The present invention relates to a detecting system using a microwave radar or a millimeterwave radar, and also relates to a detecting system having a detecting area setting means and a calibration means of a radar. The detecting system is suitably used for a security monitoring system.
As a means for detecting a suspicious person intruding into indoor and/or outdoor sites and for giving an alarm, a detecting system using an infrared sensor such as that disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-235367 has been widely used. In the use of the infrared sensor, a light emitting part and a light receiving part are installed at an entrance gate or an opening through which an suspicious person may intrude, and an abnormality can be detected by the light receiving part based on the detection/nondetection of the infrared light sent from the light emitting part, and then, an alarm signal is transmitted.
However, in the detecting system using the infrared sensor, since the alarm signal is transmitted when the light flux of the infrared light is blocked, even in the case where a leaf or the like crosses over the light flux of the infrared light, the detecting system determines that an intruder crosses over it, and resulting in the error detection in many cases. Also, in the case where the detecting system using the infrared sensor is used in the outdoor environment, since the infrared light does not propagate under bad weather conditions such as fog and snow, the detecting system cannot be used in such a condition.
As a method for solving the above-mentioned problems, a detecting system using a radar using a radio wave with microwave bandwidth or millimeterwave bandwidth instead of the infrared sensor has been developed. In the detecting system using an infrared sensor, it is necessary to provide two devices such as a light emitting part and a light receiving part separately. However, in the case of using a radar as a means for detecting an intruder, the detection and monitoring of the intruder can be performed in the state where a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna are set in a common case box. Therefore, the detecting system using a radar has a high flexibility in installation of the system in comparison to the detecting system using an infrared sensor.
In addition, in the detecting system using an infrared sensor, the simple information whether or not there exists an intruder is all that can be obtained. Meanwhile, in the detecting system using a radar, since it is possible to obtain the surface information of an intruding object, the possibility of the error detection can be extremely reduced. Therefore, the detecting system using a radar can achieve improved performance in comparison to the detecting system using an infrared sensor.
Furthermore, in the detecting system using a radar, the propagation property of the radio wave is little influenced even under bad weather conditions such as fog and snow. Therefore, the detecting system using a radar has improved reliability in comparison to the detecting system using an infrared sensor.
As described above, the detecting system using a radar has various advantages in comparison to the detecting system using an infrared sensor.
However, the size and shape of the area to be monitored are changed depending on the case. In this respect, since only the one-dimensional information whether the infrared light from the light emitting part can be detected at the light receiving part or not can be obtained in the case of the infrared sensor, the installation of the light emitting part and the light receiving part itself determines the area to be monitored. On the other hand, in the case of a radar, a detectable area of the radar is a fan-shaped area principally determined by the maximum detecting distance and the maximum detecting angle which depend on the performance of a transmitting antenna of the radar. Thus, in such a case where the detectable area of the radar is larger than the area to be monitored, the detecting system may detect a person or the like passing outside the monitoring area and give an alarm therefor.
A typical aspect of the present invention is a detecting system which is provided with a radar for detecting a detecting object; a notification device for notifying the detection of the detecting object; a signal processing unit for controlling the notification device based on the signal sent from the radar; and a detecting area setting device for setting a range of the detecting area.
Another typical aspect of the present invention is a detecting system which is provided with a millimeterwave radar or microwave radar for detecting a monitoring object; an alarm device for notifying the detection of the monitoring object; a signal processing unit for processing a signal received by the radar and sending an operating signal to the alarm device; and a monitoring area setting device for setting a monitoring area of the monitoring object, wherein the signal processing unit controls the alarm device so as to give an alarm when the monitoring object exists inside the monitoring area and so as not to give an alarm when the monitoring object is outside the monitoring area.
FIGS. 11(a) through 11(c) are drawings illustrating shapes of reflectors used in the present invention.
For further understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Note that the alarm means 10 can be set in a place where the radar unit is installed, or can be set in a managing center or the like in a remote place.
In this embodiment, the radar module 1 has a function as a radar. A detectable area 4 of a suspicious object is in the shape of a fan which is principally determined by the maximum detecting distance and the maximum detecting angle based on the performance of the transmitting antenna provided in the radar module 1. In an actual case, however, the size and shape of the area are varied in which the intrusion of the suspicious object is to be monitored. Therefore, the detectable area of the radar unit and the area to be monitored do not always correspond to each other. Thus, in the present invention, a plurality of reflectors 3a are provided so as to surround the area to be monitored, thereby setting a monitoring area 5 monitored by the radar unit. The signal processing unit 2 includes a function to determine whether the suspicious object exists in the monitoring area 5 or out of the monitoring area 5. More specifically, the suspicious object 6a exists in the monitoring area 5 as shown in
The determination whether the alarm activating signal is transmitted or not is made through, for example, the process shown in FIG. 7. There are two types of signals detected by the radar unit. That is, the signal from the reflector 3a and the signal from the detecting object (suspicious object) to be monitored. The coordinate values of the reflectors are calculated based on the signals from the several reflectors 3a, and the monitoring area surrounded by the reflectors 3a is determined. Also, the coordinate values of the detecting object are calculated based on the signal from the detecting object itself. Then, it is determined whether the coordinate values of the detecting object exist in the monitoring area 5 by comparing these coordinate values. When it is determined that the detecting object is in the monitoring area 5, an alarm is given. When it is not in the monitoring area 5, no alarm is given and the signal from the detecting object is obtained again and the coordinate values thereof are recalculated.
Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
The block diagram of the signal processing unit 2 according to the embodiment is shown in FIG. 4. Similar to the configuration in the first embodiment shown in
The series of operations are performed according to the flow chart shown in FIG. 8. The operation in this embodiment includes two modes such as a process for setting the virtual monitoring area 50 and an operation for the actual monitoring. In the process for setting the area, the coordinate values of the reflector 3b moving along the outer periphery of the area to be monitored are calculated by using the signals transmitted from the reflector 3b, and the obtained coordinate data is accumulated in the memory means 20. The series of processes are repetitively performed until all of the area to be monitored is surrounded. In the operation for the monitoring, the coordinate values of the detecting object (suspicious object) to be monitored are calculated by using the signals transmitted from the object itself. Then, the coordinate values thus obtained and the coordinate data of the virtual monitoring area 50 accumulated in advance in the memory means 20 are compared with each other, thereby determining whether the coordinate values of the detecting object are inside the virtual monitoring area 50 or not. When the object is inside the monitoring area, an alarm is given. Also, when not inside the monitoring area, no alarm is given and the signal from the detecting object to be monitored is obtained again and the coordinate values thereof are recalculated.
Examples of outer appearances of the reflectors 3a and 3b provided or moved in order to define the monitoring area 5 and the virtual monitoring area 50, are shown in FIGS. 11(a) through 11(c). Each of the reflectors 3a and 3b comprises a reflection plate 30 and a pole 31 of the reflection plate 30. A material capable of reflecting electric waves is used to form the reflection plate 30, for example, the reflection plate 30 is made of metal. In the drawing, three types of the reflection plate 30 are exemplified. In FIG. 11(a), the reflection plate 30 is in the shape of a simple plate, and in FIG. 11(b), the reflection plate 30 is in the shape of a concave mirror so as to intensify the reflected signal. Also, in FIG. 11(c), the reflection plate 30 is in the shape of a polygonal pyramid (Though triangular pyramid is shown as an example, the shape thereof is not limited to this.).
Examples of the circuit configuration included in the radar module 1 of the radar unit used in the present invention are shown in
In the circuit shown in
In this embodiment, the case where two receivers are provided is shown. However, the detection accuracy in the horizontal direction can be enhanced by further increasing the number of the receivers.
The oscillation frequency of the voltage-controlled oscillator 23 included in the radar module 1 can be changed by changing the control voltage, and the distance to the object and the relative speed can be obtained by using the function.
An example of a sweeping method of a frequency applicable to the present invention is shown in
Note that in such a case where the relative speed of the object is 0 (in a stationary state), the dual-frequency CW method cannot detect the object because the intermediate frequency (IF) generated by the receiver comes to 0 hertz. Meanwhile, even in such a case where the relative speed of the object is 0, the FMCW method can detect the object because the intermediate frequency does not come to 0 hertz.
In addition, the calibration of the radar unit and the self diagnosis thereof can be performed by using at least one of the reflectors 3a and 3b used in the embodiment of the present invention.
For example, the operation program is set so as to calculate the coordinate value of the reflectors 3a and 3b by use of the signals from the reflectors 3a and 3b at a constant interval, and then an adjustment means functioning to compare the calculated coordinate values and the actual positions of the reflectors 3a and 3b and to make an adjustment to eliminate the difference therebetween is provided. By doing so, the detection accuracy of the radar unit can be maintained in an optimal state.
Also, if the self-diagnosis means is provided, when the signals from the reflectors are not detected or the signal intensity is extremely reduced, it is possible to determine that there is something wrong with the function of the radar unit and also to give an alarm to the user. Note that the calibration means and the self-diagnosis means of the radar unit can be operated automatically or can be operated at any suitable time depending on the intention of the user.
The advantages obtained by the present invention are as follows.
First, in the detecting system using a radar, since the detection and monitoring of an intruder can be performed while a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna are provided in a common case box, the flexibility in installing the detecting system can be improved.
Second, since surface information of an intruding object can be obtained in the detecting system using a radar, the possibility of the error detection is extremely reduced and the performance thereof can be enhanced.
Third, since there is little impact on the propagating property of the electric wave even under bad weather conditions such as fog and snow in the detecting system using a radar, the reliability thereof can be enhanced.
Fourth, since the detecting area of the radar can be set, the error detection that an alarm is given in response to the detected object outside the area where the existence of a suspicious object is monitored can be prevented.
Fifth, since the calibration and self diagnosis of the radar unit can be performed by use of the reflectors, the reliability of the detecting system can be obtained.
The present invention relates to a detecting system using a microwave radar or a millimeter radar, which is suitably used as a security monitoring system to detect the existence of a suspicious person and to give an alarm when there exists a suspicious person.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCTJP02/01918 | 3/1/2002 | WO | 00 | 8/28/2002 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO0307503 | 9/12/2003 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3289202 | Preti | Nov 1966 | A |
3300768 | Bystrom et al. | Jan 1967 | A |
3314066 | Schwartz et al. | Apr 1967 | A |
3815131 | Dautel et al. | Jun 1974 | A |
3877002 | Cheal et al. | Apr 1975 | A |
3932871 | Foote | Jan 1976 | A |
4091367 | Harman | May 1978 | A |
4132988 | Blacksmith et al. | Jan 1979 | A |
6400307 | Fullerton et al. | Jun 2002 | B2 |
6466157 | Bjornholt et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6518915 | Schutz et al. | Feb 2003 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
8-293089 | Nov 1996 | JP |
9-5432 | Jan 1997 | JP |
9-138280 | May 1997 | JP |
11-237466 | Aug 1999 | JP |
2001-124846 | May 2001 | JP |
2001-141804 | May 2001 | JP |
2001-235367 | Aug 2001 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20030164790 A1 | Sep 2003 | US |