Patent ID: 6995966

Claim:
An apparatus for preventing fires in electronic equipment, comprising: a radiation-collecting element for collecting infrared radiation within an enclosure of the electronic equipment, the radiation-collecting element including an optical fiber; a sensor array coupled to the radiation-collecting element for detecting intensity of the infrared radiation within the enclosure, the sensor array being formed of a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels providing an electrical value that is commensurate with the intensity of the infrared radiation received by the pixel; a signal processor for detecting changes in the intensity of the infrared radiation received by each of the plurality of pixels through the electrical value of the pixel; and a controller for interpreting the changes in the intensity of the infrared radiation received by each of the plurality of pixels and for taking an action if a condition occurs based upon the interpreting the changes in the intensity of the infrared radiation received by each of the plurality of pixels.