WO2004019064A1

WO2004019064A1 - Organism detector

Info

Publication number: WO2004019064A1
Application number: PCT/JP2003/010688
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yuuichi Kanda
Original assignee: Applied Electronics Laboratories, Inc.
Priority date: 2002-08-26
Filing date: 2003-08-25
Publication date: 2004-03-04
Also published as: JP2004085327A; AU2003257682A1

Abstract

An organism detector for detecting a spatial charge, especially an organism in a noncontact manner by means of a resonance circuit using a thin-film ceramic capacitor as a dielectric. The detector detects a change in spatial charge that an object carrying charge gives to a space. The object carrying charge is mainly an organism. The detector also detects a change in the spatial potential in a space spaced away from a capacitor by bringing the capacitor close to a conductor. Therefore, the detector can be used as, for example, a security device by installing the detector along with a conductive member to a window or the like. Further the detector can be used as a device for detecting a human being inside a building collapsed by a disaster.

Description

Specification

Biological detector

(Technical field)

The present invention relates to a detection device for detecting a change in space potential, and more particularly to a device for detecting a change in space potential due to a living body.

(Background technology)

In recent years, the operation mechanism of an electric switch is not only a mechanical one, but also many using an optical sensor, ultrasonic waves, electrostatic induction, electromagnetic waves, and the like. For example, switches used to detect the presence of people used in automatic doors use optical sensors and ultrasonic waves. The switches used in washbasins and bathrooms for general household use are mechanical, but have a waterproof structure to prevent water from entering. However, these switches have a problem that they react to an object other than a human and cause a malfunction, or the structure is complicated and the miniaturization is limited.

Also, non-contact switches such as optical sensors and electrostatic induction switches have the problem that the sensors do not react due to "cloudiness" due to water vapor in the environment such as a bathroom as described above.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device that detects a change in space potential and reliably detects the presence of a living body in view of the above-described problems. .- (Disclosure of the invention)

A space potential detecting device using an L-C or R-C resonance circuit, the device being an L-C or R-C resonance circuit, a drive circuit for supplying a current of a predetermined frequency to the resonance circuit, and a resonance frequency And a detection circuit for detecting a change in space potential and a change in resonance frequency as a change in resonance frequency.

Further, the present invention provides an apparatus, wherein the detection circuit is a circuit for detecting a temporal change rate of a frequency, and detects a living body when a change in a resonance frequency exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Ceramic is used as a dielectric for the capacitance part of the device, and the ceramic is in the form of a thin film. Further, there is provided an apparatus, wherein a space potential detecting section made of a conductor is connected to the capacitance section. A space potential detection method using an L-C or R-C resonance circuit, wherein the device has a step of resonating an L-C or R-C resonance circuit, and a step of detecting the resonance frequency. A living body detection method characterized by detecting a change in resonance frequency due to a change in the value of a capacitance section due to a change in space potential, and detecting a change in space potential when the change exceeds a predetermined value. provide.

The detection method is to detect a temporal change in the resonance frequency, and to provide a method characterized by detecting that the change in the resonance frequency is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.

(Brief description of drawings)

FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of a space potential detecting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a capacitor of the space potential detecting device of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram when a charge exists near the capacitor of the space potential detecting device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram when the space potential detecting device of the present invention is used as a switch.

FIG. 5 is a diagram when the space potential detecting device of the present invention is used as a switch of an automatic door.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a method of detecting the presence of a distant charge by bringing a conductor closer to the capacitor of the space potential detecting device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram when the space potential detecting device of the present invention is attached to a conductive curtain.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a method when the space potential detecting device of the present invention is used for a reservoir and a lake, respectively.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example in which the space potential detecting device of the present invention is attached to a conductive rod-shaped member and used as a living body detector.

