIR lens and the microwave lens based on the data received from the at least one of the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor and

wherein the master controller is also configured to receive data from the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor simultaneously and to compare simultaneous inputs from the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor are in a single enclosure.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the master controller is to distinguish between a primary subject and a non-primary subject using a height of the primary subject and a height of the non-primary subject as detected by at least one of the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the master controller is further to perform vertical enhancement using the height of the primary subject and the height of the non-primary subject as detected by the at least one of the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the microwave lens and the PIR lens are connected to each other at a hinged joint, and wherein the hinged joint is configured to move along a track to adjust the zoom level.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor are separated by a first distance, and wherein the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor are configured to move along the track to adjust the zoom level.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the master controller is configured to determine whether to direct the PIR sensor controller to adjust a level of zoom based on a speed of motion of an objected detected by the PIR sensor, microwave sensor, or both, based on a distance of the PIR sensor to the detected object, or based on any combination thereof, and

wherein the master controller is configured to determine whether to direct the microwave sensor controller to adjust a level of zoom based on a speed of motion of an objected detected by the PIR sensor, microwave sensor, or both, based on a distance of the microwave sensor to the detected object, or based on any combination thereof.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a first sensor having a first adjustable lens;

a second sensor having a second adjustable lens; and

a controller coupled to the first sensor and the second sensor, wherein the controller is configured to cause the first sensor and the second sensor to operate independently in a first mode and is configured to cause the first motion sensor and the second motion sensor to operate interdependently in a second mode,

wherein the first sensor is a microwave sensor and the second sensor is a pyroelectric infrared (PIR) sensor, the first adjustable lens and the second adjustable lens are Fresnel lenses, the controller is configured to cause at least one of the first adjustable lens and the second adjustable lens to zoom in on a subject, and the first adjustable lens and the second adjustable lens are connected to each other at a hinged joint, and wherein the hinged joint is configured to move along a track to zoom in on the subject.

24. A system comprising:

a microwave sensor coupled to a microwave lens and a microwave sensor controller;

a PIR sensor coupled to a PIR lens and a PIR sensor controller; and

a master controller coupled to the PIR sensor controller and the microwave sensor controller, wherein the master controller is to perform data processing on data received from at least one of the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor and is to direct at least one of the PIR sensor controller and the microwave sensor controller to adjust a zoom level for at least one of the PIR lens and the microwave lens based on the data received from the at least one of the microwave sensor and the PIR sensor,

wherein the microwave lens and the PIR lens are connected to each other at a hinged joint, and wherein the hinged joint is configured to move along a track to adjust the zoom level.