To prevent the effect of noise light through a simple arrangement in a structure comprising an optical window member having noise light scattering characteristics.
An infrared image sensor 9 detects the temperature distribution of a predetermined region in a vehicle focused through a condenser lens 15. A signal detecting/processing circuit 19 generates a thermal image data based on the temperature distribution thus detected. A control circuit 23 for various systems operates various systems based on the heat image data thus generated. Although the condenser lens 15 has characteristics for scattering/cutting noise light, e.g. visible light, a scattering visible light may enter into the infrared image sensor 9. When the temperature detected by all thermal detection elements constituting the infrared image sensor 9 rises substantially uniformly, the signal detecting/processing circuit 19 makes a decision that a scattering visible light entered into the sensor 9 and invalidates an acquired data.
NANBA SHINJI
KIMURA SADASUKE
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