Detecting system
In a position detecting system using a radar which transmits/receives a microwave or a millimeterwave, the area to be monitored is surrounded by a plurality of reflectors, and the coordinate values of the reflectors and a detected object are calculated based on the signals reflected from the reflectors and the detected object and then compared. When the coordinate value of the detected object is inside the area to be monitored, it is determined that the detected object is an intruding person or the like and an alarm is given. When the coordinate value of the detected object is outside the area to be monitored, it is determined that the detected object is not an intruding person or the like and no alarm is given. Calibration and self-diagnosis of the radar are periodically performed using at least one of the reflectors, thereby maintaining optimal performance of the radar.
The present invention relates to a detecting system sing 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.
BACKGROUND ARTAs 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 5 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.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONA 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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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 5 process shown in
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
The series of operations are performed according to the flow chart shown in
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
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.
Industrial ApplicabilityThe 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.
Claims
1. A detecting system comprising:
- a radar for detecting an object within a detecting area by detecting at least an angle to the object in a horizontal direction, the angle being obtained based on a phase difference between two signals from the object;
- a notification device for notifying the detection of the object;
- a signal processing unit for controlling the notification device based on a detection signal sent from the radar; and
- a detecting area setting device for setting a range of the detecting area,
- wherein the radar detects a distance to the object and a relative speed by using a dual frequency continuous wave method.
2. A detecting system comprising:
- a radar for detecting an object within a detecting area;
- a notification device for notifying the detection of the object;
- a signal processing unit for controlling the notification device based on a detection signal sent from the radar; and
- a detecting area setting device for setting a range of the detecting area,
- wherein the radar is one of a millimeterwave radar and a microwave radar having a transmitting antenna for transmitting a corresponding one of a millimeterwave signal and a microwave signal, and a receiving antenna for receiving the corresponding one of the millimeterwave signal and the microwave signal reflected from the object, and
- wherein the radar detects a distance to the object and a relative speed by using a dual frequency continuous wave method.
3. The detecting system according to claim 2, wherein the signal processing unit is configured to obtain coordinates of the object and track movement of the object within the detecting area.
4. The detecting system according to claim 3, wherein the detecting area setting device is provided with a plurality of reflectors which are set on an outer periphery of the detecting area, wherein the detecting area is set by use of reflected signals from the reflectors, and wherein the notification device is set up to operate when the object is inside the detecting area.
5. The detecting system according to claim 3, wherein the signal processing unit has a memory, wherein the detecting area setting device has a reflector, wherein the detecting area is set by storing information signals obtained by moving the reflector along an outer periphery of the detecting area in the memory, and wherein the notification device is set up to operate when the object is inside the detecting area.
6. The detecting system according to claim 4, wherein the radar is provided with calibration means to perform calibration of the radar.
7. The detecting system according to claim 6, wherein the calibration means performs an adjustment so as to reduce the difference between a distance to the reflector calculated based on a reflected signal from at least one of the reflectors and an actual distance to the reflector, thereby performing calibration of the radar.
8. The detecting system according to claim 6, further comprising self-diagnosis means arranged to notify abnormality of the radar, when intensity of the reflected signal from the reflector is reduced.
9. A detecting system comprising:
- a millimeterwave or microwave radar for detecting and monitoring an object by detecting and monitoring at least an angle to the object in a horizontal direction, the angle being obtained based on a phase difference between two signals from the object;
- an alarm device for notifying detection of the object;
- a signal processing unit for processing a detection 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 object,
- wherein the signal processing unit controls the alarm device so as to generate an alarm when the object exists inside the monitoring area and so as not to generate an alarm when the object is outside the monitoring area, and
- wherein the radar detects a distance to the object and a relative speed by using a dual frequency continuous wave method.
10. A detecting system comprising:
- a millimeterwave or microwave radar for detecting and monitoring an object;
- an alarm device for notifying detection of the object;
- a signal processing unit for processing a detection 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 object,
- wherein the signal processing unit controls the alarm device so as to generate an alarm when the object exists inside the monitoring area and so as not to generate an alarm when the object is outside the monitoring area,
- wherein the signal processing unit is configured to monitor movement of the object relative to the monitoring area, and
- wherein the radar detects a distance to the object and a relative speed by using a dual frequency continuous wave method.
11. The detecting system according to claim 10, wherein the monitoring area setting device has a reflector, and the monitoring area is set by use of a reflected signal from the reflector.
12. The detecting system according to claim 10, wherein the monitoring area setting device is provided with a plurality of reflectors set on an outer periphery of the monitoring area, and wherein the monitoring area is set by use of reflected signals from the reflectors.
13. The detecting system according to claim 10, wherein the signal processing unit has a memory, wherein the monitoring area setting device has a reflector, and wherein the monitoring area is set by accumulating information signals obtained by moving the reflector along an outer periphery of the monitoring area.
