Antimicrobial Backlit Device

Abstract

Antimicrobial backlit devices and methods are provided. In one example embodiment, a device can have an antimicrobial lighting system. The antimicrobial lighting system includes a light source associated with a display device. The light source includes a plurality of lighting elements. One or more of the lighting elements of the plurality of lighting elements can be configured to emit high intensity narrow spectrum (HINS) light proximate the display device (e.g., onto or through the display device).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a display device; and   a backlight system configured to provide backlight for the display device, the backlight system including one or more high intensity narrow spectrum (HINS) light sources configured to emit HINS light, the backlight system further comprising one or more non-HINS light sources configured to emit non-HINS light; and   one or more control devices configured to control an operational state of said backlight system, wherein controlling the operational state of said backlight system includes controlling an aspect of light delivered by the HINS light sources and controlling an aspect of light delivered by the non-HINS light sources.   
     
     
         22 . The electronic device claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said one or more control devices control the operational state of said backlight system based at least in part on a predefined timing schedule. 
     
     
         23 . The electronic device claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect microbes within an area. 
     
     
         24 . The electronic device claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said one or more control devices control the operational state of said backlight system based at least in part on a trigger event determined by an output of said one or more sensors. 
     
     
         25 . The electronic device claimed in  claim 24 , wherein said trigger event includes a detection of microbes. 
     
     
         26 . The electronic device claimed in  claim 25 , wherein said trigger event includes a detection of an amount or concentration of microbes that exceeds a predefined threshold. 
     
     
         27 . The electronic device claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the one or more control devices are configured to obtain data from one or more motion sensors. 
     
     
         28 . The electronic device of  claim 27 , wherein when the data obtained from the one or more motion sensors indicates presence of a user, the one or more control devices are configured to control operation of the one or more HINS light sources and the one or more non-HINS light sources such that the backlight comprises a blend of the HINS light and the non-HINS light. 
     
     
         29 . A human-machine interface (HMI) device, comprising:
 a biometric sensor configured to detect a biometric trait of a person; and   one or more high intensity narrow spectrum (HINS) light sources configured to emit HINS light onto a surface of the biometric sensor.   
     
     
         30 . The HMI device of  claim 29 , wherein the biometric trait includes a fingerprint. 
     
     
         31 . The HMI device of  claim 29 , further comprising one or more control devices configured to:
 obtain data indicative of whether a user is touching the surface of the biometric sensor; and   control operation of the one or more HINS light sources to emit HINS light onto the surface of the biometric sensor when the data indicates the user has not touched the surface of the biometric sensor for a threshold amount of time.   
     
     
         32 . The HMI device of  claim 31 , further comprising one or more non-HINS light sources configured to emit non-HINS light onto the surface of the biometric sensor. 
     
     
         33 . The HIM device of  claim 32 , wherein when the data indicates the user has not touched the surface of the biometric sensor for the threshold amount of time, the one or more control devices are further configured to:
 control operation of the one or more HINS light sources and the one or more non-HINS light sources to emit a blend of HINS light and non-HINS light onto the surface of the biometric sensor for a predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         34 . The HMI device of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 a keypad comprising a plurality of press-buttons; and   one or more HINS light sources configured to emit HINS light onto the plurality of press-buttons.