IP Library Granted Patent US 12,343,438
Granted Patent B2
US 12,343,438 · App. 17/865,043 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Luminaire emitting two different bands of disinfection light

Inventors: David P. Ramer (Reston, VA); Jack C. Rains (Sarasota, FL)
Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
A61L2/10A61L2/24A61L2202/11A61L2202/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,343,438
App. No.
17/865,043
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An antimicrobial system, including a luminaire. The luminaire includes a first disinfection light source to emit a first disinfection light in a first ultraviolet (UV) band for disinfecting an occupied space of a plurality of pathogens that are exposed to the first disinfection light, the first UV band being 200 nanometers (nm) to 250 nm principal wavelength. The luminaire also includes a second disinfection light source to emit a second disinfection light in a second UV band for disinfecting an unoccupied space of the plurality of pathogens that are exposed to the second disinfection light, the second UV band being 200 nm to 400 nm principal wavelength. The antimicrobial system also includes a disinfection light control device to generate a control signal to control emission of the first disinfection light and the second disinfection light.

Claims (70)

1. A luminaire, comprising:

a first disinfection light source to emit a first disinfection light in a first ultraviolet (UV) band for disinfecting an occupied space of a pathogen that is exposed to the first disinfection light, the first UV band being 200 nanometers (nm) to 250 nm principal wavelength; and

a second disinfection light source to emit a second disinfection light in a second UV band for disinfecting an unoccupied space of the pathogen that is exposed to the second disinfection light, the second UV band being 200 nm to 400 nm principal wavelength.

2. The luminaire of claim 1 , wherein the first disinfection light source includes a krypton chloride lamp.

3. The luminaire of claim 1 , wherein the first disinfection light source includes a second-harmonic laser system.

4. The luminaire of claim 1 , wherein the second disinfection light source includes a pulsed xenon lamp, a mercury vapor lamp, or an ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light-emitting diode (LED).

5. The luminaire of claim 1 , wherein:

the first UV band and the second UV band are non-overlapping;

the first UV band is only 200 nm to 250 nm principal wavelength; and

the second UV band is only 250 nm to 380 nm principal wavelength.

6. The luminaire of claim 1 , further comprising:

a driver circuit coupled to the first disinfection light source to control light source operation of the first disinfection light source, and coupled to the second disinfection light source to control light source operation of the second disinfection light source.

7. The luminaire of claim 6 , further comprising:

a luminaire control circuit including:

a luminaire processor coupled to the driver circuit and configured to control the first disinfection light source and the second disinfection light source via the driver circuit;

a luminaire memory accessible to the luminaire processor; and

exposure and dosage control programming in the luminaire memory, wherein execution of the exposure and dosage control programming by the luminaire processor causes the luminaire to:

control the first disinfection light source over a dose cycle to emit the first disinfection light continuously or during a plurality of periods for disinfecting the occupied space to substantially obtain a pathogen UV radiation level and restrict a total UV radiation threshold exposure level by a UV radiation threshold limit; and

control the second disinfection light source to emit the second disinfection light for disinfecting the unoccupied space.

8. The luminaire of claim 7 , wherein:

controlling the first disinfection light source over the dose cycle causes the luminaire to:

(a) emit the first disinfection light for disinfecting the occupied space;

(b) track an elapsed time of the dose cycle based on a beginning time;

(c) adjust the total UV radiation threshold exposure level based on an emission of the first disinfection light continuously or during the plurality of periods; and

(d) determine whether the total UV radiation threshold exposure level falls below or exceeds the UV radiation threshold limit.

9. The luminaire of claim 8 , wherein:

controlling the first disinfection light source over the dose cycle causes the luminaire to:

(e) reduce a light intensity of the emission of the first disinfection light; and

(f) track an intensity history of the dose cycle based on the beginning time and the light intensity.

10. The luminaire of claim 1 , wherein:

the luminaire is coupled to a lighting system via a network to control light source operation of the first disinfection light source, and coupled to the second disinfection light source to control light source operation of the second disinfection light source.

11. An antimicrobial system, comprising:

a luminaire, including:

a first disinfection light source to emit a first disinfection light in a first ultraviolet (UV) band for disinfecting an occupied space of a plurality of pathogens that are exposed to the first disinfection light, the first UV band being 200 nanometers (nm) to 250 nm principal wavelength; and

a second disinfection light source to emit a second disinfection light in a second UV band for disinfecting an unoccupied space of the plurality of pathogens that are exposed to the second disinfection light, the second UV band being 200 nm to 400 nm principal wavelength; and

a disinfection light control device to generate a control signal to control emission of the first disinfection light and the second disinfection light.

12. The antimicrobial system of claim 11 , wherein the luminaire includes:

a driver circuit coupled to the first disinfection light source to control light source operation of the first disinfection light source, and coupled to the second disinfection light source to control light source operation of the second disinfection light source.

13. The antimicrobial system of claim 12 , wherein the luminaire includes:

a luminaire control circuit including:

a luminaire processor coupled to the driver circuit and configured to control the first disinfection light source and the second disinfection light source via the driver circuit;

a luminaire memory accessible to the luminaire processor; and

exposure and dosage control programming in the luminaire memory, wherein execution of the exposure and dosage control programming by the luminaire processor causes the luminaire to:

receive the control signal to control emission of the first disinfection light and the second disinfection light; and

control, via the driver circuit, the first disinfection light source and the second disinfection light source based on the control signal.

14. The antimicrobial system of claim 13 , wherein:

the disinfection light control device includes a detector;

the control signal includes a sensing signal indicating that a human is present in a vicinity or not present in the vicinity.

15. The antimicrobial system of claim 14 , wherein controlling, via the driver circuit, the first disinfection light source and the second disinfection light source based on the control signal causes the luminaire to:

in response to receiving the sensing signal indicating the human is present in the vicinity, emit the first disinfection light.

16. The antimicrobial system of claim 14 , wherein controlling, via the driver circuit, the first disinfection light source and the second disinfection light source based on the control signal causes the luminaire to:

in response to receiving the sensing signal indicating the human is not present in the vicinity, emit the second disinfection light.

17. The antimicrobial system of claim 14 , wherein:

the detector includes a passive infrared sensor, an active infrared sensor, or an image sensor that captures images and subsequently processes the captured images to detect the human in the vicinity.

18. The antimicrobial system of claim 14 , wherein:

the detector includes a radar sensor, a wireless signal sensor, or a people counting sensor to detect the human in the vicinity.

19. The antimicrobial system of claim 11 , wherein:

the control signal includes:

(i) a sensing signal indicating that a human is present in a vicinity or not present in the vicinity;

(ii) an on/off signal responsive to a wall switch or a touch screen device;

(iii) a time of day; or

(iv) a combination thereof.

20. The antimicrobial system of claim 11 , wherein:

the disinfection light control device includes a user interface device.

21. The antimicrobial system of claim 11 , wherein:

the plurality of pathogens include different microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, protozoa, prions, fungal spores, or other infectious agents.

22. The antimicrobial system of claim 11 , wherein:

the first UV band and the second UV band are non-overlapping;

the first UV band is only 200 nm to 250 nm principal wavelength; and

the second UV band is only 250 nm to 380 nm principal wavelength.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2022
From: RAMER, DAVID P.; RAINS, JACK C.
To: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
Reel/Frame 060568/0111 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 17186832 · Feb 26, 2021
Continuation In Part 17005971 · Aug 28, 2020
Related Publication 20220347329A1 · Nov 3, 2022
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