Occupancy Detection: Simplified Sensing in Wall- and Ceiling-mounted Placements

Sensing solutions in building automation are generally concerned with detecting and understanding the occupancy of rooms or areas of interest in commercial or residential buildings. Besides the advantages that TI mmWave technology brings, such as motion sensitivity, location accuracy and privacy, an AoP design brings additional value to the building automation market.

TI mmWave AoP sensors have a wide FoV and small form factor to bring installation and design flexibility to unique building automation sensing applications such as elderly monitoring and air conditioners, as shown in Figure 3.

Solution complexity can be an incredible barrier to entry for a sensing technology in building automation. AoP sensors simplify and accelerate the design process so that engineers in building automation applications can focus their investment on differentiating software for people detection and identification.

The AoP sensor’s antenna configuration makes it suitable for both wall- and ceiling-mounted orientations. In building automation, this wide FoV provides flexibility in mounting installations so that sensors can be placed closer to power and data routing in commercial buildings, or in conjunction with existing automation systems, to reduce the installation cost and number of installed systems.

Through its ability to fit in smaller enclosures, the smaller form factor enables cleaner industrial designs, which can help clear the visual ceiling clutter or “ceiling acne” common with sensing installations in commercial buildings today.