US-12626574-B2 - Non-coaxial systems, methods, and devices for detecting smoke

Abstract

Non-coaxial systems, methods, and devices for detecting smoke are described herein. A smoke detection system may comprise a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam, and a light receiver. The light receiver may comprise a first receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the first receiver lens includes at least a portion of the laser beam. The light receiver may also comprise a second receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the second receiver lens includes at least a portion of the laser beam and a region between an edge of the field of view of the first receiver lens and the laser emitter.

Inventors

• Ronald Knox

Assignees

• HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240716

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A smoke detection system, comprising: a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam; and a light receiver, comprising: a first receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the first receiver lens includes at least a portion of the laser beam; and a second receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the second receiver lens: includes at least a portion of the laser beam; and includes a region between an edge of the field of view of the first receiver lens and the laser emitter; wherein at least one of the first receiver lens and the second receiver lens is a Fresnel lens; and wherein the second receiver lens is attached to the first receiver lens.
2. 2 . The smoke detection system of claim 1 , wherein both the first receiver lens and the second receiver lens are Fresnel lenses.
3. 3 . The smoke detection system of claim 1 , wherein the light receiver is a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) receiver.
4. 4 . The smoke detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to detect smoke based on light received by the light receiver.
5. 5 . The smoke detection system of claim 1 , wherein the laser emitter and the light receiver are non-coaxial.
6. 6 . The smoke detection system of claim 1 , wherein the first receiver lens and the second receiver lens are disc-shaped lenses.
7. 7 . The smoke detection system of claim 1 , wherein the first receiver lens and the second receiver lens comprise multiple concentric grooved rings.
8. 8 . A smoke detection system, comprising: a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam; and a light receiver, comprising: a first receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the first receiver lens includes at least a portion of the laser beam; and a second receiver lens that is smaller than the first receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the second receiver lens: includes at least a portion of the laser beam; and includes a region between an edge of the field of view of the first receiver lens and the laser emitter.
9. 9 . The smoke detection system of claim 8 , wherein the first receiver lens has a diameter of at least 90 millimeters.
10. 10 . The smoke detection system of claim 8 , wherein the first receiver lens has a diameter of 110 millimeters or less.
11. 11 . The smoke detection system of claim 8 , further comprising an additional laser emitter positioned outside the region and configured to emit an additional laser beam.
12. 12 . The smoke detection system of claim 11 , wherein the field of view of the first receiver lens includes at least a portion of the additional laser beam.
13. 13 . The smoke detection system of claim 11 , wherein the light receiver further comprises a third receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the third receiver lens: includes at least a portion of the additional laser beam; and includes a region between an additional edge of the field of view of the first receiver lens and the additional laser emitter.
14. 14 . A method of detecting smoke, comprising: emitting a laser beam from a laser beam emitter; and positioning a light receiver such that the light receiver is non-coaxial with the laser beam, wherein the light receiver comprises: a first receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the first receiver lens includes at least a portion of the laser beam; and a second receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the second receiver lens: includes at least a portion of the laser beam; and includes a region between an edge of the field of view of the first receiver lens and the laser beam emitter; wherein the second receiver lens is molded within the first receiver lens.
15. 15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein positioning the light receiver such that the light receiver is non-coaxial with the laser beam includes positioning the light receiver at an angle with respect to the laser beam emitter.
16. 16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein positioning the light receiver such that the light receiver is non-coaxial with the laser beam includes positioning the light receiver such that the laser beam is not parallel to the field of view of the first receiver lens and the field of view of the second receiver lens.
17. 17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the method includes detecting smoke via light reflected from the smoke to the light receiver.
18. 18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the method includes emitting the laser beam from the laser beam emitter at a particular time interval.

Description

PRIORITY INFORMATION This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/513,102, filed on Oct. 28, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to non-coaxial methods, devices, and systems for detecting smoke. BACKGROUND Smoke detection methods, devices, and systems can be implemented in indoor environments (e.g, buildings) or outdoor environments to detect smoke. As an example, a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) smoke detection system can utilize optical systems, such as laser beam emitters and light receivers, to detect smoke in an environment. Smoke detection can minimize risk by alerting users and/or other components of a fire control system of a fire event occurring in the environment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a system for detecting smoke in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 illustrates a system for detecting smoke in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates a system for detecting smoke in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates a method for detecting smoke in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Non-coaxial methods, devices, and systems for detecting smoke are described herein. One or more embodiments include a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam, and a light receiver. The light receiver may comprise a first receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the first receiver lens includes at least a portion of the laser beam. The light receiver may also comprise a second receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the second receiver lens includes at least a portion of the laser beam and a region between an edge of the field of view of the first receiver lens and the laser emitter. Certain smoke detection systems may use laser beam emitters in conjunction with light receivers to detect smoke. For example, a smoke detection system may use Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to detect smoke. For instance, when a laser beam is emitted in an indoor environment, it may encounter an object, substance, or material and light may be reflected and/or scattered to the light receiver. If no object, substance, or material is present in the path of the laser, the light will instead reflect and/or scatter off a wall of the indoor environment and back to the light receiver. The smoke detection system can determine the difference between a received light signal that has been reflected and/or scattered off a wall or light reflected off another object, substance, or material, because the intensity of the received light signal will be considerably greater if it has been reflected and/or scattered off a wall as opposed to reflecting and/or scattering off a substance such as smoke. Additionally, a light signal that has passed through smoke will be slightly attenuated. As such, by rotating a laser beam emitter and light receiver of a smoke detection system and emitting pulses of light from the laser beam emitter, an indoor environment can be scanned to detect smoke. For example, such a system may be positioned in a corner of a room and rotated from zero to ninety degrees to scan the entire room for smoke. By recording the alignment, position, and orientation of the smoke detection system at the time that the smoke is detected, the approximate location of the smoke can also be determined. In previous approaches, the components of a LiDAR smoke detection system (e.g., the laser beam emitter and the light receiver) may be co-axial (e.g., co-linear) Making the path of the outgoing light beam and the light receiver of such a system co-axial can eliminate blind spots in the detection system (e.g., areas in which the detection system may be unable to detect the presence of smoke) that may occur if the light beam and light receiver were not co-axial. However, such co-axial configurations can be optically complex, costly, and time-consuming to manufacture. Embodiments of the present disclosure, however, can improve the field of view of such smoke detection systems and devices, and therefore reduce or eliminate any blind spots of the system, without the need for the emitter(s) and receiver(s) to be co-axial. Thus, embodiments of the present disclosure can ease the complexity, manufacturing constraints and costs of smoke detection systems and devices while maintaining a complete field of view (e.g., reducing or eliminating blind spots) for the smoke detection system or device. In some examples, one or more embodiments include a smoke detection system comprising a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam, and a light receiver. The light receiver may comprise a first receiver lens, wherein a field of view of the first receiver lens includes at least a portion of the laser beam. The light receiver may further comprise a second receiver lens, wherein a field of view of