Thermal radiation detector
An object detection system is provided for detecting a thermal emitting object in a blind zone proximate to a host vehicle. The system includes a thermal radiation detector located on a host vehicle and configured to sense temperature of multiple coverage zones proximate to the host vehicle. A processor processes temperature sensed by an infrared detector. The processor determines a change in thermal temperature sensed by the infrared detector and determines the presence of an object in the coverage zone based on the change in the sensed temperature. An output provides a signal indicative of an object sensed in the coverage zone based on the determined change in temperature. The thermal radiation detector may include a first infrared detector configured to measure temperature of a first coverage zone by receiving infrared radiation from the first coverage zone, and a second infrared detector configured to measure temperature of second and third coverage zones by receiving infrared radiation from the second and third coverage zones.
1. A method of detecting a thermal energy emitting object proximate to a host vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
directing thermal energy from a first coverage zone proximate to a host vehicle to a first infrared sensor;
sensing temperature of the first coverage zone proximate to the vehicle with the first infrared sensor;
directing thermal energy from a second coverage zone proximate to the host vehicle to a second infrared sensor;
directing thermal energy from a third coverage zone proximate to the host vehicle to the second infrared sensor;
sensing temperature of the second and third coverage zones with the second infrared sensor; and
determining the presence of a thermal emitting object proximate to the vehicle based on coincidentally sensed temperatures of the first, second and third coverage zones, wherein the step of determining presence of a thermal emitting object comprises determining a temperature difference relative to a prior temperature within the first coverage zone and a temperature difference relative to a prior temperature within the second and third coverage zones, wherein an object is detected within a corresponding coverage zone when the temperature difference relative to a prior temperature for that zone exceeds a threshold.