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US 11,503,680 B2Granted
Systems and methods for operating a light system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorMelanie L. Kimsey-Lin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an example, a method of operating an ultraviolet (UV) light source includes providing a supply power to the UV light source, and activating, using the supply power, the UV light source to emit UV light during a series of activation cycles. The method also includes, during at least one activation cycle in the series, sensing the UV light emitted by the UV light source to measure an optical parameter of the UV light. The optical parameter is related to an antimicrobial efficacy of the UV light. The method further includes adjusting, based on the measured optical parameter, an electrical parameter of the supply power to maintain a target antimicrobial efficacy of the UV light over the series of activation cycles.
Claims20
A method of operating an ultraviolet (UV) light source, comprising:
- detecting, using a triggers sensor, a trigger condition;
- responsive to detecting the trigger condition, generating a trigger-sensor signal indicating that the trigger condition was detected;
- determining, based on the trigger-sensor signal, that one or more criteria are met, wherein the one or more criteria includes a condition that an environment to be disinfected by the UV light source is unoccupied;
- responsive to determining that the one or more criteria are met, transmitting a control signal to cause the UV light source to emit UV light and disinfect at least a target surface in the environment;
- and
- providing a supply power to the UV light source;
- activating, using the supply power, the UV light source to emit UV light during a series of activation cycles, wherein each activation cycle is initiated in response to a respective transmission of the control signal;
- during at least one activation cycle in the series, sensing the UV light emitted by the UV light source to measure an irradiance of the UV light, wherein the irradiance is related to an antimicrobial efficacy of the UV light;
- performing a comparison, using the irradiance measured during the at least one activation cycle, of the antimicrobial efficacy of the UV light to a target level of antimicrobial efficacy to be maintained;
- and
- maintaining a target antimicrobial efficacy of the UV light over the series of activation cycles by controlling, based on the comparison, an intensity of the UV light source,
- wherein controlling the intensity of the UV light source comprises adjusting, based on the measured irradiance, an electrical parameter of the supply power to maintain the target antimicrobial efficacy of the UV light over the series of activation cycles, and
- wherein, for a given value of the electrical parameter, the intensity of the UV light emitted by the UV light source depreciates over the series of activation cycles.
10 more elements
A light control system, comprising:
- a power converter configured to convert an input power received from a power source to a supply power;
- an ultraviolet (UV) light source configured to receive the supply power and emit UV light;
- a trigger sensor configured to detect a trigger condition and, responsive to detecting the trigger condition, generate a trigger-sensor signal indicating that the trigger condition was detected;
- a control device communicatively coupled to the power converter and the trigger sensor, wherein the control device is configured to:
- determine, based on the trigger-sensor signal, that one or more criteria are met, wherein the one or more criteria includes a condition that an environment to be disinfected by the UV light source is unoccupied;
- and
- responsive to determining that the one or more criteria are met, transmit a control signal to cause the UV light source to emit the UV light and disinfect at least a target surface in the environment;
- and
- a light sensor configured to measure an irradiance of the UV light emitted by the UV light source,
- wherein the irradiance is related to an antimicrobial efficacy of the UV light,
- wherein the supply power has an electrical parameter that is adjustable by the power converter,
- wherein the UV light source is configured to receive the supply power and emit the UV light during a series of activation cycles,
- wherein an intensity of the UV light emitted by the UV light source is based, at least in part, on the electrical parameter of the supply power, and
- wherein the control device is further configured to maintain a target antimicrobial efficacy of the UV light over the series of activation cycles by iteratively performing a plurality of acts comprising:
- receiving, from the light sensor, a sensor signal indicating the irradiance measured by the light sensor,
- performing a comparison of the irradiance indicated by the sensor signal to a target optical parameter, wherein the target optical parameter is related to the target antimicrobial efficacy, and
- based on the comparison, providing a feedback signal to the power converter to cause the power converter to adjust the electrical parameter of the supply power for a next activation cycle in the series.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.