ULTRAVIOLET DISCHARGE LAMP DEVICE WITH ONE OR MORE REFLECTORS AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING OPERATIVE PARAMETERS AND Sterilization SCHEDULS FOR

Abstract

An ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus with one or more reflectors and a system for determining operating parameters and a sterilization list of a sterilization apparatus. Systems are disclosed that include processor executable program instructions for receiving data regarding characteristics of a room in which one or more disinfection sources are arranged and determining individual operating parameters of the one or more disinfection sources based on the received data. Yet other systems include a system for discriminating, for each of a plurality of disinfection sources, a target location, region, object, or surface within a room in which the disinfection sources are arranged, comparing the target location / region / object / surface, and processor executable program instructions to execute a corrective action upon detecting that two or more locations / regions / objects / surfaces are within a predetermined distance from each other and / or upon detecting that two or more regions overlap.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application filed again for the divisional application 202010996657.3. The divisional application 202010996657.3 is a divisional application of the invention patent application with the application date of June 8, 2012, the application number of "201710083707.7", and the invention name of "Ultraviolet discharge lamp device with one or more reflectors and a system for determining the operating parameters and disinfection list of the sterilization device". Technical Field

[0002] The present invention generally relates to ultraviolet discharge lamp devices and systems for controlling the operation of germicidal devices, and more particularly to ultraviolet discharge lamp devices having one or more reflectors, methods of operating such devices, and systems for determining operating parameters and disinfection schedules for germicidal devices. Background Art

[0003] The following descriptions and examples are not admitted to be prior art by reason of their inclusion in this section.

[0004] In general, a sterilization system is designed to subject one or more surfaces and / or objects to a sterilant to deactivate or kill microorganisms residing on these (these) surfaces and / or objects. Applications of sterilization systems include, but are not limited to, sterilization, object disinfection, and room / area decontamination. Examples of sterilization systems are those used to sterilize surgical tools, food, or drug packaging. Examples of area / room decontamination systems are those used in hospital rooms to disinfect their surfaces and objects and those used in agricultural operations, such as those used to cultivate and / or raise animals. Area / room disinfection is becoming increasingly important because pathogenic microorganisms have been shown to exist in the environment and cause infection. This is especially important because resistant microorganisms are more common in the environment and are increasingly difficult to deal with.

[0005] The challenge for conventional room / area decontamination systems is to distribute the disinfectant to all surfaces that need to be disinfected in an effective manner. In particular, due to the constraints of cost and size, many conventional room / area decontamination systems are limited in the number of disinfection sources they include. In addition, the directionality of the disinfectant in the conventional room / area decontamination system is usually fixed. As a result, conventional systems are usually configured to deliver high doses of disinfectant, so that a large number of surfaces in the room or area can be disinfected at the same time. The problem with the high-dose carpet distribution of disinfectant is that some parts of the room or area may be overexposed, which is actually a waste of disinfectant and potentially a waste of time and / or energy to perform the disinfection process. In addition, in some cases, parts of the room / area may not receive enough disinfectant when the disinfectant is carpet-distributed throughout the room, especially those surfaces that are relatively far away from the disinfection source and / or are not in a straight line with the disinfection source. Insufficient exposure under the disinfectant can leave an undesirable large number of pathogenic microorganisms on the surface or object, making people who subsequently contact these surfaces highly susceptible to infection.

[0006] Another problem with conventional room / area decontamination systems is the lack of consideration and prioritization of objects and surfaces in the room in performing the disinfection process. Therefore, if the disinfection process for a room / area is terminated before the allotted time, it is possible that objects and / or surfaces in the room that are likely to be highly contaminated will not have been fully disinfected. In particular, the disinfection source of a room / area decontamination system is typically positioned or installed near a central point of the room (rather than near one or more specific objects) so that the exposure of the disinfectant from the source to the periphery of the room / area is substantially uniform throughout the room / area. Similarly, in the case where the system includes multiple disinfection devices, these devices are typically evenly distributed throughout the room rather than near one or more specific objects in an effort to disinfect the entire room in a given disinfection process.

[0007] In some embodiments, the disinfection source of the room / area decontamination system can be positioned near an object or surface, such as a bed in a hospital room, but positioning the disinfection source near a specific object does not meet the disinfection needs of other objects or surfaces in the room / area that are likely to be considered highly contaminated, such as door handles or light switches in the room. In addition, when the disinfection source is fixedly installed in a specific position in the room, if the object is moved, the effectiveness of its position for the specific object will be invalidated. In the case where the decontamination system includes (all) disinfection sources that can be freely positioned in the room, the task of positioning (all) disinfection sources is generally completed manually, and is therefore labor-intensive and prone to placement errors. Moreover, none of these latter configurations involves analyzing the characteristics of the room (e.g., area, regional configuration, and / or relative placement of objects therein) for the placement of the disinfection source in the room.

[0008] There are a number of different methods for disinfecting surfaces and objects, ranging from chemical methods such as bleaching to advanced methods such as ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. In particular, ultraviolet radiation in the spectrum between about 200 nanometers and about 320 nanometers is known to be effective in deactivating and, in some cases, killing microorganisms, giving reasons for using ultraviolet light technology to disinfect and / or sterilize items. Some UV disinfection equipment utilizes discharge lamps to generate ultraviolet light. In addition to being used for disinfection and sterilization applications, discharge lamps are also used in various applications to generate ultraviolet (UV) light, such as, for example, polymer curing. In general, a discharge lamp refers to a lamp that generates light by an internal discharge between electrodes in a gas. The discharge creates a plasma that provides radiant light. In some instances, such as in a mercury vapor lamp, once the lamp is triggered, the light generated is continuous. Other discharge lamp configurations, commonly referred to as flash tubes or flash lamps, generate light of very short duration. Such discharge lamps are sometimes used to provide periodic light pulses and are therefore sometimes referred to as pulsed light sources. A commonly used flash lamp is a xenon flash tube.

[0009] Although different types of discharge lamps have been studied to provide UV light for different applications, little has been done to improve the efficiency of the ultraviolet light generated in the device with the discharge lamp, especially with respect to the propagation of the ultraviolet light (i.e., the distance and the angle of incidence on the target object). The reason for the lack of such progress is that many devices with discharge lamps (such as food sterilization and single object disinfection equipment) are configured to handle objects placed in close proximity and direct alignment with the lamp, so it is rare or impossible to achieve improvements in the efficiency of the UV light by changing the propagation of the UV light. In addition, the room / area decontamination system is specially designed to disperse the light over a wide area, so changing the UV propagation from the system can hinder such goals. In addition, many devices with discharge lamps are limited in application and versatility. For example, many food sterilization and single object disinfection equipment are self-contained devices and are configured to handle specific objects, therefore, generally do not include features that improve the versatility of the system used to handle other objects or in other applications. In addition, some devices require time-consuming and / or cumbersome regulations to protect users from harm. For example, pulsed UV technology generally utilizes a xenon flash lamp that generates pulses of a broad spectrum of light, from deep UV to infrared, including very bright and intense visible light. Exposure to visible and UV light can be harmful, and therefore, provisions such as confining the pulsed light within the boundaries of the device or covering the windows of the room where the room decontamination unit is used may be required.

[0010] Accordingly, it would be beneficial to develop a discharge lamp apparatus having features that improve its usability, including but not limited to features that improve the efficiency of the ultraviolet light generated, increase the versatility of the apparatus, and reduce and / or eliminate the time-consuming and cumbersome provisions required by conventional systems. Additionally, it would be beneficial to develop a room / area decontamination system that is more effective and efficient than conventional room / area decontamination systems. Summary of the invention

[0011] The following description of various system embodiments is not to be construed in any way as limiting the subject matter of the appended claims.

[0012] Embodiments of the apparatus disclosed herein include a discharge lamp configured to emit ultraviolet light, a power circuit configured to operate the discharge lamp, and a reflector system configured to redirect the ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp, and there is no optical element for generating laser light from the light emitted by the discharge lamp. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a support structure that includes the power circuit and supports the discharge lamp. In some embodiments of such embodiments, the reflector system is configured to redirect ultraviolet light propagating away from the support structure to an area outside the apparatus that is between about 2 feet and about 4 feet from the floor of the room in which the apparatus is arranged. In other embodiments, the reflector system may be additionally or alternatively configured to redirect ultraviolet light propagating away from the support structure to an area surrounding the outer surface of the apparatus and further cause the ultraviolet light redirected to the surrounding area during operation of the apparatus to jointly occupy the entirety of the surrounding area. In any case, the reflector system of the apparatus disclosed herein, in some embodiments, includes a repositionable reflector.

[0013] An embodiment of the system includes a disinfection source and a processing subsystem including a processor and program instructions executable by the processor to receive data about physical properties of a room in which the disinfection source is disposed. In addition, the processing subsystem includes program instructions executable by the processor to determine a location within the room to place the disinfection source and / or an orientation of a component including the disinfection source based on the received data.

[0014] Other system embodiments include multiple disinfection sources and a processing subsystem, which includes one or more processors and program instructions that can be executed by the one or more processors. In some cases, the program instructions can be executed by one or more processors to receive data about the characteristics of the room in which the multiple disinfection sources are arranged and determine one or more individual operating parameters of the multiple disinfection sources based on the data. In other cases, the program instructions can be executed by one or more processors to identify the target position, area, object or surface in the room in which the multiple disinfection sources are arranged for each disinfection source in the multiple disinfection sources, and compare two or more target positions, areas, objects and / or surfaces in these target positions, areas, objects and / or surfaces. In such systems, the program instructions can also be executed by one or more processors to perform one or more corrective actions to change the planned disinfection process of at least one disinfection source in the multiple disinfection sources based on detecting that two or more target positions are within a predetermined distance from each other and / or based on detecting that two or more target areas overlap. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after reading the following detailed description and referring to the accompanying drawings:

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus having a horizontally positioned discharge lamp;

[0017] Figure 2a Describes the filter housing Figure 1 Alternative configurations in the depicted ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus;

[0018] Figure 2b Describes the filter housing Figure 1 Another alternative configuration in the depicted ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus;

[0019] Figure 2c Describes the filter housing Figure 1 Yet another alternative configuration in the depicted ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus;

[0020] Figure 3 Depiction Figure 1 The depicted ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus has an alternative configuration of the discharge lamp disposed externally to the support structure of the apparatus;

[0021] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus having a discharge lamp positioned vertically;

[0022] Figure 5 Depiction Figure 4 Alternative configurations of the discharge lamp assembly of the depicted ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus;

[0023] Figure 6 Depiction Figure 4 Alternative configurations of filters for the depicted ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus;

[0024] Figure 7 Depiction Figure 4 Another alternative configuration of filters for the depicted ultraviolet discharge lamp device;

[0025] Figure 8 Describing a system including a plurality of ultraviolet discharge lamp devices;

[0026] Fig. 9 Describes a system including one or more disinfection sources and a processing subsystem having processor-executable program instructions for determining operating parameters and a disinfection schedule for the one or more disinfection sources;

[0027] Fig.10 Describes an overview of the configuration used to execute Fig. 9 A flowchart of a method by which a processor of the depicted system may execute program instructions; and

[0028] Fig.11 Description Overview can be configured to execute Fig. 9 A flow chart of another method in which a processor of the described system may execute program instructions.

