Patent EP0421032A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0421032A1
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EP
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Scanning system
Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
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Filing: 1989-10-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-10-04
Abstract
Abstract For the detection of heat sources within an area to be maintained under surveillance, several scanning units (10) at different scanning stations are linked to a common radiation sensor (30) by respective optical fibre transmission elements (18). A gating means, such as a rotary mask (24) with an opening (38), is indexed stepwise to gate each transmission element (18) in turn to the common sensor (30).
Inventors
- 👤 Stanley Alfred Edwards
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 02:25
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B17/00; G08B17/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A scanning system for the detection of heat sources within an area to be maintained under surveillance, characterised by two or more scanning units (10), each having an optical scanning means (14, 16) for cyclically scanning at least part of said area, a radiation sensor (30) responsive to radiation indicative of a heat source and located remotely from the scanning units (10), optical fibre transmission elements (18) each associated with a respective scanning unit (10) for transmitting radiation received by the associated scanning unit (10) to the radiation sensor (30) which is thereby common to all of the scanning units (10), and means (24) for gating the radiation transmitted by each optical fibre transmission element (18) so that radiation from only one transmission element (18) at a time is incident on the radiation sensor (30).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A scanning system for the detection of heat sources within an area to be maintained under surveillance, characterised by two or more scanning units (10), each having an optical scanning means (14, 16) for cyclically scanning at least part of said area, a radiation sensor (30) responsive to radiation indicative of a heat source and located remotely from the scanning units (10), optical fibre transmission elements (18) each associated with a respective scanning unit (10) for transmitting radiation received by the associated scanning unit (10) to the radiation sensor (30) which is thereby common to all of the scanning units (10), and means (24) for gating the radiation transmitted by each optical fibre transmission element (18) so that radiation from only one transmission element (18) at a time is incident on the radiation sensor (30).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
105 words
A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the transmission elements (18) are arranged at their outlet ends in spaced relation and a masking member (36) of the gating means (24) is interposed between the outlet ends and the common radiation sensor (30), the masking member (36) having an opening (38) and being movable with the gating means (24) in a cyclic fashion to bring the opening (38) into registry for a dwell period, one at a time, with each transmission element (18) so that the radiation transmitted by the respective transmission element (18) may impinge on the common radiation sensor (30) for that period.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the gating means (24) is arranged such that each transmission element (18) is gated in turn to the common radiation sensor (30) for a period equivalent to a complete cycle of the associated scanning unit (10).
Claim 5
Independent Claim
44 words
A system as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein control circuitry is so arranged that cycle completion pulses generated at the scanning units (10) trigger indexing of the gating means (24) from one scanning unit (10) to the next scanning unit (10).
Claim 6
Independent Claim
69 words
A system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the transmission elements (18) are directed radially at a common axis in equi-angular relationship and in a common plane, the common radiation sensor (30) is displaced from the common plane and locates on the common axis, and reflector means (34) are provided for reflecting the radiation from the transmission elements (18) onto the common radiation sensor (30).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as claimed in Claim 5, wherein a lens (32) at the opening (38) is adapted to direct the radiation from a respective transmission element (18) onto the reflector means (34).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
28 words
A system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein a monitor means is provided for analysing the output signals of the common radiation sensor (18).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the monitor is adapted to correlate the output signals to determine the position of the heat source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein the monitor is adapted to provide an output in the form of a warning signal, and/or the initiation of remedial action against a heat source detected by the system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the gating means (24) is arranged to be moved in indexed fashion by stepping motor means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB1580272A
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GB1583700A
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DE2834925A1
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US4533834A
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EP0200289A1
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