JPH07287072A - Heat-source detection apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a heat-source detection apparatus which can enhance a resolution, which is simple and low-cost and which can expand a field of view (a detection region). CONSTITUTION:A plurality of concave mirrors 8a, 8b which condense infrared rays from a heat source 4 are installed. Infrared array sensors 1 which detect an infrared image from the heat source 4 (Q-R) are installed, and a sensor movement mechanism 15 which moves the infrared array sensors 1 to respective infrared image-formation positions 9a, 9b by means of the concave mirrors 8a, 8b is installed. The sensor movement mechanism 15 is rotated repeatedly, and information on infrared images such as Q'-R' in the individual infrared image-formation positions 9a, 9b is fetched into the infrared array sensors 1 at every definite time. By utilizing the information on the infrared images, the movement direction and the movement distance of the heat source 4 are detected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat source detecting device which is used in, for example, the security market and detects the position of an infrared heat source such as a human body and the moving direction of the heat source position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A radiant light (infrared ray) from an infrared heat source such as a human body is detected by an infrared sensor, and FIG. 5 shows a general heat source detecting device equipped with a pyroelectric infrared sensor. It is shown. As shown in the figure,
The heat source detection device 13 includes an infrared lens 10 that collects infrared rays from the heat source, and an infrared array sensor 1 that detects an infrared image of the infrared rays collected by the infrared lens 10. The infrared lens 10 is an infrared ray. It plays a role of expanding the field of view (detection region) 6 of the array sensor 1, and a germanium (Ge) lens, a silicon lens, or the like is used as the infrared lens 10. Further, the heat source detection device 13 is provided with a chopper (not shown) so that the infrared rays collected by the infrared lens 10 are guided to the infrared array sensor 1 by the chopper at regular intervals. The infrared image is processed by a signal processing unit (not shown) connected to the infrared array sensor 1.

Although only one infrared lens 10 and one infrared array sensor 1 are shown in FIG. 5,
Actually, a plurality of infrared array sensors 1 and the like are provided, and infrared images detected by many infrared array sensors 1 are signal-processed by a signal processing unit (not shown), and the position and moving direction of the infrared heat source, etc. Is surely detected.

Further, FIG. 6 shows a heat source detecting device 13 in which a movable infrared array sensor 1 is provided to widen a visual field (detection region). As shown in the figure, this device is provided with a pyroelectric infrared array sensor 1 in which eight infrared detectors 3 are arranged in a line in a longitudinal direction so as to be reciprocally rotatable as indicated by an arrow A in the figure. Opening on the outer peripheral side of the array sensor 1
A chopper 11 having 12 is rotatably provided, and an infrared lens 10 is provided on the front side of the chopper 11. In this device, radiant light from a heat source is passed through an infrared lens 10 to a chopper.
An image is formed on the infrared detection unit 3 through the opening 12 of the 11, but the infrared array sensor 1 and the chopper 11 are rotated as shown by arrows A and B in the figure, and the chopper 11 is opened and closed 64 times to detect the radiant light. By detecting the radiant light while changing the detection angle, the detection signal is processed by the signal processing unit 24, and the CPU (microcomputer) 25 performs the processing as shown in (b) of FIG. A 64x8 infrared image is displayed to detect the heat source position and heat source movement direction.

[0005]

However, when a germanium lens, a silicon lens, or the like is used as the infrared lens 10 like the heat source detection device 13 shown in FIG. 5, since these lenses are expensive, the device There is a problem that the cost becomes high, and since the device is configured by using a plurality of infrared array sensors 1 and the like, the device becomes complicated and the cost of the device becomes higher and higher.

A heat source detecting device 13 as shown in FIG.
In the above, since the infrared array sensor 1 and the chopper 11 move together, both the mechanism for moving the infrared array sensor 1 and the mechanism for moving the chopper 11 must be provided. Therefore, there is a problem that the device becomes complicated as in the above.

In any of the devices, the infrared array sensor 1 is a pyroelectric sensor, and in the case of a thermal sensor such as a pyroelectric sensor, the resolution is not so high, but Infrared rays detected by the infrared ray array sensor 1 are collected by the infrared lens 10, and aberration is generated when the infrared rays are collected by the infrared lens 10 as described above. Therefore, a heat source detection device 13 having a high resolution is constructed. Was difficult.

