Ultrasonic sensing and monitoring systems
AssigneeVon Duprin, Inc.
InventorCharles E. Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The presence of persons in a space is sensed with the aid of ultrasonic pulses which are sent out into the space when echoes of such ultrasonic pulses are received. Echoes attributable to the floor or to parts of a door in the space are timed out, and a remainder of such echoes is employed for sensing persons in the space. For example, sliding or revolving doors may be controlled and operated with the aid of such ultrasonic echoes, and limited access to secured areas may be provided thereby.
Claims58
A method of sensing the presence of a person in a space having thereat an object capable of reflecting ultrasonic pulses, comprising in combination the steps of:
- sending ultrasonic pulses into said space and toward said object;
- suspending transmission of those ultrasonic pulses into said space which would produce echoes at said object;
- receiving echoes of ultrasonic pulses from said space;
- and
- sensing said person with the aid of said received echoes.
A method of sensing the presence of a person in a space, comprising in combination the steps of:
- providing a door at said space;
- sending ultrasonic pulses into said space;
- subjecting said door to movement past a location from which ultrasonic pulses are sent into said space;
- receiving echoes of ultrasonic pulses from said space, but interrupting said sending out of ultrasonic pulses during said movement of the door past said location;
- and
- sensing said person with the aid of said received echoes.
A method of sensing the presence of a person in a space having thereat an object capable of reflecting ultrasonic pulses, comprising in combination the steps of:
- sending ultrasonic pulses into said space and toward said object;
- receiving echoes of ultrasonic pulses from said space, but timing out echoes from said object;
- and
- sensing said person with the aid of said received echoes excluding said timed-out echoes;
- wherein
- said timing out includes determining a first travel time of ultrasonic pulses in said space to and from said object and a second travel time of ultrasonic pulses in said space past a width of said object, and timing out echoes received from said space upon occurrence of said first travel time and echoes received from said space for a duration of said second travel time.
A method of sensing the presence of a person in a space, including the steps of:
- providing a revolving door structure having rotatable door leaves in said space;
- sending ultrasonic pulses into said space;
- timing out echoes form any door leaf of said revolving door structure;
- receiving echoes of said ultrasonic pulses from between said door leaves;
- and
- sensing a person in said revolving door structure with the aid of said echoes.
A method of sensing the presence of a person in a space, comprising in combination the steps of:
- sending ultrasonic pulses into said space;
- receiving echoes of said ultrasonic pulses from said space;
- using said echoes for generating electric signals indicative of a person in said space;
- subjecting said signals to amplification;
- broadening an area in said space in which a person may be sensed, by increasing said amplification in gain;
- and
- indicating with said electric signals said person over said broadened area.
Apparatus for sensing the presence of a person in a space having thereat an object capable of reflecting ultrasonic pulses, comprising in combination:
- first means for sending ultrasonic pulses into said space and toward said object and for receiving echoes of ultrasonic pulses from said space;
- second means connected to said first means for suspending transmission of those ultrasonic pulses into said space which would produce echoes at said object;
- and
- third means connected to said first means for sensing said person with the aid of said received echoes.
Apparatus for sensing the presence of a person in a space, including the steps of:
- a revolving door structure having rotatable door leaves in said space;
- first means for sending ultrasonic pulses into said space;
- second means for timing out echoes from any door leaf of said revolving door structure and for receiving echoes of said ultrasonic pulses from between said door leaves;
- and
- third means for sensing a person in said revolving door structure with the aid of said received echoes.
Apparatus for sensing the presence of a person in a space having thereat an object capable of reflecting ultrasonic pulses, comprising in combination:
- first means for sending ultrasonic pulses into space and toward said object and for receiving echoes of ultrasonic pulses from said space;
- second means connected to said first means for timing out echoes from said object;
- and
- third means connected to said first means for sensing said person with the aid of said received echoes excluding said timed-out echoes;
- wherein
- said second means include means for timing out echoes received from said space upon occurrence of a first travel time of ultrasonic pulses in said space to and from said object and echoes received from said space for a duration of a second travel time of ultrasonic pulses in said space past a width of said object.
Apparatus for sensing the presence of a person in a space having a door thereat, comprising in combination:
- first means for sending ultrasonic pulses into said space and toward said object and for receiving echoes of ultrasonic pulses from said space;
- means connected to said door for subjecting said door to movement past a location from which ultrasonic pulses are sent into said space by said first means;
- second means for interrupting said sending of ultrasonic pulses into said space during said movement of the door past said location;
- and
- third means connected to said first means for sensing said person with the aid of said received echoes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.