DETECTION APPARATUS, DETECTION SYSTEM AND DETECTION METHOD

Abstract

To provide a device, a system, and a method, capable of reducing the erroneous detection of an object.SOLUTION: The detection device for detecting the object includes a first light source 22 for emitting an infrared ray in a first direction, a second light source 23 for emitting light in a second direction different from the first direction, a shield member which is arranged so as to transmit only a part of the light emitted from the second light source 23 and shields the optical path of the light from the second light source 23, and detection means for detecting the object by receiving the light from the first light source 22, reflected to the object and the reflected light of a part of the light from the second light source 23, transmitted through.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus, system and method for detecting an object. [Background technology]

[0002] A known technique for detecting an object is to emit infrared rays (also called infrared light) and detect an object such as dirt adhering to a transmission window based on changes in the reflected light of the infrared rays (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] However, in the above technology, if the sensor strength of the infrared ray sensor is strong, even if the transmission window is clean, if an object is placed on the stove that passes through the transmission window from the sensor, the sensor will react to the object. Also, if the sensor strength is weakened, the sensor will not react to the object, but it must detect in a wavelength range where the sensitivity of infrared rays changes rapidly, making the detection unstable. This causes the problem of increased false detection of objects.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide an apparatus, a system, and a method capable of reducing erroneous detection of an object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one embodiment of the present invention provides a detection device for detecting an object, comprising: a first light source that emits infrared light in a first direction; a second light source that emits light in a second direction different from the first direction; a shielding member that shields an optical path of light from the second light source and is disposed so that only a part of the light emitted from the second light source is transmitted; a detection means for detecting an object by receiving light from the first light source reflected by the object and a portion of the light transmitted from the second light source; A detection apparatus is provided, comprising: Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce erroneous detection of an object. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the wavelength and the relative sensitivity of an infrared light emitting element. [Diagram 2] A diagram showing an example of an LED output angle. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining the illuminance of an illuminated plane by LED light. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of a detection device. [Diagram 5] A diagram showing the infrared transmittance and refractive index of each material. [Figure 6] A diagram showing the infrared and LED light reflectance of each material and color. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a detection device. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a detection apparatus. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a detection device. [Figure 10] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining an angle when the control board is arranged at an angle. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing detectable distances when radiation is emitted at each wavelength. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the detection device. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a sliding mechanism for a shielding plate. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state when the tip position of the shielding plate is in a first position. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the state when the tip position of the shielding plate is in the second position. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the state when the tip position of the shielding plate is in a third position. [Figure 17]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the state when the tip position of the shielding plate is in a fourth position. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the relationship between angle, light intensity, and detection distance. [Figure 19] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between elapsed time and an output signal from a light receiving unit. [Figure 20] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for detecting an object by the detection device. [Figure 21] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a detection system. [Figure 22] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a gateway. [Diagram 23] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a gateway. [Figure 24] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a hardware configuration of an aggregation device. [Diagram 25] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of an aggregation device. [Figure 26] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a method for predicting the moving direction of an object. [Figure 27] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of aggregated data. [Figure 28] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of aggregated data. [Figure 29] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing another example of the functional configuration of the aggregation device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] The detection device according to this embodiment is a device that detects an object to be detected on a transparent member by using infrared rays having a wavelength of 780 nm or more and light having a wavelength different from the infrared rays. The detection device continues to sense the object on the transparent member, and is capable of detecting that an object has been placed on the transparent member, and is also capable of detecting that an object on the transparent member has disappeared. Note that, in this embodiment, food for small animals such as mice may be exemplified as the object, but the object may be a key, valuables, etc., and is not limited to food.

[0009] The detector has two light sources, one of which emits infrared light and the other emits light with a different wavelength from the infrared light, which is reflected by an object on a transparent substrate, receives the reflected light that returns, and detects the presence or absence of the object based on the change in the reflected light. The light with a wavelength different from the infrared light is, for example, visible light with a wavelength of 380 to 780 nm, such as LED (Light Emitting Diode) light.

[0010] When an object receives light energy from infrared rays or LED light, the molecules and atoms that make up the object vibrate (thermal motion), and friction between molecules and atoms generates heat, causing the temperature of the object to rise. The energy of light is luminous intensity energy. Luminous intensity is expressed as the amount of luminous flux per unit cubic angle of light emitted from a light source (cd: candela), and is used as an index of the brightness of a point light source. In a state of thermal equilibrium where the temperature is constant, even if light energy is incident, it cannot be absorbed and if it does not pass through the object, it will be reflected. A detection device receives this reflected light and detects the object.

[0011] Here, the characteristics of the infrared light used will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between the wavelength and relative sensitivity (relative intensity) of an infrared light emitting element. The wavelength of an infrared light emitting element has a central wavelength of 950 nm, and is the most sensitive. The relative sensitivity is normalized with the sensitivity at the maximum sensitivity wavelength set at 100. Even if the wavelength changes slightly, the change in sensitivity is small at wavelengths below 800 nm and above 1100 nm, and in the vicinity of the central wavelength of 900 to 1000 nm shown by the black dashed line. In other words, the change in sensitivity is gradual. On the other hand, in the wavelength ranges of 800 to 900 nm and 1000 to 1100 nm shown by the gray dashed line, the sensitivity changes significantly even if the wavelength is shifted slightly.

[0012] If object detection is performed using the 800 to 900 nm and 1000 to 1100 nm ranges where the sensitivity changes rapidly, even a slight change in wavelength can result in a large change in sensitivity, making the detection unstable, with objects sometimes being detected and sometimes not being detected.

[0013] For this reason, it is desirable to emit infrared rays by adjusting the wavelength to be near the central wavelength (900 to 1000 nm) where sensitivity is stable, or to 800 nm or less, or 1100 nm or more.

[0014] However, when a wavelength of 800 nm or less or 1100 nm or more is used, the sensitivity is low and the object may not be detected. On the other hand, when a central wavelength of 900 to 1000 nm is used, the sensitivity is high and when there is no object to be detected on the transparent substrate, another object located at a position away from the transparent substrate may be detected through the transparent substrate. Examples of the other object include a wall or a ceiling. This makes it impossible to stably detect the object to be detected.

