Long-range PIR detector used for detection of crawling people

Mariusz Kastek*a, Tomasz Sosnowskia, Henryk Polakowskia,

Mirosaw Dbrowskia, Tomasz Oranowskia
a
Institute of Optoelectronics, Military University of Technology, 2 Kaliskiego Str., 00-908 Warsaw,
Poland
ABSTRACT
The paper presents design and principle of operation of a passive IR detector of large detection range. Significant virtue
of the described PIR detector is highly efficient detection of very slowly moving or crawling people. High signal-tonoise ratio was obtained by using larger number of pyroelectric sensors or by increasing number of detection zones
(channels). Larger number of pyroelectric sensors forces development of a complex optical system. The presented
optical system of PIR detector consists of one lens (germanium or amtir) and mirror concentrators. The optical system
ensures continuity of detection zones (no blind area between particular detection zones).
Original electronic system for PIR detector was described in which direct current amplifiers of a signal from pyroelectric
sensors were applied. Electronic system automatically reduces a voltage drift from pyroelectric sensors, thus
significantly decreases low limit frequency of a conduction band of amplification channel. Together with a fulfillment of
this condition, low-frequency noises enhancement is observed and next detector sensitivity diminishes. To ensure large
detection ranges, a new method of signals analysis was applied.
PIR detector has been equipped with a channel of RS 485 standard data transmission. For registration of measurement
results, special software was developed for detector diagnostics allowing registration of signals from particular detection
zones. The investigation results for various ranges of PIR detector were presented. The signals from PIR detector were
shown which were caused by crawling people being at the distance of 140 meters and walking, running people being at
the distance more than 200 meters.
Keywords: passive infrared detector, security systems, probability of detection.

1. INTRODUCTION
Passive infrared detectors (PIR) operating in far infrared range (814 m) are frequently used in security systems for
people detection. Because of their passive operation, it is difficult to detect them and due to suitably chosen spectral
range of operation they are low sensitive to disturbances caused by sun radiation. For PIR detectors used in security
systems, the pyroelectric sensors of high sensitivity are often used1.
Essential drawback of currently available PIR detectors is their low efficiency of detection of slowly moving or crawling
people. Efficiency of slowly moving objects is low because the changes of thermal radiation from these objects are close
to thermal fluctuations of a background. Moreover, to detect slowly moving (or crawling people), the lower frequency
limit of a transmission band of PIR detector have to be close to zero. When this condition is fulfilled, increase in low
frequency noises is observed. Thus, detection algorithms must be different than these used for typical PIR detector. To
detect crawling people, the higher number of sensors should be applied (more detection zones) what increases a signalto-noise ratio because each of the sensors can see smaller observation area.
Multitude of factors influencing the signal received from a pyroelectric sensor often causes false alarms generated by
PIR detectors. Therefore in order to reduce a number of false alarms caused by, e.g., air turbulences or changes in a
background temperature resulting from sun radiation, the sensors with two active elements are used (two sensors) and
alarm signal is determined by analysis of a difference (or a sum) of their output signals. Usually, pyroelectric sensors are
mounted in standard hermetic housings together with a field transistor and a resistor polarizing its gate. A value of this
resistor can be even up to 1011 in dependence on a preamplifier configuration. The most frequently, as an amplifying
element, JFET or MOSFET transistors mounted near detector are used2.
*mkastek@wat.edu.pl; phone +4822 6839383; fax +4822 6668950; www.wat.edu.pl

Distinguishing a useful signal (coming from an object) from a noise signal (arising as a result of disturbing factors) is
a serious recognition problem. Thus, important task of PIR detector, especially of elongated detection zone is such
conversion and analysis of the signal to achieve relatively high probability of object detection with simultaneous low
probability of false alarm detection3.

2. CONSTRUCTION AND PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION OF PIR DETECTOR

Main elements of PIR detector are the objective (mirror or refraction one), set of pyroelectric sensors, and electronic
systems (Fig. 1). The sensors convert an optical signal, emitted from the being observed surface, into an electrical
signal. This signal is processed in the electronic systems (it is amplified, filtered, sampled) and next analysed in
a microprocessor system.
Dual pyroelectric sensor

Electronic
Units

Unit of sensors
with optical collectors

Optical
Diaphragms
Lens
(germanium, gasir)

Fig. 1. Simplified diagram of PIR detector and pyroelectric sensors with optical concentrators and general view of detection
block with seven two-segment sensors.

