Uv germicidal devices, systems, and methods

Abstract

A germicidal system for use in disinfecting one or more contact surfaces includes one or more germicidal devices each comprising a germicidal light source. The one or more germicidal devices may be connected to a network, which allows for controlling the operational parameters of the one or more germicidal devices and/or collecting information from the one or more germicidal devices.

1 . A disinfection apparatus comprising:
 a germicidal light source selectively activatable to generate an irradiation area for disinfection;   a sensing system configured to detect human presence or human absence in proximity to the irradiation area;   a processor in communication with the germicidal light source and the sensing system, the processor configured to execute a disinfection protocol including:
 a periodic disinfection cycle, the periodic disinfection cycle including a series of periodic automatic activations and deactivations of the germicidal light source; 
 a presence-based disinfection cycle, the presence-based disinfection cycle being aperiodic and including automatic activation of the germicidal light source based on output from the sensing system indicative of human absence occurring in sequence following human presence; and 
 a presence-based germicidal light source deactivation, the presence-based deactivation including deactivation of an active germicidal light source in response to output from the sensing system indicative of human presence, wherein the presence-based deactivation occurs during the periodic disinfection cycle and the presence-based disinfection cycle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing system is configured to detect human interaction with a contact surface in the irradiation area and wherein the presence-based disinfection cycle is based on output from the sensing system indicative of human absence occurring in sequence following human interaction with a contact surface in the irradiation area. 
     
     
         3 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the presence-based disinfection cycle includes a delay prior to the automatic activation of the germicidal lights source, the delay including a predefined amount of time where output from the sensing system continuously indicates human absence. 
     
     
         4 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the disinfection apparatus includes a work light for illuminating an area surrounding the human interface device. 
     
     
         5 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing system is a dual-mode sensing system including a proximity sensor and an interaction sensor, wherein the proximity sensor provides output indicative of human presence or human absence and wherein the interaction sensor provides output indicative of user interaction with a contact surface in the irradiation area. 
     
     
         6 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to pause the periodic disinfection cycle in response to the presence-based germicidal light source deactivation and to resume the periodic disinfection cycle after a delay period, the delay period including a predefined amount of time where output from the sensing system continuously indicates human absence. 
     
     
         7 . A disinfection apparatus comprising:
 a germicidal light source selectively activatable to generate a UV illumination area for disinfection;   a sensing system including a passive infrared sensor, the sensing system generating sensor output;   a processor in communication with the germicidal light source and the sensing system, wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine interaction detection events from the sensor output; 
 determine proximity detection events from the sensor output; 
 execute a disinfection protocol including periodic disinfection, presence-based disinfection, and presence-based germicidal light source deactivation. 
   
     
     
         8 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the processor is configured to initiate the presence-based disinfection in response to a lack of interaction and proximity detection events for a pre-determined period of time occurring in sequence following an interaction detection event. 
     
     
         9 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the periodic disinfection includes a series of periodic automatic activations and deactivations of the germicidal light source, wherein the presence-based disinfection includes aperiodic automatic activation of the germicidal light source, and wherein the presence-based deactivation includes deactivation of an active germicidal light source. 
     
     
         10 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the sensor output includes a first sensor output and a second sensor output, wherein the processor is configured to initiate presence-based disinfection in response to the first sensor output, and wherein the processor is configured to disrupt the periodic disinfection and presence-based disinfection in response to the second sensor output. 
     
     
         11 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the processor is configured to determine a human absence event in response to sensor output indicative of human absence in the UV illumination area, wherein the processor is configured to determine an interaction detection event in response to sensor output indicative of human interaction with a contact surface in the UV illumination area, and wherein the processor is configured to initiate presence-based disinfection in response to the human absence event occurring in sequence following the interaction detection event. 
     
     
         12 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the processor is configured to initiate presence-based disinfection in response to a plurality of consecutive human absence events occurring in sequence following the interaction detection event. 
     
     
         13 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the plurality of consecutive human absence events occur within a pre-defined delay time period. 
     
     
         14 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 7  including a work light for illuminating an area surrounding the UV illumination area. 
     
     
         15 . The disinfection apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the sensing system is a dual-mode sensing system including a proximity sensor and an interaction sensor, wherein the proximity sensor provides sensor output indicative of human presence or human absence and wherein the interaction sensor provides sensor output indicative of user interaction with a contact surface in the irradiation area. 
     
     
         16 . A disinfection method comprising:
 selectively activating, with a processor, a germicidal light source to disinfect an area;   sensing, with a sensing system, human presence or human absence in proximity to the area;   periodically and automatically activating and deactivating the germicidal light source to provide a periodic disinfection cycle;   aperiodically and automatically activating, with the processor, the germicidal light source based on output from the sensing system indicative of human absence occurring in sequence following human presence to provide a presence-based disinfection cycle; and   deactivating an active germicidal light source in response to output from the sensing system indicative of human presence to provide presence-based germicidal light source deactivation during the periodic disinfection cycle and the presence-based disinfection cycle.   
     
     
         17 . The disinfection method of  claim 16 , wherein the sensing human presence, with the sensing system, includes sensing human interaction with a contact surface in the area. 
     
     
         18 . The disinfection method of  claim 16 , wherein the presence-based disinfection cycle includes delaying activation of the germicidal light source following output from the sensing system indicating human absence until after a predefined amount of time passes without the sensing system indicating human presence. 
     
     
         19 . The disinfection method of  claim 16 , including activating a work light to generate visible light in a visible light area. 
     
     
         20 . The disinfection method of  claim 16 , wherein the sensing system is a dual-mode sensing system, wherein the sensing system includes a proximity sensor and an interaction sensor, wherein the method includes sensing, with the proximity sensor, human presence or human absence and sensing, with the interaction sensor, user interaction with a contact surface in the irradiation area.