System and Method for Disinfecting an Occupied Area Using Germicidal Radiation Based on Eye Protection Worn by Persons in the Area
OwnerRalph Birchard Lloydinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method of disinfecting an area using germicidal radiation. The system is configured to track person within the environment, and to control one or more germicidal radiation emitters based on user and sensor inputs, such as detecting whether the eyes are protected for the persons in this environment. The system is configured to intentionally and safely expose persons in the environment to germicidal radiation. This provides for safe, electronically controlled, direct decontamination of the surfaces, air, and persons in the environment.
Claims20
A system for disinfecting an environment, the system comprising:
- a germicidal radiation emitter that emits germicidal radiation into the environment to disinfect the environment;
- a sensor configured to detect whether a person in the environment is wearing eye protection on a head of the person and over eyes of the person;
- and
- processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the germicidal emitter and the sensor, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to operate the germicidal radiation emitter in a first mode in response to detecting that the person is wearing the eye protection, and in a second mode in response to detecting that the person is not wearing the eye protection, with the second mode being a lower amount of germicidal radiation being emitted into the environment than the first mode;
- the second mode including either a positive amount of the germicidal radiation being emitted into the environment or no germicidal radiation being emitted into the environment.
A system for disinfecting an environment, the system comprising:
- a germicidal radiation emitter that emits at least one of UV-B, UV-C, and HINS radiation into the environment at levels in excess of limits considered safe for humans who are not wearing eye protection that extends over eyes of a person;
- a sensor that detects whether the person in the environment is wearing the eye protection;
- and
- a processing circuit communicatively coupled to the germicidal radiation emitter and the sensor;
- the processing circuit configured to operate the germicidal radiation emitter at levels to disinfect the environment in excess of the limits considered safe for humans who are not wearing the eye protection in response to determining that the person is wearing the eye protection;
- the processing circuit configured to operate the germicidal radiation emitter to decrease the germicidal radiation to levels considered safe for humans who are not wearing the eye protection in response to detecting that the person is not wearing the eye protection.
A method of disinfecting an environment comprising:
- determining whether a person in the environment is wearing eye protection;
- in response to determining that the person in the environment is wearing the eye protection, emitting germicidal radiation into the environment at levels to disinfect the environment and in excess of limits considered safe for humans who are not wearing eye protection;
- and
- in response to determining that the person in the environment is not wearing the eye protection, emitting a lesser amount of or no germicidal radiation into the environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.