MXPA97007776A - Multifunction occupation sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor that functions as an occupancy sensor for security systems and also as an occupancy sensor for power management control systems. The occupancy sensor comprises at least one formation of segmented infrared lenses wherein the segments of the infrared lens formation establish different optical lobes in the visual field of the occupancy sensor. At least one pyroelectric infrared detector is placed at or near the focus point of the formation of segmented infrared lenses to detect the movement of the infrared sources within the visual field of the occupancy sensor and to produce an output signal representative thereof. A processing means analyzes the detector output signal for security detection purposes by detecting changes in the output signal greater than a certain security threshold. The processing means also analyzes the detector output signal for energy management purposes by detecting changes in the output signal greater than a given energy management threshold that is less than the safety threshold.

Description

"MULTIFUNCTIONAL OCCUPATION SENSOR" This patent application is a continuation application in part of the patent application serial number 08 / 412,502, filed on March 29, 1995 for Motion Sensing System With Adaptive Timing for Controlling Lighting Fixtures and Patent Application Serial Number (lawyer's note 10255), submitted on August 30, 1996, for Temperature and Passive Infrared Sensor Module.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a multifunctional occupancy sensor and, more particularly, relates to a multifunctional occupancy sensor as it could be used in an occupied space network operating environment, such as an automated commercial or industrial building where they install multiple sensors to detect and control the different parameters in it. The present invention relates to a multifunctional occupancy sensor that provides a first occupation output signal for security systems and a second occupancy output signal for power management control systems. The multifunctional occupancy sensor is particularly useful in a multifunctional sensor module that provides a plurality of parameter sensors in a sensor module that can be interfaced with and control the operation of one or more processor control systems in a space environment busy network operation. The multifunctional sensor may comprise at least one occupancy sensor, an ambient light sensor and a temperature sensor. A common network communication and control processor is coupled with a common communication transceiver, and are shared in common by the occupancy sensor, the ambient light sensor and the temperature sensor, such that the multifunctional sensor can be interconnected with and control the operation of one or more processor control systems in the busy space environment of network operation. The multifunctional network sensor system further comprises power management systems and safety controller, and a common data communication network which is connected to the multifunctional sensor and control systems to form a local operating network in a building. A plurality of multifunctional sensors are placed in different locations throughout the building.

Each multifunction sensor is assigned a unique location address and can transmit and receive data, including its own unique address through the data communication network. 2. DISCUSSION OF THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE Traditionally, separate sensors have been used to detect occupancy for energy management control systems, such as lighting control systems, heating control, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) control systems, side management control systems Demand (DSM) and electric charge management, presence monitoring systems and to detect safety in security systems, even when modules that combine occupancy detection and ambient light detection have been used in systems without network operation . In general, the activation of an occupancy sensor in a safety system has more serious consequences than the activation of an occupancy sensor in an energy monitoring control system, such as a lighting control system, or a system of HVAC or a DSM system or in a presence monitoring system. For example, the activation of an occupancy sensor in a lighting control system would only extend the time in which the control system maintains full illumination in a controlled lighting environment. In contrast to this, the activation of an occupancy sensor in a security system may result in the dispatch of security or police personnel to the supervised premises to personally check the premises to determine if there is a breach of security or intrusion. If the alarm turns out to be a false alarm, a charge of considerable financial penalty is often imposed in an attempt to discourage additional false alarms. Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors, typically wavelengths of 8 to 14 microns, are well known in the art and are often used as occupancy sensors in security systems and energy management control systems such as systems of lighting control or HVAC systems or DSM systems, and in presence monitoring systems. Passive infrared sensors often comprise a segmented lens such as a Fresnel lens, wherein the lens segments establish different optical lobes in the visual field, and an IR pyroelectric detector and detect the movement of the IR sources within the visual field of the detector. . Accordingly, these PIR sensors can be used as occupancy sensors in systems • safety and also in power supervision control systems, such as in lighting control systems or HVAC systems or DSM systems and also in presence monitoring systems. In order to make occupancy sensors more reliable and accurate in security systems compared to occupancy sensors in power management systems, occupancy sensors for security systems are characterized by basic design differences, among which There are the following different keys: (1) higher S / N electronic relations, (2) more conservative activation criteria, and (3) optical visual fields with increased optical sensitivity, therefore smaller visual fields. The increased optical sensitivity means larger optical lens segments, while smaller optical segment visual fields mean less sensitivity for small movements within the sensor detection pattern. In energy management sensors, greater sensitivity to small movements can be achieved by using more segments in the lens to increase the number of optical lobes, and also by using more separate detector elements in the pyroelectric detector on which the optical lobes are focused.

