Event occurrence time and frequency detection and recording apparatus

An apparatus for detecting and recording the time and frequency of occurrence of events at a predetermined surveillance site includes a sensor providing successive output signals corresponding to successive detections of an event occurrence at the surveillance site. The output signals from the sensor are input to a central processing unit operating a control program stored in a memory which stores in the memory the date, time and number of occurrences of events at the surveillance site. The apparatus also includes a keyboard for inputting start date and start time information and for initiating the operation of sensing of events and the recall of stored date, time and event occurrence number information for display on a digital display mounted on the apparatus. All of the operative components of the apparatus are powered by a d.c. electric power source and are contained in a waterproof housing mountable at a predetermined surveillance site.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates, in general, to measuring and recording 
apparatus and, more specifically, to apparatus for detecting and recording 
the occurrence of events at a surveillance site. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Various types of counting and recording devices have been devised to detect 
and count the occurrence of events at a predetermined site or location. 
Particularly, such counter and recording devices have been utilized as 
vehicle traffic counters or for counting passengers boarding or exiting 
from vehicles, such as busses, etc. 
Such recording devices employ a sensor for detecting the passage of an 
object past a surveillance point. Infrared, photoelectric and ultrasonic 
sensors have been employed to detect the movement of persons past the 
surveillance point and pneumatic air tubes have been employed in vehicle 
traffic counters. The output of the sensor is input to a counter which 
provide a total count of event occurances at the surveillance site. The 
accumulated count data is then subsequently processed in various ways for 
display and/or analysis. 
Some of the known event counting and recording devices incorporate 
elaborate and complex circuitry to detect the direction of movement of 
objects past the surveillance point and the start or completion of the 
event. While providing an accurate count of event occurrences, such 
circuits increase the cost and size of such counting and recording 
devices. 
In tracking wild animals, such as deer or bear, for hunting and other 
purposes, it is desirable to know when an animal passes a predetermined 
location. While the above-described counting and recording devices could 
be employed for this purpose, their size and weight limits their 
portability which is important in tracking wild animals which require such 
devices to be carried a considerable distance into woods or fields. 
Further, the devices utilizing alternating current electrical power are 
not usable at all to track animals in the wild and those employing direct 
current electric power from internal storage batteries have had a short, 
useful operative surveillance period due to the high power drain imposed 
by the complex circuitry used in such devices. Finally, the known counting 
and recording devices provide only a total count of the number of event 
occurrences at the surveillance site without any reference to the time or 
date of such event occurrences. 
It is known that large animals, such as deer or bear, generally follow a 
fixed pattern or path of movement in the wild on a cyclic basis over a one 
to three day period in which a single animal will pass certain locations 
at the same time of day in each cycle while feeding, resting, etc. Thus, 
to successfully locate such animals, it is necessary to determine the time 
that an animal passes a predetermined point or location and not just a 
count of the number of animals which pass the point or location. 
A known timing device for determining the time that an animal passes a 
predetermined location utilizes a digital timer activated by a string 
tautly placed across the expected path of the animal. The animal passing 
the timer trips the string which stops the timer. The digital display on 
the timer provides an indication of the time when the animal has passed 
the monitored point or location. However, this timing device is utilized 
for a single, one time operation and provides no indication of the time of 
passage of subsequent animals past the surveillance point. 
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an event occurrence detection and 
recording apparatus which provides a time indication of the frequency of 
occurrence of events at a predetermined surveillance point or location. It 
would also be desirable to provide an event occurrence detection and 
recording apparatus which indicates the time and number of occurrences of 
events at a predetermined surveillance location. It would also be 
desirable to provide an event occurrence detection and recording apparatus 
which indicates the time and number of event occurrences at a surveillance 
site over a long time interval, such as several days. It would also be 
desirable to provide an event occurrence detection and recording apparatus 
which is small, compact and lightweight for easy portability. It would 
also be desirable to provide an event occurrence detection and recording 
apparatus which utilizes an internal power source enabling the use of the 
apparatus in remote areas, such as fields and woods. Finally, it would 
also be desirable to provide an event occurrence detection and recording 
apparatus which possesses low electrical power requirements so as to 
enable its use over a long time period. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is an apparatus for detecting and recording the time 
and frequency of event occurrences at a predetermined surveillance site. 