[0015] The directivity of light will be explained with reference to Fig. 2. Directivity is the property whereby the intensity of output light varies depending on the direction. The property where light is independent of direction is isotropy. When the angle at which the light output is half its peak value (full angle at half maximum) is greater than ±25°, it is defined as having high isotropy.

[0016] Figure 2 shows an example of an LED output angle. The LED light used as an example of light has high directionality, with a full angle at half maximum of ±9°. With a full angle at half maximum of ±9°, when this light is directed toward a transparent substrate, the LED light and infrared light can reach a distance of about 30 cm through the transparent substrate, and the reflected light can be received.

[0017] When an object is placed on a transparent board and detected, if the infrared light and LED light reach a location 30 cm away from the transparent board, other objects 30 cm away will be detected, resulting in an increase in false positives.

[0018] One factor behind this is the high directivity, and it is believed that by lowering the directivity, it becomes possible to stably detect only the target object.

[0019] With reference to Figure 3, the illuminance of the illuminated plane by the LED light will be explained. Illuminance (lux) is an index showing the brightness of a surface illuminated by light. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the angle of incidence and illuminance according to the cosine fourth power law. The left side of the page shows the rectangular coordinate system, and the right side shows the polar coordinate system. The cosine fourth power law has a relationship expressed by the following formula 1, where the illuminance of the light before incidence is I0, the illuminance of the light after incidence is I, and the angle of incidence of the light with respect to the optical axis is θ.

[0020]

number

[0021] In Fig. 3, the dashed line indicates the value calculated by multiplying I0 by cosθ, and the solid line indicates the value obtained by the cosine fourth power law. The illuminance of the LED light drops sharply when the incident angle θ with respect to the optical axis exceeds about 20°, and becomes flat when it passes about 50°.

[0022] For this reason, if infrared rays and LED light are emitted in the same direction, the illuminance of the LED light is high and the light reaches objects far away.On the other hand, if infrared rays and LED light are emitted in different directions, the illuminance of the LED light is low and the light only reaches objects close by.

[0023] From the above, in the detection device according to this embodiment, infrared rays are adjusted to wavelengths of 800 nm or less or 1100 nm or more and emitted, so that they can be detected with a nearly constant sensitivity. LED light is emitted in a direction different from that of infrared rays, and low-illuminance LED light is combined with infrared rays, so that only objects within a predetermined distance can be detected. This makes it possible to reduce false detection of objects.

[0024] 4 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of the detection device. The detection device 10 includes a container 11 that houses a control board and a power supply unit that supplies power to the control board, a lid member 12 that opens and closes the top of the container 11, and a cover member 14 that is arranged to cover the top of the container 11 when the lid member 12 is opened and has a window portion 13. A transparent substrate 16, which is a transparent flat plate as an example of a transparent member, is adhered to the upper side of the cover member 14. The transparent substrate 16 may be joined to the cover member 14 using an adhesive tape or the like. Infrared rays and LED light are emitted from inside the container 11, pass through the transparent substrate 16 that covers the portion opened as the window portion 13, and are radiated to the outside.

[0025] Here, the transparent substrate 16 is adhered to the upper side of the covering member 14, but the transparent substrate 16 may be adhered to the lower side of the covering member 14, and the size of the transparent substrate 16 is not limited to be the same as that of the covering member 14, and may be a size sufficient to cover only the window portion 13. The transparent substrate 16 may be provided in such a way that it is fitted into the window portion 13.

[0026] Four support members 15 for supporting the covering member 14 are provided within the container 11, and are disposed at the four corners of the container 11. The top of each support member 15 is made of a material that has a large coefficient of friction with the flat surface of the covering member 14 or has a surface roughness so that the covering member 14 does not easily move in the horizontal direction when placed on the top of the supporting member 15. Examples of materials with a large coefficient of friction include rubber and cloth. The larger the deviation in the vertical direction from the surface, the rougher the surface, and the smaller the deviation, the smoother the surface. Here, a large surface roughness is desirable. It is also possible to provide the four corners of the covering member 14 by attaching rubber, cloth, or the like.

[0027] The object is placed on transparent substrate 16 that covers window portion 13, and infrared rays and LED light are irradiated from infrared and LED light light sources provided on one side of the control substrate through transparent substrate 16. A light receiving section that receives light reflected by the object is provided on the other side of the control substrate. If an object is present on transparent substrate 16, the reflected light is received, and if no object is present, the reflected light is not received, making it possible to detect the presence or absence of an object.

[0028] The container 11 is sized to accommodate the control board and power supply unit, and is made of a material and color that has low reflectance for infrared rays and LED light emitted from the control board. This is to allow the detection element to receive only light reflected from an object, and not light reflected from the inner surface of the container 11. Therefore, the upper covering member 14, which may reflect infrared rays and LED light, is also made of a material and color that has low reflectance for infrared rays and LED light.

[0029] Although the transparent substrate 16 transmits infrared rays, if the infrared transmittance is high, the infrared rays may reach long distances even if the wavelength is controlled to 800 nm or less or 1100 nm or more. Since it is sufficient for the infrared rays to reach an object placed on the transparent substrate 16, a material with low infrared transmittance is preferable.

[0030] Moreover, the transparent substrate 16 is preferably made of a material with a small refractive index so that infrared rays are not totally reflected but are transmitted.

[0031] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the infrared transmittance and refractive index of each material. All materials have a small refractive index of approximately 1.5, but polyvinyl chloride resin (abbreviated as PVC in the diagram) has a smaller transmittance than glass and acrylic resin (abbreviated as acrylic in the diagram), and even among polyvinyl chloride resins, hard materials have a smaller transmittance. For this reason, hard polyvinyl chloride resin is preferable for transparent substrate 16.

[0032] If the transparent substrate 16 is transparent, it may have some color, such as blue or green. In order to reduce the transmittance of infrared rays, green is desirable because it is a complementary color to the red color of infrared rays.

[0033] The container 11 and the covering member 14 are preferably made of a non-metallic material that has a high infrared ray absorptivity, and examples of the non-metallic material include ceramic, plastic, wood, and paper.

