Passive IR field gradient detection of thermal objects in active Fresnel zones

Abstract

A dual element Passive-Infrared (PIR) sensor is used with a rotating slit aperture to map a narrow scanning beam on the sensing elements through each lens of a Fresnel lens array. The stimuli generated due to each thermal object fall in the active Fresnel zones in a certain direction based on their locations and temperature variations on the surfaces of the sources. These signals are used to analyze the signatures of stationary thermal objects, their slight movements and thermal field gradient changes of the source surfaces provided the object projected area is less than the area of the active zone. Pattern matching is performed using Dynamic-Time-Warping (DTW) algorithm on STFT reduced length time vectors. The object space is divided into m-active zones that correspond to the Fresnel zones in a Fresnel lens array. Within passive IR region from each of the active zones, the system identifies not only the heat intensity changes but also detects the slight movement of the thermal source. The efficiency of the system is dependent on the number of active Fresnel zones and the angular separation between them. This single node PIR sensor system is designed to cover an angular view of ∼10°×80° while horizontal Field of View (FOV) is divided into 4 active Fresnel zones. Generally costly Thermal-IR camera is used for thermal analysis. Our system is comparatively less costly and active coverage zones are easily configurable by increasing number of Fresnel lenses.