[0029] Although the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the drawings and detailed description thereof are not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, are intended to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Turning to the drawings, exemplary embodiments of a discharge lamp device are provided. Specifically, an exemplary configuration of the device is Figure 1-3 1 is shown as having a discharge lamp arranged horizontally with respect to the plane of the device supporting the lamp (hereinafter referred to as a "horizontally positioned lamp"). In addition, an exemplary configuration of the device is shown in Figure 4-7 1 is shown as having a discharge lamp arranged vertically in the longitudinal direction of the plane supporting the lamp of the device (hereinafter referred to as a "vertically positioned lamp"). In addition, a system having two discharge lamp devices is shown in Figure 8 As will be described in more detail below, the devices and features described herein are not limited to the descriptions in the accompanying drawings, including that the discharge lamp is not limited to "horizontal" and "vertical" positioning. In addition, it should be noted that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and certain features may be depicted in a larger scale than other features to emphasize their characteristics.

[0031] Reference Figure 1-8 Each of the described devices comprises a discharge lamp configured to generate ultraviolet light, and therefore, reference is made to Figure 1-8 The devices described herein are sometimes referred to as "ultraviolet discharge lamp devices". In some embodiments, the discharge lamp of the device may also be configured to generate light in other ranges, but such configurations will not prevent the devices described herein from being referred to as "ultraviolet discharge lamp devices". In any case, reference to Figure 1-8 The described devices do not have optical elements for generating laser light from the light emitted by the discharge lamp, and therefore, in some embodiments herein these devices may be referred to as non-laser devices. Figure 1-8 The described apparatus is configured to propagate light emitted from a discharge lamp in a non-laser manner. As shown in more detail below, reference is made to Figure 1-8 The devices described are configured to expose areas and rooms, as well as objects as a whole, to ultraviolet light, and therefore, these devices are specifically configured to distribute the light in a broad manner, rather than producing a narrow, diffraction-limited beam like that generated by a laser.

[0032] The term "discharge lamp" as used herein refers to a lamp that generates light by an internal discharge between electrodes in a gas. The term encompasses gas discharge lamps that generate light by sending a discharge through an ionized gas (i.e., plasma). The term also encompasses surface discharge lamps that generate light by sending a discharge along the surface of a dielectric substrate present in a gas, producing a plasma along the surface of the substrate. Thus, discharge lamps that may be considered for use in the apparatus described herein include gas discharge lamps as well as surface discharge lamps. Discharge lamps may be further characterized by the type of gas(es) employed and the pressure at which these discharge lamps are operated. Discharge lamps that may be considered for use in the apparatus described herein may include low pressure, medium pressure, and high intensity discharge lamps. Furthermore, the gases employed may include helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, water vapor, carbon dioxide, mercury vapor, sodium vapor, and any combination thereof. In addition, discharge lamps that may be considered for use in the apparatus described herein may have any size and shape, depending on the design specifications of these apparatuses. Moreover, discharge lamps that may be considered for use in the apparatus described herein may include discharge lamps that generate continuous light and those that generate light of short duration, the latter being referred to herein as flash tubes or flash lamps. A flash tube or flash lamp used to provide periodically occurring pulses of light is referred to herein as a pulsed light source.

[0033] A conventionally used gas discharge lamp for producing continuous light is a mercury vapor lamp, which may be considered for use in some of the devices described herein. It emits light with a strong peak at 253.7 nanometers, which is considered particularly applicable to sterilization and disinfection, and is therefore generally referred to as ultraviolet germicidal radiation (UVGI). A conventionally used flash lamp that may be considered for use in the devices described herein is a xenon flash tube. Compared to mercury vapor lamps, xenon flash tubes generate a wide range of spectra from ultraviolet to infrared, thereby providing ultraviolet light in the entire spectrum known for sterilization (i.e., between about 200 nanometers and about 320 nanometers). In addition, xenon flash tubes can provide relatively sufficient intensity in the spectrum known for optimal sterilization (i.e., between about 260 nanometers and about 265 nanometers). Moreover, xenon flash tubes generate a very large amount of heat, which can further contribute to the deactivation and killing of microorganisms.

[0034] Although surface discharge lamps are not commercially available at present, as described above, they may be considered for use in some of the devices described herein. Similar to xenon flash tubes, surface discharge lamps produce ultraviolet light in the entire spectrum (i.e., between about 200 nanometers and about 320 nanometers) known to be used for sterilization. However, in comparison, surface discharge lamps that operate at higher energy levels per pulse have higher UV efficiency and provide longer lamp life than xenon flash lamps. It should be noted that the foregoing description and comparison of mercury vapor lamps, xenon flash lamps, and surface discharge lamps do not in any way limit the devices described herein to include such lamps. Rather, the foregoing description and comparison are merely given to provide factors that a person skilled in the art may consider when selecting a discharge lamp for an ultraviolet discharge lamp device (especially depending on the purpose and application of the device).

[0035] As mentioned above, refer to Figure 1-8 The described apparatus is configured to distribute UV light in a broad manner so that objects and / or areas / rooms as a whole can be treated. Figure 1-8 The device described is not configured to produce a narrow beam directed to a specific small target as may be used in laser applications. Given its configuration to distribute UV light in a broad manner, reference Figure 1-8 The described device is particularly applicable to disinfecting, decontaminating and / or sterilizing objects as a whole as well as areas and / or rooms. Figure 1-8 The described apparatus may be used to disinfect hospital rooms or may be used in agricultural operations, including those used to sow seeds and / or raise animals. Additionally or alternatively, reference may be made to Figure 1-8 The described apparatus may be used to reduce microorganisms on plants or to sterilize objects such as surgical tools, food or pharmaceutical packaging. Figure 1-8 Other applications of the described device involving broad exposure to UV light could be polymer curing and pharmaceutical procedures.

[0036] In some cases, the devices described herein may be particularly directed to room disinfection. Specifically and as described in more detail below, reference is made to Figure 1-8 Some of the features possessed by the described device (particularly the inclusion of filters, the inclusion of a reflector system for redirecting ultraviolet light propagating from the device's support structure, the adaptability to being moved around a room during operation, and / or the system including multiple discharge lamp devices) may be particularly suitable for room disinfection devices. For this reason, reference is made to Figure 1-8 Many of the devices described are directed to room disinfection devices. Further, for the reasons explained below, reference is made to Figure 1-8 Many of the devices described are specifically directed to floor-based, freestanding, portable room disinfection devices. However, with respect to reference Figure 1-8 The features of the disclosed device descriptions are not necessarily limited to floor-based, portable or freestanding room disinfection devices or configurations. Rather, reference is made to Figure 1-8 The features described are applicable to any type of ultraviolet discharge lamp device.As used herein, the term "room disinfection" refers to the cleaning of a bounded area suitable for human access to deactivate, destroy or prevent the growth of pathogen-carrying microorganisms in the area.

[0037] The room disinfection device described herein can fall into various configurations, including floor-based, wall-based, and ceiling-based. However, although the room disinfection device can be placed in the ceiling of the room or in or against the wall, in many cases, it is advantageous to position the ultraviolet room disinfection device away from such a structure. In particular, one of the main factors affecting the UV light intensity on an object (and thus the UV disinfection efficiency) is the distance to the object, and thus, in many cases, it is advantageous to position the ultraviolet room disinfection device near the center of the room or near the object assumed to be decontaminated to minimize the distance to the object. Moreover, in several rooms in which the room disinfection device can be used in a building (such as in a hospital), it is generally beneficial for the device to be portable. For these reasons, many of the devices described herein and depicted in the accompanying drawings are for stand-alone, portable, and floor-based room disinfection devices.

[0038] In general, refer to Figure 1-8The described devices may be configured to distribute light substantially unidirectionally or multidirectionally. As used herein, the phrase "configured to distribute light substantially unidirectionally" may refer to configuring the device to propagate a majority of the light emitted from the discharge lamp in a single direction, with auxiliary light propagating at an angle less than 30 degrees from this direction. All other light distributions may refer to the phrase "configured to distribute light multidirectionally". A room disinfection device configured to distribute light substantially unidirectionally may be a room disinfection device housed in a wall or ceiling and / or a room disinfection device having a discharge lamp mounted within the boundaries of the device without a secondary optical component system for redirecting light propagating away from the device. In contrast, a room disinfection device configured to distribute light multidirectionally may be a room disinfection device having a structure extending from a discharge lamp and / or a room disinfection device having a secondary optical component system for redirecting light propagating away from the device.

[0039] Considering that a room generally includes objects of different sizes and shapes, located at different heights and distances from a given point in the room (depending on the number and different position surfaces to be disinfected), it is sometimes advantageous for the ultraviolet device for room disinfection to be configured to distribute ultraviolet light in many directions (i.e., multi-directionally). Moreover, as described above, it is sometimes advantageous to position the ultraviolet room disinfection device away from the room wall to reduce the distance to various objects in the room and effectively improve the disinfection efficiency of the UV light emitted from the device. In addition to such ideas, it is sometimes effective for the ultraviolet room disinfection device to be configured to cause at least some of the ultraviolet light generated by the discharge lamp to propagate to the area surrounding the outer surface of the device and further cause the ultraviolet light propagating to the surrounding area during the operation of the device to jointly occupy the entirety of the surrounding area. Such a configuration provides disinfection from an ultraviolet room disinfection device placed in a ceiling or wall and is described in more detail below with reference to some of the devices depicted in the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Steering Figure 1 , an example configuration of an ultraviolet discharge lamp device having a horizontally positioned discharge lamp is provided. Specifically, the device 20 is shown as having a discharge lamp 22 disposed within a support structure 24 and specifically arranged longitudinally parallel to the plane of the device 20 supporting the discharge lamp 22 (i.e., arranged parallel to the upper surface of the support structure 24). As described above and as will be explained in more detail below, the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein is not limited to an embodiment in which the discharge lamp is arranged in a "horizontal position". Instead, the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein may include a discharge lamp arranged at any angle relative to the surface plane of the support structure supporting the discharge lamp. In addition, the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein is not limited to an embodiment in which the discharge lamp is arranged adjacent to the upper surface of the device. Specifically, the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein may have a discharge lamp arranged adjacent to any outer surface of the device (including the side walls and the bottom surface).

[0041] Horizontally positioned and vertically positioned lamps disposed adjacent to the upper surface of the support structure are particularly discussed herein because these configurations are those used to refine some of the novel features of the ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus disclosed herein. However, such disclosure should not be construed as necessarily limiting the arrangement of discharge lamps in the ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus described herein. It is also noted that the ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus described herein is not limited to apparatuses in which the discharge lamps are disposed adjacent to the upper surface of the support structure. Figure 1 Rather, the UV discharge lamp arrangement may alternatively have a discharge lamp arranged at least partially externally to the support structure, such as in Figure 3-7 The discharge lamp in the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG.

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, in addition to the discharge lamp 22, the device 20 includes a power circuit 26 and a trigger circuit 30 disposed within the support structure 24 and a circuit system connecting the power circuit and the trigger circuit to the discharge lamp 22. In general, the power circuit 26, the trigger circuit 30 and the connecting circuit system are configured to operate the discharge lamp 22 (i.e., send a discharge to the lamp to create a radiant plasma therein). Specifically, the trigger circuit 30 is used to apply a voltage trigger voltage to an ignition electrode of the discharge lamp 22, which may surround the lamp or may be the anode or cathode of the lamp, and the power circuit 26 (e.g., a capacitor) is used to apply an electric potential between the cathode and the anode of the lamp. In some cases, the trigger circuit 30 may refer to a pulse generator circuit herein, especially when the discharge lamp device includes a flash tube. The trigger voltage ionizes the gas inside the lamp, which increases the conductivity of the gas to allow an arc to be formed between the cathode and the anode.

