Systems and methods for sanitizing portable devices

Abstract

A sanitization device comprises an enclosure comprising emitters configured to emit sanitizing electro-optical radiation into an interior compartment. The sanitization device further includes a panel having an open configuration and a closed configuration adapted to enclose the inner compartment. The panel includes an inner surface forming a depression configured to receive a portable device when the panel is in the open configuration and to secure the portable device as the panel transitions to the closed configuration. The sanitization device may further comprise an actuator configured to transition the panel between the open and closed configurations in response to inputs received via a touchless input interface.

24 . An apparatus for portable device sanitization management, comprising:
 a memory storing instructions; and   a processor configured to execute the instructions to:   receive, via a communication network, monitoring metadata associated with a portable device (PD), the monitoring metadata including an identifier of the PD;   determine a state of the PD using the monitoring metadata, the state indicating sanitization history information of the PD and a future sanitization operation of the PD;   determine a sanitization policy for the PD, the sanitization policy including a recommended time between sanitization operations of the PD and a maximum time between sanitizations operations of the PD;   generate sanitization management data for the PD including a command to perform the future sanitization operation of the PD, the sanitization management data facilitating compliance with the sanitization policy by the PD; and   transmit, via the communication network, the command to perform the future sanitization operation of the PD.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the identifier of the PD is associated with a radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag of the PD. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the monitoring metadata is received from an RFID device installed at a building location and configured to read the RFID tag of the PD. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the building location is an office location, an examination room location, an operating room location, or a laboratory room location.  28  (New) The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the monitoring metadata includes data indicating the building location and data reflecting an amount of time the PD is located at the building location. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of claim  28 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:
 determine one or more patients that were in a vicinity of the PD using the data indicating the building location; and   determine potential exposure to a contaminant for the PD based on one or more medical conditions of the determined one or more patients.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the monitoring metadata is received from a sanitization station configured to perform a sanitization operation on the PD. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the sanitization station is configured to detect that the PD is enclosed within the sanitization station. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the monitoring metadata includes a sanitization record indicating the PD was sanitized at the sanitization station at a particular time, wherein the sanitization record forms the sanitization history information. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the monitoring metadata includes one or more of a location of the sanitization station, an identification of an individual who performed a sanitization operation of the PD at the station, a duration of the sanitization operation of the PD at the station, and an indication whether the sanitization operation of the PD at the station was completed. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:
 cause hosting of a management client for the PD at the apparatus, the management client configured to generate a notification that the future sanitization operation of the PD is now required.   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the notification is configured to interrupt a functionality of the PD and require user interaction with the PD that acknowledges the notification before the PD can resume the functionality. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the notification is configured to power down the PD until the future sanitization operation of the PD is performed. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the notification is configured to not interrupt a functionality of the PD. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the PD is not capable of running or hosting a management client. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the sanitization history information indicates one or more of a last sanitization operation performed on the PD, a time elapsed since the last sanitization operation of the PD, usage of the PD since the last sanitization operation, and location information of the PD since the last sanitization operation. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the command to perform the future sanitization operation of the PD is transmitted to a sanitization station. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the command to perform the future sanitization operation of the PD is transmitted to the PD. 
     
     
         42 . A sanitization management system comprising:
 one or more sanitization stations each comprising:   an enclosure configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the open configuration allowing an object to be positioned within the enclosure;   one or more emitters each configured to emit sanitizing electro-optical (EO) radiation into the enclosure; and   one or more processors to collect monitoring metadata associated with a portable device (PD) positioned within the enclosure and sanitized by the sanitization station; and   a sanitization manager to manage sanitization of a set of one or more PDs, the sanitization manager comprising:   a communication network interface to communicate with the one or more sanitization stations via a communication network;   memory storing instructions; and   one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to:   receive, from a given sanitization station of the one or more sanitization stations, monitoring metadata associated with a sanitized PD of the set of one or more PDs, the monitoring metadata including an identifier of the sanitized PD;   determine a state of the sanitized PD using the monitoring metadata, the state indicating sanitization history information of the sanitized PD and a future sanitization operation of the sanitized PD;   determine a sanitization policy for the sanitized PD, the sanitization policy including a recommended time between sanitization operations of the PD and a maximum time between sanitizations operations of the sanitized PD;   generate sanitization management data for the sanitized PD including a command to perform the future sanitization operation of the sanitized PD, the sanitization management data facilitating compliance with the sanitization policy by the sanitized PD; and   transmit to a commanded sanitization station of the one or more sanitization stations the command to perform the future sanitization operation of the sanitized PD.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein each of the one or more sanitization stations is configured to detect that the PD is enclosed within the sanitization station