JP2004348551A - Intra-bathroom behavior detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To minimize noise caused by water currents from a shower or a faucet without individually setting a sensor in each shape of a bathroom as to the sensor for detecting the behavior of an object in the bathroom by using radio waves. <P>SOLUTION: The intra-bathroom behavior detection device comprises an antenna part 1 capable of radiating linearly polarized radio waves into the bathroom, a sensor part capable of detecting the movement of an object in a radio wave radiation area and a signal processing part for processing I/O signals. The antenna part 1 is arranged so that the polarizing direction of radiated radio waves is almost vertical to water currents from a shower 13 or the like. In the intra-bathroom behavior detection device, the polarizing direction of radio waves radiated from the antenna part 1 is actively changed so that noise components caused by water currents in the bathroom are minimized. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bathroom behavior detection device, and is particularly suitable for application to a device having a sensor for detecting human body behavior in a bathroom using radio waves.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a human body detecting device in a bathroom, a method of attaching an infrared sensor such as a pyroelectric element or a thermopile, a visible light or near-infrared light sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like to a wall or a ceiling has been proposed in recent years.
[0003]
However, in a sensor that detects a human body behavior in a bathroom using radio waves, a shower or a water flow of a faucet becomes noise as a disturbance. For this reason, there has been a problem that a small behavior of a human body cannot be detected or erroneous detection occurs.
[0004]
Since the water flow from these showers and faucets flows from top to bottom, even if the irradiation range of the radio wave radiated from the antenna is narrowed in the vertical direction, it is necessary to avoid the water flow and reduce only the noise component, It was extremely difficult.
[0005]
Therefore, a method of reducing noise by removing a shower or a faucet from the directivity range of a radio wave has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-197561
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the sensor described in Patent Literature 1 has a problem that the directivity range must be set for each bathroom because the positional relationship between the shower and the faucet and the sensor differs for each bathroom.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sensor that detects the behavior of a target in a bathroom using radio waves, for each shape of the bathroom. It is an object of the present invention to provide a bathroom behavior detecting device capable of minimizing noise based on a water flow from a shower or a faucet without setting individually.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a bathroom behavior detecting device according to a first aspect of the present invention detects an antenna unit that irradiates a linearly polarized radio wave into a bathroom and detects the movement of an object in a radio wave irradiation area. A sensor unit, a signal processing unit that processes input / output signals, and a polarization direction changing unit that controls a polarization direction of radio waves radiated from the antenna unit, wherein the polarization direction changing unit emits light from the antenna unit. It is characterized in that the polarization direction of the generated radio wave can be changed so that the noise component based on the water flow in the bathroom is minimized.
[0010]
According to such a configuration, as compared to a signal based on the behavior of a bather in the bathroom, a water flow emitted from a shower or a faucet, that is, a noise component based on a so-called bathroom water flow can be minimized. Regardless of the shape of the bathroom, the noise component to be detected can always be reduced, so that in bathrooms of all shapes, it is possible to improve the accuracy of detecting the behavior of objects inside the bathroom, especially the behavior of bathers. It becomes possible.
[0011]
In addition, the direction of polarization of the radio wave is controlled so as to be substantially perpendicular to the direction of the water flow, so that a noise component based on the water flow detected by the sensor unit can be reduced.
[0012]
In one embodiment of the present invention, the polarization direction is controlled electronically by the polarization direction changing means.
[0013]
According to such a configuration, the noise component based on the water flow from the shower or the faucet can be monitored by the signal processing unit, and the noise component can be automatically reduced. It becomes possible to detect.
[0014]
A bathroom behavior detecting device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes an antenna unit that irradiates a linearly polarized radio wave into a bathroom, a sensor unit that detects a motion of an object in a radio wave irradiation area, and an input / output signal A signal processing unit for performing processing, wherein the antenna unit is installed such that the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted from the antenna unit is substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity.
[0015]
According to such a configuration, the reflection intensity of the radio wave becomes maximum when the polarization direction is parallel to the extension direction of the water droplets constituting the water flow in the bathroom, and the radio wave reflection intensity when the polarization direction is vertical. The characteristic based on the inventor's experimental knowledge that the strength is minimized can be used, and the polarization direction of the radio wave can be made perpendicular to the water flow falling in the direction of gravity (vertical direction). Therefore, it is possible to reduce a noise component based on a water flow from a shower or a faucet.