[0043] As described above, in some cases, the discharge lamp 22 may be a continuous light lamp, such as a mercury vapor lamp. In such embodiments, the trigger circuit 30 may generally generate a signal of less than 1000 volts and thus may not be an appreciably high voltage. (The term "high voltage" as used herein refers to a voltage greater than 1000 volts). In other embodiments, the discharge lamp 22 may be a flash tube. Flash tubes require ionization at higher voltages, generally between 2000 volts and 150,000 volts. An example of a voltage range for a trigger circuit for a xenon bulb may be between approximately 20 kV and 30 kV. In comparison, an exemplary voltage range for a power storage circuit for a xenon bulb may be between approximately 1 kV and approximately 10 kV. In any case, the device 20 may include additional circuitry to provide power to other features in the device, including but not limited to Figure 3 A central processing unit (CPU) 32 , a user interface 34 and a room occupancy sensor 36 are shown.

[0044] Although not required, one or more operations in the device 20 may be computer-operated, and thus, in some embodiments, the device 20 may include a CPU 32 to execute application program instructions. In addition, the device 20 may operably include a user interface 34 to provide the user with a means for activating operations and possible specific operating modes of the device 20 and a means for providing the user with access to data collected from the device. In some cases, the user interface 34 may alternatively be a device different from the device 20 but configured for wired or wireless communication of the device 20. In this way, the device 20 can be remotely controlled. The room occupancy sensor 36 is an optional security mechanism that can generally be configured to determine whether a person is present in a room, such as by motion detection or photographic recognition. Other optional features shown in the device 20 include a roller 38 and a handle 39 that affect the portability of the device, but may be omitted depending on the design specifications of the device.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the device 20 may include a filter 40, a cooling system 44, and a reflector system 60. As will be described in more detail below, the configuration of the filter, cooling system, and reflector system, as well as the placement of the discharge lamp, may vary among the ultraviolet light devices described herein. Indeed, alternative embodiments of one or more of such features are described with respect to the referenced Figure 1 Each of such embodiments includes Figure 1 The support structure and accompanying components are described (with particular reference to support structure 22, power circuit 26, trigger circuit 30, CPU 32, user interface 34, room occupancy sensor 36, scroll wheel 36 and handle 39). However, for the sake of brevity and to emphasize the different configurations of the filter and reflector systems depicted and the placement of the discharge lamp, such features are not depicted in Figures 2-7.

[0046] As mentioned above, refer to Figure 1-8Each of the described devices includes a discharge lamp configured to generate ultraviolet light. In some embodiments, the discharge lamp of the device may also be configured to generate light in other ranges, such as but not limited to visible light. In some of such cases, particularly in (but not necessarily so limited to) cases where the generated visible light is very bright and / or distracting, it may be beneficial to attenuate the visible light. For example, a xenon flash lamp generates a wide spectrum pulse similar to the spectrum of daylight, but the intensity of the visible light is up to 20,000 times higher than the intensity of daylight. Therefore, in some embodiments, the devices described herein include filters configured to attenuate visible light. In some cases, the devices described herein may include a configuration to attenuate light in a large portion of the visible light spectrum (greater than 75% of the visible light spectrum) or the entire visible light spectrum. However, in other embodiments, the filter may be configured to pass light less than a large portion of the visible light spectrum. In any case, the filter may be configured to attenuate the amount of most of the light in a given portion of the visible light spectrum, and in some cases, attenuate more than 75% or all of the light in a given portion of the visible light spectrum.

[0047] Due to the reference Figure 1-8 The described device is configured for ultraviolet light exposure, so the filter must pass ultraviolet light in addition to attenuating visible light. Therefore, in some cases, the filter can be a visible light band-stop filter. However, in other embodiments, the filter can be an ultraviolet band-pass filter. In other cases, the filter can be configured to pass a majority of light in a given portion of the ultraviolet light spectrum, and in some embodiments, to pass greater than 75% or all of the light in a given portion of the ultraviolet light spectrum. In some cases, the given portion of the ultraviolet light spectrum can be a majority of the ultraviolet light spectrum (greater than 75% of the ultraviolet light spectrum) or the entire ultraviolet light spectrum. However, in other embodiments, the given portion of the ultraviolet light spectrum can be less than a majority of the ultraviolet light spectrum. In some embodiments, the filter can be specifically configured to pass light in a specific portion of the ultraviolet light spectrum. For example, in a case where the device is used for disinfection, decontamination, or sterilization purposes, the filter can be configured to pass a majority (greater than 75%) or all of the light in the germicidal UV spectrum (i.e., approximately 200-320 nanometers). Additionally or alternatively, the filter may be configured to pass light in a majority (greater than 75%) or all of the ultraviolet light spectrum known to be optimal for germicidal (ie, approximately 260-265 nanometers).

[0048] An exemplary filter glass material that can be used as a filter for the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein is Schott UG5 glass available from SCHOTT North America, Inc. of Amesford, New York. The Schott UG5 glass filter attenuates a large portion of the visible light spectrum while allowing approximately 85% of ultraviolet light in the range of about 260 nanometers to about 265 nanometers to pass. Other filter glass materials with similar or different properties may also be used, depending on the design specifications of the device. In other cases, the filter contemplated for use in the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein may be a film having any of the optical properties described above. In such embodiments, the film may be disposed on a light-transmitting material such as quartz. In other embodiments, the filter contemplated for use in the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein may be a combination of a filter glass material and a film disposed thereon, each of which is configured to attenuate visible light.

[0049] As used herein, the term "filter material" refers to a material designed to affect the transmission of a spectrum of light by blocking or attenuating a specific spectrum of wavelengths. In contrast, as used herein, "light transmissive" refers to a material that allows light to pass through without substantially blocking or attenuating a specific spectrum of wavelengths. Quartz is a well-known light transmissive material. As used herein, the term "film" refers to a thin layer of a substance and includes the term "coating" to refer to a layer of a substance extending over a surface. Films contemplated for use in the filters described herein may be in solid or semi-solid form, thus including solid substances and colloids. In addition, films contemplated for use in the filters described herein may have a liquid, semi-solid, or solid form (when applied to a material), wherein the liquid and semi-solid forms may subsequently be converted to a solid or semi-solid form after application.

[0050] In any case, due to overexposure, the efficiency of the filters placed in the ultraviolet discharge lamp devices described herein will decrease over time, and therefore, the filters may need to be replaced periodically. Overexposure is a phenomenon related to the decrease in the ability of an optical component to transmit ultraviolet radiation relative to the time it is exposed to UV radiation. In some embodiments, the filters considered for use in the ultraviolet discharge lamp devices described herein may include an overexposure rate that is approximately an integer multiple of the performance degradation rate of the discharge lamp that includes the device. In other words, the discharge lamp may have a performance degradation rate that is an approximate factor of the overexposure rate of the filter. The term "factor" in such characterizations of the filter refers to the mathematical definition of the term, and particularly refers to a number that divides another number, that is, without a remainder. The overexposure rate of the filter can be approximately any integer multiple of the performance degradation rate of the discharge lamp, including one, and therefore in some embodiments, the overexposure rate of the filter can be similar or the same as the performance degradation rate of the discharge lamp.

[0051] Generally speaking, a discharge lamp is warranted for a certain number of uses (i.e., a specific number of triggers to generate a plasma) which is determined based on the expected performance degradation of one or more of the components of the discharge lamp. For example, a pulsed light source is typically warranted for a specific number of pulses. For the apparatus described herein, such a usage count can be used to characterize the rate of performance degradation of the discharge lamp by multiplying the amount of ultraviolet light to be emitted during each operation by the number of triggers that the discharge lamp is warranted to use. In this way, the rate of performance degradation can be calculated to be related to the overexposure rate of the filter. If the overexposure rate of the filter is approximately an integer multiple of the performance degradation rate of the discharge lamp in the apparatus, then the components can be advantageously replaced at the same time, thereby reducing downtime of the apparatus relative to embodiments in which the components are replaced based on their respective individual indicators. In addition, in situations in which light is monitored to determine when to replace an item, the monitoring process can be simplified because only the light from one component needs to be measured. Other features of the filters incorporated in the apparatus described herein with respect to overexposure are described below with reference to Figure 1 and 3 Discussed in greater detail, with particular reference to a sensor system configured to monitor parameters associated with the operation of the discharge lamp and the transmittance of the filter and the accommodation of a thermal recovery system within the device.

[0052] Several different exemplary configurations and arrangements of filters and optional accompanying components are described below, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1-7 Detailed Description. Specifically, several different configurations of apparatus are described below for receiving an optical filter in alignment with a discharge lamp. Figure 1-7 Each of the filters in the described embodiments may have the filter characteristics set forth above. These characteristics are not repeated for each embodiment for the purpose of indirection. As described above, although not so limited, the filters may be particularly suitable for room disinfection devices. This is because room disinfection devices are generally configured to distribute light into the environment of the device and therefore do not include a housing to contain the light. It is noted that although the inclusion of filters in some of the devices described herein may be beneficial, this is not necessarily a requirement and may therefore be omitted in some embodiments.

[0053] Another distinctive feature of the ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus described herein is a reflector system configured to redirect ultraviolet light that propagates away from the support structure of the apparatus. In general, the reflector system contemplated for use with the ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus described herein can be used to increase the size of the area exposed to ultraviolet light emitted by the apparatus, reduce the distance that the ultraviolet light is channeled to a target object or area, and / or improve the angle of incidence of the ultraviolet light on the target object or area. Several different exemplary configurations and arrangements of reflector systems configured to achieve one or more of such purposes are described in more detail below and in the accompanying drawings. Figure 1-7In particular, a device having a repositionable reflector is described. In addition, a device configured to redirect ultraviolet light propagating away from the support structure of the device to surround the outer surface of the device is described. As described above, such a configuration may be particularly suitable for room disinfection devices.

[0054] Moreover, a device having a reflector system configured to redirect ultraviolet light propagating away from the supporting structure of the device to an area outside the device is described, the area being at a distance between about 2 feet and about 4 feet from the floor of the room in which the device is arranged. Generally speaking, an area at a distance between about 2 feet and about 4 feet from the floor of the room is considered to be a "high touch" area of ​​the room, because frequently used objects are usually placed in such areas. Examples of objects commonly found in the high touch area of ​​the room include, but are not limited to, desktops, keyboards, phones, chairs, door and cabinet handles, light switches, and sinks. Examples of objects in the high touch area of ​​a hospital room additionally or alternatively include beds, bedside tables, tray tables, and intravenous stands. Since such areas are considered to be high touch areas, they are generally considered to be areas with the highest probability of contact with bacteria, and some studies indicate that high touch areas can be areas with the highest bacterial concentrations. For such reasons, it may be advantageous to direct at least some ultraviolet light to an area at a distance between about 2 feet and about 4 feet from the floor of the room. The accommodation of the reflector system described herein can be used to achieve such purposes.