If the heat source detection device 13 is manufactured by using, for example, a quantum infrared sensor using a semiconductor such as HgCdTe or InSb instead of the pyroelectric infrared array sensor 1, the heat source detection device 13 with high resolution can be obtained. It is thought that the device will be built, but in order to operate such a quantum infrared sensor, it is necessary to cool the element to extremely low temperature with liquid nitrogen, etc., so a cooling device is required, and only that much There is a problem that the device becomes large and the cost of the device becomes high.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and its object is to design a wide field of view (detection region), which can improve the resolution, is not complicated in the device, is low in cost. Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat source detection device capable of doing so.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is constructed as follows. That is, the present invention, a plurality of concave mirrors that collect the infrared rays from the heat source,
An infrared array sensor for detecting an infrared image and a sensor moving mechanism for moving the infrared array sensor to each infrared image forming position focused by the plurality of concave mirrors are provided.

[0011]

In the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the infrared rays from the heat source are condensed by the plurality of concave mirrors and are imaged at the respective infrared image forming positions. Then, the infrared ray array sensor is moved to each of the infrared image forming positions by the sensor moving mechanism, and the infrared image of each infrared image forming position is detected by the infrared array sensor.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals will be given to the same names as those in the conventional example, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a heat source detecting device according to the present invention together with a heat source 4. In the figure, the heat source detection device 13 is provided with a plurality (two in the figure) of concave mirrors 8 (8a, 8b) that collect infrared rays from the heat source 4, and the field of view 6a of the concave mirror 8a and the concave mirror 8b. The field of view 6b and the field of view 6 (6 of the concave mirrors 8a and 8b are overlapped with each other.
The heat source 4 is arranged in a, 6b). The heat source detection device 13 of the present embodiment is provided on the wall side of the room 26, and is adapted to detect the heat source 4 from the lateral direction of the drawing.
The infrared rays from are collected on the concave mirrors 8a and 8b through the infrared transmission holes 18a and 18b formed in the heat source detection device 13, and are focused on the infrared imaging positions 9a and 9b, respectively. ing.

The heat source detecting device 13 is provided with a pyroelectric infrared array sensor 1 for detecting an infrared image.
(A), the infrared array sensor 1 is formed by arranging a plurality of infrared detecting elements 3 in a two-dimensional array with no gaps, and the infrared detecting elements 3 detect the infrared detecting elements 3. The infrared image is processed by a signal processing unit (not shown).

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the infrared array sensor 1 is moved by moving the infrared array sensor 1 to the infrared image forming positions 9a and 9b which are focused by the concave mirrors 8a and 8b. Mechanism 15 is connected.
The sensor moving mechanism 15 is formed of, for example, a damper drive unit (manufactured by Mitsubishi Materials Co., Ltd.) or the like, and as shown by an arrow A in the figure, is configured to perform repetitive rotational movement from the origin to a certain angle.

The present embodiment is configured as described above,
Next, the operation will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, if the heat source 4 as shown by QR in the figure is arranged in the field of view 6a of the concave mirror 8a, infrared rays from the heat source 4 are transmitted through the infrared transmitting hole 18a to the concave mirror 8a. (Q'-R 'as shown in the figure at the infrared image forming position 9a.
An infrared image of the heat source 4 (of size R ') is formed,
When the infrared array sensor 1 is arranged on the infrared image forming position 9a side as shown by the solid line in the figure, the infrared image forming position 9
The infrared image of a is detected by the infrared array sensor 1.

In this embodiment, the field of view 6 of the concave mirror 8a is
a and the field of view 6b of the concave mirror 8b overlap, the infrared rays from the heat source 4 are condensed on the concave mirror 8b through the infrared transmitting hole 18b in the same manner as described above, and Q'- at the infrared image forming position 9b. R '
As described above, the infrared image of the heat source 4 is formed. Then, when the infrared array sensor 1 is moved (rotated) by the sensor moving mechanism 15 as shown by an arrow A in the figure and moved to the infrared image forming position 9b side as shown by a dotted line in the figure, the infrared array sensor 1 becomes The infrared image of the heat source 4 focused on the infrared imaging position 9b is detected.

When the infrared array sensor 1 moves again to the infrared image forming position 9a side as shown by the solid line in the figure by the repetitive rotational movement of the sensor moving mechanism 15, it forms an image on the infrared image forming position 9a side. The infrared image of the heat source 4 by the concave mirror 8a is detected, and thus the infrared array sensor 1 is moved at each infrared imaging position 9a, 9b which is moved by the repetitive rotational movement of the sensor moving mechanism 15. Infrared images are alternately detected, and the detected infrared images are processed by a signal processing unit (not shown) to detect the size, shape, and position of the heat source 4.