[0034] Figure 6 shows the reflectance of infrared light and LED light for each material and color. In the example shown in Figure 6, the materials are acrylic resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, paper, and cardboard. For acrylic resin, the reflectance is also shown when the color of the inner surface of the container 11 and the covering member 14 is changed.

[0035] The reflectance shown in Fig. 6 is the reflectance when infrared light and LED light are emitted, and shows the result when there is no object on the transparent substrate 16. Since there is no object, if there is no reflection on the inner surfaces of the container 11 and the covering member 14, all light is emitted to the outside through the transparent substrate 16, and the reflectance is 0. The infrared light has a wavelength of 950 nm, and the LED light has a wavelength of 500 nm.

[0036] In the case of acrylic resin, only the black color did not react to infrared rays, and in the case of other polyvinyl chloride resins, the black color did not react to infrared rays. The reflectance was also low at about 2% for the black color only. For this reason, it was found that the inner surfaces of the container 11 and the covering member 14 are preferably black.

[0037] The inner surfaces of the container 11 and the covering member 14 that are exposed to infrared rays are preferably black, but even if they are black, they are preferably not smooth and glossy, but rather have a rough, non-glossy, non-smooth surface. This is because a non-glossy, non-smooth, rough surface can reduce the reflectance even further. Examples of rough surfaces include a surface having multiple fine grooves and a surface having multiple fine irregularities. The rough surface may be a surface to which a fibrous, fluffy sheet such as felt is attached.

[0038] It is desirable that the inner surface of the lid member 12 that faces the inside of the container 11 when the top of the container 11 is closed is black. The lid member 12 is provided to prevent infrared rays from reacting to a white wall or the like when no object is present. The lid member 12 is attached to the container 11 so as to be openable and closable using, for example, a hinge or the like, and can be fixed at any opening angle. This is so that infrared rays hit the lid member 12 when no object is present.

[0039] The detection device 10 is not limited to the one in which the container 11 and the covering member 14 to which the transparent substrate 16 is adhered are configured as separate entities as shown in FIG. 4, but may be configured such that the container 11 and the covering member 14 to which the transparent substrate 16 is adhered are integrated.

[0040] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a detection device. Fig. 7(a) is a plan view of the inside of container 11 seen from above when lid member 12 is opened and covering member 14 is placed thereon, and Fig. 7(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA.

[0041] A control board 20 and a power supply unit 21 indicated by a dashed line are arranged inside the container 11. The control board 20 is a flat plate made of plastic such as polyimide or polyester (PET), and has a first light source 22 that emits infrared rays, a second light source 23 that emits LED light, and a communication unit 25 having a wireless antenna 24 on one surface of the control board 20. The control board 20 also has a light receiving unit 26 that receives reflected infrared light on the other surface of the control board 20 (the surface behind the one surface). The light receiving unit 26 is an infrared sensor, and functions as a detection means for detecting an object.

[0042] The control board 20 is disposed with each surface of the control board 20 inclined with respect to the vertical direction. This is to allow the light reflected by the object to be appropriately received by the light receiving unit 26 provided at a different horizontal position from the first light source 22. Here, the vertical direction is the direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the container 11.

[0043] The first light source 22 is provided so as to emit infrared rays parallel to the surface of the control board 20. The second light source 23 is provided so as to emit light in a direction different from the direction in which the first light source 22 emits infrared rays. In the example shown in Fig. 7, the second light source 23 is installed so as to emit LED light in a direction different by approximately 90° from the direction in which the infrared rays are emitted.

[0044] The power supply unit 21 includes a battery, and supplies power to the first light source 22, the second light source 23, and the communication unit 25 of the control board 20. The first light source 22 is provided with a dial for adjusting the wavelength.

[0045] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the detection device 10. The detection device 10 includes a first light source 22 and a second light source 23 on the control board 20 shown in Fig. 7. The detection device 10 also includes a communication unit 25, a light receiving unit 26, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 27, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 28, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 29, a memory 30, a first oscillation circuit 31, and a second oscillation circuit 32 on the control board 20, which are connected via a bus.

[0046] The memory 30 functions as a storage unit. The memory 30 is configured with a storage device such as a volatile or non-volatile semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), etc. The memory 30 may include a ROM 28 and a RAM 29.

[0047] ROM 28 is a non-volatile semiconductor storage device and stores a startup program for detecting device 10 and the like. RAM 29 provides a working area for CPU 27. ROM 28 or memory 30 stores a program for implementing the functions of CPU 27. This program is not limited to being stored in ROM 28 or memory 30, and may be stored in a recording medium such as a recording disk. This program may also be transmitted via a wired or wireless network and loaded into RAM 29.

[0048] Here, the CPU 27 executes a program to control the operation of the detection device 10, but this is not limited to the above. Therefore, some or all of the functions realized by the program may be realized by a circuit, etc. Examples of circuits for realizing the functions include LSI (Large Scale Integration), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc.

[0049] The first oscillator circuit 31, under the control of the CPU 27, controls the power supplied to the first light source 22. The second oscillator circuit 32, under the control of the CPU 27, controls the power supplied to the second light source .

[0050] 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the detection device 10. In the detection device 10, a CPU 27 realizes each function using a communication unit 25, a memory 30, etc., and the detection device 10 includes an input / output unit 35, an operation control unit 36, a storage unit 37, and an output power correction unit 38 as functional units.

[0051] The input / output unit 35 connects to an external device via wireless communication and transmits the detection results of the detection device 10 to the external device. The storage unit 37 stores identification information (device ID) and the like for identifying the detection device 10. The emission power correction unit 38 adjusts the wavelength of the infrared rays to adjust the emission power of the infrared rays. The wavelength can be adjusted using a dial or the like. Here, the wavelength is adjusted using a dial, but the emission power of the infrared rays may be adjusted by other methods.

[0052] The operation control unit 36 ​​controls the overall operation of the detection device 10, determines the presence or absence of an object based on the output signal (voltage) output from the light receiving unit 26, and instructs the input / output unit 35 to transmit the determination result together with the device ID as the detection result.

