System and method for monitoring the presence of a person in a monitored area

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a corresponding method for monitoring the presence of a person in a monitored area. To reliably monitor the presence of the person, the system comprises: a passive radiometer that detects radiation emitted from a predetermined monitored area in a predetermined frequency range between 1 GHz and 100 THz and that generates a radiation signal from the detected radiation, a radiation signal processor that processes said radiation signal and that generates, based on said processed radiation signal, a monitoring signal indicating the presence or absence of a person in said monitored area, and an application controller that controls an application based on said monitoring signal.

1 . System for monitoring the presence of a person in a monitored area comprising:
 a passive radiometer that detects radiation emitted from a predetermined monitored area in a predetermined frequency range between 1 GHz and 100 THz and that generates a radiation signal from the detected radiation,   a radiation signal processor that processes said radiation signal and that generates, based on said processed radiation signal, a monitoring signal indicating the presence or absence of a person in said monitored area, and   an application controller that controls an application based on said monitoring signal.   
     
     
         2 . System as claimed in  claim 1 , 
       wherein said radiometer comprises a single radiometer unit that detects radiation emitted from said predetermined monitored area. 
     
     
         3 . System as claimed in  claim 1 , 
       wherein said radiometer comprises a line or an array of radiometer units that detect radiation emitted from sub-areas, having the form of a line or array, of said predetermined monitored area. 
     
     
         4 . System as claimed in any preceding claim, 
       further comprising a mechanic radiometer movement means that effect a relative movement of the radiometer with respect to the monitored area for scanning said monitored area. 
     
     
         5 . System as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  3 , 
       further comprising an electronic radiometer movement means, in particular an electronic beam positioning means or an electronic beam forming means, that effect an electronic movement of the sensitivity profile of said radiometer for scanning said monitored area. 
     
     
         6 . System as claimed in any preceding claim, 
       wherein said radiation signal processor is adapted to generate said monitoring signal based on a comparison between said radiation signal, generated from radiation detected over a predetermined time, and a threshold signal. 
     
     
         7 . System as claimed in  claims 2  and  6 , 
       wherein said threshold signal indicates a predetermined amount of radiation a radiometer detects over time. 
     
     
         8 . System as claimed in  claims 3  and  6 , 
       wherein said threshold signal indicates a number of radiometer units and/or pixels, at which radiation emitted from a person within said monitored area is detected. 
     
     
         9 . System as claimed in any preceding claim, 
       wherein said radiation signal processor is adapted to generate said monitoring signal from a plurality of radiation signals. 
     
     
         10 . System as claimed in any preceding claim, 
       further comprising an application interface to which external devices carrying out said application can be coupled and through which said external devices can be controlled by said application controller. 
     
     
         11 . System as claimed in any preceding claim, 
       wherein said radiometer is integrated within a luminaire or lamp, in particular within a light bulb. 
     
     
         12 . Method for monitoring the presence of a person in a monitored area, comprising the steps of:
 detecting radiation emitted from a predetermined monitored area in a predetermined frequency range between 1 GHz and 100 THz,   generating a radiation signal from the detected radiation,   processing said radiation signal and generating, based on said processed radiation signal, a monitoring signal indicating the presence or absence of a person in said monitored area, and   controlling an application based on said monitoring signal.   
     
     
         13 . System for monitoring the presence of a person in a monitored area, comprising:
 a passive radiometer means for detecting radiation emitted from a predetermined monitored area in a predetermined frequency range between 1 GHz and 100 THz and for generating a radiation signal from the detected radiation,   a radiation signal processing means for processing said radiation signal and for generating, based on said processed radiation signal, a monitoring signal indicating the presence or absence of a person in said monitored area, and   an application control means for controlling an application based on said monitoring signal.   
     
     
         14 . Computer readable non-transitory medium having instructions stored thereon which, when carried out on a computer, control a system as claimed in  claim 1  or  13  to perform the steps of the method as claimed in  claim 12 .