The PIR detector presented here detects the crawling people at the distance of 140 m. High signal-to-noise ratio was
obtained due to application of the larger number of pyroelectric sensors, i.e., larger number of detection zones
(channels). Application of a larger number of sensors forces the necessity to develop a complex optical system. The
optical system of PIR detector has to ensure such a position of detection zones (Fig. 2) to avoid existence of the areas
that cannot be seen by a detector3.
Channel 6

Channel 2

Channel 4

Channel 7

Channel 5
Channel 3

4,5m

Channel 1

1,3m
17m 25m

43m

94m

100m

140m

Fig. 2. Detection zones of PIR detector in a horizontal and vertical planes.

Thermal radiations generated by slowly moving and (especially) crawling people are characterized by similar amplitudes
of luminance and velocities of this luminance changes in time such as fluctuation change of background radiation4-5. The

amplitude of a signal from pyroelectric sensors is directly proportional to the velocity of a change of a radiation signal in
time (i.e., to the velocity of a moving object). Disadvantageous property of pyroelectric sensors is a voltage drift at the
changes of ambient temperature (pyroelectric sensor is equipped with a field transistor playing a role of a voltage
follower). Thus, to have a sensor efficiently detecting slowly moving people, it is necessary to develop an algorithm
eliminating the changes of a signal from a sensor caused by background noise as well as the changes of a signal caused
by temperature drift of a pyroelectric sensor6.

3. ELECTRONIC SYSTEM OF PIR DETECTOR

A simplified diagram of an electronic circuit of PIR detector is shown in Fig. 3. At + input of the amplifying stage,
a reference voltage is applied, obtained from a resistance divider and a digital potentiometer included between the supply
voltage and the systems ground.
Vcc

C1

PIR

C9

C8

U1A

C7

R6

C10

R4

C11

R10

U3A

U3B

U2B

C4

C5

R5

D1

Heater

R14

C6

A/D

T1

R15

A/D

PWM

R9

Sunlight sensor
U4

Vout

SO
SI
SCK
/CS

Vcc

Alarm

D2
R11

U2A

C15

R8

R7

C3

D3

C13

C12

R3

R2

C14

R13

R12
C2

924V

DC/DC

Microprocessor

R1

6,2V

Voltage
Stabilizer

A/D

D
D

T2

RS485

U5
Temperature sensor

Fig. 3. Simplified functional scheme of an electronic system of PIR detector.

A system of DC amplifier with regulation (by means of digital electronic potentiometers) of a level of a constant
component consists of three operation amplifiers. The first U1A amplifier, because of significant output resistance of
a pyroelectric sensor operates in a follower system and two consecutive ones in the systems reversing a signal phase. The
first stage of amplification is realized by the operation amplifier U3A. It is characterized with the signal amplification,
K1= - R4/R3. At its + input, a reference voltage is applied obtained from the resistance divider R5, R6, U2A (digital
potentiometer) included between the supply voltage and the system ground7.
Reference voltage (regulated by means of a digital electronic potentiometer) is used for elimination of a constant
component of a signal obtained from a pyroelectric sensor. This component is significantly changed together with
temperature changes occurring near a pyroelectric sensor (because of a change of the output current change of a field
transistor dependent on temperature). Next, the signal is delivered to the second amplifying stage of the U3B operation
amplifier the amplification of which is K = - R8/R7. At its + input, the reference voltage obtained from the R9, R10, U2B
resistance divider (digital potentiometer). This voltage (regulated by means of a digital electronic potentiometer) protects
amplifier against saturation sate. The output signal is filtered in the filter made from R11 and C6 elements. The electronic
potentiometers, used in a preamplifier, are connected through SPI series bus with a controlling processor which on the
basis of the output signal values makes current adequate regulations (change in the value of potentiometer resistances) of
the values of reference voltages of particular amplifying stages.