UNDERSTANDED OF THE INVENTION It would be desirable to provide a plurality of parameter sensors in a multifunctional sensor module that can be connected to one or more of the controllers in the network to control the operation of security systems, power management systems, etc. in an occupied space network operating environment such as an automatic commercial or industrial building. These controllers can be obtained commercially which incorporate network operation such as Echelon systems LONWORKS, CEBus, BacNet, etc. In this multifunctional sensor module, it would also be desirable to combine the parameter sensors when possible, for example, in a multifunctional occupancy sensor that would be used by a security sensor and also by energy management systems. However, as mentioned above, occupancy sensors used in security systems when compared to occupancy sensors for use in energy management control systems are characterized by basic design differences among which are the following key differences: (1) higher S / N electronic relationships, (2) more conservative activation criteria, and (3) optical visual fields with increased optical sensitivity, therefore smaller visual fields of optical segment. The present invention recognizes that the first two key differences can be controlled by an intelligent control network system, such as those that offer interoperability and a media-independent communication protocol, e.g., LONWORKS. Therefore, a sensor can be configured remotely or locally for both parameters of the safety sensor, power management control parameters. The intelligent control can reconfigure the PIR occupancy sensor to switch forward and backward between these two sets of parameters. A reasonable balance between the optical sensitivity of the optical segment visual fields and the activation criteria can be used to develop a security control sensor and energy management in combination. Accordingly, a main object of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional occupancy sensor that provides a first occupancy signal for security systems and a second occupancy output signal for power management control systems. A further object of the present invention is the provision of a multifunctional occupancy sensor particularly useful in a multifunctional sensor module that provides a plurality of parameter sensors in a sensor module that can communicate with and control the operation of control systems of processor in a busy environment. In accordance with the teachings mentioned here, the present invention provides a multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor that functions as an occupancy sensor for security systems and also as an occupancy sensor for power management control systems. The occupation sensor comprises a formation of segmented infrared lenses wherein the segments of the infrared lens formation establishes different optical lobes in the visual field of the occupancy sensor. A pyroelectric infrared detector is placed at or near the focus point of the formation of segmented infrared lenses to detect the movement of the infrared sources within the visual field of the occupancy sensor, and to produce an output signal representative thereof. A processing means analyzes the output signal of the detector for security detection purposes by detecting changes in the output signal greater than a certain security threshold. The processing means also analyzes the detector output signal for energy management purposes, detecting changes in the output signal greater than a certain energy management threshold that is less than the security threshold. In more detail, the modality includes a single optical lens array that is designed to meet the security requirements and provides an optical gain of two times or more and a minimum number of optical segment visual fields, which provides less sensitivity to movements small within the visual field of the sensor that a formation of optical lenses designed for power management requirements. In one embodiment, a first processing circuit detects changes in the detector output signal greater than the safety threshold, and a second processing circuit detects changes in the detector output signal greater than the energy management threshold . In a second embodiment, the detector output is coupled with a single analog-to-digital converter, the output of which is coupled with a digital processor using one of two different software processing routines, the first processing routine using a threshold security and the second processing routine using a power management threshold. In a third embodiment an analog control switch controls the amplification of the detector output signal under the control of a microcontroller to configure the sensor as a power management control sensor with a circuit amplification gain greater than as a sensor. security with a minor circuit gain gain. In a further embodiment, the multifunction sensor is configured as a power management control sensor and when a detected event occurs, the sensor is switched to a safety sensor configuration for a period of time and sees the detected safety events, if none of the security events are detected, the sensor returns to the power management control. In a further embodiment, the detector comprises a formation of a number of separate sensing elements and the number of active sensing elements that electronically switches to control the number of visual fields provided by each lens training segment. The system decreases the intensity of the visual field for the energy management control sensor by adding detector elements and increases the intensity of the visual field for the safety sensor by subtracting detection