[0055] Although not so limited, the reflector system described herein may be particularly suitable for room disinfection equipment. This is because room disinfection equipment is generally configured to direct light into the environment of the equipment and therefore does not include a housing that contains and reflects light. For the reasons set forth above, many of the ultraviolet discharge lamp devices described herein and depicted in the accompanying drawings are for floor-based room disinfection equipment, wherein the discharge lamp is arranged to propagate light above the upper surface of the support structure of the equipment. As described above, however, such emphasized disclosure should not be interpreted as necessarily limiting the configuration of the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein. For example, in an embodiment in which the discharge lamp is arranged to propagate light adjacent to the side wall surface of the support structure of the equipment, the reflector system of the device may include a reflector coupled to the uppermost portion of the side wall surface and / or a reflector coupled to the lowermost portion of the side wall, so that the ultraviolet light is reflected downward or upward to the concentrated area. In other cases in which the discharge lamp is arranged to propagate light below the lower surface of the support structure of the equipment, the reflector system of the device may include a reflector below the discharge lamp. Several other arrangements may also be suitable for increasing the size of the area exposed to UV light emitted by the device, reducing the distance the UV light channels the target object or area, and / or improving the angle of incidence of the UV light on the target object or area.

[0056] In any case, as described in more detail below, the reflector systems contemplated for use with the devices described herein may include one or more reflectors that may have any size or shape and may be arranged at any location within the device to achieve the desired redirection of light. In addition, the material of the reflector may be any material suitable for the desired redirection of light. An exemplary reflector material suitable for many of the device configurations described herein is 4300UP Miro-UV available from ALANOD Aluminium-Veredlung GmbH & Co. KG. Another exemplary reflector material suitable for many of the device configurations described herein is 4300UP Miro-UV available from WL Gore & Associates, Inc. Diffuse reflector. Other reflector materials may be used additionally or alternatively depending on the specifications of the reflective system. In any case, refer to Figure 1-7 Each of the embodiments of the reflective system described may have the characteristics of the reflective system set forth above. These characteristics are not repeated for each embodiment for the purpose of indirection. As with the accommodation of filters in the devices described herein, although accommodation of reflector systems may be beneficial in some devices, this is not necessarily a requirement and may be omitted in some embodiments. Furthermore, the features of filters and reflector systems are not mutually exclusive or inclusive of each other for the device and, therefore, a device may include one or both features.

[0057] Steering Figure 1 , the device 20 includes a filter 40 configured to attenuate visible light emitted from the discharge lamp 22. Figure 1 The configuration of the filter 40 for attenuating the visible light emitted from the discharge lamp 22 in particular lies in the optical properties of the filter for attenuating the visible light and the placement of the filter above and aligned with the discharge lamp 22. Figure 1 As shown, the filter 40 can be arranged between the side walls of the cup-shaped portion 42 flush with the upper surface of the support structure 24, so that the filter 40 comprises a housing wall that encloses the discharge lamp 22. As described in more detail below, the device described herein includes a cooling system for regulating the temperature of the discharge lamp and enclosing the lamp in an enclosure to provide an efficient means of reaching a desired temperature. Using the filter 40 as a housing wall for the discharge lamp 22 can simplify the incorporation of the filter into the device 20, and thus can be beneficial in some design aspects. However, in some embodiments, it can be beneficial to have the filter 40 be different from the housing of the discharge lamp 22. For example, in some cases, it can be advantageous to be able to arrange the filter in alignment or misalignment with the discharge lamp depending on the desired operation of the device. Such configurations are described in more detail below, and exemplary variations of the device 20 that accommodate such configurations are described in more detail below. Figure 2a-2c Shown in.

[0058] Cooling systems that may be considered for use with the devices described herein may vary and may generally depend on the specifications of the device. Exemplary cooling systems that may be used include, but are not limited to, forced air systems and liquid cooling systems. Figure 1 The cooling system 44 shown in FIG. 4 is a forced air system including an air inlet 46, an air intake duct 48, a fan 50, a temperature sensor 52, an air duct 54, and an air outlet 56. In some cases, one or more of the air inlet 46, the air intake duct 48, the air duct 54, and the air outlet 56 may include an air filter. In some embodiments, the air duct 54 and / or the air outlet 56 may additionally or alternatively include an ozone filter. However, in other cases, the ozone filter may be omitted from the device. Ozone may generally be produced as a byproduct of the use of the discharge lamp 22, especially in the case where the lamp generates ultraviolet light with a wavelength shorter than about 240 nanometers, because such UV light spectrum causes oxygen atoms of oxygen molecules to separate, starting the ozone generation process. Ozone is a known health and quality risk, and therefore, the release of it by the equipment is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is also known that ozone is an effective germicide, and therefore, if the amount of ozone to be generated by the discharge lamp is below the EPA ozone exposure limit, then it may be beneficial to exclude the ozone filter from the equipment including such a discharge lamp.

[0059] In any case, different outlet configurations for the cooling system 44 may be considered for the device 20 and other devices described herein. For example, in some configurations, the cooling system may be configured to have an air outlet on the lower portion of the side wall of the support structure 24 or on the bottom surface of the support structure 24. The benefits of such alternative configurations include increased capacity for the ozone filter and reduced interference with the environment, especially when the air outlet is positioned on the bottom surface of the support structure 24. In any case, the device described herein may include a cooling system for the remaining components within the support structure 24. In some cases, the support structure cooling system may be integrated with the cooling system 44 of the discharge lamp 22. However, in other embodiments, the two cooling systems may be different. It should be noted that although the inclusion of one or more cooling systems in some of the devices described herein may be beneficial, this is not necessarily a requirement and may therefore be omitted in some embodiments.

[0060] As described above, the device 20 may include a reflector system 60. In general, the reflector system 60 is configured to redirect ultraviolet light that propagates away from the support structure 24. The configuration of the reflector system 60 for achieving such a purpose involves the placement, shape, size and angle of the reflector 62. Specifically, the discharge lamp 22 is arranged in the device 20 to propagate light above the upper surface of the support structure 24, and therefore, the reflector 62 is arranged above the discharge lamp 22 to redirect the propagating ultraviolet light. In general, the redirection of ultraviolet light reduces the distance that the ultraviolet light travels to objects adjacent to the device, including the lower side surface of the object and the upper and side wall surfaces of the object. Specifically, the ultraviolet light via the reflector 62 avoids traveling to the surface above the device (for example, the ceiling of the room in which the device is arranged) to be reflected back to the object adjacent to the device. Avoiding traveling to the surface above the device also shortens the distance required for the ultraviolet light to travel to (such as by reflection from the floor of the room in which the device is arranged) to be incident on the lower side of the object. Thus, the reflector system 60 may include a reflector system such as a reflector mounted above the support structure 24 but spaced from the ceiling of the room in which the device is disposed. Figure 1 The reflector shown is reflector 62. However, in some cases, reflector system 60 may include reflectors positioned in or on the ceiling of a room in which the equipment is arranged.

[0061] In some cases, the reflector system 60 may be configured to optimize the incident angle at which the ultraviolet light is directed to the surface of the object. For example, the reflector 62 may be designed to have a specific size and / or shape and / or be repositionable so that the optimal incident angle on the object can be obtained. An exemplary configuration in which the reflector 62 is repositionable is discussed in more detail below. In any case, in some embodiments, the reflector system 60 includes one or more additional (i.e., in addition to the reflector 62) reflectors. For example, in some cases, the reflector system 60 may include a reflector coupled to the side wall of the support structure 24 configured to redirect the ultraviolet light received from the reflector 62. The accommodation of such additional reflectors can be beneficial for directing the ultraviolet light to the underside of the object in the room. Additional reflectors may also be used or alternatively and generally designed (i.e., size, shape and placement) to cooperate with the reflector 62 to achieve any of the above-mentioned purposes of the reflector system 60.

[0062] In some embodiments, the reflector system 60 may be specifically configured to redirect ultraviolet light propagating away from the support structure 24 to an area between about 2 feet and about 4 feet away from the floor of the room in which the device 20 is arranged. Specifically, as explained above, redirecting the ultraviolet light to such an area may be advantageous because the area is a high touch area. In some cases, the reflector system 60 may be additionally or alternatively configured to redirect ultraviolet light propagating away from the support structure 24 to an area surrounding the outer surface of the device. For example, the reflector 62 may have a shape and size that causes the ultraviolet light to be redirected to the area surrounding the support structure 24. Alternatively, the reflector 62 may have a shape and size that causes the ultraviolet light to be redirected to the area surrounding the reflector system 60. In either case, the taper of the reflector 62 may be particularly suitable for achieving such redirection.

[0063] The term "enclose" as used herein refers to forming a continuous circle around an object. The term is not limited to embodiments surrounding the entirety of an object or even a major portion of an object. Therefore, a sentence such as "the ultraviolet discharge lamp device can be configured so that ultraviolet light surrounds the outer surface of the device" described herein refers to forming a continuous ultraviolet ring around at least some external parts of the device. In addition, a sentence such as "the ultraviolet discharge lamp device can be configured so that ultraviolet light propagates to the area surrounding the device during operation of the device to jointly occupy the entirety of the surrounding area" described herein means that each part of the continuous ring area surrounding the device is exposed to ultraviolet light at some time during the operation of the device.

[0064] Regardless of the configuration of the reflector system 60 or whether the device 20 also includes the reflector system 60, in some embodiments, the device 20 may include another reflector system disposed within the support structure 24 configured to redirect light emitted from the discharge lamp 22 in a direction in which the light propagates away from the support structure. Specifically, the device 20 may include a reflective system configured to redirect light emitted from the side and bottom surfaces of the discharge lamp 22 in the same direction as light emitted from the top surface of the discharge lamp 22. Examples of such reflective systems may involve the floor and / or the side walls of the cup-shaped portion 42 having a reflective material. However, other configurations of reflective systems are contemplated for use with the devices described herein.

[0065] like Figure 1 As shown, the reflector system 60 may include support beams 64 and 66 to suspend the reflector 62. Such cantilever support structures are merely examples and various other support structures are contemplated for the reflector 62. Regardless of the configuration used to suspend the reflector 62 above the discharge lamp 22, in some cases, the reflector system 60 may include through holes so that some of the light traveling to the reflector system 60 may pass through an area above the reflector system 60. An example embodiment is shown in FIG. Figure 166 is shown as having a support beam 66 including a through hole 68. In addition or replacement situations, the reflector 62 may include a through hole for such purpose. In other embodiments, the reflector system 60 may not have such a through hole. In any case, the size of the reflector system 60, especially the size of the reflector 62, can vary among the devices. In some cases, the surface size of the reflector 62 may be the same as or larger than the surface size of the cover in which the discharge lamp 22 is contained. In this way, almost all light propagating from the support structure 24 will be directed to the reflector 62. However, in other embodiments, the surface size of the reflector 62 may be smaller than the surface size of the cover in which the discharge lamp 22 is contained. In such a case, some light propagating from the support structure 24 will be directed to cross the reflector 62.

[0066] Regardless of its size or configuration, in some cases, the reflector system 60 may be configured as Figure 1 . In this way, the reflector 62 can be a repositionable reflector. In some embodiments, the reflector 62 can be moved between operations of the device 20, whereby, in some cases, the reflector system 60 can include a device for fixing the repositionable reflector at different positions of the device 20. In other embodiments, the reflector system 60 can include a device for moving the reflector 62 while the device 20 is in operation. The movement of the reflector 62 can be continuous or periodic while the device 20 is in operation, whereby, in some cases, the reflector 62 can be moved while the discharge lamp 22 is emitting light. "Device 20 in operation" refers to the period of time when the components of the device are activated to operate the discharge lamp 22 and, in particular, to generate a radiant plasma in the discharge lamp. As described above, in some embodiments, the discharge lamp 22 can be configured to generate continuous light once the lamp is triggered, whereby "device 20 in operation" in such cases refers to the time used to trigger the lamp and the time of continuous light emission. In other embodiments, a flash lamp or a pulsed light source may be used for discharge lamp 22, in which case "device 20 in operation" refers to the time during which light is emitted from the lamp and the time between flashes of light.

