Automated camera assembly with infrared detector curtain

1. An automated camera assembly comprising:

a housing;

a camera positioned within the housing, the camera having a field of vision; and

a detector for detecting a subject and triggering the camera, the detector including an adjustable field of view, wherein the detector includes:

a sensor positioned within the housing, the sensor having a maximum field of view, and

a curtain for reducing the maximum field of view to an adjusted field of view, the curtain is mounted outside the housing for linear movement relative to the sensor.

2. An automated camera assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the camera is a digital camera.

3. An automated camera assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an infrared sensor.

4. An automated camera assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the curtain comprises an opaque member movable relative to the sensor.

5. An automated camera assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the curtain comprises two opaque members movable relative to the sensor and positionable on substantially opposing sides of the sensor to block a portion of the maximum field of view.

6. An automated camera assembly as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the two opaque members are coupled together.

7. An automated camera assembly as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the two opaque members are secured to a common member and movable between a first position defining a wide field of view and a second position defining a narrow field of view.

8. An automated camera as assembly claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a processor that receives information from the sensor regarding the position of the subject within the maximum field of view, wherein the processor is programmed to trigger the camera when the subject is within the adjusted field of view that is narrower than the maximum field of view.

9. An automated camera assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the curtain is received within a channel defined by the housing.

10. An automated camera assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the curtain is removable from the housing.

11. An automated camera assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the curtain includes a portion with a higher profile than the remaining portions so that a user can grasp the curtain to linearly move the curtain relative to the sensor.

12. A method of adjusting a field of view of a detector on an automated camera assembly having a camera positioned within a housing and the detector, the method comprising:

detecting a first subject within a maximum field of view of the detector;

triggering the camera after detecting the first subject within the maximum field of view;

adjusting the maximum field of view of the detector to an adjusted field of view of the detector

detecting a second subject within the adjusted field of view; and

triggering the camera after detecting the second subject within the adjusted field of view,

wherein the detector comprises a sensor and an opaque member outside the housing moveable relative to the sensor, and wherein adjusting includes moving the opaque member in front of the sensor, and wherein moving comprises linearly sliding the opaque member relative to the sensor.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the opaque member is a first opaque member and the detector further includes a second opaque member movable relative to the sensor, and wherein adjusting includes positioning the first and second opaque members on opposing sides of the maximum field of view to partially block the maximum field of view.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the automated camera assembly further includes a processor that receives information from the detector regarding the position of the subject within the maximum field of view and triggers the camera when the subject is within an adjusted field of view less than the maximum field of view, wherein adjusting includes modifying the adjusted field of view.