IP Library Granted Patent US 12,214,110
Granted Patent B2
US 12,214,110 · App. 17/333,685 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

Antimicrobial system with distributed disinfection controls, integrated arming switch sensors, and streamlined safe lockout protocol

Inventors: Steven T. Roe (Atlanta, GA); Richard L. Westrick, Jr. (Social Circle, GA)
Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
A61L9/20A61L2/10A61L2/24A61L2/26G08B5/22G08C23/04A61L2202/11A61L2202/14A61L2202/25A61L2209/111A61L2209/12A61L2209/15
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,214,110
App. No.
17/333,685
Granted
Feb 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Antimicrobial system including a luminaire configured to emit a disinfection light in an ultraviolet band for disinfecting a vicinity of a target pathogen. A switching device that includes a primary relay pack. A control station, an integrated arming switch, a room sensor. The integrated arming switch has a communication interface, an integrated room sensor, a processor, and integrated arming switch programming in a memory. Execution of the integrated arming switch programming by processor configures the integrated arming switch to perform the following functions. Based on a second input from the operator, produce a visual inspection signal. In response to the integrated room sensor detecting occupancy of the vicinity of the physical space by the human, produce a room state signal. Send, via the communication interface, the visual inspection signal to enable the primary relay pack to control power to the luminaire to emit the disinfection light.

Claims (109)

1. An antimicrobial system, comprising:

a luminaire configured to emit a disinfection light in an ultraviolet (UV) band for disinfecting a vicinity of a physical space of a target pathogen that is exposed to the disinfection light,

a switching device that includes a primary relay pack;

a control station located outside the physical space and coupled to the switching device including: (a) a disinfection initiation user interface element to produce an arming initiation signal based on a first input from an operator, (b) an arming completion interface user element to produce an arming completion signal based on a third input from the operator, and (c) a disinfection commencement user interface element to produce a disinfection commencement signal based on a fourth input from the operator; and

an integrated arming switch located inside the physical space, including:

an integrated arming switch communication interface,

an integrated arming switch processor coupled to the integrated arming switch communication interface,

an integrated arming switch room sensor coupled to the integrated arming switch processor,

an integrated arming switch memory coupled to the integrated arming switch processor, and

integrated arming switch control programming in the integrated arming switch memory;

wherein execution of the integrated arming switch control programming by the integrated arming switch processor configures the integrated arming switch to perform functions, including functions to:

based on a second input from the operator, produce a visual inspection signal;

in response to the integrated arming switch room sensor detecting whether the vicinity is occupied or unoccupied, produce a room state signal;

send, via the integrated arming switch communication interface, the visual inspection signal to cause the luminaire to emit the disinfection light via the primary relay pack; and

send, via the integrated arming switch communication interface, the room state signal to cause the luminaire to stop emitting the disinfection light via the primary relay pack.

2. The antimicrobial system of claim 1 , wherein:

the integrated arming switch room sensor includes:

(a) a passive infrared motion sensor;

(b) microphonics;

(c) an audio detector circuit;

(d) an ultra-wideband radio;

(e) a RADAR antenna;

(f) a LIDAR scanner; or

(g) a combination thereof.

3. The antimicrobial system of claim 1 , wherein:

execution of the integrated arming switch control programming by the integrated arming switch processor further configures the integrated arming switch to perform functions, including functions to:

prior to receiving the disinfection commencement signal, disable the functions to produce or send the room state signal; and

in response to receiving the disinfection commencement signal, enable the functions to produce or send the room state signal.

4. The antimicrobial system of claim 1 , wherein:

the integrated arming switch further comprises an integrated arming switch status indicator; and

execution of the integrated arming switch control programming by the integrated arming switch processor further configures the integrated arming switch to perform functions, including functions to:

in response to the integrated arming switch room sensor detecting occupancy of the vicinity, produce a motion status signal via the integrated arming switch status indicator; and

in response to the luminaire emitting the disinfection light, produce a disinfection status signal via the integrated arming switch status indicator.

5. The antimicrobial system of claim 1 , wherein:

the integrated arming switch is powered by an integrated arming switch battery;

the integrated arming switch memory of the integrated arming switch stores a minimum power storage threshold for operation of the integrated arming switch;

and execution of the integrated arming switch control programming by the integrated arming switch processor further configures the integrated arming switch to perform functions, including functions to:

detect a stored power amount in the integrated arming switch battery,

in response to the detected stored power amount in the integrated arming switch battery being less than the minimum power storage threshold, send, via the integrated arming switch communication interface, a low-power arming switch error message indicating a low-power state of the integrated arming switch to enable the primary relay pack to power off the disinfection light source to stop emitting the disinfection light.

6. The antimicrobial system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a standalone arming switch located inside the physical space and coupled to the switching device, including:

a standalone arming switch communication interface,

a standalone arming switch processor coupled to the standalone arming switch communication interface,

a standalone arming switch memory coupled to the standalone arming switch processor, and

standalone arming switch control programming in the standalone arming switch memory;

wherein execution of the standalone arming switch control programming by the standalone arming switch processor configures the standalone arming switch to perform functions, including functions to:

produce a standalone visual inspection signal based on a sixth input from the operator; and

send, via the standalone arming switch communication interface, the standalone visual inspection signal to enable the primary relay pack to control power to the luminaire to emit the disinfection light via the primary relay pack.

