Apparatus for detecting the approach distance of a human body and performing different actions according to the detecting results

• US 8,792,655 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2010
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lan-Chung Hou, Wen-Chun Chen
• Original Assignee: Lan-Chung Hou, Wen-Chun Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Wen-Chun, Hou, Lan-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Giannone, Leonard M
• Application Number:
  US12/897,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20110085680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 381/107, 381/104, 381/105, 250/336.1, 250/214.AL, 250/221, 250/342, 340/541, 340/686.6, 382/103
• US Class Current: 381/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2027/001 Comprising a presence or proximity detector
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 25/00 Audible advertising sound recording or reproducing per se G11B; public address systems H04R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/32 the control being dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting the approach distance of a human body and performing different actions according to the detecting results comprises: an infrared sensing circuit for sensing the human body'"'"'s movement; a short-distance infrared signal level detector, used for detecting the amplitude level of signals and comparing them with a preset reference level; a long-distance infrared signal level detector, used for detecting the amplitude level of signals and comparing them with another preset reference level; and a long-distance indication-signal time delayer, used for delaying the output of the signals from the long-distance-signal level detector. During the delayed period, a soft pre-recorded speech is sent off to greet customers and introduce merchandize when the short-distance-signal level detector detects a “short-distance” signal with larger amplitude, whereas a louder pre-recorded speech is sent off to draw the attention of customers when no “short-distance” signal is detected by the short-distance-signal level detector.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting the approach distance of a human body and performing different actions according to the detecting results, comprising:

an infrared sensing circuit, configured as a pyroelectric infrared sensor for sensing the human body'"'"'s movement and outputting signals via an output end of an infrared signal amplifier;

the infrared signal amplifier including plurality of resistors, wherein the plurality of resistors are in series with each other for voltage division to form at least one node, thereby providing a preset reference level; and

a variable resistor connected with the infrared signal amplifier for adjusting the gain amplitude of the infrared signal amplifier and output signal;

a short-distance infrared signal level detector including a plurality of diodes and an amplifier having three connected points;

the plurality of diodes, respectively connected with the output end of the infrared signal amplifier and the first connected point of the amplifier, for attenuating input signal from the infrared signal amplifier;

the second connected point of the amplifier being electrically connected with the node;

wherein the amplifier is provided for detecting the level of output signals from the first connected point and comparing them with the preset reference level from the second connected point, such that if the signal level of the first connected point is higher than the preset reference level, then the amplifier will output a short-distance signal level via the third connected point;

a long-distance infrared signal level detector including a plurality of diodes and an amplifier having three connected points;

the plurality of diodes, respectively connected with the output end of the infrared signal amplifier and the first connected point of the amplifier, for attenuating input signal from the infrared signal amplifier, wherein the number of the diodes of the long-distance infrared signal level detector is less than that of the short-distance infrared signal level detector;

the second connected point of the amplifier is electrically connected with the node;

wherein the amplifier is provided for detecting the level of output signals from the first connected point and comparing them with the preset reference level from the second connected point such that if the signal level of the first connected point is higher than the preset reference level then the amplifier will output a long-distance signal level via the third connected point;

a long-distance indication-signal time delayer, electrically connected to the long-distance infrared signal level detector, provided for delaying the output of the signals from the long-distance infrared signal level detector;

wherein when a long-distance signal is detected by the long-distance infrared signal level detector, the signal from the output end of the long-distance signal level detector should be delayed for a period of time, wherein if the short-distance infrared signal level detector detects the short-distance signal level during the delayed time, an audio-frequency power amplifier outputs short-distance audio signals when the human is in a short distance from the apparatus; and

wherein if the short-distance infrared signal level detector does not detect the short-distance signal level during the delayed time, an audio-frequency power amplifier outputs long-distance audio signals when the human is in a long distance from the apparatus when the delayed time is ended.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an auto-attenuation volume control circuit, wherein the auto-attenuation volume control circuit is electrically connected with the short-distance infrared signal level detector and the audio-frequency power amplifier, so as to attenuate the output audio signals from the audio-frequency power amplifier when the human body is in a short distance from the apparatus.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a long-distance indication-signal waveform-widening circuit, wherein the long-distance indication-signal waveform-widening circuit is electrically connected with the long-distance indication-signal time delayer and is provided for widening the output waveforms from the long-distance indication-signal time delayer.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a short-distance indication-signal waveform-widening circuit, wherein the short-distance indication-signal waveform-widening circuit is electrically connected with short-distance infrared signal level detector and is provided for widening the output waveforms from the short-distance infrared signal level detector.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a light bulb/motor/alarm drive circuit for light bulb/motor/alarm;

the drive circuit electrically connected to the short-distance indication-signal waveform-widening circuit and the long-distance indication-signal waveform-widening circuit respectively and is provided for actuating light bulbs, alarms, and electrically operated facilities which are controlled by motors.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a multimedia audio/video player, wherein the multimedia audio/video player is electrically connected with the short-distance indication-signal waveform-widening circuit.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an audio recording/playing circuit, wherein the audio recording/playing circuit is electrically connected with the audio-frequency power amplifier, so as to output sounds with various contents.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the audio recording/playing circuit is provided with at least one manually triggered button switch manually operated for giving off pre-recorded sounds of vehicle horn, rings, or other sounds for alerting forward vehicle/personnel or to give off speech sounds to make a give-way request.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a power-regulation and battery-charging circuit, connected with an external AC-to-DC power supplier or an encased rechargeable battery for providing electrical power to the circuits of a whole system.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a wired/wireless data receiver, where the wired/wireless data receiver is electrically connected respectively with a remote host computer, the power-regulation and battery-charging circuit, the audio recording/playing circuit, and the multimedia audio/video player, so as to provide electrical power to the power-regulation and battery-charging circuit and to update the audio/video contents for the audio recording/playing circuit and multimedia audio/video player.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a control circuit electronically connected with the audio recording/playing circuit, wherein the control circuit is used for automatically and repeatedly playing pre-recorded sounds at preset intervals even if there is no human body approaching.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an audio recording/playing circuit, wherein the audio recording/playing circuit is electrically connected with the audio-frequency power amplifier, so as to output sounds with various contents.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the audio recording/playing circuit is provided with at least one manually triggered button switch manually operated for giving off pre-recorded sounds of vehicle horn or rings or other sounds for alerting forward vehicle/personnel or to give off speech sounds to make a give-way request.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a power-regulation and battery-charging circuit, connected with an external AC-to-DC power supplier or an encased rechargeable battery for providing electrical power to the circuits of a whole system.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a wired/wireless data receiver, where the wired/wireless data receiver is electrically connected respectively with a remote host computer, the power-regulation and battery-charging circuit, the audio recording/playing circuit, and a multimedia audio/video player, so as to provide electrical power to the power-regulation and battery-charging circuit and to update the audio/video contents for the audio recording/playing circuit and the multimedia audio/video player.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a control circuit electronically connected with the audio recording/playing circuit, wherein the control circuit is used for automatically and repeatedly playing pre-recorded sounds at preset intervals even if there is no human body approaching.