[0016]
That is, a water flow emitted from a shower or a faucet in a bathroom (hereinafter referred to as a shower, etc.) falls in a direction of approximately 0 ° to 45 ° or less with respect to the direction of gravity, and water droplets constituting the water flow are directed in the direction of gravity. It has a vertically elongated shape. The reflection intensity of vertically-long water droplets in a linearly polarized radio wave has a characteristic that the reflection intensity is maximum in the case of vertical polarization and minimum in the case of horizontal polarization.
[0017]
Therefore, by irradiating the radio wave from the antenna unit with a horizontal polarization perpendicular to the water flow from a shower or the like falling substantially along the direction of gravity, the reflected wave from the water flow released from the shower or the like, that is, The noise component based on the water flow can be reduced. As a result, minute human body behavior can be detected with higher accuracy, and the detection accuracy can be improved, so that erroneous detection can be reduced.
[0018]
In addition, the bathroom behavior detecting device according to the present invention detects the behavior of an object in the bathroom by irradiating a radio wave in the bathroom and observing a change in the radio wave due to the movement of the bather, particularly the movement of the bather. It is configured to be possible.
[0019]
Here, the detection device using the radio wave includes a system such as a pulse radar, a CW (continuous wave) radar, and an FMCW radar that modulates the CW radar. In the present invention, any system is used. Can also be suitably used. The frequency band of the radio wave to be used is not particularly limited.
[0020]
Further, as the antenna unit, an antenna having a transmitting unit for transmitting a radio wave into the bathroom and a receiving unit for receiving the radio wave in the bathroom may be separately employed, or an integrated antenna which also performs transmission and reception may be employed. May be.
[0021]
Then, in a method of observing a change in a reflection phenomenon of a radio wave, which is a behavior detection method suitable for applying the present invention, an object in a bathroom, particularly a radio wave reflected by a bather is received, and the reception wave is received. The behavior is detected based on. As one technique, for example, a radio wave is transmitted from the antenna unit into the bathroom, and the radio wave irradiated and reflected by the bather is received again by the antenna unit. When the bather is moving, the frequency of the received wave changes due to the Doppler effect. By detecting the difference between the transmission frequency and the reception frequency, the bather is in the operating state or the stationary state. Can be determined.
[0022]
The technical concept of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above-described combination, but also includes a technical concept realized by appropriately combining the plurality of inventions described above.
[0023]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0024]
First, a bathroom behavior detecting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a bathroom behavior detecting device according to the first embodiment.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 1, the bathroom behavior detecting device according to the first embodiment includes an antenna unit 1, a sensor unit 2, and a signal processing unit 3. Further, an alarm unit 4 capable of receiving a signal from the signal processing unit 3 is connected to the bathroom behavior detecting device.
[0026]
The sensor unit 2 is composed of, for example, a Doppler radar that transmits and receives radio waves via the antenna unit 1, detects a motion of an object in the radio wave irradiation area, and outputs a signal whose intensity varies according to the magnitude of the motion. , An oscillator and a mixer.
[0027]
The signal processing unit 3 monitors the signal strength of the frequency band in which the behavior of the human body appears remarkably in the output signal from the sensor unit 2, and when detecting an abnormality such as the stoppage of the behavior of the bather, the signal processing unit 3 transmits the signal An alarm signal is supplied to the controller.
[0028]
The alarm unit 4 includes a bathroom alarm unit 4a that issues an alarm to a bather in the bathroom, and an outside bathroom alarm unit 4b that issues an alarm toward the outside of the bathroom. The alarm unit 4 receives an alarm signal from the signal processing unit 3 and alerts a bather in the bathroom of a warning prompting a behavior by a bathroom alarm unit 4a, and outputs a warning outside the bathroom by an outside bathroom alarm unit 4b. For example, an abnormal situation is notified to a mobile phone, another resident in the house, or a predetermined contact.
[0029]
The antenna unit 1 includes an antenna that emits linearly polarized waves. The antenna unit 1 according to the first embodiment is configured to be capable of irradiating linearly polarized waves. The antenna unit 1 is installed such that the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light is substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity.
[0030]
That is, as shown in FIG. 2, in the first embodiment, the antenna unit 1 makes the polarization plane of the radiated radio wave horizontal with respect to the bather 12 bathing in the bathtub 11. is set up.
