Pyroelectric temperature compensated sensing apparatus

Claim 2

A pyroelectric temperature compensated sensing apparatus comprising the combination of: a layer of poled pyroelectric material that produces electrostatic charges on its surfaces when its ambient temperature is varied, the charges on one surface being opposite in polarity to the charge on the other surface; a plurality of pairs of conductive plates in surface-to-surface contact with said pyroelectric layer, each pair of plates including a first plate disposed on one surface of said layer, and a second plate substantially disposed opposite said first plate on the opposite surface of said layer; connecting means for electrically interconnecting various plates of said pairs to form two sets of interconnected plates, each set includes at least one plate on one side of said layer and at least one plate on the opposite side of said layer; and a sensing means connected between said two sets for detecting electrostatic charges on said two sets.

Claim 3

A sensing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said layer of pyroelectric material is uniformly poled, and the conductive plates are substantially equal in size.

Claim 4

A sensing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the poling of the pyroelectric material is nonuniform and the plates connected to the sensing means are varied in size to compensate for such nonuniform poling.

Claim 5

A sensing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of plates are of such size that a uniform variation in the ambient temperature of said pyroelectric layer produces electrostatic charges on each surface of said layer which are equal in magnitude, but opposite in polarity.

Claim 6

A sensing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said connecting means includes: first means for interconnecting two pairs of plates whereby the first plate of one of said pairs is connected to the second plate of the other of said pairs to form a first interconnected set of plates; and second means for interconnecting said pairs of plates whereby the second plate of said one of said pairs is connected to the first plate of said other of said pairs to form a second interconnected set of plates.

Claim 7

A pyroelectric temperature compensated sensing apparatus comprising the combination of: a layer of uniformly poled pyroelectric material; at least two pairs of conductive plates in surface-to-surface contact with said pyroelectric layer, each pair of plates including a first plate disposed on one side of said layer, and a second plate disposed opposite said first plate on the opposite side of said layer; first means for connecting the first plate of one of said pairs to the second plate of the other of said pairs to form a first interconnected set of plates, each of said interconnected plates having substantially the same amount of surface area; second means for connecting the second plate of said one of said pairs to the first plate of said other of said pairs to form a second interconnected set of plates, each of said interconnected plates having substantially the same surface area; and sensing means connected between said first and second sets of interconnected plates for sensing electrostatic charges on said first and second sets.

Claim 8

A pyroelectric temperature compensated sensing apparatus comprising the combination of: a layer of uniformly poled pyroelectric material; at least two pairs of conductive plates in surface-to-surface contact with said pyroelectric layer, each pair of plates including a first plate disposed on one side of said layer, and a second plate disposed opposite said first plate on the opposite side of said layer; first means for connecting the first plate of one of said pairs to the second plate of the other of said pairs to form a first interconnected set of plates, each of said interconnected plates having substantially the same amount of surface area; second means for connecting the second plate of said one of said pairs to the first plate of said other of said pairs to form a second interconnected set of plates, each of said interconnected plates having substantially the same surface area; and sensing means connected between said first and second sets of interconnected plates for sensing electrostatic charges on said first and second sets.

Claim 9

A pyroelectric temperature compensated sensing apparatus comprising the combination of: a layer of uniformly poled pyroelectric material; a plurality of pairs of conductive plates in surface-to-surface contact with said pyroelectric layer, each pair of plates including a first plate disposed on one side of said layer, and a second plate disposed opposite said first plate on the opposite side of said layer; first means for interconnecting two pairs of plates whereby the first plate of one of said pairs is connected to the second plate of the other of said pairs to form a first interconnected set of plates, each of said interconnected plates having substantially the same amount of surface area; second means for interconnecting two pairs of plates whereby the second plate of said one of said pairs is connected to the first plate of said other of said pairs to form a second interconnected set of plates, each of said interconnected plates having substantially the same surface area; and sensing means connected between said first and second sets of interconnected plates for sensing electrostatic charges on said first and second sets.

Claim 10

A pyroelectric temperature compensated sensing apparatus comprising the combination of: a layer of uniformly poled pyroelectric material; a plurality of pairs of conductive plates in surface-to-surface contact with said pyroelectric layer, each pair of plates including a first plate disposed on one side of said layer, and a second plate disposed opposite said first plate on the opposite side of said layer; first means for interconnecting two pairs of plates whereby the first plate of one of said pairs is connected to the second plate of the other of said pairs to form a first interconnected set of plates, each of said interconnected plates having substantially the same amount of surface area; second means for interconnecting two pairs of plates whereby the second plate of said one of said pairs is connected to the first plate of said other of said pairs to form a second interconnected set of plates, each of said interconnected plates having substantially the same surface area; and sensing means connected between said first and second sets of interconnected plates for sensing electrostatic charges on said first and second sets.

Claim 11

A pyroelectric temperature compensated sensing apparatus comprising the combination of: a portion of poled pyroelectric material that produces electrostatic charges on its surfaces when its ambient temperature is varied, the charges on a first surface of said portion being opposite in polarity to the charges on the second surface of said portion; a first pair of conductive plates in surface-to-surface contact with said pyroelectric portion, said pair of plates including a first plate disposed on said first surface of said portion, and a second plate disposed on said second surface of said portion; a second pair of conductive plates in surface-to-surface contact with said pyroelectric portion, said second pair of plates including a first plate disposed on said first surface of said portion, and a second plate disposed on said second surface of said portion; connecting means for electrically interconnecting said first plate of said first pair of conductive plates with said second plate of said second pair of conductive plates to form a first set of interconnected plates, and for electrically interconnecting said second plate of said first pair of conductive plates with said first plate of said second pair of conductive plates for forming a second set of interconnected plates; and a sensing means electrically connected between said two sets of plates for detecting electrostatic charges on said two sets.

Claim 12

A pyroelectric temperature compensated sensing apparatus comprising the combination of: a portion of poled pyroelectric material that produces electrostatic charges on its surfaces when its ambient temperature is varied, the charges on a first surface of said portion being opposite in polarity to the charges on the second surface of said portion; a first pair of conductive plates in surface-to-surface contact with said pyroelectric portion, said pair of plates including a first plate disposed on said first surface of said portion, and a second plate disposed on said second surface of said portion; a second pair of conductive plates in surface-to-surface contact with said pyroelectric portion, said second pair of plates including a first plate disposed on said first surface of said portion, and a second plate disposed on said second surface of said portion; connecting means for electrically interconnecting said first plate of said first pair of conductive plates with said second plate of said second pair of conductive plates to form a first set of interconnected plates, and for electrically interconnecting said second plate of said first pair of conductive plates with said first plate of said second pair of conductive plates for forming a second set of interconnected plates; and a sensing means electrically connected between said two sets of plates for detecting electrostatic charges on said two sets.