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EP-4496225-B1 - SENSOR DEVICE, HOLSTER SENSING SYSTEM, AND VIDEO-RECORDING SYSTEM

EP4496225B1EP 4496225 B1EP4496225 B1EP 4496225B1EP-4496225-B1

Inventors

  • WU, Ming-zong

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240710

Claims (15)

  1. A sensor device (100), comprising: a control unit (103); and a sensing module (101) electrically connected with the control unit (103), the sensing module (101) comprising a reference coil set (113) and an induction coil set (111); wherein the sensor device (100) is configured to be disposed on a side of an object, the induction coil set (111) of the sensing module (101) is configured to be adjacent to the object, and the reference coil set (113) is configured to be distant from the object and provide a reference level; wherein an inductive area of the reference coil set (113) is configured to be smaller than an inductive area of the induction coil set (111); wherein the control unit (103) is configured to determine whether a metal item (211) on another side of the object is present based on a physical quantity difference between a sensing value generated by the induction coil set (111) and the reference level provided by the reference coil set (113).
  2. The sensor device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the reference coil set (113) comprises two first coils disposed on two sides of a first substrate (621), the induction coil set (111) comprises two second coils disposed on two sides of a second substrate (622), and the reference coil set (113) and the induction coil set (111) are arranged in a stacked structure; and the physical quantity difference is an inductance change between the induction coil set (111) and the reference coil set (113), and the control unit (103) is configured to determine whether the metal item (211) is present according to an electrical signal formed by the inductance change.
  3. The sensor device (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit (107) that is electrically connected with the control unit (103), wherein the communication unit (107) is configured to transmit a trigger signal generated by the control unit (103) based on the physical quantity difference.
  4. The sensor device (100) according to claim 3, further comprising a power unit (105) that is electrically connected with the control unit (103), wherein the power unit (105) is configured to be controlled by the control unit (103) to supply current signals to the sensing module (101), such that the induction coil set (111) and the reference coil set (113) are enabled to induce magnetic fields.
  5. The sensor device (100) according to claim 4, wherein the sensing module (101) of the sensor device (100) implements a proximity sensor or a differential inductive switch; wherein the power unit (105) is configured to supply the current signals to the reference coil set (113) and the induction coil set (111) of the sensing module (101), and the reference coil set (113) and the induction coil set (111) are configured to form two different effective sensing ranges for respectively generating an inductance of the reference coil set (113) and an inductance of the induction coil set (111); and the inductive area of the reference coil set (113) is configured to be smaller than the inductive area of the induction coil set (111) for reducing an inductance change generated when the metal item (211) approaches the reference coil set (113).
  6. The sensor device (100) according to any of claim 1 to claim 5, wherein when the metal item (211) approaches or moves away from a side of the induction coil set (111), inductances formed by the induction coil set (111) and the reference coil set (113) are configured to be subjected to change, and the inductance of the induction coil set (111) is configured to be lower or higher than the inductance of the reference coil set (113), so as to generate the physical quantity difference received by the sensing module (101) and output a sensing result; wherein the control unit (103) is configured to perform a clock control through pulse-width modulation, so as to implement a frequency control and enable the sensing module (101) to detect inductance values generated by the induction coil set (111) and the reference coil set (113).
  7. A holster sensing system, comprising: a holster for accommodating a gun (210), wherein the gun (210) comprises a sensing metal; and a sensor device (100) according to claim 1 and disposed on the holster, wherein the sensor device (100) corresponds in position to the sensing metal when the gun (210) is accommodated into the holster; wherein the sensor device (100) further comprises: a power unit (105) electrically connected with the control unit (103), wherein the power unit (105) is configured to be controlled by the control unit (103) to supply current signals to the sensing module (101), such that the induction coil set (111) and the reference coil set (113) are enabled to induce a magnetic field; wherein the induction coil set (111) of the sensing module (101) is adjacent to the holster, and the reference coil set (113) is distant from the holster; wherein the control unit (103) is configured to determine whether the sensing metal disposed on the gun (210) is present in the holster based on a physical quantity difference between a sensing value generated by the induction coil set (111) and a reference level provided by the reference coil set (113).
  8. The holster sensing system according to claim 7, wherein the reference coil set (113) comprises two first coils disposed on two sides of a first substrate (621), the induction coil set (111) comprises two second coils disposed on two sides of a second substrate (622), and the reference coil set (113) and the induction coil set (111) are arranged in a stacked structure; and the physical quantity difference is an inductance change between the induction coil set (111) and the reference coil set (113), and the control unit (103) is configured to determine whether the sensing metal is present according to an electrical signal formed by the inductance change.
  9. The holster sensing system according to claim 7, wherein the sensing module (101) of the sensor device (100) implements a proximity sensor or a differential inductive switch; wherein the power unit (105) is configured to supply the current signals to the reference coil set (113) and the induction coil set (111) of the sensing module (101), and the reference coil set (113) and the induction coil set (111) are configured to form two different effective sensing ranges for respectively generating an inductance of the reference coil set (113) and an inductance of the induction coil set (111).
  10. The holster sensing system according to any of claim 7 to claim 9, wherein when the sensing metal approaches or moves away from a side of the induction coil set (111), inductances formed by the induction coil set (111) and the reference coil set (113) are configured to be subjected to change, and the inductance of the induction coil set (111) is configured to be lower or higher than the inductance of the reference coil set (113), so as to generate the physical quantity difference received by the sensing module (101) and output a sensing result; wherein the control unit (103) is configured to generate a trigger signal in response to determining that the gun (210) is pulled out of the holster based on the sensing result, and enable the sensor device (100) to enter a power-saving mode in response to determining that a period of time during which the gun (210) is pulled out of the holster exceeds a time threshold.
