Proximity based ultraviolet dosage control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023398244-A1
Application number	US-202217835785-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 8, 2022
Priority date	Jun 8, 2022
Publication date	Dec 14, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A of using an ultraviolet (UV) light emitter is disclosed herein. The method includes measuring, by a processor, a first distance from the UV light emitter to a target surface, activating, by the processor, the UV light emitter, and recording, by the processor, a second distance from the UV light emitter to the target surface. The method further includes calculating, by the processor, an accumulated dose of UV light on the target surface based at least in part on the second distance and deactivating, by the processor, the UV light emitter in response to the accumulated dose reaching a target dose.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of using an ultraviolet (UV) light emitter, comprising:
measuring, by a processor, a first distance from the UV light emitter to a target surface; activating, by the processor, the UV light emitter; recording, by the processor, a second distance from the UV light emitter to the target surface; calculating, by the processor, an accumulated dose of UV light on the target surface based at least in part on the second distance; and deactivating, by the processor, the UV light emitter in response to the accumulated dose reaching a target dose.

2 . The method of using the UV light emitter of claim 1 , wherein the recording the second distance occurs once every second.

3 . The method of using the UV light emitter of claim 1 , further comprising:
recording, by the processor, an accumulated time since activating the UV light emitter; and calculating, by the processor, the accumulated dose of UV light based at least in part on the accumulated time and the recorded second distance.

4 . The method of using the UV light emitter of claim 1 , wherein the calculating the accumulated dose includes integrating the second distance by an energy output of the UV light emitter over an accumulated time period.

5 . The method of using the UV light emitter of claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring, by the processor, a third distance from the UV light emitter; and detecting, by the processor, a movement in response to the third distance being different than the second distance.

6 . The method of using the UV light emitter of claim 5 , further comprising:
changing, by the processor, the target dose to a lower dose in response to the third distance being less than the second distance.

7 . The method of using the UV light emitter of claim 5 , further comprising:
measuring, by the processor, a fourth distance from the UV light emitter; and maintaining, by the processor, the target dose in response to the fourth distance being similar to the second distance.

8 . The method of using the UV light emitter of claim 7 , further comprising:
measuring, by the processor, a time between the second distance measurement and the fourth distance measurement; and determining, by the processor, that the time is below a threshold.

9 . The method of using the UV light emitter of claim 1 , further comprising:
repeating, by the processor, the recording and the calculating until the target dose reached.

10 . The method of using the UV light emitter of claim 1 , wherein the measuring the first distance is performed in response to a trigger.

11 . A system for using an ultraviolet (UV) light emitter in an aircraft lavatory, comprising:
a UV light source; an occupancy sensor; a UV light source driver including:
a power source configured to power the UV light source;
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor:
measure a first distance from the occupancy sensor to a target surface;
activate the UV light source;
record a second distance from the occupancy sensor to the target surface;
calculate an accumulated dose of UV light on the target surface based at least in part on the second distance; and
deactivate the UV light source in response to the accumulated dose reaching a target dose.

12 . The system for using the ultraviolet (UV) light emitter in an aircraft lavatory of claim 11 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to:
record the second distance each time period; and calculate the accumulated dose each time period.

13 . The system for using the ultraviolet (UV) light emitter in an aircraft lavatory of claim 11 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to:
record an accumulated time since activating the UV light source; and calculate the accumulated dose based at least in part on the accumulated time and the recorded second distance.

14 . The system for using the ultraviolet (UV) light emitter in an aircraft lavatory of claim 11 , wherein the calculating the accumulated dose includes integrating the second distance by an energy output of the UV light emitter over an accumulated time period.

15 . The system for using the ultraviolet (UV) light emitter in an aircraft lavatory of claim 11 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to:
measure a third distance from the occupancy sensor to the target surface; and detect a movement in response to the third distance being different than the second distance.

16 . The system for using the ultraviolet (UV) light emitter in an aircraft lavatory of claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to:
change the target dose to a lower dose in response to the third distance being less than the second distance.

17 . The system for using the ultraviolet (UV) light emitter in an aircraft lavatory of claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to:
measure a fourth distance from the occupancy sensor; and determine to maintain the target dose in response to the fourth distance being similar to the second distance.

18 . The system for using the ultraviolet (UV) light emitter in an aircraft lavatory of claim 17 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to:
measure a time between the second distance measurement and the fourth distance measurement; and determine that the time is below a threshold before determining to maintain the target dose.

19 . The system for using the ultraviolet (UV) light emitter in an aircraft lavatory of claim 11 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to:
begin the measuring the first distance in response to a trigger.

20 . The system for using the ultraviolet (UV) light emitter in an aircraft lavatory of claim 11 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to:
repeat the recording and the calculating until the target dose is reached.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc
• B/E Aerospace

Inventors

• Edquist John D
• Johannessen Eric

Classifications

• A61L2103/75

  Room floors or walls · CPC title

• A61L2/10 Primary

  Ultraviolet [UV] radiation · CPC title

• A61L2202/11

  Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps · CPC title

• A61L2202/14

  Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs · CPC title

• A61L2202/25

  Human Necessities · mapped topic