14. The detecting system according to claim 11, wherein the radar is provided with calibration means to perform an adjustment so as to reduce the difference between a distance to the reflector calculated based on a reflected signal from the reflector and an actual distance to the reflector, thereby performing calibration of the radar.
15. The detecting system according to claim 11, wherein the radar is provided with self-diagnosis means to notify abnormality of the radar, when intensity of the reflected signal from the reflector is reduced.
16. The detecting system according to claim 11, wherein the radar has two or more receiving antennas arranged in a horizontal direction and two or more receivers connected to the receiving antennas, and wherein an angle to the object in the horizontal direction can be obtained based on the phase difference between reflected signals from the object received by the two or more receiving antennas.
17. The detecting system according to claim 11, wherein the radar has a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, a receiver connected to the receiving antenna, and means for periodically changing directions of the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna.
18. The detecting system according to claim 11, wherein the reflector is made of metal.
19. A security system comprising:
- a radar including a transmitting antenna to transmit a radar signal within an operating area, and one or more receiving antennas to receive one or more reflected signals within the operating area;
- a signal processing unit connected to the radar module, to detect an object within the operating area, to monitor the object as the object moves into a designated monitoring area within the operating area, and to generate an alarm activating signal when the object is in the designated monitoring area; and
- an alarm device arranged to generate a security alarm upon receipt of the alarm activating signal,
- wherein the designated monitoring area is set by moving a reflector along an outer periphery of the designated monitoring area within the operating area of the radar, so that the signal processing unit monitors movement of the object relative to the designated monitoring area by processing the reflected signals received from the object as the object moves into the designated monitoring area within the operating area of the radar relative to information set, when the reflector moves along the outer periphery of the designated monitoring area, and
- wherein the radar detects a distance to the object and a relative speed by using a dual frequency continuous wave method.
20. The security system according to claim 19, wherein the operating area of the radar is a fan-shaped area principally determined by a maximum detecting distance and a maximum detecting angle which depend on the performance of the transmitting antenna.
21. The security system according to claim 19, wherein, alternatively, the designated monitoring area is set by a plurality of reflectors arranged at respective corners to surround the designated monitoring area within the operating area of the radar so that the signal processing unit can monitor movement of the object relative to the designated monitoring area by processing the reelected signals received from the reflectors and the object as the object moves into the designated monitoring area within the operating area of the radar.
22. The security system according to claim 19, wherein the radar is one of a millimeterwave radar and a microwave radar having a transmitting antenna for transmitting a corresponding one of a millimeterwave signal and a microwave signal, and wherein at least one receiving antenna for receiving the corresponding one of the millimeterwave signal and the microwave signal, as the reflected signals, reflected from the object.
23. A security system comprising:
- a radar including a transmitting antenna to transmit a radar signal within an operating area, and one or more receiving antennas to receive one or more reflected signals within the operating area;
- a signal processing unit connected to the radar module, to detect an object within the operating area, to monitor the object as the object moves into a designated monitoring area within the operating area, and to generate an alarm activating signal when the object is in the designated monitoring area; and
- an alarm device arranged to generate a security alarm upon receipt of the alarm activating signal,
- wherein the operating area of the radar is a fan-shaped area principally determined by a maximum detecting distance and a maximum detecting angle which depend on the performance of the transmitting antenna,
- wherein the radar is provided with calibration means to perform an adjustment so as to reduce the difference between a distance to reflectors set on an outer periphery of the designated monitoring area within the operating area of the radar, calculated based on reflected signals from the reflectors and an actual distance to the reflectors, thereby performing calibration of the radar, and
- wherein the radar detects a distance to the object and a relative speed by using a dual frequency continuous wave method.
24. A security system comprising:
- a radar including a transmitting antenna to transmit a radar signal within an operating area, and one or more receiving antennas to receive one or more reflected signals within the operating area;
- a signal processing unit connected to the radar module, to detect an object within the operating area, to monitor the object as the object moves into a designated monitoring area within the operating area, and to generate an alarm activating signal when the object is in the designated monitoring area; and
- an alarm device arranged to generate a security alarm upon receipt of the alarm activating signal,
- wherein the operating area of the radar is a fan-shaped area principally determined by a maximum detecting distance and a maximum detecting angle which depend on the performance of the transmitting antenna,
- wherein the radar is provided with self-diagnosis means to notify abnormality of the radar, when an intensity of the reflected signals from reflectors set on an outer periphery of the designated monitoring area within the operating area of the radar, is reduced, and
- wherein the radar detects a distance to the object and a relative speed by using a dual frequency continuous wave method.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 11, 2005
Publication Date: Jun 16, 2005
Inventors: Naoyuki Kurita (Kokubunji), Hiroshi Kondoh (Fuchu), Mikito Tsubota (Yokohama)
Application Number: 11/032,094