# US 10,864,559 B2 · Apparatus and methods to prevent biofouling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,559 B2 - Document ID: US10864559B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/131,617 - Filed: 2018-09-14 - Published: 2019-03-21 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-18 - Assignees: Innovent Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Innovent Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Egbert Woelk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864559B2 ## CPC - B08B 7/0057: {by ultraviolet radiation} - B08B 17/02: Preventing deposition of fouling or of dust - G02B 19/0095: {for use with ultraviolet radiation} - G02B 27/0006: {with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation (G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B)} - G03B 15/03: Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units - G03B 17/08: Waterproof bodies or housings - G03B 2215/0567: Solid-state light source, e.g. LED, laser - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) ## Abstract Techniques for reducing biofouling on optical equipment, using minimum power in a marine environment are provided. An example of an apparatus according to the disclosure includes a housing including a cavity and an ultraviolet transparent window disposed over the cavity, an optical device disposed in the cavity and directed towards the ultraviolet transparent window, one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes disposed in the cavity and directed towards the ultraviolet transparent window, and a controller operably coupled to the one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes and configured to provide at least one lamp power function to the one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes, wherein the at least one lamp power function is based on at least a flash power value, a flash duration, a rest power value and a rest duration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for reducing biofouling in a marine environment, comprising: disposing an optical device in the marine environment, wherein the optical device is directed at an object in the marine environment; obtaining an image of the object with the optical device; determining a quality of the image; determining a flash power value and a flash duration based on the quality of the image; determining a rest power value and a rest duration based on the quality of the image; and activate at least one ultraviolet light source for a plurality of cycles based on the flash power value, the flash duration, the rest power value and the rest duration, wherein the at least one ultraviolet light source is disposed proximate to the optical device and directed at the object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one ultraviolet light source is characterized by emission wavelength of between 250 nanometers and 400 nanometers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the flash duration is between 0.01 seconds and 1000 seconds. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the flash power value is between 1 milliwatt and 100 milliwatts. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the rest power value is less than 1 milliwatt. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the rest duration is between 1 second and 100,000 seconds. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the flash power value is approximately 12.5 milliwatts, the flash duration is approximately 0.1 seconds, the rest power value is less than 0.001 milliwatts, and the rest duration is approximately 19.9 seconds. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining the quality of the image is based on a sharpness value associated with a contrast boundary in the image. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the flash power value, the flash duration, the rest power value and the rest duration to a server. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the flash power value, the flash duration, the rest power value and the rest duration from a server. ### Claim 11 An apparatus for reducing biofouling in a marine environment, comprising: a housing including a cavity and an ultraviolet transparent window disposed over the cavity; an optical device disposed in the cavity and directed towards the ultraviolet transparent window; one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes disposed in the cavity and directed toward the ultraviolet transparent window; and a controller operably coupled to the one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes and configured to provide at least one lamp power function to the one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes, wherein the at least one lamp power function is based on at least a flash power value, a flash duration, a rest power value and a rest duration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the ultraviolet transparent window is constructed at least in part with at least one material selected from a group consisting of sapphire, silicon carbide (SiC), diamond, zinc sulfide (ZnS), zinc selenide (ZnSe), Barium fluoride (BaF2), aluminum dioxide (Al2O3), quartz (SiO2), and magnesium fluoride (MgF2). ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes are characterized by emission wavelengths between 250 nanometer and 400 nanometers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a power source operably coupled to the one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to receive the at least one lamp power function from a remote server. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the controller includes at least one data structure configured to store the at least one lamp power function. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the flash duration is between 0.01 seconds and 1000 seconds and the flash power value is between 1 milliwatt and 100 milliwatts. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the rest power value is less than 1 milliwatt and the rest duration is between 1 second and 100,000 seconds. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the flash power value is approximately 12.5 milliwatts, the flash duration is approximately 0.1 seconds, the rest power value is less than 0.001 milliwatts, and the rest duration is approximately 19.9 seconds. ### Claim 20 An apparatus, comprising: a housing means including a cavity configured to enclose one or more optical device means and one or more ultraviolet light emitting means; an ultraviolet transparent window means disposed on the housing means over the cavity, wherein the one or more optical device means and the one or more ultraviolet light emitting means are directed towards the ultraviolet transparent window means; and a controller means operably coupled to the one or more ultraviolet light emitting means and configured to provide at least one lamp power function to the one or more ultraviolet light emitting means, wherein the at least one lamp power function is based on at least a flash power value, a flash duration, a rest power value and a rest duration.