Patent ID: 9118792
Filing Date: 2015-08-25
Classification: G01J,G06F,H04N,Y02D

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a first detection portion including a pyroelectric sensor and adapted to detect an upper half of a human body; a first signal generation portion adapted to receive an output of the pyroelectric sensor of the first detection portion to generate a first signal whose level varies according to whether or not an output value of the pyroelectric sensor of the first detection portion is greater than a prescribed threshold value; a second detection portion including a pyroelectric sensor and adapted to detect a lower area than the first detection portion to detect a lower half of the human body; a second signal generation portion adapted to receive an output of the pyroelectric sensor of the second detection portion to generate a second signal whose level varies according to whether or not an output value of the pyroelectric sensor of the second detection portion is greater than a prescribed threshold value; a storage portion for storing discrimination data defining, with respect to waveforms of the first and second signals, a relationship between the first and second signals in terms of frequency or cycle and a variation pattern of duty factors of the first and second signals, the discrimination data including data defining a condition for recognizing a human moving toward the image forming apparatus, a condition for recognizing a human moving away from the image forming apparatus, and a condition for recognizing a human crossing a detection area of the pyroelectric sensors; and a recognition portion adapted to calculate a frequency or cycle of the first and second signals and recognize, based on the relationship between the first and second signals in terms of frequency or cycle, the variation pattern of the duty factors of the first and second signals, and the discrimination data, whether a human is moving toward the image forming apparatus, whether a human is moving away from the image forming apparatus, and whether a human is crossing the detection area of the pyroelectric sensors.