(Best mode for carrying out the invention)

1 and 2 show a circuit diagram and a capacitor according to an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention is an apparatus for detecting a change in space potential using a resonance circuit. Found that it can be detected as Figure 1 shows a circuit that detects this change in space potential. Here, a typical L-C resonance circuit is shown. Reference numeral (2) in FIG. 1 denotes an oscillation circuit that oscillates at a predetermined frequency and a detection circuit unit that detects a change in resonance frequency. The change in the resonance frequency can be detected, for example, by measuring the change in the amplitude after the signal output by the oscillation circuit has passed through the resonance circuit. In another method, it is possible to control the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit and detect a change in the resonance frequency by scanning a predetermined frequency band including the resonance frequency. The capacitor in the present invention is as follows. As shown in Fig. 2, it is the same as a normal capacitor, but is characterized in that a thin-film ceramic is used for the dielectric (4). It is. However, the thickness is not limited to this, and a thickness of several μπι to several hundred μπι is possible. For the electrode (3) of the capacitor, ordinary electrode materials such as copper, aluminum and molybdenum can be used. FIG. 3 shows a schematic circuit of the present invention when there is an object (5) having a positive charge as an example. As shown in the figure, since the space potential changes due to the presence of the object (5), the electric charge can be detected in a non-contact manner. In addition, since an object having a charge is, for example, a living body, the present invention can be used as a living body detecting device.

The value of the capacitance that changes due to the presence of such space charges is, for example, several tens to several hundreds pF in the case of a capacitor formed with a capacitance of 丄 OnF. The frequency of the signal supplied to the resonance circuit is not limited, and any frequency can be used as long as it can be configured as a resonance circuit. As a specific example, the capacitance of the capacitor is 10 nF and the oscillation frequency is 300 kHz. However, as described above, the capacity and frequency are not limited to these.

(Example 1)

An example in which the detection of a change in space potential as described above is applied to the detection of a living body will be described below. FIG. 4 (a.) Is a diagram in which the present invention is used as a switch panel (6) for lighting, air conditioning, etc. installed at home or in a company or office. FIG. 4 (b) is an enlarged view of the switch panel (6). As shown, this is a touch panel type switch installed on a wall or the like. As is clear from the figure, the switches for each lighting or air conditioner are lined up independently and When the switch (7) is touched, the presence of the living body is detected and the switch is operated as described above. By using such a touch panel type switch, a switch having an excellent shape as a design can be formed. A switch using the present invention can operate in a non-contact manner, and can therefore be installed on a surface such as a shop window without damaging the design by using a transparent conductive film.

Since it operates in a non-contact manner, it can be embedded in a wall or a tile even in an environment where a large amount of water droplets and water vapor exists, such as a bathroom. Further, the distance between the living switches for operating such a switch can be controlled by the gain of the circuit.

(Example 2)

Hereinafter, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram when the present invention is used for an automatic door. In the figure, (9) is a door frame, and (10) is a door plate. As shown in the figure, when the space potential detecting device (8) of the present invention is installed on the door plate (10), it can be a semi-automatic door in which the door can be operated by lightly touching the installation area of the device. In addition, when installed on the floor (13), an automatic door that detects a living body and operates the door when a human stands on the device (8) can be provided in the same manner as a normal automatic door. . At this time, the sensitivity for detecting the living body can be controlled by the gain of the detection circuit, as described above.

(Example 3)

Figure 6 shows an example of detecting a change in space potential at a location distant from the capacitor (1 1), with the conductor (1 4) approaching the capacitor (1 1) as shown. . In the above embodiment, an object having a charge, such as a living body, must be present near the electrode of the capacitor, and it is difficult to detect a charge at a long distance and a change in space potential. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a detection method and an apparatus in the case where a charged object (5) exists at a position distant from the capacitor (11) will be described.

As shown, the conductor (14) is close to the capacitor (11), and the conductor (14) extends to a region away from the capacitor (11). At this time, it is separated from the capacitor (1 1) and the conductor (1 1 When the object (5) is present in the region (4), electric charges are induced in the conductor (14) by the object (5), and the electric charge is conducted to the capacitor to change the capacitance. Therefore, on the conductor (14), it is possible to detect a change in the electric charge or the space potential existing at a position distant from the capacitor (11). The conductor may be a conductor such as a metal plate, a metal wire, a metal wire, a conductive fiber, an electrolyte solution, or the like. Next, an application example of the present embodiment will be described below.