elements. The number of separate detector elements in the preference formation comprises three or more detector elements. A processor electronically commutates the number of active detector elements to control the number of visual fields that are provided by each segment of the lens array. In an additional mode, the lens means comprises a first array of optical lenses designed for security and having a first number of lens segments, and a second optical lens array designed for energy management and having a second number of lens segments, greater than the first number of lens segments, provides greater sensitivity to small movements within the visual field of the sensor. The detector comprises a separate security detector and a separate power management detector, and further comprises a separate security amplifier having a security amplification gain, and a separate power management amplifier having a circuit amplification gain. greater than the security amplifier. The ratio of the gain of the power management amplifier to the gain of the amplifier preferably is within the range of 3: 1 to 5: 1. The processor detects the predetermined positive or negative changes in the output signal from a baseline average voltage level, which may be greater than 500 minivolts. The processor can detect two changes in sequence of opposite polarity in the output signal occurring within a window time frame that is preferably greater than 75 milliseconds and less than 2 seconds. The processor may also detect three or more changes in alternate polarity alternative sequence in the output signal, when adjacent changes occur in the output signal within a window time frame, preferably greater than 75 milliseconds and less than 2 seconds .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The aforementioned objects and advantages of the present invention for a multifunctional occupancy sensor can be more readily understood by a person skilled in the art with reference to the following detailed description of the various preferred embodiments thereof, which are taken in conjunction with the drawings. which are attached where like elements are designated by identical reference numbers throughout the different views, and wherein: Figure 1 is a functional diagram of a multifunctional network sensor system according to the present invention comprising multifunctional sensors , each of which generally includes at least one occupancy sensor, a temperature sensor and an ambient light sensor, all of which share the same network communication and control processor and the same communication transceiver network, and a plurality of energy monitoring systems and controllers rity, all of which are connected to a common data communication network; Figures 2, 3 and 4, illustrate three different types of multifunctional sensors according to the present invention, a multifunctional sensor mounted on the wall, a multifunctional sensor mounted on the ceiling and a multifunctional sensor of a wall switch, each one of which could be used in the multifunction network sensor system of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of the present invention that uses a single common optical array, a detector and an amplifier for both security control and power management applications, with two different processing circuits at the output of the amplifier, a first processing circuit designed for safety criteria and the second processing circuit designed for power management control criteria; Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of the present invention utilizing a single common optical array for both safety control and power management control with a single detector, amplifier and A / D converter, followed by a digital signal processor employing two different software processing routines, a first processing routine designed for security and the second processing routine designed for power management control; Figure 7 is a schematic illustration of a third embodiment of the present invention that also uses a single common optical array with a single detector for both security control and power management, followed by an analog control switch that controls the amplification of the pyroelectric output signal under the control of a microcontroller to configure the sensor either as a power management control sensor or as a safety sensor; Figure 8 is a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of the present invention that optimally designs a first optical lens array for security and optimally designs a second optical lens array for energy management control, a safety amplification it is optimally designed with its own pyroelectric detector for the first optical lens assembly, and a power management control amplifier is designed optimally with its own pyroelectric detector for the second optical lens array, and the output of these two amplifiers are processed as in the previous modes; Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor wherein the pyrodetector comprises a formation of four detector elements, wherein the number of active detector elements is electronically switched to control the number of visual fields that are provided by each segment of lens training; Figure 10 is a schematic electrical diagram of an appropriate amplifier (with changes in component value) for use in the embodiments of Figures 5 to 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure 1 is a functional diagram of a system 10 of the multifunction network sensor according to the present invention comprising the multifunctional sensors 12, each of which includes at generally at least one occupancy sensor 14, an ambient light sensor 16 and a temperature sensor 18, all