[0067] In any case, in some embodiments, the means for moving the reflector 62 and sometimes fixing the reflector 62 at different positions within the device 20 may include a linear actuator (s) of the beam 64 and / or beam 66 and program instructions for affecting the linear actuator (s) and their timing processed by the CPU 32. In some embodiments, the device 20 may be configured to make the reflector 62 manually movable. The means for fixing the reflector 62 at different positions within the device 20 in such cases may include a notch of the beam 64 and / or beam 66 and a receiving protrusion on the reflector 62, and vice versa. Various other means for moving the reflector 62 and / or fixing the reflector 62 at different positions within the device 20 may also be considered, so the device is not limited to the examples described above. In any case, in some cases, the reflector 62 may be detachable from the device 20 to affect the movement of the reflector 62 relative to the discharge lamp 22 and / or facilitate the storage or portability of the device.

[0068] In some cases, the movement of reflector 62 may be based on characteristics of the room in which device 20 is arranged. In general, in some embodiments, it may be advantageous to access and / or analyze the characteristics of a room and use such information to determine a number of operating parameters of device 20 (such as, but not limited to, the placement of reflector 62 and / or movement characteristics of reflector 62). For example, if a relatively high number of objects in a room are in the same general area, it may be beneficial to position reflector 62 so that more light is directed to that area compared to other areas of the room. For other examples of determining operating parameters of a disinfection source based on characteristics of a room, see Figure 2a-2c (i.e., the position of the filter 40 is determined based on the characteristics of the room), refer to Figure 7 (i.e., the positioning of the filter / reflector assembly is determined based on the characteristics of the room) and reference Fig. 9 and 10 to describe.

[0069] In general, the phrase "characteristics of a room" used herein refers to the physical attributes and non-physical attributes of a room. The non-physical attributes of a room include, but are not necessarily limited to, identifiers (e.g., room numbers and / or room names) used to refer to a room and occupancy information about the room (e.g., infection information of patients who previously occupied the room or are listed as patients who are to occupy the room). The physical attributes of a room include, but are not necessarily limited to, the size and / or volume of the room and / or the number, size, distance, position, reflectivity and / or identification of surfaces, objects and / or items in the room. In some cases, the physical attributes of a room can be the identification of one or more pathological mechanisms, and sometimes the number or concentration of such mechanisms in a room, in a specific area of ​​a room, or on a specific surface in a room. The phrase "operating parameters of a disinfection source" used herein refers to any parameter that can affect the operation of a disinfection source, including but not limited to the operating time of the disinfection source, the positioning of the disinfection source, the orientation of the components including the disinfection source, and / or the power provided to the disinfection source. As used herein, the term "disinfection source" refers to a collection of one or more components used to generate and distribute a disinfectant, and, if applicable, includes any additional components used to perform the generation or distribution of the disinfectant. For example, Figure 1 The discharge lamp 22, power circuit 26, trigger circuit 30, filter 40 and reflector system 60 of the present invention can be collectively referred to as a disinfection source. Alternatively, the device 20 as a whole can be referred to as a disinfection source.

[0070] In some embodiments, the device 20 may include or may be configured to access a database that lists the characteristics of the room in which the device 20 is arranged. Additionally or alternatively, the device 20 may include a system for collecting and / or generating data about the characteristics of the room in which the device is arranged. In such a case, any system known in the art for collecting, generating and / or analyzing the characteristics of the room may be used depending on the data to be generated. Examples include space sensors, photo recognition systems, and / or dosimeters. In some embodiments, Figure 1 The illustrated system 70 is operably coupled to the CPU 32. Alternatively, the CPU 32 may be configured to access room characteristic data from a database. In either case, the CPU 32 may be configured to retrieve and access data about the characteristics of the room in which the device 20 is arranged, and determine operating parameters of the device 20 such as the positioning of the reflector 62 based on the data. In some embodiments, the determined operating parameters may be relayed via the user interface 34, so that the user of the device 20 may be notified to invoke the operating parameters of the device 20, such as moving the reflector 62 to a specific position. In other cases, the CPU 32 may be configured to send a command to a device within the device 20 for automatically invoking the operating parameters based on the determined operating parameters, such as automatically moving the reflector 62.

[0071] In some embodiments, the system 70 can be used to measure the dose of ultraviolet light received by an object or a place in a room in which the device 20 is arranged. Specifically, measuring the dose of ultraviolet light received by an object or a place in the room can help determine the operating parameters of the device 20. As described above, one of the main factors affecting the UV light intensity on an object is the distance to the object. Another main factor is the angle of incidence of the light. In this light, if the dose of ultraviolet light received by an object or a place in the room can be measured, then such measurements can be used to determine the operating parameters of the device 20 (for example, moving the reflector 62 to optimize the angle of incidence on the object or the place). Through the operative coupling of the system 70 to the CPU 32, the CPU 32 can be configured to retrieve measurements from the system 70, determine the operating parameters of the device 20 based on these measurements, such as the positioning of the reflector 62, relay the determined operating parameters to the user interface 34, and / or send commands to the device in the device 20 for automatically calling the operating parameters according to the determined operating parameters, such as moving the reflector 62. In general, any system known in the art for measuring ultraviolet light dose can be used for the system 70. Examples include UV dosimeters and radiometers.

[0072] As described above, due to overexposure, the efficiency of the discharge lamp and the filter will decrease over time. In addition, the discharge lamp generally has a limited life because its components wear out after extensive use. Therefore, in some embodiments, the ultraviolet discharge lamp device considered herein may include a configuration to monitor the parameters (all) associated with the operation of the discharge lamp and the parameters (all) associated with the transmittance of the filter (if applicable). Specifically, such a sensor system can be used to determine the appropriate replacement of the discharge lamp and can be beneficial, if applicable, for the efficiency of the filter to monitor the UV light emitted from the device, because the efficiency is related to the UV intensity and dose. In general, the parameter associated with the transmittance of the filter can be the UV dose or the UV intensity. The same parameter can be monitored for the operation of the discharge lamp, but the pulse count can be additionally or alternatively monitored because the discharge lamp generally guarantees a specific number of pulses. In any case, when the sensor system is used to monitor the parameters (all) associated with the operation of the discharge lamp and the transmittance of the filter, the sensor system can be configured to monitor the same parameters or different parameters about these two components. In some embodiments, the sensor system may include a single sensor configured to measure the parameter(s) associated with the discharge lamp and the optical filter. However, in other embodiments, the sensor system may include different sensors for measuring the respective corresponding parameters of the discharge lamp and the optical filter.

[0073] Figure 1An exemplary sensor system of the device 20 includes a sensor 72 disposed on the underside of the reflector system 60 and a sensor 74 disposed in the housing that includes the discharge lamp 22. In general, the sensor 74 can be used to monitor parameters associated with the operation of the discharge lamp 22, and in particular can be used to monitor the light emitted from the discharge lamp 22 before passing through the filter 40. Although Figure 1 The sensor 74 is shown disposed on a sidewall surface of the cup-shaped portion 42, but the sensor 74 may be disposed within the housing of the discharge lamp 22. In other embodiments, the sensor 74 may be omitted from the device 20. Specifically, in some embodiments, the sensor 72 may be configured to monitor parameters associated with the operation of the discharge lamp 22 (such as by pulse counting), and thus the sensor 74 may not be required. In any case, the sensor 72 may be used to monitor parameters associated with the transmittance of the filter 40, and thus may be disposed at any location on the device 20 or near the device 20 to receive light passing through the filter 40. Although Figure 1 The sensor 72 is shown disposed on the underside of the reflector system 60 , but such placement is exemplary.

[0074] As described above, in some cases, it may be advantageous to be able to arrange the filter in alignment or out of alignment with the discharge lamp depending on the desired operation of the device. Example embodiments include embodiments in which the device will be used in a variety of rooms, some with windows and some without windows. As described above, it may be advantageous to arrange the filter in alignment with the discharge lamp in a room with windows. However, in contrast, it may be beneficial to arrange the filter out of alignment with the discharge lamp in an enclosed room without windows to place unnecessary performance degradation of the filter. Specifically, because the visible light generated by the discharge lamp in the enclosed room will not be seen, filtering may not be required. Moreover, as described above, due to overexposure, the ability of the filter to emit ultraviolet radiation will decrease with respect to the time it is exposed to UV radiation. Thus, having the ability to arrange the filter out of alignment with the discharge lamp can provide a means by which the life of the filter can be extended for a given device.

[0075] An exemplary variation of the apparatus 20 configured to allow the filter to be arranged in alignment and out of alignment with the discharge lamp 22 is Figure 2a-2c Specifically, Figure 2a-2c The filter 40 is shown relative to its Figure 1 A variation of placement as part of the housing of the discharge lamp 22. Note that although Figure 2a-2c Only examples of configurations for accommodating filters in alignment and misalignment with discharge lamps are described, but such exemplary discussions and drawings should not be construed as limiting the device configurations described herein for such purposes. Figure 2a-2c Described as Figure 1 A variant of device 20, but Figure 2a-2cTo simplify the drawings, only a portion of the device is depicted. Specifically, Figure 2a-2c Only the placement of the filter 40 relative to the housing of the discharge lamp 22 within the support structure 24 is depicted. Figure 2a-2c Depicted in reference Figure 1 Features of the same configuration as described (ie, discharge lamp 22, support structure 24, filter 40, and cup-shaped portion 42) are labeled with the same reference numerals, and the description of such features will not be repeated for the sake of brevity. Figure 2a-2c The embodiment does not make the filter 40 as part of the housing of the discharge lamp 22, so Figure 2a-2c Each of these includes Figure 1 The invention relates to novel features, especially the cover 32. Generally speaking, the cover 32 can be made of a light-transmitting material, such as but not limited to quartz.

[0076] like Figure 2a As shown, a variation 80 of device 20 may include filter 40 disposed on housing cover 32. In such a configuration, in some implementations, filter 40 may be simply placed on top of support structure 24 (i.e., the portion of support structure 24 that includes housing cover 32) without a means for securing filter 40 to the support structure. Alternatively, variation 80 may include a means for attaching filter 40 to support structure 24. In either case, placement of filter 40 on housing cover 32 may be manual or may be automated. Figure 2b The device 20 is shown relative to Figure 2a Variant 80 is a slightly modified variant 84. Specifically, Figure 2b The invention shows the accommodation of a hinge 86 mounted to one side of the filter 40. In this way, the filter 40 can be arranged on the housing cover 82 and can be removed from such a position without disassembling it from the device. The hinge 86 can be configured to allow the filter 40 to be moved relative to the housing cover 82. Figure 2b The position of the filter 40 shown in FIG. 1 is pivotable between 90 and 180 degrees. Thus, the filter 40 can be in any position between the upright position and the position on the support structure 24 opposite the discharge lamp 22 when moved from the position above the discharge lamp. The movement of the filter 40 in such embodiments can be manual or can be automatic. Different variations of the device 20 are described in detail below. Figure 2c , which has the filter 40 arranged on a slider to move the filter in and out of alignment with the discharge lamp 22 along the upper surface of the support structure 24, as indicated by the horizontal double arrow. Movement of the filter 40 on the slider may be manual or automatic.