(Example 4)

FIG. 7 is a diagram when the space potential detecting device (8) of the present invention is applied to a curtain (16). As shown, a space potential detection device (8) is installed on the curtain (16). Here, the curtain (16) is made of conductive fiber. Therefore, since the curtain is a conductor, the presence of a living body can be detected when, for example, an intruder from outside is near the curtain. That is, the curtain can be used as a security device. In this case, the same effect can be obtained not only by forming the curtain material with the conductive fiber but also by putting the metal wire, the metal wire, and the conductive powder into the component as a part of the constituent member. Further, since the space potential detection device of the present invention operates as long as it is electrically connected, the space potential detection device of the present invention is installed in, for example, a bracket for suspending the above-described conductive curtain. You can. Further, the curtain can be installed on the curtain rail by electrically connecting the curtain and the curtain rail.

(Example 5)

As described above, it is possible to detect the presence of a space charge at a long distance via a conductor, so that a change in space potential can be detected even in an electrolyte solution or the like. In this embodiment, a water tank (18) such as a pool or a water storage tank was used as shown in Fig. 8 (a), and a lake (1 Those used for 9) are shown. Normally, naturally existing water contains an electrolyte and is conductive, so that it can transmit changes in space potential. In Figure (a), a space potential detector (8) is installed outside the wall of the pool or water tank. As a result, a living body approaching water can be detected and used for crime prevention, safety management, and the like. FIG. 6B shows an application example in which the present invention cannot be installed on a wall, such as a lake. In this case, extend the conductive member (2 1) from the outside to the water or water surface, and install a capacitor of the space potential detection device on the member (2 1). Even in this way, a change in space potential can be detected via water.

As described above, when the space potential detection device of the present invention is used via a conductive member, various applications are possible. In addition to the above embodiments, the present invention can be used as a security device, for example, for doors, shutters, gates, passageways, walls, ceilings, floors, windows using transparent conductive members, and the like.

(Example 6)

In this embodiment, an example of a device for detecting a living body at the time of a disaster, particularly in the case of an earthquake or a fire will be described. FIG. 9 shows a state where the space potential detecting device of the present invention housed in a case (22) or the like is connected to the conductive member (21), and a grip (23) for holding is attached. is there. For example, when discovering a person trapped inside a building that has collapsed due to a disaster or the like, the presence of a person near the conductor is detected by inserting the conductive member (21) into a gap or the like. can do. Although a rod-shaped member is shown in the figure, a conductive wire or the conductive fiber described above can also be used.

As described above, the present invention can be used for a wide range of applications by using a conductive member. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and all structures for detecting a change in space potential using the present invention are within the scope of the present invention. The conductive member is not limited to a solid or liquid, and a conductive gas such as plasma can be used.

(Industrial applicability)

Using the space potential detecting device of the present invention, the presence of an electric charge, particularly the presence of a living body can be detected in a non-contact manner.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. A space potential detection device using an L-C or R-C resonance circuit, the device being an L-C or R-C resonance circuit, a drive circuit for supplying a current of a predetermined frequency to the resonance circuit, and A device having a detection circuit for detecting a change in resonance frequency, and detecting a change in space potential given to the capacitance as a change in resonance frequency.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection circuit is a circuit that detects a temporal change rate of a frequency.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the detection circuit detects a living body when a change in a resonance frequency exceeds a predetermined threshold.

4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein ceramic is used as a dielectric for the capacitance part of the device.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the ceramic is in the form of a thin film.

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a space potential detection unit made of a conductor is connected to the capacitance unit.

7. A space potential detection method using an L-C or R-C resonance circuit, the method comprising: resonating an L-C or R-C resonance circuit; and detecting the resonance frequency. A living body characterized by detecting a change in resonance frequency due to a change in the value of the capacitance section due to a change in space potential, and detecting a change in space potential when the change exceeds a predetermined value. Detection method.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the detection method detects a temporal change of a resonance frequency.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the detection method detects that a change in the resonance frequency is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.