If, for example, the heat source 4 moves to the right side of the drawing and approaches the heat source detecting device 13 side, an image at the approaching position of the heat source 4 is imaged by the concave mirrors 8a and 8b to form an infrared ray. The infrared array sensor 1 detects an infrared image formed on the image forming positions 9a and 9b, which becomes larger as the heat source 4 approaches and becomes larger as time passes. Then, the infrared image is captured in time series by a signal processing unit (not shown), and
The moving distance of the heat source 4 (distance approaching the heat source detecting device 13 side) is detected by calculating the moving distance based on the captured signal, for example, by calculation.

Also, when the heat source 4 moves in the vertical direction in the figure, the image of the heat source 4 at the moved position is the infrared image forming position 9
The infrared image of the heat source 4 is imaged in the image and is cut off along with the movement, and the moving distance and direction are detected by time-sequentially capturing the infrared image and performing signal processing as in the above.

According to the present embodiment, since the infrared rays from the heat source 4 are condensed by the concave mirrors 8a and 8b by the above operation, the infrared rays from the heat source are used by using the infrared lens 10 as in the conventional heat source detecting device. Unlike the case of condensing light, no aberration occurs, and an accurate infrared image of the heat source 4 can be displayed on the infrared image forming positions 9a and 9b of the concave mirrors 8a and 8b. By moving the infrared array sensor 1 to the infrared image forming positions 9a and 9b where the concave mirrors 8a and 8b are focused, the infrared array sensor 1 can obtain more accurate infrared image information of the heat source 4. The resolution can be improved because it can be taken into

Further, according to the present embodiment, the sensor moving mechanism
By moving the infrared array sensor 1 by 15, it is possible to switch the infrared image signal to be taken into the infrared array sensor 1 and to make the infrared rays incident on the infrared array sensor 1 at regular intervals. It is not necessary to provide a chopper like this, and since a cooling device is not required as in the case of using a quantum type infrared sensor, it is possible to realize a smaller and lighter device accordingly. It is possible to reduce the cost. Moreover, since the concave mirror 8 is lower in cost than the infrared lens 10, the cost can be further reduced, and the heat source detection device 13 can be a very low cost device.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the heat source detecting device of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the field of view 6a of the concave mirror 8a and the field of view 6b of the concave mirror 8b are provided in contact with each other. In this embodiment, the concave mirror 8a collects infrared rays from the Q-P portion of the heat source 4 and an infrared image such as Q'-P 'is formed on the infrared image forming position 9a of the concave mirror 8a. The concave mirror 8b collects infrared rays from the P-R portion of the heat source 4, and an infrared image is formed on the infrared image forming position 9b of the concave mirror 8b as P'-R '. .

This embodiment also operates in the same manner as the first embodiment, such as Q'-P 'and P'-R' projected on the infrared image forming positions 9a and 9b of the concave mirrors 8a and 8b, respectively. The infrared image is detected by the infrared array sensor 1, and the position and moving direction of the heat source 4 are detected by using these infrared images.
It is possible to detect the moving distance and the like, and it is possible to achieve the same effect. Further, in this embodiment, the concave mirror 8a
Since the field of view 6a of the concave mirror 8b and the field of view 6b of the concave mirror 8b are in contact with each other, the field of view 6 by both of the concave mirrors 8a and 8b can be widened, and the heat source position can be detected in a wider range.

FIG. 3 (a) shows the essential structure of the third embodiment of the heat source detecting device of the present invention, and FIG. 3 (b) shows the arrangement of the heat source detecting device 13. As shown in FIG. Concave mirror 8
a-8d arrangement state and the concave mirrors 8a-8d field of view 6a-6
d is shown. The present embodiment is different from the first and second embodiments in that four concave mirrors 8 are provided and that four sensor mirrors 15 are used as the sensor moving mechanism for rotating the sensor moving mechanism 15. That is, the infrared array sensor 1 is moved to the respective infrared imaging positions 9a to 9d of the infrared rays collected by 8d to 8d.