The apparatus includes a central processing means or unit operating a 
control program. Sensor means, input to the central processing means, 
senses the occurrence of an event at the surveillance site within the 
field of view of the sensor means and provides an output signal for each 
successive event occurrence. A memory means is coupled to the central 
processing means for data and control program storage. A clock is also 
coupled to the central processing means to provide continuous clock pulses 
to operate the central processing means and provide discrete time 
increments. Input means, in the form of a multi push button keyboard is 
coupled to the central processing means for inputting start date and start 
time data and for initiating the recall of stored data from the memory. 
Finally, a display means is coupled to the central processing means for 
displaying the date, time and number of event occurrences sensed by the 
sensor means in a predetermined time period. 
The central processing means is responsive to the stored control program 
and to the input of start date and start time data from the keyboard means 
and stores the start date and start time data in the memory. The central 
processing means is also responsive to the occurrence of an event as 
indicated by an output signal from the sensor means to store in the memory 
the date and time at which the event occurred. Finally, the central 
processing means is responsive to the keyboard for recalling from the 
memory and successively outputting to the display the date and time of the 
occurrence of events at the surveillance site for visual display. 
Preferably, the central processing means establishes successive time 
periods, each of a predetermined time increment, starting from the initial 
start date and start time. The central processing means in response to the 
occurrence of an event sensed by the sensor stores in the memory the date 
and start time of the time period in which at least one event occurred as 
well as the total number of event occurrences within the time period in 
which at least one event occurred. Upon recall of the data, only the date 
and start time of time periods in which at least one event occurred are 
successively displayed along with the number of event occurrences within 
each time period in which at least one event occurred. 
In a preferred embodiment, a direct current electrical power source is 
utilized for supplying direct current power to the apparatus. Preferably, 
the electrical power source is in the form of d.c. storage batteries 
mounted in a weatherproof housing along with the sensor, central 
processing means, memory, clock, input keyboard and display. 
The unique event occurrence time and frequency detection and recording 
apparatus of the present invention uniquely provides a visual display of 
the time and occurrence of events at a predetermined surveillance site 
which is extremely useful in determining the time and frequency of animal 
passage past a predetermined surveillance site. The apparatus is 
constructed as a compact, lightweight assembly in a single weatherproof 
housing for ease of portability into the woods or fields. By utilizing a 
d.c. electrical power source housed internally within the housing, the 
apparatus exhibits a long term single application time use which enables 
it to be deployed in a sensing mode over a long period of time, such as 
several days or weeks. 
Further, by utilizing circuitry requiring low power requirements and by 
recording data corresponding to the date, time and number of event 
occurrences only in time periods when at least one event occurrence has 
been detected by the sensor, the useful life of the power source is 
extended making it more adaptable and useful for placement in woods or 
fields for long periods of time. Finally, by providing an indication of 
the date, time and frequency of event occurrence, particularly for an 
animal passing a predetermined location, the apparatus of the present 
invention is a useful aid for a hunter in locating a wild animal by 
determining its cyclic feeding, resting and travel pattern.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Throughout the following description and drawing, an identical reference 
number is used to refer to the same component shown in multiple figures of 
the drawing. 
Referring now to the drawing, and to FIG. 1 in particular, there is 
illustrated an event occurrence time and frequency detection and recording 
apparatus 10 particularly suited for detecting and recording the date, 
time and frequency of the passage of animals, such as deer or bear, past a 
predetermined surveillance point or location. The apparatus 10 may be 
mounted at any suitable location associated with the movement of an 
object, such as an animal. Particularly, the apparatus 10 is suited for 
mounting on a support surface, such as a tree 12, to detect the passage of 
an animal 14 through the field of view 16 of the apparatus 10. 
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the apparatus 10 includes a housing 18 in the 
form of an openable enclosure. The housing 18 may be formed of any 
suitable material, such as metal or plastic, and is constructed in a 
weatherproof manner to protect the internal components from external 
environmental or ambient conditions. Particularly, the housing 18 is 
suitable for use in an outdoor environment and is constructed to protect 
the internal components from heat and cold as well as moisture. 