[0053] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the angle when the control board 20 is arranged at an angle. The angle θ is the angle between the vertical line and the control board 20 (one surface of the control board 20) as shown in FIG. 10(a), with a line extending in the vertical direction as the vertical line. There is a window 13 above the control board 20, and it was confirmed whether or not infrared rays are detected (whether or not infrared rays react) when no object is present. The container 11 was a container made of black general-purpose ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) resin with a thickness of 1 mm. The transparent substrate 16 was a flat plate made of blue transparent hard polyvinyl chloride resin with a thickness of 1 mm.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 10(b), angles between 0 and 25° showed a reaction even when no object was present, and it was found that the angle is not suitable for object detection.In addition, angles between 26 and 29° showed unstable results, sometimes reacting and sometimes not reacting, and it was found that the angle is not suitable for object detection.

[0055] An angle of 30° or more results in no reaction, but if it exceeds 50°, the position of window 13 must be located away from control board 20, making it difficult for infrared rays to return, and the size of container 11 must be increased, resulting in increased costs. For these reasons, it was found that the angle θ is preferably 30° to 40°.

[0056] Figure 11 shows the results of checking how far an object can be detected from the transparent substrate when the angle θ is set to 35°. Figure 11(a) shows the results when infrared rays are emitted near the central wavelength of the infrared rays, and Figure 11(b) shows the results when the wavelength of the infrared rays is reduced by 100 nm or more from the central wavelength (when the infrared power is reduced). Figure 11(c) shows the results when the infrared power is reduced and the LED light is emitted in a different direction from the infrared rays. The LED light is emitted in a direction approximately 90° different from the infrared rays.

[0057] When infrared rays were emitted near the central wavelength, the infrared power was strong, so an object could be detected even at a distance of 10 cm from the transparent substrate, as shown in Figure 11(a). On the other hand, when the infrared power was reduced, an object could be detected up to 1 cm from the transparent substrate, as shown in Figure 11(b), but at 2 cm, detection became unstable, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing.

[0058] In contrast, when the infrared power was reduced and the LED light was emitted in a different direction, an object could be detected up to 4 cm away from the transparent substrate, as shown in Figure 11(c).

[0059] In order to detect bait as an object, it is desirable to be able to detect the object even if it is about 4 cm away from the transparent substrate, since the shape and size of the bait vary depending on the bait. By being able to detect objects up to 4 cm away from the transparent substrate, it is possible to place bait on the transparent substrate and detect the presence or absence of bait to detect the presence of living organisms such as pests and vermin.

[0060] However, the configurations shown in Figures 4 and 7 do not allow the detection distance to be changed according to the size of the bait. This means that even if the bait is small, it will be detected up to a distance of 4 cm, and even if there is no bait, if there is another object within a distance of 4 cm, it will detect the presence of bait. For this reason, a mechanism is required to change the detection distance according to the size of the bait.

[0061] 12 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the detection device 10. The detection device 10 includes a shielding member for shielding a part of the window portion 13, in addition to the container 11, the lid member 12, the cover member 14 having the window portion 13, the control board 20, the power supply unit 21, etc. In this example, the shielding member is referred to as a shielding plate 17.

[0062] The shielding plate 17 slides on the transparent substrate 16 covering the window portion 13 to shield the window portion 13, which is the optical path of the light from the second light source 23, so as to transmit only a portion of the light from the second light source 23. As a result, the light from the first light source 22 and a portion of the light from the second light source 23 transmit through the transparent substrate 16 and are irradiated onto an object on the transparent substrate 16. The shielding plate 17 has rail members 18 adjacent to both ends, as shown in FIG. 13(a). The transparent substrate 16 has two grooves 19 extending in one direction on the upper surface, as shown in FIG. 13(b), and the rail members 18 are fitted into the grooves 19, so that the shielding plate 17 can be moved along the grooves 19.

[0063] 13(c), the detectable distance can be changed by sliding the shielding plate 17 to change the proportion of the window portion 13 that is shielded. Note that, like the container 11 and the covering member 14, the shielding plate 17 is also preferably made of a material with low infrared reflectance, is black, and has a non-glossy, uneven, rough surface facing the inside of the container 11.

[0064] Here, the shielding plate 17 is provided with the rail member 18, and the transparent substrate 16 is provided with the groove 19, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the groove 19 may extend in the depth direction to the covering member 14 below, or the groove 19 may be provided in the covering member 14 when the transparent substrate 16 is attached to the underside of the covering member 14 or when the transparent substrate 16 is large enough to cover only the window portion 13.

[0065] The extent to which detection is possible was confirmed by changing the proportion of window portion 13 that is shielded by shielding plate 17. Figures 14 to 17 are diagrams showing examples in which the proportion of window portion 13 that is shielded is changed.

[0066] Fig. 14 is a diagram showing the state when the angle θ is set to 30° and the shielding plate 17 is slid so that the boundary between the transparent substrate 16 and the shielding plate 17 is positioned above the LED, which is the second light source 23. Fig. 13(a) also shows a distribution diagram of the LED emission intensity indicated by a circle. When the direction perpendicular to the surface of the control substrate 20 is set to 0°, the LED light has an angle of 60° to 90° for the window portion 13 that is not shielded by the shielding plate 17. Since the center of this angle range is 75°, the LED light is tilted by 75°.

[0067] The LED light incident on transparent substrate 16 at a 75° angle changes direction as the light travels from air to transparent substrate 16 due to a change in refractive index, as shown in Figure 13(b), and when it leaves transparent substrate 16 it returns to the air again, so it returns in the same direction as before it entered transparent substrate 16 and is irradiated onto object 39 on transparent substrate 16.

[0068] The LED intensity of the reflected light reflected from the object 39 was less than half (half value) of the peak value (average 30%). Here, the peak value is the LED intensity in the direction of 0°. The reason for taking the average is that the intensity differs depending on the angle in the range of 60° to 90°. The detectable distance in this case was approximately 5.3 cm.

[0069] Fig. 15 is a diagram in which the shielding plate 17 is moved to the side shielding the window portion 13, which is the direction indicated by the arrow, in comparison with the example shown in Fig. 14, and the angle θ is set to 20°. The window portion 13 that is not shielded by the shielding plate 17 is in the range of 70° to 90°. The center of this angle range is 80°, which means that the LED light is tilted by 80°.