[0077] Regardless of how the device 20 is configured so that the filter 40 can be arranged in alignment and out of alignment with the discharge lamp 22, the device 20 can be configured to protect the filter 40 from exposure to ultraviolet light when out of alignment with the discharge lamp 22. For example, in some embodiments, the device 20 can include a compartment in which the filter 40 can be placed when it is removed from the device and / or repositioned therein. Additionally or alternatively, the device 20 can include a component for covering the filter 40 when the filter 40 becomes out of alignment with the discharge lamp 22. In any case, as set forth above, Figure 2a-2c Each of the embodiments disclosed in the can be automatic, so not all ultraviolet discharge lamp devices disclosed herein can be configured to accommodate the filter in alignment and misalignment with the discharge lamp, and in some embodiments, the device can include a device for automatically moving the filter into alignment and misalignment with the discharge lamp. Such a device can include any mechanism known in the art for moving objects. In some embodiments, the determination of whether to move the filter and / or the timing of moving the filter can be determined by the user of the device 20. However, in other words, the device 20 can include program instructions that can be executed by the CPU 32, so that the determination of whether to move the filter and / or the timing of moving the filter can be automatic.

[0078] As described above, in some embodiments, it may be advantageous to access and / or analyze the characteristics of a room and use such information to determine operating parameters of the device 20. Specifically, it may be advantageous to determine whether there is a window in the room in which the device 20 is arranged and determine the positioning of the filter 40 based on this data. In this way, in embodiments in which a window is detected in the room in which the device 20 is arranged, the filter 40 may be arranged aligned with the discharge lamp 22 before operating the discharge lamp to produce light. Conversely, in embodiments in which a window is not detected in the room in which the device 20 is arranged, the filter 40 may be arranged misaligned with the discharge lamp 22 before operating the discharge lamp to produce light. It is noted that the optional configuration for affecting the movement of the filter 40 may be in addition to or in place of the configuration for affecting the movement of the reflector 62 described above. As described above, the device 20 may include or may be configured to access a database listing the characteristics of one or more rooms, and / or the device 20 may include a system 70 for collecting and / or generating data about the characteristics of the room. In general, in such cases, any system known in the art for determining whether there is a window in a room may be used for the system 70, such as, but not limited to, a reflective sensor. As further described above, the CPU 32 of the device 20 may be configured to retrieve and / or access data, determine the position of the filter 40 based on the data, relay the determined position to the user interface 34, and / or send a command to a device in the device 20 for automatically moving the filter 40 based on the determined position.

[0079] Figure 2cThe optical features of the apparatus 20 are shown in conjunction with a slider including the filter 40, and in particular, the housing of a thermal recovery chamber 90 adjacent to the support structure 24. As described above, due to overexposure, the ability of the filter to emit ultraviolet radiation will decrease with respect to the time it is exposed to UV radiation. However, in some cases, if the filter is heated at an elevated temperature (such as on the order of 500° C.), the overexposure effect can be reversed. Although such a process can be completed independently of the apparatus 20, in some embodiments, it may be advantageous to incorporate the process into the apparatus 20 to reduce downtime of the apparatus and / or so that replacement of the filter does not need to be on hand when the filter 40 is recovering. Due to the elevated temperatures required to reverse the overexposure effect, it is preferred that the thermal recovery chamber 90 is a chamber distinct from the support structure 24. In addition, it would be advantageous to configure the thermal recovery chamber 90 to not only withstand but also substantially contain the heat generated therein to prevent thermal bonding / damage of components within the support structure 24.

[0080] like Figure 2c As shown by the downward arrow in , in some embodiments, the device 20 may be configured to move the filter 40 into the thermal recovery chamber 90. In other embodiments, this may be done manually. In either case, in some embodiments, the movement of the filter 40 into the thermal recovery chamber 90 may depend on measurements taken regarding the transmittance of the filter 40. Specifically, information about the transmittance of the filter 40 collected from the sensor 72 can be used to determine when to move the filter into the thermal recovery chamber 90. Although the inclusion of a thermal recovery chamber in some devices may be beneficial, this is not a requirement and therefore may be omitted in some embodiments. Moreover, Figure 2c The features of the thermal recovery chamber 90 and the filter 40 shown on the slider are neither mutually exclusive nor mutually inclusive of the device, and thus the device may include one or both features. In fact, any of the devices including filters described herein may include a thermal recovery chamber, including those described above with reference to Figure 1 , 2a and 2b described features and the following references Figure 3-7 Describe the characteristics.

[0081] As mentioned above, the ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus described herein is not limited to an apparatus in which the discharge lamp is disposed (i.e., mounted) in a Figure 1 Rather, the ultraviolet discharge lamp device may alternatively be a discharge lamp at least partially external to the support structure. An exemplary embodiment of a variant of the device 20 in which the discharge lamp 22 is external to the support structure 24 is shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown in Figure 3 As shown, variant 92 may include Figure 120 is configured differently than the configuration shown in the apparatus 20 of FIG. 1 , and in particular, filter 94 replaces filter 40. In addition to being configured to attenuate visible light propagating above discharge lamp 22, filter 94 is configured to attenuate visible light propagating from the side of the discharge lamp to account for the placement of discharge lamp 22 above support structure 24. Due to the displacement of such discharge lamp 22, in some embodiments, cup-shaped portion 42 can be moved from Figure 3 The support structure 24 shown is omitted. In such a case, Figure 3 In some embodiments shown, variant 92 may include a reflective plane 96 positioned below discharge lamp 22 to redirect light emitted from the bottom of discharge lamp 22 upward.

[0082] As further described above and as will be explained in more detail below, the ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus described herein is not limited to embodiments in which the discharge lamp is arranged in a "horizontal position". Rather, the ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatus described herein may include a discharge lamp arranged at any angle relative to the plane of the surface of the support structure supporting the discharge lamp. An example of an ultraviolet discharge lamp having the discharge lamp arranged in a "vertical position" (i.e., arranged longitudinally perpendicular to the plane of the apparatus supporting the lamp) is shown in FIG. Figure 4-7 Each of these examples includes Figure 1 The support structure, power circuitry, trigger circuitry, and accompanying optional components (e.g., CPU, user interface, sensors, room characteristics system, hinges, sliders, and / or thermal recovery chamber) are described. However, for the sake of brevity and to emphasize the different configurations of the filter and reflector systems depicted and the placement of the discharge lamps, such features are not included in the description. Figure 4-7 Moreover, for the sake of brevity, each of these features is not referred to as Figure 4-7 describe.

[0083] Steering Figure 4, the device 100 is shown as having a discharge lamp assembly supported above a support structure 102 and arranged vertically with respect to the plane of the support structure 102. The discharge lamp assembly includes a discharge lamp 104 surrounded by a filter 106 and vertically disposed between a fan 108 and an ozone filter 119. In addition, the discharge lamp assembly includes a base 110 and an air filter 112 supported on the base 114. In some embodiments, the filter 106 can be a housing wall enclosing the discharge lamp 104, and together with the fan 108, constitutes a forced air cooling system of the device 100. The device 100 also includes a reflector 118 attached to the ozone filter 119 on top of the filter 106. The characteristics of the reflector 118, the discharge lamp 104, and the cooling system of the device 100, as well as the optical characteristics of the filter, can generally include the characteristics described above for all ultraviolet discharge lamp devices considered herein, and are not repeated for the sake of brevity. As described above, several of the components included in the device 100, particularly the filter 108, the reflector 118, the ozone filter 119, and the cooling system of the device 100, may be replaced and / or omitted for other configurations of the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein. Figure 4 The collections and configurations of components depicted are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

[0084] Furthermore, it is noted that the device 100 may include additional components (i.e., Figure 4 104 and 106). For example, in some embodiments, the device 100 may include a light-transmissive intermediate obstacle disposed between and separated from the discharge lamp 104 and the optical filter 106. An exemplary material for the intermediate obstacle may be quartz, but its composition is not so limited. The intermediate obstacle may be a housing wall enclosing the discharge lamp 104, and thus may be vertically disposed between the fan 108 and the ozone filter 119 and the cooling system of the device 100. In such a case, the optical filter 106 surrounds the intermediate obstacle as a discrete glass part separated from the intermediate obstacle and is fixed to the base 110, the fan 108, and / or the reflector 118. Including an intermediate obstacle between the discharge lamp 104 and the optical filter 106 may be advantageous when it is desired to have the ability to align and misalign the optical filter 108 with the discharge lamp 104, or when it is desired to move the optical filter 108 independently of the discharge lamp 104 during operation of the device. In particular, the intermediate barrier may be part of the housing of the discharge lamp 104 , allowing the filter to be moved without sacrificing the cooling system of the discharge lamp 104 .

[0085] As described in more detail below, in some embodiments it may be advantageous to move (e.g., rotate or swing) the filter of the device described herein about a central axis during operation of the device. However, it is generally not desirable to move the discharge lamp in the same manner due to concerns about damage to the discharge lamp. Therefore, in some embodiments, the filter 106 may be fixed to the base 110 or the fan 108, but may be separated from the reflector 118, or vice versa. In such cases, the device 100 may include an additional component coupled to the filter 106, which is configured to block light, especially visible light, in the gap between the filter 106 and the base, the fan 108 or the reflector 118. An exemplary component that may be particularly suitable for such functionality may be a dense collection of bristles.

[0086] In any case, while the amount and rate of cooling gas emitted from the device may vary greatly and may generally depend on the design specifications of the device, in some embodiments, the amount and rate of gas may be sufficient to trigger a sprinkler system in the room, especially when the cooling system's exhaust duct is directed to the ceiling (as was discovered during the development of the device described herein). Thus, in some cases, the device 100 may include a cover-like assembly spaced above the discharge lamp assembly to allow air to be emitted from the sides of the device rather than from above the device. An exemplary configuration of the cover-like assembly is shown in FIG. Figure 5 , and described in more detail below. An alternative solution for preventing the sprinkler system from being triggered by the exhaust of the cooling system is to reduce the flow rate of the gas through the lamp assembly if this does not cause the discharge lamp to be above the recommended maximum operating temperature. Conversely, reducing the gas flow rate may not be desirable in some circumstances (i.e., even if it does not cause the discharge lamp to exceed the maximum operating temperature) because operating the discharge lamp at a cooler temperature provides the lamp with a longer life and theoretically generates more ultraviolet light.

[0087] Figure 5 A variant 115 of the device 100 is shown having a cover-like component 117 arranged above the lamp emission component of the device, in particular above the outlet of the cooling system in the lamp emission component, so that the gas discharged therefrom can be directed to the side of the device instead of above the device. Figure 5 As shown, the cover assembly 117 can be domed to prevent objects from being placed thereon. Such a dome configuration is not limited to embodiments in which the device includes a cover assembly above the discharge lamp assembly. Specifically, in some cases, the top of the discharge lamp assembly can be domed to allow objects to be placed thereon. Moreover, the housing of the cover assembly 117 and the ozone filter 119 include Figure 5 The embodiments of the entire top portion of the discharge lamp assembly shown are not mutually inclusive. Specifically, any of the apparatus disclosed herein may include an assembly spaced apart from an outlet of its cooling system to direct gases exhausted therefrom.

