Granted Patent B2

US 12,649,010 · App. 17/709,091 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Inventor: Jamie J. Childress (Seattle, WA)

Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY

A61L2/24A61L2/10A61L9/20A61L2103/75A61L2202/11A61L2202/14A61L2209/111

Abstract

Claims (62)

1 . A sanitization system for a space, comprising:

an ultraviolet (UV) light source configured to emit UV light towards a UV light zone at a UV light level;

a motion sensor device configured to sense movements of one or more individuals in the UV light zone; and

a controller in communication with the motion sensor device and the UV light source, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine, based on the movements of the one or more individuals sensed by the motion sensor device, an exposure parameter value for each of the one or more individuals in the UV light zone, wherein the exposure parameter value comprises a total exposure level,

determine that the exposure parameter value determined for at least one of the one or more individuals exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value comprises a threshold exposure level, and responsive to determining that the exposure parameter value determined for the at least one individual exceeds the threshold value, cause the UV light source to reduce the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards a part of the UV light zone that includes the at least one individual to a first reduced UV light level while maintaining the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards another part of the UV light zone, wherein the first reduced UV light level corresponds to the exposure parameter value to prevent the at least one individual from experiencing an unsafe UV light exposure,

determine a group flow velocity of the one or more individuals based on the movements of the one or more individuals sensed by the motion sensor device, wherein determining the group flow velocity of the one or more individuals comprises for a group of more than two of the one or more individuals, measuring an individual flow velocity for each individual in the group from a first point to a second point in the UV light zone and calculating an average individual flow velocity of the group, wherein the group flow velocity is equal to the calculated average individual flow velocity of the group, wherein a benchmark group flow velocity corresponds to the threshold exposure level, and

responsive to determining that the group flow velocity is lower than the benchmark group flow velocity, cause the UV light source to reduce the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards the UV light zone to a second reduced UV light level, wherein the second reduced UV light level corresponds to the threshold exposure level to prevent the group from experiencing an unsafe UV light exposure.

2 . The sanitization system of claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor device comprises an image capture device, wherein the one or more individuals comprise a plurality of individuals, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

identify different individuals of the plurality of individuals based on images captured by the image capture device; and

determine that a first exposure parameter value of a first individual occupant has exceeded the threshold elapsed time,

wherein causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level of the UV light comprises causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level in an area associated with the first individual occupant within the UV light zone and maintaining the UV light level in another area of the UV light zone.

3 . The sanitization system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

monitor the total exposure level for each of the one or more individuals based on the UV light level of the UV light and an elapsed time that each of the one or more individuals are exposed to UV light within the UV light zone, and

wherein causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards the UV light zone comprises causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level based on determining that the total exposure level for at least one of the one or more individuals has exceeded a threshold total exposure level.

4 . The sanitization system of claim 1 ,

wherein the exposure parameter value comprises an elapsed time that the one or more individuals are exposed to the UV light within the UV light zone, wherein the threshold value comprises a threshold elapsed time.

5 . The sanitization system of claim 1 , wherein determining the group flow velocity comprises determining an average period of time for the one or more individuals to move from a first point of the UV light zone to a second point of the UV light zone.

6 . The sanitization system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine an expected group flow velocity of the one or more individuals based on an operational parameter associated with the UV light zone,

wherein determining that the exposure parameter value exceeds the threshold value comprises determining that the expected group flow velocity is lower than the benchmark group flow velocity.

7 . The sanitization system of claim 1 , wherein the UV light zone is a first UV light zone of a plurality of UV light zones within the space, and wherein causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level comprises causing the UV light source to reduce a first UV light level in the first UV light zone and maintaining a second UV light level in a second UV light zone.

8 . The sanitization system of claim 7 , wherein different UV light zones are associated with different UV light levels based on one or more of (i) an expected group flow velocity in each respective UV light zone and (ii) an expected order in which the one or more individuals will enter each respective UV light zone.

9 . The sanitization system of claim 1 , wherein the UV light zone is a first UV light zone of a plurality of UV light zones within the space, wherein the controller is further configured to:

track the movements of the one or more individuals within the plurality of UV light zones based on data from the motion sensor device, and

determine the total exposure level of the one or more individuals based on tracking the movements of the one or more individuals within the plurality of UV light zones,

wherein causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level comprises causing UV light to reduce a respective UV light level within at least one of the plurality of UV light zones based on determining that a respective total exposure level exceeds the threshold exposure level.

10 . The sanitization system of claim 1 , wherein the UV light zone is a first UV light zone of a plurality of UV light zones within the space, and wherein each respective UV light zone is associated with a respective UV light level.

11 . The sanitization system of claim 10 , wherein each respective UV light level corresponds to a respective benchmark group flow velocity of individuals within a respective UV light zone.

12 . The sanitization system of claim 1 , further comprising a server, wherein the controller is further configured to:

track the total exposure level for each of the one or more individuals based on the UV light level of the UV light and an elapsed time that each of the one or more individuals are exposed to UV light within the UV light zone; and

store a representation of the total exposure level tracked for each of the one or more individuals,

wherein one or more separate sanitization systems in a network of sanitization systems are configured to access the server in order to maintain the total exposure level for each of the one or more individuals below the threshold exposure level.

13 . The sanitization system of claim 1 , further comprising a movable component that is configured to cause the UV light source to adjust a direction, a beam angle, or a beam spread of UV light emitted by the UV light source and wherein causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level of the UV light comprises causing the UV light source to avoid emitting UV light toward a respective individual whose exposure parameter value has reached the threshold value.