[0070] In this case, the LED light incident on the transparent substrate 16 at an angle of 80 degrees changes the direction of transmission of the light due to the change in the refractive index, and is irradiated onto the object 39. The LED intensity of the light reflected by the object 39 was an average of 20% of the peak value. The detectable distance in this case was approximately 4.2 cm.

[0071] Fig. 16 is a diagram in which the shielding plate 17 is moved further to the side shielding the window portion 13 compared to the example shown in Fig. 15, and the angle θ is set to 10°. The window portion 13 that is not shielded by the shielding plate 17 is in the range of 80° to 90°. The center of this angle range is 85°, which means that the LED light is tilted by 85°.

[0072] In this case, the LED light incident on the transparent substrate 16 at an angle of 85° changes the direction of transmission of the light due to the change in the refractive index, and is irradiated onto the object 39. The LED intensity of the light reflected by the object 39 was an average of 10% of the peak value. The detectable distance in this case was about 3.5 cm.

[0073] Fig. 17 is a diagram in which the shielding plate 17 is moved toward the side that opens the window portion 13 compared to the example shown in Fig. 14, and the angle θ is set to 40°. The window portion 13 that is not shielded by the shielding plate 17 is in the range of 50° to 90°. The center of this angle range is 70°, and the LED light is tilted by 70°.

[0074] In this case, the LED light incident on the transparent substrate 16 at an angle of 70° changes the direction of transmission of the light due to the change in the refractive index, and is irradiated onto the object 39. The LED intensity of the light reflected by the object 39 was an average of 43% of the peak value. The detectable distance in this case was approximately 6.5 cm.

[0075] Putting all this together, we get the results shown in Figure 18. In Figure 18, the horizontal axis shows the angle (the angle between the vertical line and the direction of the light emitted by the LED), and the vertical axis shows the average light intensity (%) and the detectable distance (cm).

[0076] As shown in Figure 18, it was found that it is possible to change the light intensity and thus the detectable distance by changing the proportion of the window 13 that is blocked by the shielding plate 17. The range of detectable distances can be shortened to about 2 cm by decreasing the angle θ, and can be increased to nearly 10 cm by increasing the angle θ. This makes it possible to detect only objects that are less than 10 cm away from the light source through the transparent substrate according to the size of the object.

[0077] Fig. 19 is a diagram showing the relationship between elapsed time (seconds) and the output signal (voltage) received by the light receiving unit 26, converted, and output. Fig. 19(a) is a diagram showing an example of a signal output when an object is present on the transparent substrate 16. Fig. 19(b) is a diagram showing an example of a signal output when no object is present on the transparent substrate 16.

[0078] When an object is present on the transparent substrate 16, the output voltage is set to 0V, and 0V is continuously output while the object is present as shown in Fig. 19(a). When the object is removed from the transparent substrate 16, the output voltage is set to an arbitrary value. In the example shown in Fig. 19(b), for example, the output voltage is set to 5V, and 5V is continuously output while no object is present.

[0079] In this example, 0V is output when an object is present, and 5V is output when an object is not present, but this is not limited to this, and it may be configured to output 5V when an object is present, and 0V when an object is not present.

[0080] The operation control unit 36 ​​determines the presence or absence of an object from the voltage output from the light receiving unit 26. The operation control unit 36 ​​determines that an object is present if the output voltage is 0V, and that an object is not present if the output voltage is 5V. The result of determining the presence or absence of an object can be sent to an administrator's PC (Personal Computer) or the like by the input / output unit 35. The administrator can refer to the result sent to the PC or the like and consider countermeasures.

[0081] For example, if the object is bait and a living thing catches and eats it, the detection device 10 detects that the bait is gone and notifies the manager of the result. The manager receives the notification and can detect that a living thing is near the detection device 10, and can exterminate the living thing by setting a trap near the detection device 10, etc.

[0082] 20 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for detecting an object by the detection device 10. The detection device 10 starts the process from step 100 after the power is turned on, power supply unit 21 starts supplying power to control board 20, and object 39 is placed on transparent board 16.

[0083] In step 101, the first light source 22 emits infrared light parallel to the surface of the control board, and in step 102, the second light source 23 emits LED light in a direction different from the direction of infrared light emission. Here, the first light source 22 is turned on first, and then the second light source 23 is turned on, but this is not limited to the above, and the second light source 23 may be turned on first, or both may be turned on simultaneously. After turning on, the light receiving unit 26 receives the light reflected off the object.

[0084] In step 103, it is determined whether the output voltage output by the light receiving unit 26 is zero or not. Here, it is determined whether it is zero or not, but since it does not always indicate zero and may increase slightly due to detection error, a threshold value may be set and it may be determined whether it is below the threshold value.

[0085] If the output voltage is zero in step 103, the process proceeds to step 104, where it is determined that an object is present, and the process returns to step 103. On the other hand, if the output voltage is not zero but is an arbitrary value in the determination in step 103, the process proceeds to step 105, where it is determined that an object is not present, and the process proceeds to step 106, where the process ends.

[0086] Here, if no object is present, the process is terminated, but if the object is bait, bait may be placed on transparent substrate 16 again and the detection process may be executed. When executing the detection process, it is also possible to place new bait on transparent substrate 16 while continuing the emission of infrared rays and LED light and the reception of reflected light in steps 101 and 102, and start the process from step 103.

[0087] If no new prey is taken, it can be detected that the organism has moved, and if new prey is taken, it can be detected that the organism is remaining in the vicinity or that there are multiple organisms.

[0088] It is possible to use only one detection device 10 to detect one object, but in order to locate the locations of pests or vermin, it is important to install multiple devices and predict where they will move next based on the location and time when the bait runs out.

[0089] A detection system using such a plurality of detection devices will be described below. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the detection system. The detection system is installed, for example, in a building having a plurality of floors. Here, an example in which the detection system is installed in a building will be described, but the application of the detection system is not limited to buildings. In the example shown in FIG. 21, the building is a four-story building.