[0031]
Thus, the configuration is such that the direction of the water flow and the plane of polarization irradiated from the antenna unit 1 into the bathroom are perpendicular to the state in which the shower 13 is installed. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the water flow discharged from the shower 13 falls due to gravity, the polarization direction becomes perpendicular to the falling direction.
[0032]
That is, the radio wave is a wave which is a kind of electromagnetic wave, the water droplet from the shower 13 has a vertically long shape, and the water flow from the faucet has a vertically long shape. The direction of this water flow is a direction along gravity, that is, a vertical direction as viewed from a bather.
[0033]
According to the knowledge of the present inventor, regarding linearly polarized radio waves, the reflection intensity of radio waves due to water droplets having a vertically elongated shape along the direction of gravity is maximum in the case of vertically polarized waves (see FIG. 3A). There is such a characteristic that it becomes minimum in the case of horizontal polarization (FIG. 3B). In other words, in vertically elongated water droplets extending in the direction of gravity, the reflection cross section for vertical polarization is larger than the reflection cross section for horizontal polarization, so that vertical polarization is better than horizontal polarization. , The reflection cross section becomes extremely large.
[0034]
Therefore, by installing the antenna unit 1 so that the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted from the antenna unit 1 is substantially horizontal, the water flow of the shower or faucet falling almost vertically can be prevented. It is possible to reduce reflected waves from a shower or the like, that is, noise.
[0035]
The detection of the behavior of the bather in the bathroom by the bathroom behavior detection device configured as described above will be described.
[0036]
That is, when the target is moving, the frequency of the received wave changes due to the Doppler effect. Specifically, when the target is approaching the direction of the antenna unit 1, the frequency of the received wave is high, and when the target is far away, the frequency of the received wave is low. Therefore, by observing the difference between the transmission frequency and the reception frequency, it is determined whether the target is in the operating state or the stationary state.
[0037]
Generally, the “moving target” in the bathroom is a water flow from the bather 12, the shower 13, or the like. In the first embodiment, the transmission wave from the antenna unit 1 is a linearly polarized wave, the polarization direction is perpendicular to the direction of gravity, and the transmission wave is Even in the vertical direction. Therefore, a noise component based on the water flow from the shower 13 or the like is hardly detected, and even if it is detected, the noise component is extremely reduced and can be ignored.
[0038]
Therefore, when a target in the operating state is detected, it is determined that no abnormality has occurred in the bather 12. When no target in the operating state is detected, the bather 12 has an abnormality. It is determined that it has occurred.
[0039]
When the target in the operating state is not detected and it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the bather 12, an alarm signal is supplied from the signal processing unit 3 to the alarm unit 4. In the alarm unit 4 to which the alarm signal has been input, a warning panel or the like installed in the bathroom is notified by a predetermined notification method through the bathroom alarm unit 4a, and a cohabitant outside the bathroom is notified through the outside alarm unit 4b. Or a predetermined mobile phone, or the like, displaying a warning indicating that the bather 12 has an abnormality on an alarm panel installed in a living room or the like, or issuing a warning. The bathroom behavior detecting device according to the first embodiment can detect not only an accident during bathing but also an accident other than during bathing, such as a fall accident during bathroom cleaning.
[0040]
As described above, according to the first embodiment, the antenna unit 1 is installed such that the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted from the antenna unit 1 is substantially horizontal. Since it is possible to reduce the reflected wave from the water flow falling almost vertically, that is, noise, it is possible to greatly improve the accuracy of behavior detection in the bathroom and reduce false detection. . Therefore, it is possible to more accurately notify a warning based on the detection by the bathroom behavior detecting device, thereby enabling early detection of an abnormal situation, an accident during bathing, and an accident in the bathroom. Can be prevented.
[0041]
Next, a bathroom behavior detecting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 shows a bathroom behavior detecting device according to the second embodiment.
[0042]
As shown in FIG. 4, the bathroom behavior detecting device according to the second embodiment includes an antenna unit 21, a sensor unit 22, and a signal processing unit 23 as in the first embodiment. In addition, an alarm unit 24 capable of receiving a signal from the signal processing unit 23 is connected.
[0043]
The sensor unit 22 is configured to transmit and receive radio waves via the antenna unit 21 to detect the movement of an object in the radio wave irradiation area, and to output a signal whose intensity varies according to the magnitude of the movement. Doppler radar, for example, including an oscillator and a mixer.
