# US 2021/0242355 A1 · Method and systems for real time uv monitoring for tracking and maintaining required vitamin d dosage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242355 A1 - Document ID: US20210242355A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/151,781 - Filed: 2021-01-19 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-19 - Assignees: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama - Applicants: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama - Inventors: Sushma Kotru; Vaishali Batra - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242355A1 ## CPC - H10F 77/12: Active materials - G01J 1/0219: {Electrical interface; User interface} - G01J 1/429: {applied to measurement of ultraviolet light (using counting tubes G01T)} - G01J 1/44: Electric circuits {(for command of an exposure part G03B7/02)} - G01J 5/046: {Materials; Selection of thermal materials} - G01J 5/10: using electric radiation detectors - G01J 5/34: using capacitors, e.g. pyroelectric capacitors - H10F 19/35: Structures for the connecting of adjacent photovoltaic cells, e.g. interconnections or insulating spacers - H10F 30/10: the devices being sensitive to infrared radiation, visible or ultraviolet radiation, and having no potential barriers, e.g. photoresistors - H10F 30/222: the potential barrier being a PN heterojunction - H10F 30/227: the potential barrier being a Schottky barrier - H10F 77/247: {comprising indium tin oxide [ITO]} - G01J 1/0238: {making use of sensor-related data, e.g. for identification of sensor or optical parts} - G01J 2001/0257: {portable} - G01J 2001/4266: {for measuring solar light} - G01J 2001/446: {Photodiode} - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Embodiments disclosed herein facilitates the monitoring of direct ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation exposure by a person via a system having a sensor (such as Lanthanum doped lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) thin-film sensors or other ferroelectric-based sensors) sensitive to UVB radiation. The system beneficially provides current real-time dosage information associated with Vitamin D production by the person as well as real-time indication of safe exposure and/or harmful exposure to current UVB radiation conditions while also, in some embodiments, takes into consideration a person's age, skin type and sensitivity, body surface area exposed. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -21. (canceled) ### Claim 22 A method for tracking and reporting estimated vitamin D dosage from direct exposure to sunlight, the method comprising: receiving, by a processor of a device, a plurality of data values derived from an acquired signal of a sensor having sensitivity to ultraviolet B intensity of sunlight; accumulating, by the processor, in a memory of the device, for a pre-defined period of time, the plurality of data values; determining, by the processor, a value of estimated Vitamin D dosage for the pre-defined period of time based on the accumulated data values associated with the pre-defined period of time; and presenting, via a display, upon direction of the processor, a graphical representation of a parameter value associated with estimated dosage value of Vitamin D or an estimated remaining amount value of Vitamin D dosage required, wherein the parameter value is derived from the estimated vitamin D dosage for the pre-defined period of time. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the parameter value is an estimated dosage value of Vitamin D obtained over a current day, over a current week, or over a user-defined period. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the estimated dosage value of Vitamin D obtained over the current day, over the current week, or over the user-defined period is determined by a computing operation that scales and/or offsets the accumulated data values associated with the pre-defined period of time with a set of pre-defined values. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the parameter value is associated with an estimated remaining amount value of Vitamin D dosage required or recommended for a current day, for a current week, or for over a user-defined period. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the estimated remaining amount value of Vitamin D dosage required or recommended for the current day, for the current week, or for over the user-defined period is determined. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising: determining, by the processor, a parameter value associated with a recommended exposure time to direct sunlight based on a set of user-defined parameters. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the set of user-defined parameters comprises a first user-defined parameter associated with a user skin type or user skin sensitivity. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the set of user-defined parameters comprises a second user-defined parameter associated with a degree of area of exposed body surface area. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the set of user-defined parameters comprises a third user-defined parameter selected from the group consisting of age, Vitamin D deficiency condition, and diagnosed disorder. ### Claim 31 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising: presenting, via the display, upon direction of the processor, a graphical representation of a second parameter, and/or a visual cue, associated with a current UV exposure index, wherein the graphical representation of the second parameter, and/or the visual cue, indicate a current safe exposure to the direct sunlight or indicate a current harmful exposure to the direct sunlight. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the current UV exposure index is determined by: i) comparing a parameter value derived from a last set of data values of the plurality of data values received by the processor from the sensor to one or more UV threshold values, wherein at least one of the one or more UV threshold values is associated with the current safe exposure to the direct sunlight or the current harmful exposure to the direct sunlight; or ii) comparing a currently acquired signal of the sensor to one or more UV threshold signal levels, wherein at least one of the one or more UV threshold signal levels is associated with the current safe exposure to the direct sunlight or the current harmful exposure to the direct sunlight. ### Claim 33 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a SiC-based photodiode, a GaN-based photodiode, an InGaN photodiode, an AlGaN photodiode; a PbTiO3-based photodiode, a BaTiO3-based photodiode, a SrTiO3-based photodiode, a BaxSr1-xTiO3-based photodiode, a (1-x)BaTiO3-(x)BiFeO3-based photodiode, a PbZr1-xTixO3-based photodiode, a (Pb1-yLay)(ZrxTi1-x)O3-based photodiode wherein 0≤x≤1 (such as 0.5) and 0≤y≤0.1 such as (0.05), a KNbO3-based photodiode, a ZnO-based photodiode, a MgZnS-based photodiodes, a LaAlO3-based photodiode, and a ZnMgO-based photodiode. ### Claim 34 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the device is a hand-held system, a wearable system, or a component of, or a set of components in, a mobile electronic device. ### Claim 35 (canceled) ### Claim 36 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the sensor comprises a PLZT thin-film (Pb0.95La0.05Zr0.54Ti0.46O3) photodiode. ### Claim 37 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, comprising: transmitting, by the processor, to a remote computing device, one or more device parameters values associated with i) the determined value of estimated Vitamin D dosage for the pre-defined period of time, ii) the accumulated data values associated with the pre-defined period of time, or iii) the presented parameter value associated with the obtained dosage of Vitamin D from the exposure to direct sunlight over the course of the pre-defined period of time. ### Claim 38 An apparatus for tracking and reporting estimated vitamin D dosage from direct exposure to sunlight, the apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive a plurality of data values derived from an acquired signal of a sensor having sensitivity to ultraviolet B radiation of sunlight; accumulate, for a pre-defined period of time, the plurality of data values; determine a value of estimated Vitamin D dosage for the pre-defined period of time based on the accumulated data values associated with the pre-defined period of time; and cause graphical representation of a parameter value associated with obtained dosage of Vitamin D from exposure to direct sunlight over the course of the pre-defined period of time, wherein the parameter value is derived from the estimated vitamin D dosage for the pre-defined period of time. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising: a housing having a display coupled thereto, the housing forming a wearable device or hand-held system. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising: a housing and an attachment member, collectively having a form of a watch, a hat, a headpiece, a neck piece, a neck band, a bracelet, a ring, an eye piece, an arm band. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to: determine a parameter value associated with recommended exposure time to direct sunlight based on a set of user-defined parameters. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to: compare a parameter value, derived from a last set of data values of the plurality of data values received by the processor from the sensor, to one or more UV threshold values, wherein at least one of the one or more UV threshold values is associated with a current safe exposure to the direct sunlight or a current harmful exposure to the direct sunlight; and present one or more graphical representations of a second parameter, and/or a visual cue, associated with a current UV exposure index, wherein the graphical representation of the second parameter, and/or the visual cue, indicate the current safe exposure to the direct sunlight or the current harmful exposure to the direct sunlight.