[0090] The detection system includes a plurality of detection devices 10, a plurality of gateways 40, and an aggregation device 50. A plurality of detection devices 10 are installed on each floor from the first to fourth floors of a building. One gateway 40 is also installed on each floor of the building. The detection device 10 on each floor performs wireless communication with the gateway 40 on each floor and transmits detection results to the gateway 40. The gateway 40 on each floor is connected via a network 100 to a gateway 41 that is connected to the aggregation device 50. The aggregation device 50 and the gateway 41 may be directly connected by a cable, or may be connected via a network 101.

[0091] The networks 100 and 101 are the Internet, a wired LAN (Local Area Network), a wireless LAN, etc. The gateway 40 on each floor and the gateway 41 may be connected by a wireless communication method such as a LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) such as LoRa. In this example, the aggregation device 50 and the multiple detection devices 10 are connected via the multiple gateways 40 and 41, but if communication is possible using the same protocol, the multiple gateways 40 and 41 do not need to be provided. Also, only one of the multiple gateways 40 and the gateway 41 may be provided.

[0092] The gateway 41 communicates with the gateways 40 on each floor, collects the detection results acquired by the gateways 40 on each floor, and transmits them to the aggregation device 50.

[0093] The aggregation device 50 is a device that aggregates and outputs the detection results obtained from each detection device 10. The aggregation device 50 is a computer terminal such as a PC, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal, or a server device.

[0094] The hardware configuration of the gateways 40 and 41 will be described with reference to Fig. 22. Since the gateways 40 and 41 both have the same hardware configuration, only the gateway 40 will be described here.

[0095] The gateway 40 is a network node for connecting to networks with different protocols, and includes, as hardware, a CPU 42, a ROM 43, a RAM 44, a first communication I / F 45, and a second communication I / F 46. The ROM 43 stores a program for controlling the gateway 40. The RAM 44 provides a working area for the CPU 42. The CPU 42 realizes control of the gateway 40 by reading the program from the ROM 43, expanding it in the RAM 44, and executing it.

[0096] The first communication I / F 45 is connected to the network 100 and communicates with the gateway 41 via the network 100. The second communication I / F 46 communicates with each detection device 10 wirelessly.

[0097] In this example, all of the control of the gateway 40 is realized by the CPU 42 executing a program, but some or all of the control may be realized by circuits or the like.

[0098] 23 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the gateway 40. Since the gateway 40 and the gateway 41 have the same functional configuration, only the gateway 40 will be described here.

[0099] The gateway 40 includes, as functional units, a device control unit 47, an input / output unit 48, and a wireless communication unit 49. The device control unit 47 controls the overall operation of the gateway 40. The device control unit 47 controls the relay of information, commands, etc. via the input / output unit 48 and the wireless communication unit 49. The input / output unit 48 is connected to the network 100, and transmits and receives information, commands, etc. between the gateway 41. The wireless communication unit 49 wirelessly communicates with each detection device 10, and receives detection results from each detection device 10.

[0100] Next, the aggregation device 50 will be described. Fig. 24 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the aggregation device 50. The aggregation device 50 includes, as hardware, a CPU 51, a ROM 52, a RAM 53, a memory 54, a communication I / F 55, an operation I / F 56, and a display device 57.

[0101] The ROM 52 stores a program for controlling the aggregation device 50. The RAM 53 provides a working area for the CPU 51. The CPU 51 realizes control of the aggregation device 50 by reading out the program from the ROM 52, expanding it in the RAM 53, and executing it.

[0102] The memory 54 functions as a storage unit, and is configured with a storage device such as a volatile or non-volatile semiconductor memory, a HDD, an SSD, etc. The memory 54 may be configured to include the ROM 52 and the RAM 53.

[0103] The communication I / F 55 is connected to the network 101 and communicates with the gateway 41 via the network 101. The operation I / F 56 may include input devices such as buttons, dials, keys, a touch panel, a microphone for voice input, and a camera for image input.

[0104] The display device 57 may be a display such as a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL (Electroluminescence), an inorganic EL, or an electronic paper display, or a touch panel also serving as the operation I / F 56. The display device 57 may include an audio output device (speaker) for outputting audio.

[0105] In this example, the CPU 51 executes a program to realize all of the control of the aggregation device 50, but a part or all of the control may be realized by a circuit or the like.

[0106] 25 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the aggregation device 50. The aggregation device 50 includes, as functional units, a device control unit 60, a storage unit 61, an input / output unit 62, an operation unit 63, and a display unit 64. The device control unit 60 includes a control unit 60a, an aggregation unit 60b, a time acquisition unit 60c, a position acquisition unit 60d, a prediction unit 60e, and an output unit 60f.

[0107] The storage unit 61 stores various information. Examples of the information stored in the storage unit 61 include information about the locations of the buildings in which the multiple detection devices 10 are installed. To indicate the locations, for example, floor maps or layout diagrams of each floor can be used.

[0108] The input / output unit 62 is connected to the gateway 41 via the network 101, and transmits and receives information, commands, etc. between the gateway 41 and the gateway 41. The operation unit 63 accepts operations from a user of the system, and outputs information, commands, etc. input by the operations to the device control unit 60. The display unit 64 displays data output from the device control unit 60. The display unit 64 also functions as an audio output unit, and may be configured to output audio data output from the device control unit 60.

[0109] The control unit 60a of the device control unit 60 controls the overall operation of the aggregation device 50. The control unit 60a acquires detection results from each detection device 10 via the input / output unit 62. At that time, the control unit 60a also acquires identification information (device ID) for identifying each detection device 10. The control unit 60a outputs this information to the aggregation unit 60b.

[0110] The time acquisition unit 60c acquires time information. The time acquisition unit 60c measures the time when the detection result is acquired from each detection device 10, and acquires the time. Note that the time measurement may be performed by each detection device 10, and information on the time measured by each detection device 10 may be acquired. The control unit 60a associates the acquired time information with the above information and outputs it to the aggregation unit 60b.