of which share in same network and control communications processor 20 and the same communication transceiver 22. The system 10 of the multifunction network sensor further comprises systems 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 security and power management controllers and a common data communication network 34 which is connected to all the multifunctional sensors and control systems. The different multifunctional sensors 12 (1 to n) can be placed at various sites throughout a building, typically at least one on each level of the floor. The multifunctional sensors are typically housed in small plastic enclosures such as those illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The occupancy (or movement) sensor technology 14 can be passive infrared (PIR), IR, ultrasonic, sonic technology. , RF, microwave, radar or any other effective occupancy detection technology. A preferred version is the Passive Infrared (PIR) design that can be used in hallways, rooms / offices or open office cubicles, each provided with a lens designed to optimally carry the visual field and motion detection for that specific application. Each multifunctional sensor 12 is assigned from a unique location address and connected to the common data communication network 34 placed across the building to form a local operating network. Each multifunctional sensor 12 can transmit and receive data, including its own unique address, through the data communication network 34, on a continuous periodic basis, such as every nearly 5 seconds, or it can respond when interrogated by a controller. energy management or security. The data communication network 34 can also be accessed by control systems that require data such as: one or more lighting controllers 24 that require data from one or more multifunctional sensors 12 on occupancy and ambient light; one or more security controllers 26 that require data from one or more multifunction sensors 12 on occupancy or security intrusion; one or more HVAC controllers 28 that require data from one or more of the multi-functional sensors 12 on occupancy and temperature, one or more 30 DSM controllers that require data from one or more of the multifunction sensors 12 on occupancy, temperature and ambient light and one or more presence monitors 32 that require data from one or more of the multifunctional occupancy sensors 12. The lighting, HVAC, DSM and safety controllers may comprise a composite controller or individual controllers connected to the common data bus collector. The data communication network 34 may use any appropriate technology or physical transmission media such as a pair of twisted wires, an energy line carrier (PLC), RF, fiber optic, etc. and can employ any appropriate common bus collector data communications protocol, such as LONWORKS, CEBus, BacNet, etc. Each multifunctional sensor 12 will usually include sensors to detect occupancy, ambient light level and temperature and can provide optimal cost / function design variations using all three any two or any of these three basic detection functions, depending on the requirements / application of the user. Each multifunction sensor can include additional sensors to detect the time of day, relative humidity, CO2 and other parameters. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the mounting and exposure requirements of the various parameter sensors in a sensor module are often quite different in such a way that it is sometimes difficult to mount the various sensors in a common sensor module. For example, a temperature sensor could be mounted to expose itself to a flow of air from the environment of a room being monitored, while a passive infrared occupancy sensor should be mounted so as not to be exposed to an air flow from the room. environment of the room that is being monitored. The temperature sensor would also be insulated or protected against direct exposure to the heat load of sunlight. The patent application serial number (lawyer's note 10255), filed on August 30, 1996, discloses and teaches about compatible mounting arrangements for a temperature sensor and a passive infrared sensor. The system of the multifunction sensor and network sensor are described in detail in the co-pending patent application Serial number (touch of attorney 10343), for Multifunction Sensor And Network Sensor Time, filed on October 25, 1996, the entire exposure of which it is expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto. Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate three different types of multifunctional sensors according to the present invention, a multifunctional wall mounted sensor 40, a ceiling mounted multifunction sensor 42, and a multifunctional wall switch sensor 44, each of which can be used in the multifunction network sensor system of Figure 1. The wall mounted multi-function sensor 40 is similar to the multifunctional wall switching sensor 44 with the exception that the multi-function switch sensor 44 Wall is mounted recessed in a box of a wall commutator receptacle instead of being level on a wall. The multifunctional ceiling mount sensor 42 is similar to the units 40 and 44 electrically, but will generally not include a temperature sensor, and a front press switch as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The multifunctional sensors of FIG. Different wall mounting and ceiling mounting and segmented lens arrays for different multifunctional sensors are described in detail in the co-pending patent application Serial number (attorney's note 10349) for Multiple Optical Designs For A Multifunction Sensor, filed on October 25, 1996, all exhibitions of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto.