[0088] like Figure 4As shown, in some embodiments, the device 100 may include a linear actuator 116 coupled to the base 114. Generally speaking, the linear actuator 116 can be used to move the discharge lamp assembly and the attached reflector 118 into and out of the support structure 102. Such a configuration can be advantageous for protecting the discharge lamp assembly and the attached reflector from damage when the device 100 is not in use, especially when transporting. In other embodiments, the linear actuator 116 can be used to move the discharge lamp assembly and the attached reflector when the device 100 is in operation, and in some cases when the discharge lamp 104 is emitting light. Specifically, in some embodiments, it can be advantageous to move the discharge lamp assembly and the attached reflector when the device 100 is in operation to assist in the distribution of ultraviolet light in the room in which the device is arranged. Other ways of performing the movement of the discharge lamp assembly and the attached reflector can be used, and therefore, the devices considered herein are not necessarily limited to the linear actuator 116 to achieve such purposes. For example, the device 100 can alternatively have a fixed track along which the discharge lamp assembly and the attached reflector can be moved. In any case, configurations in which the discharge lamp assembly is moved during operation of the apparatus are not mutually exclusive with embodiments in which the apparatus includes a reflector attached to and / or above the discharge lamp assembly.

[0089] Since the apparatus 100 is configured such that the discharge lamp 104 extends beyond the outer surface of the support structure 102, the filter 106 is configured to surround the discharge lamp 104 and thus in some cases may be such as Figure 4 Such a configuration of the filter 106 may include a filter glass in the form of a perfect circular cylinder or may include a film having optical properties disposed on a light-transmitting perfect circular cylindrical substrate such as, for example, quartz. Figure 6 and 7 Other filter configurations surrounding the discharge lamp 104, described in greater detail, are also possible. In still other cases, the filter 106 may be omitted from the device 100. Specifically, as described above, while the inclusion of a filter may be beneficial in some of the devices described herein, this is not necessarily a requirement and thus may be omitted in some embodiments.

[0090] The benefit of configuring the device 100 such that the discharge lamp 104 extends beyond the outer surface of the support structure 102 is that the ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp 104 and passing through the filter 108 (if applicable) surrounds the outer surface of the device without necessarily accommodating the reflector 118. Specifically, the extension of the discharge lamp 104 beyond the outer surface of the support structure 102 inherently causes the ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp 104 and passing through the filter 108 (if applicable) to surround the lamp housing, which includes the outer surface of the device. Depending on the height of the support structure 102 and the height of the discharge lamp assembly, the extension of the discharge lamp 104 beyond the outer surface of the support structure 102 can also cause the ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp 104 to surround the support structure 102. Moreover, in some embodiments, the extension of the discharge lamp 104 beyond the outer surface of the support structure 102 can cause the ultraviolet light to propagate to an area that is about 2 feet and about 4 feet away from the floor in which the device 100 is arranged, which area, as described above, can be considered a high touch area in a room that needs to be particularly effectively disinfected. In still other cases, although suspending discharge lamp 104 above support structure 102 may be beneficial for distributing light around device 100, placement of discharge lamp 104 is not so limited. Specifically, discharge lamp 104 may alternatively be disposed above support structure 102 or may be partially disposed with support structure 102.

[0091] Since extending the discharge lamp beyond the outer surface of the support structure is effective for propagating light around the device, a reflector system for redirecting ultraviolet light propagating away from the device may not be required in some embodiments of the devices described herein, especially for devices with vertically positioned discharge lamps. However, in some cases, such a reflector system may be included in the device. Figure 4 . As described above, the reflector system of the device 100 may include a reflector 118 attached to an ozone filter 119 on top of the filter 106. Although such a configuration may be advantageous for moving the reflector 118 with the discharge lamp assembly (i.e., in and out of the support structure 102 in a vertical direction), the device configuration is not so limited. Specifically, the reflector 118 may be replaceably detachable from the discharge lamp assembly of the device 100. Such a configuration may be advantageous in embodiments where it is desired to move the reflector independently of the discharge lamp assembly, such as for optimizing the redirection of ultraviolet light to a specific area. As Figure 5 As shown, other alternative configurations of the device 100 include a reflector 118 and an ozone filter 119 having the same or similar diameters and disposed perpendicularly relative to each other. Figure 5A variation 115 of the device 100 is shown in which the ozone filter 119 comprises the top portion of the discharge lamp assembly and the reflector 118 comprises the bottom portion of the assembly. Such a configuration can advantageously allow more air to flow through the lamp housing, thereby providing a more efficient cooling system. In still other embodiments, the ozone filter 119 can be omitted from the device 100 and replaced with an air filter and / or an optical filter.

[0092] In any case, the reflector 118 may be Figure 4 The circle shown and in some embodiments can be particularly conical. However, other shapes can be considered for reflector 118. In some embodiments, reflector 118 can include holes so that some ultraviolet light can propagate above device 100. In any case, in some embodiments, device 100 can include additional components (all) for redirecting ultraviolet light propagating from discharge lamp 104 and / or reflector 118. For example, in some embodiments, device 100 can include a reflector that supports around the base of the discharge lamp assembly. In some cases, the additional reflector can be attached to the discharge lamp assembly so that the additional reflector moves with the discharge lamp assembly. In other embodiments, the additional reflector can be attached to the upper surface of the support structure 102 and the discharge lamp assembly can move through it. Regarding the shape of reflector 118, in some cases, the additional reflector can be circular or even conical, but other shapes can also be considered. Regardless of the configuration of reflector 118 or even its accommodation within device 100, the base supporting discharge lamp 104 (e.g., the top of fan 108) can include a reflector.

[0093] As described above, other filter configurations around the discharge lamp 104 are reliable for use in the disclosure of this document 7 and in Figure 6 and 7 The ultraviolet discharge lamp device shown in FIG. Figure 6 and 7 The device variants mentioned are used to emphasize that different filter configurations may be considered for the devices described herein. Although not shown, Figure 6 and 7 The device variants shown may include Figure 1-5 For example, a variant may include reference to Figure 4 Any components of the lamp assembly described and the reflector 118. Also, Figure 6 and 7 The size of the ozone filter 119 in the embodiment may vary from that described and / or depending on the design specifications of the device, the ozone filter may be from Figure 6 and 7 The configuration is omitted.

[0094] Figure 6A variation 120 of the device 100 is shown having a multifaceted filter 122 surrounding the discharge lamp 104 . Figure 6 The multifaceted filter 122 is shown arranged on the support structure 102, but such an arrangement is exemplary. The multifaceted filter 122 can alternatively be suspended above the support structure 102, such as in Figure 4 106 is shown and depicted in FIG. In yet other configurations, the multifaceted filter 122 and the accompanying discharge bulb 104 may be partially disposed within the support structure 102. In any case, the multifaceted filter generally includes a plurality of filter panels fused together. Although the multifaceted filter 122 is shown as including 6 panels, it is not limited thereto. Specifically, the multifaceted filter contemplated for use in the apparatus herein may include any plurality of filter panels. In addition, the filter panel may be supported by a filter glass material or may have a light-transmitting substrate, such as, for example, quartz, with a film having desired optical properties disposed thereon. In either case, in some embodiments, the filter panel may include narrow bands of different materials, such as metal or plastic, for structural support. In some cases, one or more of these narrow support bands may partially or entirely include a reflective material to assist in redirecting light emitted from the discharge lamp around which the support band is arranged.

[0095] In some embodiments, the multifaceted filter may be less expensive than a perfect circular cone filter, particularly for embodiments in which the filter is made of a filter glass material. However, a disadvantage of using a multifaceted filter may be that the ultraviolet light is blocked where the plates are fused and / or where the support strips are placed, so areas of the room in which the device is arranged may not be adequately disinfected. One way to overcome such drawbacks is to move the multifaceted filter during operation of the device. Specifically, the multifaceted filter may be moved about a central axis so that ultraviolet light propagating to an area surrounding the device 100 during operation of the device may collectively occupy the entirety of the surrounding area. The multifaceted filter may rotate a full circle or more during operation of the device, or may rotate less than a circle during operation of the device. In some embodiments, the multifaceted filter may move a fraction of a circle, where the fraction corresponds to the number of optical panels that include the multifaceted filter. For example, in an embodiment in which the multifaceted filter includes 6 optical panels, the multifaceted filter may move 1 / 6 of a circle.

[0096] In any case, some of the devices described herein may include a device for moving the filter around the central axis. Such a device may include any mechanism known in the art for moving an object, and in other embodiments may also include program instructions executable by the CPU 32 so that the timing of the movement of the filter around the central axis can be automatic. As described above, although in some embodiments it may be advantageous to move the filter around the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein about the central axis during operation of the device, it is generally not desirable to move the discharge lamp in the same manner in view of concerns about damaging the discharge lamp. Therefore, in some embodiments, variant 120 may include an intermediate obstacle between the discharge lamp 104 and the multi-faceted filter 122. As described above, the intermediate obstacle may be part of a housing surrounding the discharge lamp 104. In addition, the multi-faceted filter 122 may be configured to move independently of the intermediate obstacle.

[0097] In still other embodiments, the multifaceted filter 122 may not be configured to move about the central axis during operation of the device. Specifically, in theory, light propagating from adjacent filter panels of the multifaceted filter 122 may converge at the same point, and therefore, ultraviolet light may surround the outer surface of the device 100 without causing the multifaceted filter 122 to move about the central axis during operation of the device 100. In still other embodiments, the discharge lamp 104 may include a configuration to offset potential obstruction from the fused regions of the filter panels and / or a support band disposed on the multifaceted filter 122. For example, the discharge lamp 104 may include a U-shaped bulb with a spacing between the two "cuts" of the U that is larger than the width of the fused region and / or the support band. In any of such cases, the device 100 can be said to be configured so that at least some of the ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp 104 and passing through the multifaceted filter 122 surrounds the outer surface of the device. Alternatively, it may be determined that coverage gaps caused by fused areas of the filter panel and / or where support strips of multifaceted filter 122 are placed may not be significant, and thus movement of multifaceted filter 122 may not be required.

[0098] Figure 7 Yet another configuration of filters that can be used within the devices contemplated herein is shown. Specifically, Figure 7 A variation 124 of the device 100 is shown having an assembly of a filter 126 and a reflector 128 surrounding the discharge lamp 104. Figure 7As shown, in some embodiments, the filter 126 and the reflector 128 may have approximately equal dimensions along the cylindrical sidewall of the assembly. However, other configurations are possible, including configurations in which the filter 126 is larger than the portion of the reflector 128 along the sidewall of the assembly and configurations in which the filter 126 is smaller than the portion of the reflector 128 along the sidewall of the assembly. Thus, a more general description of a filter / reflector assembly that may be considered for use in the devices described herein may be an assembly that includes a filter and a reflector opposite the filter, or vice versa.

[0099] like Figure 7 As shown, in some cases, reflector 128 may also comprise the top portion of the assembly. However, other configurations of the top portion of the assembly are contemplated, including filter 126 alternatively comprising the top portion of the assembly, or having a combination of reflector 128 and filter 126 comprise the top portion of the assembly. Note also that the shape of the filter / reflector assembly is not limited to Figure 7 128 and the filter 126 may include a plurality of panels, so that in some cases the assembly may have a variable cylindrical shape. Additionally or alternatively, the top of the assembly may be inclined, or more generally, have a change in height. Such a configuration may be particularly advantageous when at least a portion of the top includes the reflector 128, so that the ultraviolet light can be redirected downward to a desired area in the room. Additionally or alternatively, such a configuration may be advantageous for preventing exhaust from the cooling system of the equipment from being routed directly to the ceiling of the room in which the equipment is arranged.