[0111] The position acquisition unit 60d acquires a device ID from each detection device 10, and acquires position information of each detection device 10 by referring to information in which the device ID is associated with a floor map, which is registered in advance in the storage unit 61. The position acquisition unit 60d outputs the acquired position information to the prediction unit 60e and the aggregation unit 60b.

[0112] The prediction unit 60e predicts the movement of pests or vermin that have taken the object based on the result that the object has disappeared from the detection results acquired from each detection device 10, and outputs the prediction to the aggregation unit 60b. The prediction unit 60e may make the prediction using, for example, a vector that includes the detection results of all the detection devices 10 as elements.

[0113] For example, the non-detection state (initial set state) is represented by a vector element "0", and the detection state is represented by a vector element "1". The prediction unit 60e acquires the detection state of the target detection device 10 as "0" or "1", and acquires the difference with the detection state of the surrounding detection devices 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 26, when the detection state of the target detection device 10 is "0" and the detection state of the detection device 10 on the west side of the target detection device 10 in the position information is "1", the difference is acquired as "0"-"1"="-1". In addition, when the detection state of the detection device 10 on the west side of the detection device 10 on the west side is acquired as "1" and the difference is acquired as "-1", it can be predicted that the object will move in a direction facing west from the target detection device 10. In other words, it can be predicted that the direction facing west from the target detection device 10 is the moving direction of the object.

[0114] In addition, when the target detection device 10 is installed at the edge of a room of a building, although there is no actual detection device 10 outside the building, prediction can be made assuming that a detection device 10 exists outside the building. Specifically, when the detection state of the detection device 10 installed at the edge of the room is "1" and the difference is "-1", and the detection states of the surrounding detection devices 10 other than those in the direction toward the outside of the building are all "0", the detection state of the detection device 10 outside the building is assumed to be "1" and the difference is "-1", and the direction from the detection device 10 installed at the edge of the room toward the outside of the building can be predicted as the moving direction of the object. This prediction method is one example, and is not limited to this method, and any method known so far can be adopted.

[0115] The aggregation unit 60b generates aggregated data by aggregating information acquired from the control unit 60a, the time acquisition unit 60c, the position acquisition unit 60d, and the prediction unit 60e, and outputs the aggregated data to the output unit 60f and the storage unit 61. The aggregation unit 60b aggregates the device ID, the detection result, the position information, and the time information, and can generate aggregated data as shown in Fig. 27. Since there is a detection result, it can be seen from the time information and the position information that the object moved from the north side of the first floor to the south side of the second floor, and then moved directly above to the south side of the third floor.

[0116] The aggregation unit 60b may generate aggregated data using a floor map as shown in Fig. 28, in addition to the aggregated data using the table in Fig. 27. In Fig. 28, the aggregated data shows the position of each detection device 10 on a floor map of each floor of a building, the detection result, and the predicted moving direction of the object. The detection result shows no detection with a white circle, and detection with a colored circle.

[0117] The output unit 60f outputs the aggregated data acquired from the aggregation unit 60b to the display unit 64 or the like as text data, image data, audio data, or the like.

[0118] The detection system is made up of multiple detection devices 10, gateways 40 and 41, and an aggregation device 50, and can output information that aggregates the detection results of the detection devices 10 placed in various locations. Each detection device 10 can stably detect objects and reduce false detections, improving the accuracy of the aggregated information.

[0119] The detection system does not need to include the prediction unit 60e, but by including the prediction unit 60e, if the object to be detected is a living thing that can move, it becomes possible to estimate the moving direction of the living thing from the prediction result of the prediction unit 60e. This makes it possible to take measures against the living thing.

[0120] The aggregation device 50 used in the detection system can be a computer terminal or a server device, but may be configured to include two devices, a computer terminal and a server device. Note that the aggregation device 50 is not limited to these two devices, and may be configured to include three or more devices.

[0121] 29 is a block diagram showing an example in which the aggregation device 50 is configured from a computer terminal 70 and a server device 80. The computer terminal 70 includes a device control unit 71, a storage unit 72, an input / output unit 73, an operation unit 74, and a display unit 75. The device control unit 71 includes a control unit 71a, an aggregation unit 71b, a time acquisition unit 71c, a position acquisition unit 71d, and an output unit 71e. The functions of the components of the computer terminal 70 are similar to those of the aggregation device 50 shown in FIG. 24.

[0122] The input / output unit 73 is connected to the server device 80 via a network, and transmits and receives information, commands, and the like between the server device 80 and the input / output unit 73. The output unit 71e outputs the aggregated data acquired from the aggregation unit 71b to the display unit 75 and the server device 80.

[0123] The server device 80 includes a device control unit 81, a storage unit 82, an input / output unit 83, an operation unit 84, and a display unit 85. The device control unit 81 includes a control unit 81a, an aggregation unit 81b, a prediction unit 81c, and an output unit 81d. The functions of the components of the server device 80 are similar to those of the aggregation device 50 shown in FIG. 24. The prediction unit 81c predicts the movement of an object in each detection device 10 using information acquired from the computer terminal 70. The aggregation unit 81b generates aggregated data that aggregates the information acquired from the computer terminal 70 and the prediction result of the prediction unit 81c, and outputs the aggregated data to the output unit 81d. The output unit 81d outputs the aggregated data generated by the aggregation unit 81b to the display unit 85, etc.

[0124] In the detection device 10, the second light source 23 is used to increase the light intensity of the infrared light emitted from the first light source 22. However, the second light source 23 may be used for initialization check operation of the detection device 10 in addition to increasing the light intensity of the infrared light. Specifically, when the detection device 10 is turned on, the second light source 23 is turned on for a certain period of time to check the power supply state. Next, only the first light source 22 is turned on. While the first light source 22 is turned on, the second light source 23 is turned on and then turned off. At this time, the detection device 10 does not detect an object because there is no object on the transparent substrate of the window portion 13. The detection device 10 determines the result of the light receiving unit 26 at this time as the initial state.

[0125] If the initial state is determined, the presence or absence of an object can be detected by detecting whether the initial state continues or has changed from the initial state, so there is no need to continuously light the first light source 22 and the second light source 23. The first light source 22 and the second light source 23 can be turned on at a predetermined time interval, for example, and immediately turned off after confirming the presence or absence of an object. This allows the detection device 10 to save energy.