Also in this embodiment, as in the first and second embodiments, infrared rays from a heat source (not shown) in the respective visual fields 6a to 6d are condensed by the concave mirrors 8a to 8d and the infrared image thereof is obtained. Are imaged at the respective infrared imaging positions 9a to 9d, the infrared image is detected by the infrared array sensor 1, and the position and movement of the heat source are utilized by using the infrared images at the respective infrared imaging positions 9a to 9d. The direction, movement distance, etc. can be detected, and the same effect can be obtained. Further, in this embodiment, four concave mirrors 8a to 8d are provided and each field of view 6
Since infrared rays from the heat source in a to 6d are collected and the heat source is detected, the field of view (detection region) of the heat source detection device 13 can be made wider.
The resolution can also be improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various embodiments can be adopted. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the infrared array sensor 1 is formed by arranging the infrared detecting elements 3 in a two-dimensional array without a gap as shown in FIG.
May be arranged in a two-dimensional array through a gap as shown in FIG.
May be arranged in a one-dimensional array, and the number and size of the infrared detecting elements 3 to be arranged are not particularly limited and may be set appropriately.

In the first and second embodiments, the number of concave mirrors 8 is two, and in the third embodiment, the number of concave mirrors 8 is four, but a plurality of concave mirrors 8 are provided. If so, the number is not particularly limited, and is appropriately set in accordance with the specifications of the heat source detection device 13, and similarly, the size and shape of the concave mirror 8 are also appropriately set.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, the sensor moving mechanism 15 is formed of a damper drive unit or the like and is repeatedly rotated. In the third embodiment, the sensor moving mechanism 15 is rotated. However, the sensor moving mechanism 15 does not necessarily perform repetitive rotational movement or rotational movement, and the infrared array sensor 1 is moved to each infrared image forming position 9 focused by the plurality of concave mirrors 8. It may be a sensor moving mechanism that performs a reciprocating slide movement or the like.

Further, the heat source detecting device of the present invention detects various information such as the position and moving distance of various heat sources by using the information of the infrared image detected by the infrared array sensor 1. The method of using, the method of signal processing, etc. are not particularly limited and may be set appropriately.

Further, the setting place of the heat source detecting device of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the heat source detecting device may be provided on the wall side of the room as in the above embodiment, and the ceiling, the air conditioner, etc. The heat source detection device may be provided in the above, and the heat source detection device is installed in various places and detects infrared rays from various heat sources to detect the heat source, and is widely used in various markets such as the security market.

[0031]

According to the present invention, in order to collect infrared rays from a heat source by a plurality of concave mirrors, a lens is used as in the case of collecting infrared rays from a heat source by an infrared lens as in a conventional heat source detecting device. The correct infrared image is formed at the infrared image forming position without causing the aberration of, and the infrared array sensor detects a plurality of such infrared images that are accurately formed. It is possible to obtain more information of (1), and it is possible to construct a heat source detection device with high resolution.

Further, according to the present invention, the sensor moving mechanism moves the infrared array sensor to each infrared image forming position where the light is condensed by the plurality of concave mirrors, and the infrared array sensor is moved for a predetermined time along with the movement. Since an infrared image can be captured for each, it is possible to omit the chopper, which was indispensable for a heat source detection device using a conventional pyroelectric infrared sensor, and the device can be simplified and downsized accordingly. The weight can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced accordingly. Moreover, unlike the case of using a quantum type infrared sensor, a cooling device or the like is not required, and since the concave mirror is much cheaper than the infrared lens, the present invention using the concave mirror without using the infrared lens The heat source detector can be very inexpensive.

Further, in the heat source detecting device of the present invention, the field of view (detection region) of each concave mirror is variously changed by setting variously the number of concave mirrors, the arrangement position, the size, the inclination, etc. It is also possible to widen the field of view (detection area) together, and use the information of the infrared image collected by the multiple concave mirrors and detected by the infrared array sensor to determine the position, moving direction, moving distance, etc. of the heat source. Can be used for various purposes such as security market.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a main part configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a heat source detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a main part configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of a heat source detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part configuration of a heat source detection device according to a third embodiment of the present invention and visual fields 6a to 6d of concave mirrors 8a to 8d.

FIG. 4 is an infrared array sensor 1 of the heat source detection device of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the arrangement state of the infrared detection element 3 arranged in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conventional heat source detection device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a conventional heat source detection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Infrared Array Sensor 6, 6a to 6d Field of View 8, 8a to 8d Concave Mirror 9, 9a to 9d Infrared Imaging Position 13 Heat Source Detection Device 15 Sensor Moving Mechanism

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of concave mirrors for collecting infrared rays from a heat source, an infrared array sensor for detecting an infrared image, and infrared array sensors at respective infrared image forming positions where the infrared mirrors collect light by the plurality of concave mirrors. A heat source detecting device comprising a sensor moving mechanism for moving.