IP Library Granted Patent US 12,186,439
Granted Patent B2
US 12,186,439 · App. 17/244,433 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Method and sterilization system for improving duty cycle of robotic system and ultraviolet (UV) emitters disinfecting closed environment

Inventor: Samuel Richard Trapani (Rochester, NY)
Assignee: STERILIZ, LLC
A61L2/10A61L2/202A61L2/208A61L2/24A61L9/015A61L9/20A61L2202/11A61L2202/14A61L2202/16A61L2202/25G01J2001/0276G01J1/429
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,186,439
App. No.
17/244,433
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Method, sterilization system and robotic system for improving duty cycle of Ultraviolet (UV) emitter modules disinfecting closed environment. Sterilization system includes robotic system and plurality of UV emitter modules. Robotic system receives signal corresponding to discharge of battery from one of plurality of UV emitter modules. Each of plurality of UV emitter modules includes UV light source for disinfecting closed environment. Robotic system detects location of UV emitter module amongst plurality of UV emitter modules and maneuvers to location of UV emitter module, mounts UV emitter module and maneuvers UV emitter module to charging dock for charging battery of UV emitter module. After charging, robotic system maneuvers UV emitter module to pre-defined area for disinfecting pre-defined area of closed environment. Robotic system includes battery charged through UV emitter module when UV emitter module is getting charged, or when UV emitter module mounted to robotic system includes battery that is fully charged.

Claims (48)

1. A method of improving duty cycle of Ultraviolet (UV) emitter modules for disinfecting closed environment, method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, signal corresponding to discharge of battery from one of plurality of UV emitter modules, wherein each of said plurality of UV emitter modules comprises a Ultraviolet (UV) light source for disinfecting closed environment;

detecting, by said processor, location of a UV emitter module amongst said plurality of UV emitters;

maneuvering, by said processor, a robotic system to location of said UV emitter module;

mounting, by said processor, said UV emitter module to said robotic system for maneuvering said UV emitter module to charging dock for charging a battery of said UV emitter module; and

upon charging, maneuvering, by said processor, said UV emitter module to a pre-defined area for disinfecting pre-defined area of a closed environment, such that charging respective battery of each of said plurality of UV emitter modules upon being discharged continuously improves duty cycle of plurality of UV emitter modules for disinfecting closed environment.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprises: charging the battery of said robotic system through an emitter interface provided at said robotic system when said battery of said UV emitter module gets charged or when said UV emitter module mounted to said robotic system comprises said battery that is fully charged for improving duty cycle of said plurality of UV emitter modules and said robotic system.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprises receiving, by said processor, a signal corresponding to discharge of said battery of said UV emitter module of said plurality of UV emitter modules from a user device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein maneuvering further comprises:

detecting, by said processor, presence of humans in the closed environment or along route while maneuvering.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprises: terminating maneuvering of said robotic system upon detecting presence of the humans in the closed environment or along route while maneuvering.

6. A robotic system in conjunction with Ultraviolet (UV) emitter modules for improving duty cycle of UV emitter modules for disinfecting closed environment, said robotic system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to said processor, wherein said processor is configured to execute program instructions stored in said memory, to:

receive signal corresponding to discharge of a battery from one of plurality of UV emitter modules, wherein each of said plurality of UV emitter modules comprises a Ultraviolet (UV) light source for disinfecting closed environment;

detect location of a UV emitter amongst said plurality of UV emitter modules;

maneuver to the location of said UV emitter module;

mount said UV emitter to maneuver said UV emitter module to a charging dock for charging a battery of said UV emitter module; and

upon charging, maneuver said UV emitter module to a pre-defined area for disinfecting pre-defined area of a closed environment, such that charging respective battery of each of said plurality of UV emitter modules upon being discharged continuously improves duty cycle of said plurality of UV emitter modules for disinfecting closed environment.