[0044]
The signal processing unit 23 is configured to be able to monitor the signal strength of the frequency band in which the behavior of the human body appears remarkably among the output signals from the sensor unit 22. When the sensor unit 22 detects an abnormality such as a stoppage of the behavior of the bather, an alarm signal is supplied from the signal processing unit 23 to the alarm unit 24.
[0045]
In addition, the signal processing unit 23 monitors the signal strength of the frequency band in which the behavior of the human body appears remarkably in the output signal from the sensor unit 22 and, when detecting an abnormality such as the stoppage of the behavior of the bather, sets the alarm unit. 24 to generate an alarm signal.
[0046]
Further, unlike the first embodiment, the signal processing unit 23 is configured to be able to adjust the angle of the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted from the antenna unit 21 by supplying a control signal to the antenna unit 21. ing. The specific details of the antenna unit 21 according to the second embodiment will be described later.
[0047]
The alarm unit 24 includes a bathroom alarm unit 24a and an outside-bath alarm unit 24b, as in the first embodiment. This is to notify a bather of a warning or to notify an abnormal situation to, for example, a mobile phone, another resident of the house, or a predetermined contact.
[0048]
The antenna section 21 is configured to emit a linearly polarized radio wave, and has a function of electronically controlling the polarization direction. Specifically, in the antenna unit 21 according to the second embodiment, the polarization direction changing means for electronically controlling and changing the polarization direction can be realized by, for example, a rectangular patch antenna. FIG. 5 shows an example of this rectangular patch antenna.
[0049]
As shown in FIG. 5, in the rectangular patch antenna as the antenna unit 21 according to the second embodiment, feeding points 32 and 34 are set to two mutually adjacent sides of a substantially square shape. The power supply points 32 and 34 of the antenna unit 21 are configured to be capable of supplying power in the same phase, respectively, and the power supply points 31 and 33 such as an amplifier or an attenuator are used to supply the power to the power supply points 32 and 34. The power supply ratios are configured to be mutually controllable.
[0050]
That is, when power is supplied to the respective feeding points 32 and 34 in the rectangular patch antenna as the antenna unit 21, two polarization components orthogonal to each other are generated. As a result, the entire antenna unit 21 becomes a linearly polarized wave in the direction of the combined vector of the two polarized waves.
[0051]
Therefore, it is possible to control the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted from the antenna unit 21 by changing the feed power ratio between the feed points 32 and 34. Further, in the second embodiment, the control of the power supply ratio for these power supply points 32 and 34 is performed by the signal processing unit 23 as described later. The rectangular patch antenna forming the antenna unit 21 may be configured by a single antenna element shown in FIG. 5 or a plurality of elements arranged in an array.
[0052]
Further, the signal processing unit 23 is for monitoring the signal strength of the frequency band in which the behavior component of the human body remarkably appears among the signals output from the sensor unit 22, as in the first embodiment. In addition, when an abnormality is detected in the behavior of the bather 12 by this monitoring, an alarm signal is supplied to the alarm unit 24.
[0053]
Further, the signal processing unit 23 according to the second embodiment further monitors a frequency band in which a component based on a water flow from the shower 13 or the faucet appears remarkably, and supplies a signal to the antenna unit 21. This is for changing the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted by the antenna unit 21.
[0054]
Specifically, when a noise component based on the water flow in the bathroom is detected by the sensor unit 22, the noise component is monitored by the signal processing unit 23, and the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted from the antenna unit 21 is monitored. Is changed, and a change in the noise component accompanying this change is detected.
[0055]
Then, the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted from the antenna unit 21 is set to an angle at which the noise component based on the water flow from the shower 13 or the like is minimized.
[0056]
That is, for example, when the region irradiated with the radio wave is near the outlet of the shower 13, the water flow from the shower 13 or the like is inclined obliquely to the direction of gravity (vertical direction) as shown in FIG. 6A. I do.
[0057]
In this case, the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted from the antenna unit 21 is changed so that the polarization direction is perpendicular to the oblique water flow. Thereby, the noise component based on the water flow from the shower 13 or the faucet is reduced as compared with the behavior component of the object detected in the bathroom.
[0058]
In addition, for example, when the region irradiated with the radio wave is separated from the water outlet of the shower 13, the water flow from the shower 13 and the like is along the direction of gravity as shown in FIG. 6B. Therefore, the polarization direction of the radio wave radiated from the antenna unit 21 is changed by the signal processing unit 23 so as to be perpendicular to the direction of gravity.