The enclosure 18, by way of example only, has a substantially rectangular 
form constructed of a hollow base portion 20 and a front cover portion 22. 
The front cover portion 22 is attached to the base 20 in any suitable 
manner such as by mounting screws, a snap together fit or by means of a 
hinge. The base portion 20 as well as the cover portion 22 are hollow to 
provide a suitable mounting space for the components described hereafter. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the back surface 26 of the base portion 20 of 
the enclosure 18 includes mounting means 28 for mounting the housing 18 to 
a suitable support surface, such as a tree 12. The mounting means 28, by 
way of example only, is formed of a loop integrally formed as part of the 
base 20 or attached thereto. The loop 28 includes an aperture 30 for 
receiving a mounting strap or tie 32 therethrough for securely mounting 
the apparatus 10 to a support surface. 
The apparatus 10 includes sensor means denoted in general by reference 
number 34 which senses the occurrence of an event, such as the passage of 
an animal 14, at the surveillance site in the field of view 16 of the 
sensor means 34. 
Any type of sensor 34 may be employed in the apparatus 10 of the present 
invention which is suitable for detecting the movement or passage of an 
animal 14 through the field of view 16 of the sensor 34. The sensor 34 
should be responsive to a physical stimulus, such as heat, light, sound, 
pressure, magnetism or motion within its field of view 16. 
In a preferred embodiment, although a conventional infrared sensor is 
employed in the apparatus 10, it will be understood that other types of 
sensors, such as ultrasonic, photoelectric, microwave, etc., all of which 
are well known, may also be employed as the sensor 34. 
The main sensing unit 35 of the sensor means 34 is mounted within the 
interior of the enclosure 18 and generates an output sensing beam 36 which 
is directed towards a window 38 mounted on the front cover portion 22 of 
the enclosure 18. The window 38 acts as a diverging lens and is 
illustrated as having a parabolic shape in FIG. 3. The window or lens 38 
causes divergence of the output sensing beam 36 from the sensor unit 35 
into the desired field of view pattern. As is well known, the field of 
view may have any shape depending upon the type of window or lens 38 
utilized with the sensor 35. Thus, although the parabolic window or lens 
38 shown in FIG. 3 has been chosen to generate a substantially planar, 
pie-shaped sector field of view 16 as shown in FIG. 1, other shaped fields 
of view may also be provided, such as conical, cylindrical, cubical, etc., 
by merely varying the configuration of the window 38. 
In the illustrated example of the sensor 34, the field of view 16 afforded 
by the sensor 34 is substantially planar in form so that when the 
apparatus 10 is mounted a short distance, such as several feet, above 
ground level small animals may pass underneath the field of view 16 and 
not be detected thereby, and the generation of an output signal by the 
sensor 34 occurs only when a larger animal, such as a deer or bear, passes 
through the field of view 16 of the sensor 34. 
As shown in FIG. 2, input means denoted in general by reference number 40 
is mounted on the front cover portion 22 of the enclosure 18 of the 
apparatus 10. The input means 40 preferably comprises a keyboard formed of 
a plurality of push buttons or depressible keys 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52. 
Each of the keyboard push buttons or keys may be individually sealed with 
respect to the external environment or, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the 
push buttons may be covered by a single, weatherproof flexible membrane 53 
which is mounted at its peripheral edges to the front portion 22 of the 
enclosure 18. 
The push buttons 42, 44, 46, 48, and 50 initiate various functions used to 
input start date and start time data to generate a test sequence, to 
initiate the detection and recording operation of the apparatus 10 and to 
initiate the recall of stored data from the apparatus 10 as described in 
greater detail hereafter. Thus, push button 42 is designated as an 
increment input and push button 44 is used as a decrement input to 
increase and decrease, respectively, the date and time numerals. 
Push button 46 is a set function to set or enter each inputted date and 
time value. Push button 48 represents a "run" function to initiate the 
start of detection and recording; while push button 50 is a "recall" 
function to recall stored data from memory. The sixth push button 52 
initiates a test sequence to check the mounting position of the apparatus 
10. 