7. The robotic system of claim 6 , further comprises an emitter interface for mounting said UV emitter modules.

8. The robotic system of claim 7 , wherein said emitter interface is used for charging the battery of said robotic system when the battery of said UV emitter module gets charged or when said UV emitter module mounted to said robotic system comprises the battery that is fully charged for improving duty cycle of said plurality of UV emitter modules and said robotic system.

9. The robotic system of claim 6 , further comprises a user device communicatively connected to said robotic system, wherein said user device is configured to provide a signal corresponding to discharge of the battery of said UV emitter module to said robotic system.

10. The robotic system of claim 6 , further comprises sensors configured to detect presence of humans in the closed environment or along route of said robotic system while maneuvering.

11. The robotic system of claim 8 , wherein said processor is further configured to terminate maneuvering of said robotic system upon detecting presence of humans in the closed environment or along route while maneuvering.

12. A sterilization system for improving duty cycle of Ultraviolet (UV) emitter modules for disinfecting closed environment, said sterilization system comprising:

a robotic system; and

a first UV emitter module and a second UV emitter module, wherein each of said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module comprises a battery, and wherein each of said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module comprises a Ultraviolet (UV) light source for disinfecting a closed environment,

wherein said robotic system is configured to:

receive a signal corresponding to discharge of the battery from said first UV emitter module;

detect location of said first UV emitter module;

maneuver to location of said first UV emitter module;

mount said first UV emitter module to maneuver said first UV emitter module to a charging dock for charging the battery of said first UV emitter module; and

upon charging, maneuver said first UV emitter module to a pre-defined area; and

wherein said robotic system is configured to:

receive a signal corresponding to discharge of the battery from said second UV emitter module;

detect location of said second UV emitter module;

maneuver to location of second UV emitter module;

mount said second UV emitter module to maneuver said second UV emitter module to the charging dock for charging the battery of said second UV emitter module; and

upon charging, maneuver said second UV emitter module to a pre-defined area,

wherein said robotic system ensures one of said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module is used for disinfecting the closed environment while other is charged thereby improving duty cycle of said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module for disinfecting the closed environment.

13. The sterilization system of claim 12 , wherein said robotic system comprises an emitter interface for mounting said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module.

14. The sterilization system of claim 13 , wherein said emitter interface is used for charging the battery of said robotic system when the battery of said first UV emitter module or said second UV emitter module get charged or when said first UV emitter module or said second UV emitter module mounts to said robotic system comprises the battery that is fully charged for improving duty cycle of said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module, and said robotic system.

15. The sterilization system of claim 12 , further comprises a user device configured to provide a signal corresponding to discharge of the battery of said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module.

16. The sterilization system of claim 12 , wherein said robotic system comprises sensors configured to detect presence of humans in the closed environment or along route while maneuvering.

17. The sterilization system of claim 12 , wherein said robotic system is configured to terminate maneuvering upon detecting presence of humans in the closed environment or along route while maneuvering.

18. The sterilization system of claim 12 , wherein each of said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module comprises a UV sensor configured to measure intensity of UV radiation produced by said UV light source of respective said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module.

19. The sterilization system of claim 12 , wherein each of said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module comprises a sensor configured to detect presence of humans to operate or terminate said UV light source for disinfecting the closed environment.

20. The sterilization system of claim 12 , wherein each of said first UV emitter module and said second UV emitter module comprises size different from other to provide varied UV radiation for disinfecting the pre-defined area in the closed environment.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2021
From: TRAPANI, SAMUEL RICHARD
To: STERILIZ, LLC
Reel/Frame 056087/0738 →
Continuity (9)
Continuation In Part 16164150 · Oct 18, 2018
Continuation In Part 15169164 · May 31, 2016
Continuation 14263774 · Apr 28, 2014
Continuation 13964874 · Aug 12, 2013
Continuation In Part 13964874 · Aug 12, 2013
Continuation In Part 13446563 · Apr 13, 2012
Provisional Application 63029292 · May 22, 2020
Provisional Application 61475722 · Apr 15, 2011
Related Publication 20210244839A1 · Aug 12, 2021
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