Knowing the NA and NB settings (number of a selected level) of particular digital potentiometers, their total resistances RA
and RB and the values of amplifications of particular K1, K2 preamplifier stages, the signal value VOUT at the amplifier
output can be calculated:

VOUT = VIN K1 K 2 U pA K1K 2 U pB K 2

(1)

where VIN is the input voltage of the first amplifying stage, UpA is the reference voltage of the first amplifying stage, and
UpB is the reference voltage of the second amplifying stage.
The values of reference voltages of particular amplifying stages for 8-bit resolution of digital potentiometers settings can
be calculated from a relationship:

N
Vcc

R5 + A R A
R 6 + R A + R5
256

(2)

N
Vcc

R9 + B RB
R10 + RB + R9
256

(3)

U pA =
U pB =
where Vcc is the supply voltage.

The UpA and UpB values are currently matched by a microprocessor such ensuring adequate dynamic of the amplifier and
preventing the saturation state of particular amplifying stages. If the output voltage of the amplifier will be measured and
analyzed by a microprocessor, which in its operation algorithm considers the shift of levels (potentiometer settings), it
can be shown that the voltage calculated (by a microprocessor) can be significantly higher than the supply voltage. It is
important virtue of this system.
In the PIRs electronic system, the system for measurement of sun radiation intensity was used. The information from
this system is taken into account in an intruder detection algorithm8. Moreover, a temperature sensor was used in the
system. The data from a temperature measuring system can be applied to switch-on a miniature heater, mounted inside
PIR detector housing. Small increase in a temperature of the PIR detectors inside (in relation to ambient temperature)
protects deposition of water vapour on optical elements (lens, concentrator mirrors, and optical windows of sensors).
Passive IR sensors have specially formed angular characteristics of detection, achieved by application of appropriate
optical elements, placement of PIR detectors on the focal plane (fig.1) and use of additional mirrors acting as beam
concentrators. Fig. 4 shows module pyroelectric detectors with concetrators and electronics board.
The angle of view of a detector can be enlarged by increasing its size or by using several types of optical elements, such
as cylindrical field lenses, aplanatic lenses and flat mirrors. Flat mirrors are the cheapest ones and easiest to implement,
although the resulting increase in angle of view is smaller than for other solutions. Optical concentrator consists of flat
mirrors mounted at a certain angle with respect to detectors optical axis. Its a simple, cost-effective solution that
doesnt introduce additional losses and the resulting angle of view is independent on the wavelength. On the other hand,
the resulting increase of the angle of view is limited to several degrees for a single detector.
Optimization of mirrors placement is a bit complicated task due to large number of parameters that affect the final
efficiency of focusing the radiation on the detectors. These parameters are: linear dimensions of a mirror, coordinates of
its centre and mirror tilt angle. The angular relations are different for each mirror, depending on particular observation
zone of each detector. The optimization of mirror and detector locations was performed using ZEMAX software.
The quality of optical design was verified by examining the relative irradiance of detectors by reflected radiation as
a function of angle between mirror and detector surfaces.
According to numerical calculations, at the angle smaller than 40 degrees all the radiation misses the detector
completely. The irradiance increases with the angle, reaching maximum value at the angle of approximately 70 degrees
(fig. 4).
ZEMAX software makes it possible to calculate relative irradiance of seven detectors paired up with optical
concentrators as a function of target movement in particular detection zones. The results were then verified against real

measurement results performed on a laboratory test bed, in order to compare the expected values of parameters with
those measured for a real device for all its detection zones.

Fig. 4. The module pyroelectric detectors with concetrators and electronics board of PIR detector.

Detection of a person in a detection zone of PIR detector occurs when a signal level at the output of a detection system,
caused by infrared radiation emitted by a person, exceeds a conventional detection threshold. To minimize a probability
of false alarms, an adaptation detection threshold following the changing atmospheric conditions should be
determined3.

4. ANALYSIS OF CHANNEL DETECTION OF PIR DETECTOR

The object moving in a detection area, determined by an angle of view of a pyroelectric sensor, produces an electrical
signal in it. Spectral distribution (spectral density) of luminance causing the output electric signal can be described as

L (T , ) =

( )
M (T ) a ( ) o ( ) ,

(4)

where () is the spectral distribution of the emissivity coefficient, M() is the exitance spectral distribution, a() is the
spectral coefficient of atmosphere transmission, and o()is the spectral coefficient of optical systems transmission.
To simplify the calculations, one can take a constant (independent of wavelength) emissivity coefficient both for the
object o and for background t. An error in calculations caused by using this assumption will be smaller than 1% 5.
A spectral characteristic of transmission of an optical system (germanium lens with a filter and a detector filter) can be
described by a relation

o ( ) = s ( ) d ( ) ,
where s() is the spectral coefficient of a germanium lens with antireflection layers and d() is the spectral coefficient
of transmission of a piezoelectric sensor filter.
Figure 5 shows spectral characteristics of the transmission coefficient d()of the filter of a few pyroelectric sensors.