The apparatus 10 also includes a display 54 for displaying date and time 
information as well as the number of event occurrences. The display 54 may 
be any type of visual display, such as an LED or LCD display. The display 
54 includes a plurality of numeric segments each assigned to specific 
functions. In a preferred embodiment, the display 54 includes two, two 
digit displays 56 and 58 and individual LED's 60 and 62 labeled "AM" and 
"PM" respectively. 
It should be understood that the number of individual elements forming each 
designated display unit 56 and 58 is by way of example only as the 
configuration of the display 54 may be modified to conform to any specific 
application, such as one indicating only time and number of occurrences, 
for example. 
The two digit display segment 56 is used to display month and hour 
information; while the two digit display segment 58 is utilized to display 
day, minutes and number of occurrances data during data entry as well as 
data recall as described hereafter. As shown in FIG. 2, the display means 
54 is disposed behind the sealed membrane 53 mounted on the front cover 
portion 22 of the enclosure 18 to enable the display digits to be visible 
from the front of the enclosure 18. 
Referring now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a block diagram of the 
circuitry employed in the detection and recording apparatus 10. The 
apparatus 10 includes a central processing means, such as a central 
processing unit 70. Preferably, the central processing unit 70 is formed 
of any conventional microprocessor which operates a stored control 
program. 
Memory means 72 is disposed in data communication with the central 
processing means or unit 70. The memory 72 serves as storage for the 
control program used to control the operation of the central processing 
unit 70 as well as data storage as described hereafter. 
The memory 72 may be in any conventional form which includes a number of 
separately addressable memory locations. Thus, either random access, ROM, 
PROM or EAPROM memory may be utilized. A permanent or semi-permanent 
memory may be employed to store the control program used to operate the 
central processing unit 70; while a random access memory is desired for 
use as data storage. Both memory sections in either permanent or randomly 
accessible memory elements form the memory means 72 of the present 
invention. 
A clock 74 is connected to the central processing unit 70 and provides 
timing pulses to clock or sequence the central processing unit 70 through 
the control program and to control signal flow between the various 
elements of the apparatus 10. The clock 74 also provides time increments 
which are used by the central processing unit 70 to establish date and 
time periods for recording or counting the number of events within each 
time period as described in greater detail hereafter. 
A battery 76 shown generally in FIG. 4 is connected to all of the operative 
elements of the apparatus 10 and provides suitable electric power thereto. 
Preferably, the battery 72 provides d.c. electric power to the apparatus 
10 to enable the use of the apparatus 10 in a remote area, such as the 
fields or woods, far from a source of ac electric power. This eliminates 
the needs for a transformer to convert ac power to the dc power required 
to run the electronic components forming the apparatus 10 of the present 
invention. The battery 76 may be formed of conventional d.c. storage 
batteries of either a replaceable or rechargeable type as desired. 
As shown in FIG. 4, the output from the sensor means 34 and the output from 
the keyboard input means 40 are input to the central processing unit 70. 
It should be noted that, although not shown, any necessary signal 
processing circuitry required to provide the low level d.c. input signal 
to the central processing unit 70 from the sensor 34 may be employed in 
the circuit as well. 
The output from the central processing unit 70 is to the display 54. 
Normally, during the detecting and recording mode of operation, the 
display 54 is blank to minimize power utilization from the power source 
76. 
In operating the apparatus 10 to detect and record the occurrence of events 
at a surveillance site, initially, the start date and start time are 
entered into the apparatus 10. The memory 72 is devoid of data at the 
first operation of the apparatus 10. As described in greater detail 
hereafter, the memory information is deleted after completing a complete 
data recall sequence under the operation of the control program stored in 
the memory 72 and executed by the central processing unit 70. 
It should be noted that the sequence of operation of the apparatus 10 as 
described hereafter is embodied in a suitable control program written in a 
computer language which is within the knowledge of those skilled in the 
art of utilizing microprocessors and computers. Such a program can be 
developed to operate the central processing unit 70 and the apparatus 10 
in the sequence described hereafter and depicted in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. 
The control program operates to sequence the loading of date and time 
information into the memory 72 and to display the entered data on the 
display means 54 before storage in the memory 72 in sequence starting with 
the month and continuing through the day, hour and minute. Thus, the 
control program at the initiation of a data load sequence, step 100, FIG. 