14 . A method for sanitizing a space, comprising:

controlling, by a controller of a sanitization system, an ultraviolet (UV) light source to emit UV light towards a UV light zone at a UV light level;

receiving, by the controller from a motion sensor device, data that indicates movements of one or more individuals within the UV light zone;

determining, by the controller based on the movements of the one or more individuals within the UV light zone, an exposure parameter value for each of the one or more individuals in the UV light zone;

determining, by the controller, that the exposure parameter value of at least one individual of the one or more individuals exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value comprises a threshold exposure level, and responsive to determining that the exposure parameter value determined for the at least one individual exceeds the threshold value, cause the UV light source to reduce the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards a part of the UV light zone that includes the at least one individual to a first reduced UV light level while maintaining the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards another part of the UV light zone, wherein the first reduced UV light level corresponds to the exposure parameter value to prevent the at least one individual from experiencing an unsafe UV light exposure,

determining, by the controller, a group flow velocity of the one or more individuals based on the movements of the one or more individuals sensed by the motion sensor device, wherein determining the group flow velocity of the one or more individuals comprises for a group of more than two of the one or more individuals, measuring an individual flow velocity for each individual in the group from a first point to a second point in the UV light zone and calculating an average individual flow velocity of the group, wherein the group flow velocity is equal to the calculated average individual flow velocity of the group, wherein a benchmark group flow velocity corresponds to the threshold exposure level, and

responsive to determining that the group flow velocity is lower than the benchmark group flow velocity, cause the UV light source to reduce the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards the UV light zone to a second reduced UV light level, wherein the second reduced UV light level corresponds to the threshold exposure level to prevent the group from experiencing an unsafe UV light exposure.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the exposure parameter value comprises a total exposure level, the method further comprising:

tracking, by the controller, the total exposure level for each of the one or more individuals based on the UV light level of the UV light and an elapsed time that each of the one or more individuals are exposed to UV light within the UV light zone,

wherein causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards the UV light zone comprises causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level based on determining that the total exposure level for at least one of the one or more individuals has exceeded a threshold total exposure level.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the exposure parameter value comprises a total exposure level

wherein the group flow velocity is inversely proportional to the total exposure level, and

wherein determining that the exposure parameter value exceeds the threshold value comprises determining that the group flow velocity is lower than the benchmark group flow velocity.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the exposure parameter value comprises a total exposure level, the method further comprising:

determining, by the controller, an expected group flow velocity of the one or more individuals based on an operational parameter associated with the UV light zone, wherein the expected group flow velocity is inversely proportional to the total exposure level, and wherein a benchmark group flow velocity corresponds to the threshold exposure level,

wherein determining that the exposure parameter value exceeds the threshold value comprises determining that the expected group flow velocity is lower than the benchmark group flow velocity.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the exposure parameter value comprises an elapsed time that the one or more individuals are exposed to the UV light within the UV light zone, wherein the threshold value comprises a threshold elapsed time, and wherein causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level comprises causing the UV light source to reduce the UV light level based on determining that a respective elapsed time for a respective individual occupant exceeds the threshold elapsed time.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the exposure parameter value comprises a total exposure level, the method further comprising:

tracking, by the controller, the total exposure level for each of the one or more individuals based on the UV light level of the UV light and an elapsed time that each of the one or more individuals are exposed to UV light within the UV light zone; and

storing, by the controller, a representation of the total exposure level tracked for each of the one or more individuals in a server,

wherein one or more separate sanitization systems in a network of sanitization systems are configured to access the server in order to maintain the total exposure level for each of the one or more individuals below the threshold exposure level.

20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors cause a controller of a sanitization system to perform functions comprising:

controlling an ultraviolet (UV) light source to emit UV light towards a UV light zone at a UV light level;

receiving, from a motion sensor device, data that indicates movements of one or more individuals within the UV light zone;

determining, based on the movements of the one or more individuals within the UV light zone, an exposure parameter value for each of the one or more individuals in the UV light zone;

determining that the exposure parameter value of at least one individual of the one or more individuals exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value comprises a threshold exposure level, and responsive to determining that the exposure parameter value determined for the at least one individual exceeds the threshold value, cause the UV light source to reduce the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards a part of the UV light zone that includes the at least one individual to a first reduced UV light level while maintaining the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards another part of the UV light zone, wherein the first reduced UV light level corresponds to the exposure parameter value to prevent the at least one individual from experiencing an unsafe UV light exposure,

determining, by the controller, a group flow velocity of the one or more individuals based on the movements of the one or more individuals sensed by the motion sensor device, wherein determining the group flow velocity of the one or more individuals comprises for a group of more than two of the one or more individuals, measuring an individual flow velocity for each individual in the group from a first point to a second point in the UV light zone and calculating an average individual flow velocity of the group, wherein the group flow velocity is equal to the calculated average individual flow velocity of the group, wherein a benchmark group flow velocity corresponds to the threshold exposure level, and

responsive to determining that the group flow velocity is lower than the benchmark group flow velocity, cause the UV light source to reduce the UV light level of the UV light emitted towards the UV light zone to a second reduced UV light level, wherein the second reduced UV light level corresponds to the threshold exposure level to prevent the group from experiencing an unsafe UV light exposure.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (62)