It would be desirable to provide a multifunctional sensor wherein a multifunctional occupancy sensor could be used by a security system and also by power management control systems. The following represents a simplified approach and analysis of the optical and electronic approaches and the variables in the energy management processing (e.g., lighting) and security.

Design Scale Optical gain Gain Electronic threshold (using normal input circuit signal) Security 40 '4X 1700 500 mv Energy Management 40 'X = Ref 6700 500 mv Sensor in combination 20 '2X 1700 500 mv (in safety mode) (est.) Sensor in combination 20' 2X 1700 200 mv (in management mode (est.) Power) with small movement in the detection pattern .

Sensor in combination 40 '2X 1700 200 mv (in power management mode) with large movement in the detection pattern.

Combination sensor 30-40 '2X 1700 200 mv (in power management mode) with small movement in the detection pattern with a quadrillion-shaped pyrodetector A Simplified Analysis: (White signal pk) security x (Optical Earning) security x (Electronic Earning) security = 500 mv (Optical Earning) security = (500 mv) / ((White Signal Pk) security x (Electronic Gain) security) = 500 mv / (1700 X (White signal pk) security) = 290 uv / (White signal pk) security (White signal pk) energy management x (Optical Gain) energy management x (Electronic Gain) energy management = 500 mv (Optical Earning) power management = 500 mv / (White signal pk) energy management x (Electronic Gain) power management) = 500 mv / (6700 X (White Signal) Pk) power management) = 75 uv / (White signal pk) energy management * Yes (White Signal pk) energy management = (White Signal pk) security Then: (Optical Gain) security / (Optical Gain) power management = 290 uv / 75 uv = 3.7: 1 Therefore, a combination of the sensor of energy management and security would have an optical gain within the scale of X to 4X but, having considered all factors, twice or more and as close as 4 times as feasible. A 2-fold optical gain for the combination sensor, together with a reduction in scale (e.g., from 40 'to 20') allows the electronic gain for the safety sensor to be retained. This retains the threshold of the safety sensor with respect to the noise ratio and corresponds to the rejection of electronically induced false trigger signals. It will be noted from the previous table that the gain of the power management circuit with respect to the gain of the safety circuit is 6700/1700 or 3.9, as a practical matter a ratio within the scale of 3 to 5 is preferred. The output of the PIR sensor can be evaluated according to the following specifications: 1.) Detect the positive or negative trajectories, eg, 500 millivolts of a basic line voltage level, eg, 2.5 volts. 2.) Indicate a motion detection activation when two trajectories in sequence are of opposite polarity and occur within a time window of 75 milliseconds (typical) to 2 seconds (typical). As an alternative, signaling a motion detection activation when three or more paths in sequence are of opposite opposite polarity and the adjacent paths occur within a time window of 75 milliseconds (typical) to 2 seconds (typical). 3.) For the Safety Sensor: Normal Gain (Reference = 0 dB). For Energy Management Sensor: Increase Sensitivity, eg, by 8 dB (typical). The present invention can use a passive infrared (PIR) sensor such as a model number RE03HBBEC pyro sensor, manufactured by Nippon Ceramic Company Ltd., from Japan, which detects infrared radiation within the range of 8 to 14 microns. The pyrosensor can be connected to an amplifier such as a dual circuit op-amp model number TLC27L2CD, manufactured by Texas Instruments Inc., of Dallas, Texas. The lens may be a lens used in the sensor lens model number MSFL-1200 of Bryant Electric, Inc. of Milford, Connecticut, which typically sends a signal indicating the motion detected when the detected PIR is outside a threshold of 2.5 volts. + 0.5 volt. Figure 5 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention using a single common optical lens array 50, the detector 52 and the amplifier 54 for both security control and power management applications with two different processing circuits 56, 58 at the output of the amplifier. The amplifier 54 is preferably a broadband step amplifier, which typically operates within the range of 0.015 to 40 Hz. The first processing circuit 56 is designed in accordance with the security criterion and the second processing circuit 58 is designs according to the energy management control criteria. The common optical array 50, the detector 52 and the amplifier 54 are designed to meet the security requirements or an acceptable compromise for optical sensitivity and amplifier gain. The power management control threshold in the first processing circuit 56 is designed to be of a required amount less than the security threshold in the second processing circuit 58. The security processing circuit 58 has an activation criterion more conservative eg, bipolar signal requirements or signal signature requirements. A typical prior art detector 52 PIR has two separate detector elements and the output signals of the two elements are combined electronically to form output signals of a predominant polarity (depending on the direction of movement through the visual fields of the elements) with adjacent opposing polarity paths that may be close to or very different in amplitude from the predominant path. A variation of the first embodiment of the present invention also uses a single common optical array for both security control and power management. If the sensor is configured as a power management control session when an activation occurs (detected event) it is switched to a safety sensor configuration for a period of time (eg, 10 minutes or 50 percent of the time). delay time setting) and is aware of security activations. If no security activations are detected, it returns to the power management control operation mode. Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of the present invention using a single optical lens array 60 for both security and power management control with a single detector 62, an amplifier 64 and a converter 66 of A / D, followed by a processor 68 that uses one or two different software processing routines, the first processing routine is designed according to the security criteria and the second processing routine is designed according to the control criteria of energy management. Again, common optical lens array 60, detector 62 and amplifier 64 are designed to meet security requirements or are an acceptable compromise for optical sensitivity and amplifier gain. Figure 7 is a schematic illustration of a third embodiment of the present invention that also uses a single common optical lens array 70 with a single detector 72 for both security control and power management, and an analog control switch 74 which controls the amplification of the pyrodetector output signal under the control of a microcontroller 76 to configure the sensor as a power management control sensor or as a security sensor. For example, the source resistor 53 as illustrated in Figure 9 can be divided into two resistors with its common joint power amplifier input U1A-3 96 and by shorting the upper resistance electronically, the circuit gain can be changed, in an operating mode, if the sensor is configured as a power management control sensor when an activation occurs (detected event), the controller 76 switches the circuit 74 to a safety sensor configuration for a period of time (v. g., 10 minutes or 50 percent of the delay time setting) and is aware of security activations and if no security activations are detected, the controller 76 returns the switch circuit 74 to the control mode of the controller. energy management. In addition, a pyroelectric detector with an array of detector elements, i.e., more than a typical PIR amount of two detector elements, can be used to electronically control the number of visual fields that are provided by each segment of lens formation.; in this way, the density of the pattern FOV (Visual Field) can be increased for the power management control sensor by electronically adding more detection elements of the pyroelectric detector and its corresponding processing circuits (external to the pyroelectric sensor). Figure 8 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention that optimally designs a first array 80 of optical lenses for security and optimally designs a second array 82 of optical lenses for power management control. Both optical formations are preferably made in a single formation in a one-piece combination of the polyethylene lens material (each optical array has its own lens retainer, but both retainers are combined in a single part of the plastic enclosure). A pyroelectric safety detector 86 forms an input to a safety amplifier 84 that is optimally designed according to the safety criteria. A pyroelectric energy management control detector 88 forms an input to an energy management control amplifier 87 that is optimally designed according to the power management control criteria. The outputs of these two amplifiers are then processed in 89 as in the previous modes. In addition, the power management control detection circuit can be used as an additional check of the detected security movement. This is advantageous since it provides redundancy for false activations of the electrical noise generated in the safety detection electronics, some false activations of the stimuli generated environmentally in the optical detection pattern and the environmentally generated stimuli in the sensor enclosure. Figure 9 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention wherein a pyrodetector 91 includes four elements 1-4 separate detectors, typically 1 millimeter by 2 millimeters separated by 1 millimeter spaces. The outputs of the detectors 1 and 3 are directed to an amplifier 93 and the outputs of the detectors 2 and 4 are directed to an amplifier 95, and the outputs of both amplifiers 93 and 95 are supported in a processor 97. The processor 97 can selectively process the outputs of the four detectors 1 to 4, or only of the detectors 1 to 3, or only of the detectors 2 and 4. In this type of mode it is preferred that the pyrodetector comprises a formation of three or more detection elements , wherein each detection element can form a separate input to the processor, or the outputs of two or more elements can be coupled together as illustrated in FIG. 9. The number of active detection elements is electronically switched by the processor 97 to control the number of visual fields that are provided by each segment of the lens array to decrease the visual field strength for the power management control sensor to adding detection elements, and to increase the intensity of the visual field for the safety sensor by subtracting the detection elements. The embodiment of Figure 9 can also be used in a verification mode. For example, if detectors 1 and 3 are being used in a security mode and an activation occurs (detected event), the processor can be switched to detectors 2 and 4, and verify activation by detecting another activation with the detectors 2 and 4. Figure 10 is a schematic electrical diagram of an amplifier suitable for use in the embodiments of Figures 5 to 8. A prior art detector 90 includes two separate sensing or sensor elements 92, which are coupled together , for example, in parallel or in series opposite, in this circuit to form a summed output signal that is the source followed by a FET 94 and a band pass filtered and amplified in the circuit sections 96 and 98 to form a signal of outgoing that, depending on the specific modality, could be an input to the A / D converter. Although various embodiments and variations of the present invention for a multifunctional occupancy sensor are described in detail herein, it should be apparent that the disclosure and teachings of the present invention will suggest many alternative designs for those skilled in the art.