5, first sequences to receive current month information in step 102. This 
is accomplished by depressing and holding depressed either of the 
increment or decrement push buttons 42 or 44, step 104, which sequence the 
display segment 56 at the rate of the clock 74 until the desired numeric 
number representing the current month is displayed in the display segment 
56 shown in FIG. 2. The operator then presses the "set" push button 46, 
step 106, to permanently store in the memory 72, step 108, the desired 
month information shown on the display 56. 
After the "set" push button 46 has been depressed, the control program 
advances to load in the next data information, such as the date, as 
displayed on the display segment 58. Again, the increment and decrement 
push buttons 42 and 44, step 104, are utilized as necessary to set the 
digits on the display 58 to the current day and, when the "set" push 
button 46, step 106, is depressed again, to transfer such information to 
the memory 72. 
Similar steps utilizing the increment and decrement push buttons 42 and 44 
and the "set" push button 46 are used to load in start time hour and 
minute information which is displayed on the display segments 56 and 58, 
respectively, until the "set" push button 46 is depressed and the 
information is loaded into the memory 72. It should be noted that during 
the input of hour information as shown on the display segment 56, the "AM" 
or "PM" lights 60 or 62 will be illuminated to designate each applicable 
twelve hour segment of time. 
Once the start date and time information has been stored in the memory 72, 
step 109, the apparatus 10 may be mounted in the desired location or 
surveillance site by the mounting straps 32 to detect the occurrence of 
event, such as the passage of an animal 14, through the field of view 16 
of the sensor 34 which faces outward from the front portion 22 of the 
enclosure 18 of the apparatus 10. When the apparatus 10 is in the desired 
position, the operator depresses the "run" push button 48, step 113, to 
begin the detection and recording period, step 114, FIG. 6. Optionally, 
prior to depressing the "run" push button 48 to begin the detection and 
recording operation of the apparatus 10, the user may desire to initially 
test the mounting of the apparatus 10 for a proper positioning of the 
field of view 16 of the sensor means 34. Depressing the "test" push button 
52 initiates the test sequence and activates the sensor means 34 to 
generate outputs upon detecting movement within the field of view 16 of 
the sensing means 34, as shown in step 111 in FIG. 5. The sensor means 34 
generates an output upon detecting each event occurrance, such as the 
movement of an object within the field of view 16, which, through the 
central processing unit, is displayed on the display means 54, step 112, 
as a series of hyphens in each display element. The "hyphens" will be 
displayed indicating the detection of an event within the field of view 16 
and may be utilized by the user of the apparatus 10 to insure that the 
apparatus 10 is mounted in a level position and at the desired height 
above ground level so as to place the field of view 16 in an optimum 
position for detecting the movement of animals past the surveillance site. 
The display means 54 is visible over the entire field of view 16 of the 
sensor means 34. Thus, the user may stand at the peripheral edges of the 
field of view 16 and determine whether his presence is detected by the 
sensor means 34 so as to determine the proper positioning of the apparatus 
10. Upon completion of the test sequence, the user depresses the "run" 
push button 48, step 113, to begin the detection and recording sequence 
shown in FIG. 6. 
Upon detecting the occurrence of an event, step 116, such as a single 
passage of an animal 14 through the field of view 16 of the sensor 34, the 
sensor 34 outputs a signal indicating such event occurrence. This output 
signal is input to the central processing unit 70 which initiates a count 
sequence, step 118, to record the current date and time of the event 
occurrance. This information is subsequently transferred from the central 
processing unit 70 to the memory 72 for storage. 
While it is possible to utilize the apparatus 10 to record the date and 
time of each occurrence of an event within the field of view 16 of the 
sensor means 34, it has been found that due to the susceptibility of 
animals 14 to linger in a particular spot for a considerable length of 
time during which the animal 14 passes repeatedly in and out of the field 
of view 16 of the sensor 34 generating repeated output signals indicating 
separate event occurrences and, further, since it is only necessary for 
the apparatus 10 to give a time and frequency indication and not the exact 
number of event occurrences, considerable electrical power could be saved 
thereby prolonging the useful life of the power source 76 by recording 
only date and time information for selected time periods during the 
overall single time recording use of the apparatus 10. The time periods 
may be provided with any time increment, such as fifteen minutes in a 
preferred embodiment of the present invention. The central processing unit 
70 in response to successive clock pulses from the clock 74 generates 
successive fifteen minute time periods or intervals, step 120. However, no 
data is stored in the memory 72 until at least one event has occurred and 
been detected by the sensor 34 within a particular time period. 