[0126] The present invention has been described so far with reference to the above-mentioned embodiments of the detection device, detection system, and detection method. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can be modified within the scope of what a person skilled in the art can conceive, such as other embodiments, additions, modifications, and deletions. Furthermore, any embodiment is within the scope of the present invention as long as it exhibits the functions and effects of the present invention.

[0127] Therefore, it is also possible to provide programs for realizing each function of the above control unit, recording media on which these programs are recorded, and other server devices that store the above programs and provide them in response to download requests. [Explanation of symbols]

[0128] 10. Detection device 11...Container 12...Cover member 13…Window section 14…Covering material 15...Support member 16...Transparent substrate 17...Shielding plate 18...Rail component 19...Groove 20…Control board 21...Power supply section 22…First light source 23…Second light source 24...Radio antenna 25…Communications Department 26...Light receiving section 27, 42, 51…CPU 28, 43, 52…ROM 29, 44, 53…RAM 30, 54…Memory 31...First oscillator circuit 32...Second oscillator circuit 35, 48, 62, 73, 83...Input / output section 36...Motion control unit 37, 61, 72, 82...Storage section 38...Output power correction section 39…object 40, 41…Gateway 45...First communication I / F 46...Second communication I / F 47, 60, 71, 81...Equipment control section 49…Radio communication section 50…Aggregation device 55…Communication I / F 56…Operation I / F 57…Display device 60a, 71a, 81a...Control section 60b, 71b, 81b...Integration section 60c, 71c...Time acquisition part 60d, 71d...Position acquisition part 60e, 81c…Prediction section 60f, 71e, 81d...Output section 63, 74, 84...Operation unit 64, 75, 85...Display section 70…Computer terminal 80...Server equipment 100, 101…Network [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0129] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5506142

Claims

1. a first light source that emits infrared light in a first direction; a second light source that emits light in a second direction that is approximately 90° different from the first direction; a shielding member that shields an optical path of light from the second light source and is disposed so that only a part of the light emitted from the second light source is transmitted; a detection means for outputting a first output signal when the light from the first light source reflected by an object and a portion of the light from the second light source reflected by the object are received, and for outputting a second output signal when the light from the first light source reflected by the object and a portion of the light from the second light source reflected by the object are not received; a substrate on one surface of which the first light source and the second light source are arranged and on the other surface of which the detection means is arranged; The substrate is arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction. A detection device, the detection device determining that an object is present when a signal output from the detection means is the first output signal, and determining that an object is not present when the signal output from the detection means is the second output signal, The infrared ray emitted from the first light source is an infrared ray having a wavelength of 800 nm or less or 1100 nm or more, in which the sensitivity changes significantly even with a small shift in wavelength in the wavelength ranges of 800 to 900 nm and 1000 to 1100 nm, the sensitivity is lower than that of 900 to 1000 nm in the vicinity of the central wavelength, in which the sensitivity changes gradually and the sensitivity is stable even with a slight change in wavelength, and the sensitivity is stable similarly to that of 900 to 1000 nm in the vicinity of the central wavelength, The light emitted from the second light source is LED light having a wavelength of 380 to 780 nm, and the relationship between the incident angle and the illuminance is in accordance with the cosine fourth power law. Detection device.

2. 2. The detection device according to claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination of the substrate is between 30° and 40°.

3. A container for housing the substrate; A covering member having a window portion that covers an upper portion of the container; A transparent member covering the window portion; Including, the object is placed on the transparent member, and the window portion is covered by the shielding member; 3. A detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The detection device according to claim 3 , wherein the shielding member is slidable on the transparent member to shield the window portion.

5. The transparent member is a flat plate made of polyvinyl chloride resin.

5. A detection device according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The inner surface of the container and the inner surface of the covering member facing the inside of the container excluding the window portion are black. The detection device according to any one of claims 3 to 5.

7. A cover member is attached to the container and is capable of opening and closing an upper portion of the container, The lid member has an inner surface facing the inside of the container when the top of the container is closed, and is fixed in a state where the top of the container is open when detecting the object. The detection device according to any one of claims 3 to 6.

8. The detection device according to claim 7 , wherein the lid member is attached to the container in an openable and closable manner and can be fixed at any opening degree.

9. A storage means for storing identification information for identifying the detection device; a communication means for transmitting the detection result of the detection means and the identification information stored in the storage means; The detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising:

10. A plurality of detection devices according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and an information processing device that communicates with each of the detection devices and acquires the detection results of each of the detection devices. a detection system comprising:

11. 1. A method for detecting an object, comprising: a step of emitting infrared light in a first direction from the first light source of a substrate, the substrate having a first light source and a second light source disposed on one surface and a detection means disposed on the other surface and disposed so as to be inclined with respect to a vertical direction; emitting light from the second light source in a second direction that is approximately 90° different from the first direction; a step of disposing a shielding member that shields an optical path of light emitted from the second light source so that only a portion of the light from the second light source passes through the shielding member, and transmitting the light from the first light source and a portion of the light from the second light source; outputting a first output signal when the detection means receives the light from the first light source reflected by the object and a part of the light from the second light source reflected by the object; outputting a second output signal when the light from the first light source reflected by the object and a portion of the light from the second light source reflected by the object are not received; determining that an object is present when the first output signal is output from the detection means, and determining that an object is not present when the second output signal is output from the detection means; Including, The infrared ray emitted from the first light source is an infrared ray having a wavelength of 800 nm or less or 1100 nm or more, in which the sensitivity changes significantly even with a small shift in wavelength in the wavelength ranges of 800 to 900 nm and 1000 to 1100 nm, the sensitivity is lower than that of 900 to 1000 nm in the vicinity of the central wavelength, in which the sensitivity changes gradually and the sensitivity is stable even with a slight change in wavelength, and the sensitivity is stable similarly to that of 900 to 1000 nm in the vicinity of the central wavelength, The light emitted from the second light source is LED light having a wavelength of 380 to 780 nm, and the relationship between the incident angle and the illuminance is in accordance with the cosine fourth power law. How objects are detected.

Images