Claims (20)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor that functions as an occupancy sensor for security systems and also as an occupancy sensor for power management control systems that comprises: a. a means for forming segmented infrared lenses, wherein the segments of the infrared lens forming means establish different optical lobes in the visual field of the occupancy sensor; b. a pyroelectric infrared detector means positioned at or near the focus point of the segmented infrared lens formation means for detecting the movement of the infrared sources within the visual field of the occupancy sensor and producing an output signal representative thereof; c. a processor comprising a first processing means for analyzing the output signal of the detector for security detection purposes by detecting changes in the output signal greater than a certain security threshold, and a second processing means for analyzing the signal of output of the detector for power management purposes in order to detect changes in the output signal greater than a given power management threshold, wherein the power management threshold of the second processing means is less than the threshold of security of the first processing medium.

2. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 1, wherein the segmented infrared lens forming means comprises a single optical lens array.

3. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 2, wherein the single optical lens array is designed to meet security requirements and provides an optical gain of two times or more, and a minimum number of visual fields Optical segment that provides less sensitivity for small movements within the visual field of the sensor than an optical lens array designed for power management requirements.

4. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy detector according to claim 2, wherein the first processing means comprises a first processing circuit for detecting changes in the detector output signal greater than a certain security threshold, and second processing means comprises a second processing circuit for detecting changes in the detector output signal greater than the determined energy management threshold, and wherein the power management threshold in the second processing circuit is less than the security threshold in the first processing circuit.

5. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 1, wherein the detector output signal is coupled with an analog-to-digital converter, the output of which is coupled to the processor comprising a single digital processor that it uses one of two different software processing routines, the first processing routine uses a security threshold and a second processing routine uses a power management threshold, and wherein the power management threshold is lower than the threshold of security.

6. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 1, wherein an analog control switch controls the amplification of the detector output signal under the control of a microcontroller to configure the sensor as an administration control sensor of energy with a higher circuit amplification gain, or as a safety sensor with a lower circuit amplification gain.

7. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means comprises a formation of a number of separate detection elements., wherein the number of active detection elements is switched electronically to control the number of visual fields that are provided by each lens formation segment, to decrease the visual field strength for the energy management control sensor by adding elements of detection, and to increase the intensity of the visual field for the safety sensor by subtracting the detection elements.

8. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 7, wherein the number of separate detector elements in the array comprises three or more detector elements.

9. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 7, wherein a processor electronically commutates the number of active sensing elements to control the number of visual fields that are provided by each segment of the lens array.

10. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 1, wherein the lens means comprises a first array of optical lenses designed for security and having a first number of lens segments, and a second optical lens array designed for energy management and having a second number of lens segments, greater than the first number of lens segments, which provides greater sensitivity to small movements within the visual field of the sensor.

A multi-functional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 1, wherein the detection means comprises a separate security detector and a separate power management detector, and further comprises a separate security amplifier having a gain of safety amplification; and a separate power management amplifier having an amplification gain of power management circuit that is greater than the gain of safety amplification.

12. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 11, wherein the ratio of the gain of the power management amplifier to the gain of the safety amplifier is within the range of 3: 1 to 5: 1.

13. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 1, wherein the segmented infrared lens has an optical gain within the scale of once to four times.

14. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 1, wherein the processor detects predetermined positive or negative changes in the output signal from a baseline average voltage level.

15. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined changes in the output signal are greater than 500 millivolts.

16. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 14, wherein the processor detects two changes in sequence of opposite polarity in the output signal occurring within a window timeframe.

17. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 16, wherein the window timeframe is greater than 75 milliseconds and less than 2 seconds.

18. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 14, wherein the first and second processing means detect three or more changes in sequence in the alternate polarity output signal and adjacent changes in the output signal occur within a temporary window box.

19. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 18, wherein the window timeframe is greater than 75 milliseconds and less than two seconds.

20. A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor according to claim 1, wherein the multifunctional sensor is configured as a power management control sensor and when a detected event occurs, the sensor is switched to a safety sensor configuration for a period of time and is aware of detected security events and if no security events are detected, the sensor returns to a power management control sensor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A multifunctional passive infrared occupancy sensor that functions as an occupancy sensor for security systems and also as an occupancy sensor for power management control systems, the occupancy sensor comprises at least one segmented infrared lens array where The segments of the infrared lens formation establish different optical lobes in the visual field of the occupancy sensor. At least a pyroelectric infrared detector is placed at or near the focus point of the formation of segmented infrared lenses to detect the movement of the infrared sources within the visual field of the occupancy sensor and to produce an output signal representative thereof. A processing means analyzes the detector output signal for security detection purposes by detecting changes in the output signal greater than a certain security threshold. The processing means also analyzes the detector output signal for power management purposes by detecting changes in the output signal greater than a certain energy management threshold that is less than the security threshold. In a first embodiment and the second processing circuits, changes in the detector output signal greater than the safety threshold and the power management threshold are detected. In a second modality, the output of the detector is coupled with an analog-to-digital converter, the output of which is coupled with a digital processor using one of two different software processing routines, a safety threshold processing routine and a routine of Power management threshold processing. An additional mode electronically switches the detector elements in a formation of detector elements.