When at least one event, such as an animal passing through the field of 
view 16 of the sensor 34, has occurred, the central processing unit 70 
records the current date and start time of the time period during which at 
least one event occurred. The central processing unit 70 also counts, step 
118, the number of successive output signals from the sensor 34 indicating 
repeated event occurrences within that particular time period. In order to 
minimize power usage and memory utilization, a limit is set for the 
maximum number of counts within each time period. The limit or maximum 
count may be any numeric value, such as fifteen, for each separate time 
period. Counting is inhibited when the maximum count is reached until the 
next time period begins, step 122. 
Thus, for example, if an animal 14 passes through the field of view 16 of 
the sensor 34 for the first time, the central processing unit 70 will 
initiate the counting sequence, step 118, to record additional event 
occurrences upon each successive movement of the animal 14 through the 
field of view 16 of the sensor 34. The CPU 70 stores the date (month and 
day) and start time (hours and minutes) of the time period when the first 
event was detected, such as, for example, 05 15 10:30A in the memory 72, 
step 124. The count, such as 12, is also recorded for the number of event 
occurrences within the particular fifteen minute time interval during 
which at least one event occurred. If the animal 14 is still moving in and 
out of the field of view 16 of the sensor 34 during the next fifteen 
minute interval, the central processing unit 70 will then initiate a 
subsequent count period and transfer at the end of the subsequent time 
interval the date and time, such as 05 15 10:45A and the number of events 
detected during the second time period, such as 7, as for example, to the 
memory 72, step 124. 
It should be understood that when no events are occurring, the central 
processing unit 70 continues to process clock pulses and generates 
successive time intervals, step 120, although no data transfer to the 
memory 72 takes place until an event actually occurs. 
At any time, the user may decide to retrieve the data stored in the memory 
72 to determine the time and frequency of animal passages or event 
occurrences at the surveillance site. In so doing, the user depresses the 
recall push button 50 for the first time, step 130, FIG. 7, which stops 
the count sequence, step 132, and causes the central processing unit 70 to 
recall, step 134, from the memory 72 the data for the first time period or 
interval during which an event occurred and was detected by the sensor 34. 
This information is displayed in the display means 54, step 136, until the 
user depresses the recall button 50 again, step 138. 
In displaying the data, the date information in the form of month and day 
is first displayed on the display segments 56 and 58 until the user 
depresses the recall push button 50 again. Next, the time information in 
the form of hours and minutes is displayed on the display segments 56 and 
58, respectively, until the recall push button 50 is again depressed. 
Finally, the number of occurrances within a particular time interval is 
displayed on the display segment 58. Upon the next depression of the 
recall push button 50, the central processing unit 70 retrieves from the 
memory 72, in step 134, the data corresponding to the next time period 
during which an event occurred. This process is repeated until all the 
data stored in the memory 72 has been retrieved and successively displayed 
on the display 54, step 140. This information can be analyzed by the user 
to determine the time and frequency of animal passages at the surveillance 
site to determine the time and frequency of the animal in the area of the 
surveillance site to aid in tracking or hunting the animal. 
After the number of occurrances for the last time interval in which an 
event occurrance was detected and recorded by the apparatus 10 has been 
displayed and the recall push button 50 depressed, the display means 54 
will display a series of hyphens, step 142, indicating the end of recorded 
events. This terminates the recall operation in the apparatus 10. 
In summary, there has been disclosed an apparatus useful for detecting and 
determining the time and frequency patterns of animals passing a 
predetermined surveillance site. The detection and recording apparatus is 
light in weight and compact so as to be easily portable over considerable 
distances through woods and fields. The apparatus employs a dc electric 
power source in the form of dc storage batteries which also contributes to 
the portability of the unit and its use in remote areas as well as 
providing a long useful detecting life, such as one or more days or weeks. 
Further, the data relating to date, time and number of event occurrences 
over a predetermined time period can be easily retrieved and displayed to 
determine the time and frequency patterns of animal passages at the 
surveillance site.