PIR Sensor Signal Processing for False Alarm Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Passive infrared (PIR) sensors experience frequent false alarms when detecting moving objects outdoors due to environmental noise such as wind and humidity, leading to unreliable detection performance.

Innovation Solution

A sensor signal processing apparatus that includes a signal receiving unit, a detection unit, and a false alarm signal removing unit, which sets threshold values based on the length or energy of initial alarm signals to differentiate between genuine and false alarm signals, thereby reducing false alarm rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a PIR sensor is used to detect moving objects outdoors, then the detection coverage is expanded, but false alarm rate increases due to environmental noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection coverageVSAvoidfalse alarm rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by collecting sensor data during an initialization period before actual detection begins. During this period, the system learns the environmental noise characteristics and establishes baseline thresholds, so when actual detection starts, the system can distinguish between normal environmental variations and genuine object detections, thereby reducing false alarms while maintaining outdoor detection coverage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring detection results and adjusting detection thresholds based on accumulated data. The detection thresholds are dynamically updated using statistical parameters (mean and standard deviation) calculated from recent detection history, allowing the system to adapt to changing environmental conditions and maintain reliable performance while operating outdoors

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If detection thresholds are lowered to improve sensitivity, then detection accuracy improves, but false alarm rate increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidfalse alarm rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies dynamics by making detection thresholds variable rather than fixed. Thresholds are dynamically adjusted based on real-time statistical analysis of sensor data, using the mean and standard deviation of recent measurements to adapt to changing environmental conditions. This allows the system to maintain high detection accuracy while automatically compensating for environmental noise that would otherwise cause false alarms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by using statistical parameters (mean and standard deviation) to define detection thresholds instead of fixed values. The detection threshold is calculated as mean plus a multiple of standard deviation, allowing the system to maintain appropriate sensitivity while adapting to varying environmental noise levels, thus reducing false alarms without sacrificing detection accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The apparatus effectively reduces false alarm rates by accurately distinguishing between moving objects and environmental noise, enhancing the reliability of PIR sensor detection outdoors.

Implementation Method 1

a passive infrared (PIR) sensor is generally used for detecting a human body or a moving object

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInfrared radiation detection: Infrared Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS9076320B2Apparatus and method for processing sensor signal
Publication Date: 2015.07.07 ELECTRONICS & TELECOMM RES INST
  • US9076320B2 patent drawing
  • US9076320B2 patent drawing
  • US9076320B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A sensor signal processing apparatus receives a sensor signal from a sensor in order to detect an object, determines whether an object exists from the received sensor signal, and if an object exists, the sensor signal processing apparatus generates an alarm signal, and it removes an alarm signal corresponding to a false alarm signal from the alarm signal based on at least one of a length and energy of the alarm signal.