  11. A video-recording system, comprising: a recording device (220) comprising a communication module and a photographing module; and a holster sensing system according to claim 7; wherein when the sensing metal approaches or moves away from a side of the induction coil set (111), an inductance generated by the induction coil set (111) is configured to be lower or higher than an inductance generated by the reference coil set (113), and the sensing module (101) is configured to receive the physical quantity difference and output a sensing result; wherein when the sensing result shows that the gun (210) is pulled out of the holster, the control unit (103) is configured to transmit a trigger signal to the communication module of the recording device (220), so as to activate the photographing module to start recording.
  12. The video-recording system according to claim 11, wherein the physical quantity difference is an inductance change between the induction coil set (111) and the reference coil set (113), and the control unit (103) is configured to determine whether the sensing metal is present according to an electrical signal formed by the inductance change.
  13. The video-recording system according to claim 11, wherein the sensing module (101) of the sensor device (100) implements a proximity sensor or a differential inductive switch; wherein the power unit (105) is configured to supply the current signals to the reference coil set (113) and the induction coil set (111) of the sensing module (101), and the reference coil set (113) and the induction coil set (111) are configured to form two different effective sensing ranges for respectively generating an inductance the reference coil set (113) and an inductance the induction coil set (111).
  14. The video-recording system according to claim 11, wherein the reference coil set (113) comprises two first coils disposed on two sides of a first substrate (621), the induction coil set (111) comprises two second coils disposed on two sides of a second substrate (622), and the reference coil set (113) and the induction coil set (111) are arranged in a stacked structure.
  15. The video-recording system according to any of claim 11 to claim 14, wherein the sensing module (101) is configured to output the sensing result upon receiving the physical quantity difference; wherein when the sensing result shows that the gun (210) is pulled out of the holster, the control unit (103) is configured to transmit the trigger signal to activate the recording device (220) to start recording; wherein the control unit (103) is configured to enable the sensor device (100) to enter a power-saving mode when the control unit (103) determines that a period of time during which the gun (210) is pulled out of the holster exceeds a time threshold.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a sensor device and its application, and more particularly to a sensor device with stacked coil sets, a holster sensing system having the sensor device and a video-recording system. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Currently, a security guard, a soldier, or a police officer who needs to carry a gun or any other weapon often wears a body-worn recording device. The body-worn recording device can completely record images/videos of the person when using the gun or any other weapon. The recorded images can be referred to for resolving disputes associated with use of the weapon. In addition, the recorded images can be transmitted to a control center that supports duties of the security guard, the soldier, or the police officer for further applications, such as quickly providing assistance in an emergency. Conventionally, the person who wears the body-worn recording device needs to manipulate the recording device by himself to record images. Since the body-worn recording device is generally equipped with a small capacity battery due to its small-sized body, the need for long-term recording cannot be met. As such, the recording function of the body-worn recording device is activated only when recording is required. However, the person may forget to activate the recording function in an emergency, or the recording device may fail to record critical images in time. One of the situations requiring video recording is when the police officer determines that pulling out of the gun is required for a specific event. At this time, the police officer needs to activate the body-worn recording device himself for recording the video. However, when an emergency event occurs, the police officer may not promptly activate the body-worn recording device to start recording since he needs to pull out and hold the gun right away. US 2017/0302273 A1 discloses a sensor element of an inductive proximity sensor or distance sensor containing a coil arrangement with at least one excitation coil and at least one receiving coil and including an electrically conductive shielding which contains a shielding cup that surrounds the coil arrangement laterally and on the rear face. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention is set out in the appended claims. In order to provide a solution for cooperatively activating peripheral devices to operate when an emergency event occurs, the present disclosure provides a sensor device that is used to detect a specific emergency event, and a holster sensing system and a video-recording system that incorporate the sensor device. The sensor device mainly includes a control unit and a sensing module. The sensing module includes two coil sets, such as a reference coil set and an induction coil set. The two coil sets can be arranged in a stacked structure. The sensor device is fixed on a side of an object. The induction coil set is configured to be adjacent to the object. The reference coil set that is relatively away from the object provides a reference level. Further, an inductive area of the reference coil set can be smaller than an inductive area of the induction coil set. The control unit relies on a physical quantity difference between a sensing value generated by the induction coil set and the reference level provided by the reference coil set to determine whether a metal item disposed on the other side of the object is present. In one further aspect, the reference coil set includes two first coils disposed on two sides of a first substrate, and the induction coil set includes two second coils disposed on two sides of a second substrate. The physical quantity difference is an inductance change between the induction coil set and the reference coil set, and the control unit determines whether the metal item is present according to an electrical signal formed by the inductance change. The sensor device also includes a communication unit that is used to transmit a trigger signal generated by the control unit according to the physical quantity difference. The sensor device includes a power unit that is controlled by the control unit for supplying current signals to the sensing module, such that the induction coil set and the reference coil set can be enabled to induce magnetic fields. In an aspect, the sensing module of the sensor device implements a proximity sensor or a differential inductive switch. When the power unit supplies the current signals to the two coil sets of the sensing module, the reference coil set and the induction coil set form two different effective sensing ranges for respectively generating a reference inductance and an inductive inductance. Further, the inductive area of the reference coil set is configured to be smaller than the inductive area of the induction coil set, so that the inductance change generated when the metal item approaches the reference coil set can be reduced. Still further, when the metal item approaches or moves