[0059]
The behavior detection of the bather in the bathroom by the bathroom behavior detection device of the second embodiment configured as described above is performed by transmitting a radio wave from the antenna 21 to the bathroom in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The reflected wave transmitted and returned within the directivity range is received by the antenna unit 21. Then, by observing the difference between the transmission frequency and the reception frequency, it is determined whether the target is operating or stationary.
[0060]
In the second embodiment, the radio wave transmitted from the antenna unit 21 is linearly polarized, and its polarization direction is activated so that the noise component based on the water flow from the shower or faucet is minimized. Be changed.
[0061]
Therefore, in the sensor unit 22, since the noise component based on the water flow from the shower or the faucet is hardly detected or extremely reduced, the noise component can be ignored. Therefore, only the behavior component can be clearly detected. When the signal processing unit 23 detects a target in the operating state by the sensor unit 22, it is determined that there is no abnormality in the bather 12, and if no target in the operating state is detected, the bather 12 has an abnormality. Is determined.
[0062]
Then, when it is determined that the bather 12 has an abnormality, a warning signal is supplied from the signal processing unit 23 to the warning unit 24, and a warning prompting the behavior is sent to a warning panel or the like in the bathroom through the bathroom warning unit 24a. Or an alarm is issued by, for example, notifying the alarm to a person living outside the bathroom or a predetermined mobile phone through the alarm unit 24b outside the bathroom. In addition, it is possible to detect not only an accident during bathing but also an accident other than a bathing accident such as a fall accident during bathroom cleaning.
[0063]
As described above, according to the second embodiment, the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted from the antenna unit 21 is specifically set so that the noise component based on the water flow in the bathroom is minimized. For example, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained by actively changing the polarization direction of the radio wave from the antenna unit 21 so as to be substantially perpendicular to the direction of the water flow in the bathroom. Can be obtained.
[0064]
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications based on the technical idea of the present invention are possible.
[0065]
For example, the configuration of the antenna unit and the arrangement of the shower and the bathtub in the above-described embodiment are merely examples, and a different configuration and arrangement may be adopted as necessary.
[0066]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the polarization direction of the linearly polarized radio wave emitted from the antenna unit is configured to be changeable so that the noise component based on the water flow is minimized. By minimizing noise due to water flow from showers and faucets, without having to individually set the sensor that detects the behavior of the target in the bathroom using radio waves for each shape of the bathroom Can be.
[0067]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the antenna unit is installed so that the direction of polarization of the radio wave to be irradiated is substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity, the bathroom can be used by using the radio wave. A noise component based on a water flow from a shower or a faucet can be reduced to a minimum without separately setting an antenna unit and a sensor unit for detecting the behavior of the target.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a bathroom behavior detecting device and an alarm unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing one installation mode of a bathroom behavior detecting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a positional relationship between a polarization direction of a radio wave and a water flow in the bathroom behavior detecting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a bathroom behavior detecting device and an alarm unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an antenna unit of a bathroom behavior detecting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relative relationship between a polarization direction of a radio wave and a water flow in a bathroom behavior detecting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1, 21 antenna unit 2, 22 sensor unit 3, 23 signal processing unit 4, 24 alarm unit 4a, 24a alarm unit 4b, 24b alarm unit outside bathroom 11 bathtub 12 bather 13 shower 31, 33 power controller 32, 34 feeding point

Claims (3)

An antenna section for irradiating linearly polarized radio waves into the bathroom,
A sensor unit for detecting the movement of an object in the radio wave irradiation area,
A signal processing unit for processing input / output signals;
Having a polarization direction changing means for controlling the polarization direction of the irradiation radio wave from the antenna unit,
The bathroom, wherein the polarization direction changing means is configured to change the polarization direction of the radio wave emitted from the antenna unit such that a noise component based on a water flow in the bathroom is minimized. Inside behavior detection device. The bathroom behavior detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the polarization direction is controlled by the polarization direction changing means electronically. An antenna section for irradiating linearly polarized radio waves into the bathroom,
A sensor unit for detecting the movement of an object in the radio wave irradiation area,
A signal processing unit for processing input / output signals,
The bathroom behavior detecting device, wherein the antenna unit is installed so that a polarization direction of a radio wave to be irradiated is substantially perpendicular to a direction of gravity.

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