7. The antimicrobial system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a standalone room sensor independent from the integrated arming switch and located inside the physical space and coupled to the switching device, including:

a standalone room sensor communication interface,

a standalone room sensor processor coupled to the standalone room sensor communication interface,

a standalone room sensor memory coupled to the standalone room sensor processor, and

standalone room sensor control programming in the standalone room sensor memory;

wherein execution of the standalone room sensor control programming by the standalone room sensor processor configures the standalone room sensor to perform functions, including functions to:

produce a standalone room state signal in response to detecting occupancy of the vicinity; and

send, from the standalone room sensor, the standalone room state signal to enable the primary relay pack to control power to the luminaire to stop emitting the disinfection light via the primary relay pack.

8. The antimicrobial system of claim 7 , wherein:

the integrated arming switch room sensor includes a first field of view of the vicinity;

the standalone room sensor includes a second field of view of the vicinity;

the function of the integrated arming switch control programming to produce the room state signal further includes to produce the room state signal in response to the integrated arming switch room sensor detecting occupancy in the first field of view;

the function of the standalone room sensor control programming to produce the standalone room state signal further includes to produce the standalone room state signal in response to the standalone room sensor detecting occupancy in the second field of view; and

the first field of view and the second field of view overlap.

9. The antimicrobial system of claim 8 , wherein:

execution of the integrated arming switch control programming by the integrated arming switch processor further configures the integrated arming switch to perform functions, including functions to:

send, via the integrated arming switch communication interface, the room state signal to enable the primary relay pack to control power to the luminaire to stop emitting the disinfection light within the vicinity associated with the first field of view via the primary relay pack; and

execution of the standalone room sensor programming by the standalone room sensor processor further configures the standalone room sensor to perform functions, including functions to:

send, via the standalone room sensor communication interface, the standalone room state signal to enable the primary relay pack to control power to the luminaire to stop emitting the disinfection light within the vicinity associated with second field of view via the primary relay pack.

10. The antimicrobial system of claim 1 , wherein:

the arming initiation signal, the visual inspection signal, the arming completion signal, the security challenge signal, and the disinfection commencement signal are disinfection control signals produced in a disinfection control signal sequence.

11. The antimicrobial system of claim 10 , wherein:

each of the disinfection control signals are switched between an on signal or an off signal by the operator to control power to the disinfection light source to emit the disinfection light via the primary relay pack; and

in response to each of the disinfection controls signals being switched to the on signal by the operator within a limited time, the primary relay pack powers on the disinfection light source to emit the disinfection light.

12. The antimicrobial system of claim 11 , wherein:

in response to one or more of the disinfection controls signals being switched to the off signal, the primary relay pack powers off the disinfection light source to stop emitting the disinfection light.

13. The antimicrobial system of claim 1 , wherein the primary relay pack further includes:

a primary relay pack regulator coupled to the luminaire and configured to control power to the luminaire,

a primary relay pack processor coupled to the primary relay pack regulator and configured to control the primary relay pack regulator,

a primary relay pack memory accessible to the primary relay pack processor, and

distributed disinfection control programming in the primary relay pack memory;

wherein execution of the distributed disinfection control programming by the primary relay pack processor configures the primary relay pack to perform functions, including functions to:

in response to the visual inspection signal or the room state signal, control power to the luminaire to stop emitting the disinfection light via the primary relay pack regulator.

14. The antimicrobial system of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of luminaires, wherein:

execution of the distributed disinfection control programming by the primary relay pack processor further configures the primary relay pack to perform functions, including functions to:

control each of the luminaires to stop emitting the disinfection light in response to the visual inspection signal or the room state signal produced by the integrated arming switch indicating to turn off the disinfection light.

15. The antimicrobial system of claim 13 , wherein:

execution of the distributed control programming by the primary relay pack processor further configures the primary relay pack to perform functions, including functions to:

in response to the control station producing the arming initiation signal,

confirm the integrated arming switch is able to generate the visual inspection signal and the room state signal.

16. A method for an integrated arming switch lockout protocol, comprising:

providing a control station located outside a physical space, wherein the control station is coupled to a switching device and includes: (a) a disinfection initiation user interface element to produce an arming initiation signal based on a first input from an operator, (b) an arming completion interface user element to produce an arming completion signal based on a third input from the operator, and (c) a disinfection commencement user interface element to produce a disinfection commencement signal based on a fourth input from the operator;

based on a second input from the operator, producing a visual inspection signal;

in response to an integrated arming switch room sensor detecting whether a vicinity is occupied or unoccupied, producing a room state signal;

sending, via an integrated arming switch communication interface, the visual inspection signal configured to cause a luminaire to emit a disinfection light via a primary relay pack; and

sending, via the integrated arming switch communication interface, the room state signal configured to cause the luminaire to stop emitting the disinfection light via the primary relay pack.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the integrated arming switch room sensor includes:

(a) a passive infrared motion sensor;

(b) microphonics;

(c) an audio detector circuit;

(d) an ultra-wideband radio;

(e) a RADAR antenna;

(f) a LIDAR scanner; or

(g) a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

prior to receiving a disinfection commencement signal, disabling the functions to produce or send the room state signal; and

in response to receiving the disinfection commencement signal, enabling the functions to produce or send the room state signal.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

in response to the integrated arming switch room sensor detecting occupancy of the vicinity, produce a motion status signal via an integrated arming switch status indicator.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 2, 2021
From: ROE, STEVEN T.; WESTRICK, JR., RICHARD L.
To: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
Reel/Frame 056415/0678 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 17314655 · May 7, 2021
Continuation In Part 17204082 · Mar 17, 2021
Related Publication 20220296764A1 · Sep 22, 2022
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