Pest Electrocution Device with Infrared Detector

Abstract

A device for electrocuting pests includes first and second electrodes and an infrared detector. The infrared detector is responsive to infrared radiation emitted by a pest and provides output signals indicating the presence of a pest. A circuit responsive to the output signals and responsive to sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes, which indicates that a pest is present and in contact with the electrodes, provides high voltage across the first and second electrodes when a selected one of the output signals and the sensing current indicates that a pest is in contact with the electrodes.

1 . A device for electrocuting pests, comprising
 (a) first and second electrodes,   (b) an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation emitted by a pest, said infrared detector providing output signals indicative of the presence of a pest, and   (c) a circuit responsive to said output signals and responsive to a sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes indicative of the presence of a pest in contact with the electrodes, said circuit providing high voltage across the first and second electrodes when a selected one of the output signals and the sensing current is indicative of a pest being in contact with the electrodes.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the infrared detector comprises two spaced-apart infrared sensors, each of which generates an electrical signal representative of infrared radiation incident thereon. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising a multiplexer for alternately transmitting to said circuit the electrical signal from a selected one of the two sensors and wherein said circuit measures the difference between the two sensor signals. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit includes a microprocessor. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an infrared emitter disposed on an opposite side of the electrodes from the infrared detector for providing to the infrared detector a reference level of infrared radiation. 
     
     
         6 . A device for electrocuting pests, comprising
 (a) two spaced apart electrodes electrically isolated from one another and arranged to be both contacted by a pest to be electrocuted,   (b) an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation emitted by a pest and located to detect proximity of a pest to the electrodes, said infrared detector generating output signals representative of the proximity of the pest to the electrodes,   (c) a resistance sensor in electrical communication with the electrodes and with the infrared detector for causing a sensing current imperceptible to the pest to flow between the first and second electrodes when contact between the pest and the electrodes forms a circuit path, the sensing current having a magnitude indicative of the presence of a pest being in contact with the electrodes, and   (d) a control circuit in electrical communication with the resistance sensor and the infrared detector for activating a high-voltage generator in response to one of the sensing current and the infrared detector output signals,   (e) said high-voltage generator being activated by the control circuit to provide high voltage across the electrodes for a predetermined time period, the duration of the predetermined time period and the magnitude of the high voltage being sufficient to electrocute the pest.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the control circuit applies a low voltage to the electrodes after the predetermined time period has elapsed to determine whether the body of a pest is in contact with the electrodes. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , further comprising an indicator for providing a visual indication to a user if the body of the pest is in contact with the electrodes after the predetermined time period has elapsed. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the control circuit activates the high-voltage generator only after the infrared detector detects proximity of a pest to the electrodes and the sensing current magnitude indicates the presence of a pest in contact with the electrodes. 
     
     
         10 . A method of electrocuting a pest comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a device having first and second electrodes, an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation emitted by the pest and generating output signals indicative of the presence of the pest, and a circuit responsive to said output signals and responsive to a sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes indicative of the presence of the pest in contact with the electrodes,   (b) comparing the infrared detector output signals with an infrared threshold,   (c) comparing the sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes with a current threshold, and   (d) causing said circuit to provide high voltage across the first and second electrodes when a selected one of the infrared detector output signals and the sensing current between the electrodes exceeds its respective threshold.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 (e) causing said circuit to provide low voltage across the first and second electrodes after a predetermined time period has elapsed to determine whether the body of the pest is in contact with the electrodes.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of repeating steps (b) through (e) if the body of the pest is not determined to be in contact with the electrodes. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of providing a visual indication to a user if the body of the pest is determined to be in contact with the electrodes. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , the step (a) further comprising calibrating the infrared detector and checking the sensing current between the first and second electrodes in the absence of a pest to verify that the infrared detector output signals and the sensing current are below their respective thresholds. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the infrared detector comprises two spaced-apart infrared sensors, each of which generates an electrical signal representative of infrared radiation incident thereon, and wherein said circuit measures the difference between the two sensor signals. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , the step (a) further comprising providing an infrared emitter disposed on an opposite side of the electrodes from the infrared detector for providing a reference level of infrared radiation to the infrared detector. 
     
     
         17 . A method of electrocuting a pest comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a device having first and second electrodes, an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation emitted by the pest and generating output signals indicative of the presence of the pest, and a circuit responsive to said output signals and responsive to a sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes indicative of the presence of the pest in contact with the electrodes,   (b) comparing the infrared detector output signals with an infrared threshold,   (c) comparing the sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes with a current threshold, and   (d) causing said circuit to provide high voltage across the first and second electrodes when both the infrared detector output signals and the sensing current between the electrodes exceed their respective thresholds.