100
90
80

Transmission [ % ]

70
Kube C172
60
50
40
30
20

Nice ra
S DA 0 2-52

E ltec 4 192-25

10
0

10
12
[m]

14

16

18

Fig. 5. Spectral characteristics of the transmission coefficient d() of optical filter of various pyroelectric sensors.

Integrating Eq. (4) for the signal coming from a person of the same, averaged (equivalent) temperature TO and for the
signal from a background of the average temperature TB , we will obtain an expression for energetic luminances3, 10
for a person

for a background

L (TO ) =
L (TB ) =

L (T , ) d [ W / cm ] ,
2

(5)

L (T , ) d [ W / cm ] .
2

(6)

Analysing the case of a detected person, when the sensor field of view is equal to a person surface, the signal at the
pyroelectric sensor output is dependent on a difference of temperatures between a person and a background and it is
determined as

SO = k

[L (T , ) L (T , )] d

(7)

where k is the coefficient dependent on the parameters of pyroelectric sensor, diameter and focal length of the objective,
and on emissivity.
If in the detector, a pyroelectric sensor is used, then as the noise signal SB, the signal caused by thermal fluctuation of a
background can be taken (the change of a background temperature between TBmax and TBmin ). The own detector noise and
the amplifier noise is low in comparison with the noise resulting from thermal fluctuation of a background and it can be
neglected. Such a noise signal can be described as

SB = k

[L (T

B max

, ) L (TB min , )] d .

(8)

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) results from a quotient of the signals given in Eqs. (7) and (8) and it depends also on the
object surface within a field of view of a pyroelectric sensor and it can be calculated from a relation

k [L (TO , ) L (TB , )] d

SNR = Z(R )

[L (TB max , ) L (TB min , )]d

(9)

where Z(R) is the covering coefficient defined as

Z (R ) =

object surface in a sensor' s FOV Ao ( R)

=
sensor' s FOV
Aw ( R) ,

Z ( R ) = Ao (R ) = f 2Ao (R )
R Ad
R 2 Ad
2

dla

Aw Ao

dla

Aw > Ao

(10)

where Ao is the object surface in a field of view of the sensor, Aw is the field of view of the sensor, Ad is the sensor
surface, R is the distance between the object and PIR detector, and f is the focal length of an objective.
120
SNR
100

TBmax - TBmin = 0.1 C

T = 5 o C

80

T = 4 o C

60

T = 3 o C

40
20

T = 2 o C

0
0

50

100
150
Distance [m]

200

250

16
SNR
12

T = 5 C
T = 4 o C

8
4
0

T = 2 o C T = 3 o C
150

175

200
Distance [m]

225

250

Fig. 6. Calculated change of signal-to-noise ratio as a function of a distance between a person and PIR detector.

For short distances, a field of view of a pyroelectric sensor is smaller than the surface of the being observed object and
the whole object is contained only for the certain distance in a field of view of a pyroelectric sensor. For larger distances,
the value Z(R) decreases faster because the object surface is still constant and the sensorss field of view increases. The
change of signal-to-noise ratio as a function of a distance between a person and PIR detector was determined taking into
account a difference between the person and background temperatures T = TO TB and the results are shown in Fig. 6.

5. CONCLUSIONS
To recapitulate, it should be stated that the developed PIR detector detecting slowly moving and crawling people has the
parameters allowing for its application in security systems. Satisfactory results of laboratory and field investigations of
the developed and performed model of a PIR detector have confirmed that the developed detector detects the objects
moving with the velocities from 5 cm/s to 5 m/s. A detection range of crawling people (for the performed model) is of
the order of 140150 m. The detection ranges of typically walking people were of the order of 200250 m. Both, the
construction of electronic systems as well as signal analysis method are innovative ones and the results of field
investigations under real conditions confirmed high efficiency of the detector.

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