[0100] In any case, Figure 7 The filter / reflector assembly of the invention can be effective for targeting a specific area in a room adjacent to the device (such as an area with a high density of objects). In some embodiments, the filter / reflector assembly can be configured to move. For example, in some cases, the filter / reflector assembly can be configured to swing. Such a configuration can be advantageous when a given target area is larger than the span over which the filter / reflector assembly can effectively emit ultraviolet light (when it is stationary). In other embodiments, the filter / reflector assembly can be configured to rotate. In any case, in some embodiments, the movement of the filter / reflector assembly can be based on the characteristics of the room in which the device 100 is arranged. For example, if a relatively high number of objects in a room are in the same general area, it can be beneficial to position the filter / reflector assembly so that light is directed to that specific area compared to other areas of the room.

[0101] Similar to reference Figure 1 and 2a-2c described device 20, device 100 may include or be configured to access a database listing the characteristics of one or more rooms, and / or device 100 may include a system 70 for collecting and / or generating data about the characteristics of the room. Any system known in the art for generating, collecting and / or analyzing the characteristics of the room may be used. Examples include dosimeters, space sensors and / or photo recognition systems. In some cases, device 100 may also include a CPU 32 to retrieve data, determine the position of the filter / reflector assembly based on the data, relay the determined position to the user interface 34, and / or send a command to a device in the device 100 for automatically moving the filter / reflector assembly based on the determined position.

[0102] In addition to or in place of the features described above, in some embodiments, the ultraviolet discharge lamp device described herein may include a plurality of discharge lamps. Such a device may include a filter and / or a reflective system for each discharge lamp according to the description of such features provided above. In some embodiments, the device may include a discharge lamp having a filter configured to attenuate a large amount of visible light emitted from the discharge lamp and also include a discharge lamp in which no filter is arranged near the discharge lamp. Such a configuration may be advantageous for attenuating the use of the discharge lamp depending on whether it is desired to attenuate the visible light during operation of the device. In some cases, some or all of the discharge lamps in the plurality of discharge lamps may be operated by the same power circuit and / or the same trigger circuit. In other embodiments, the device may include different power circuits and / or different trigger circuits for each discharge lamp. In either case, it is contemplated herein that the plurality of devices, each of which has one or more discharge lamps, may be configured to communicate with each other (i.e., constitute a system) to disinfect a room. Figure 8 An exemplary system 130 is shown including a plurality of ultraviolet discharge lamp devices 132 and 142 each including a discharge lamp assembly 134 and 144 and sensors 136 and 146, respectively. The dashed line between devices 132 and 142 indicates that these units may be configured to communicate with each other and / or may be connected via a central processing unit.

[0103] In any case, a device with multiple discharge lamps or a system with multiple discharge lamp devices can be configured to operate the discharge lamps at the same time, in sequential operation or distinct operation of the device / system. Operating multiple discharge lamps at the same time can advantageously reduce the time required to treat an area. In order to further minimize the time to treat an area while preventing an area from being "overdosed" with too much UV light, the device / system can be configured to modify the operating parameters of the device / system, such as the intensity or pulse frequency of each lamp, based on the characteristics of the room in which the device / system is arranged or based on the ultraviolet light reflected from the target object. This can involve a database or one or more sensors, sometimes sensors for each discharge lamp unit, to determine the characteristics of the room or the amount or intensity of ultraviolet light reflected from the target object. In some cases, the device / system may include ultrasonic, infrared or other sensors to map the room in which the device / system is arranged, and in some embodiments may be configured to map the room with respect to each discharge lamp unit. Such map mapping variants may also be included in devices including a single discharge lamp that are not necessarily part of a multi-device system.

[0104] In any case, the CPU of the device / system can be configured to analyze the map(s) and determine the necessary UV dose to achieve the minimum dose on all target surfaces. In addition, the CPU of the multi-lamp device / system can be configured to allocate power to each discharge lamp to optimize the total treatment time of the room. The above can also be achieved using feedback from sensors used to measure reflected UV light. Information from all sensors (e.g., emitted UV light, room size / shape, and the positioning of all bulb units) can be fed to a formula or algorithm that determines the total operating time of each bulb unit. This will allow power to be transferred to a unit that optimizes the decontamination speed in an area. For example, in a system configuration, two units can be used to treat different sections of an area or even different rooms. When the sensor detects that one of these sections has received the required UV dose, the corresponding unit will be turned off. In some embodiments, the remaining units can receive the transferred power and can be pulsed at a higher frequency (if desired). The sensor system can be precise enough to detect whether there is a common space between different sections and further specify that the second unit treats the common space and therefore excludes the area from the dose calculation of the first unit. Additionally, operating time can be optimized by varying the directionality of the emitted UV light of each bulb unit (through changes in reflector height, orientation and / or shape).

[0105] In some embodiments, the device or system may be created to move within a room to provide multiple focal points of UV light distribution. In such cases, information obtained through room sensing (via ultrasound or infrared sensors or reflected UV light) can be used to guide the movement of the device / system in the room. The device / system may use motorized wheels to move and have sensors to maneuver around obstacles. The device / system can "learn" a room by sensing in real time as it moves, mapping the received dose on each surface as it moves. The device / system can also be manually pushed around the room by the user while the device / system maps the room, and then the CPU of the device / system can analyze the map and determine the correct dose for each location of the operation of the device / system. The map and dose requirements can be used to change the speed at which the mobile device / system will pass over different surfaces.

[0106] Steering Figure 9-11 , a system for controlling the operation of a sterilization device, in particular, a system for determining operating parameters and a disinfection schedule for a sterilization device. In particular, Fig. 9 A system is described that includes one or more disinfection sources and a processing subsystem having processor-executable program instructions for determining operating parameters and a disinfection schedule for the one or more disinfection sources. In addition, Fig.10 Describes the configuration used to outline Fig. 9 A flowchart of another method in which a processor of the described system may execute program instructions. In addition, Fig.11 Describes the configuration used to outline Fig. 9 A flowchart of another method in which a processor of the described system can execute program instructions. Figure 9-11 The described systems and processes may be applicable to any system that includes a disinfection source. As used herein, the term "disinfection source" refers to a collection of one or more components used to generate and distribute a disinfectant, and, if applicable, includes any additional components used to perform the generation or distribution of the disinfectant. In some embodiments, a device or apparatus may include a single collection of components for generating a disinfectant. In such cases, the components associated with generating the disinfectant may be referred to as a disinfection source, or alternatively, the device or apparatus as a whole may be referred to as a disinfection source. In other embodiments, a device or apparatus may include multiple disinfection sources (i.e., multiple collections of components for generating multiple sources with one or more disinfectants).

[0107] In any case, the term "disinfectant" as used herein refers to an agent used to inactivate or kill microorganisms, especially pathogen-carrying and / or pathogen-producing microorganisms (aka, bacteria). The term "kill" as used herein means to cause the death of an organism. In contrast, the term "inactivation" as used herein is known to render an organism incapable of replication rather than killing. Thus, a disinfectant configured to inactivate microorganisms refers to an agent that renders the microorganism incapable of replication but leaves the organism alive. In general, it is contemplated that the agent used to inactivate microorganisms is an agent that renders the microorganism incapable of replication but leaves the organism alive. Figure 9-11 The disinfection source(s) of the systems and processes described in the invention may be configured to generate a sterilant in the form of a liquid, vapor, gas, plasma, ultraviolet light, and / or high intensity narrow spectrum (HINS) light. Figure 9-11 The disinfection source(s) of the system or process disclosed in Figure 1-8 Discharge lamp apparatus described. Examples of disinfection sources that can be configured to disperse liquid, vapor, gas, or plasma sterilants include, but are not necessarily limited to, liquid sprayers, atomizers, plasma torches, and mist systems including wet and dry mist systems. As used herein, the term "mist" refers to a microscopic spherical suspension of liquid in a gas. As used herein, a germicidal mist is classified as a liquid sterilant.

[0108] In some embodiments, a liquid, steam, gas, or plasma sterilant may be endowed with deactivation or killing functionality by the manner in which it is used. For example, boiling water, steam, and heated air are generally effective sterilants due to the temperatures at which they are employed. Furthermore, the sterilization effectiveness of some plasma sterilants is primarily due to the presence and activity of the charged particles that make up the plasma rather than the molecular composition of these charged particles. As used herein, the phrase "molecularly configured to" refers to the elemental composition of a substance (i.e., the number and type of atoms that make up the substance) that imparts the functionality stated after the phrase. In some cases, the deactivation and / or microbial killing functionality of a liquid, steam, gas, or plasma sterilant may be attributed to the elements that make up the sterilant, and thus, such sterilants may be referred to as being molecularly configured to deactivate and / or kill microorganisms.

[0109] An example of a gas sterilant whose molecules are configured to kill microorganisms is ozone. An example of a plasma sterilant whose molecules are configured to deactivate or kill microorganisms is a plasma sterilant that employs or generates reactive oxygen species. Examples of liquid and steam sterilants whose molecules are configured to deactivate or kill microorganisms include liquid and steam sterilants having a primary disinfectant such as, but not limited to, bleach components, hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, alcohol, quaternary ammonium compounds, or ozone. In any of these cases, the liquid and steam sterilants may be aqueous or non-aqueous. Note that the liquid and steam sterilants considered for use Figure 9-11 The disinfection source(s) of the systems and processes disclosed herein may include a disinfection source configured to impart deactivation or killing functionality by a manner in which a bactericide is used by a molecular configuration of the bactericide.

[0110] Steering Fig. 9 , system 150 is shown to include disinfection source(s) 160 and optional disinfection sources 162 and 164. Specifically, the dashed lines that delimit disinfection sources 162 and 164 indicate that these disinfection sources are optional features of system 150. In general, system 150 may include any number of disinfection sources, including only one disinfection source or any plurality of disinfection sources. Moreover, system 150 may include any number of devices or apparatuses that include one or more disinfection sources. Specifically, in some cases, system 150 may include a single disinfection device or apparatus having one or more disinfection sources. In other embodiments, system 150 may include Fig. 9 Multiple disinfection devices or apparatuses are shown, each having one or more disinfection sources.

[0111] In any case, the disinfection source(s) within the system 150 may be fixedly disposed in the room or may be portable. In embodiments where the system 150 includes multiple disinfection sources, less than all of the disinfection sources may be fixedly disposed in the room, and other disinfection sources may be portable. In still other embodiments where the system 150 includes multiple disinfection sources, all of the disinfection sources may be fixedly disposed in the room, or all of the disinfection sources may be portable. Also, as described above, it is contemplated that Figure 9-11 The disinfection source(s) of the systems and processes described in the foregoing may be configured to generate a sterilant in the form of a liquid, vapor, gas, plasma, ultraviolet light, and / or high-intensity narrow spectrum (HINS) light. Note that in embodiments where the system 150 includes a plurality of disinfection sources, the disinfection source(s) may be any combination of sources configured to generate a sterilant in the form of a liquid, vapor, gas, plasma, ultraviolet light, and / or high-intensity narrow spectrum (HINS) light or may exclusively include disinfection sources of the same type.

[0112] As described in more detail below, Fig.10 and 11 A process for determining operating parameters and disinfection schedules for disinfection source 160 and optional disinfection sources 162 and 164 based on the characteristics of the room in which system 150 is arranged is summarized in . Therefore, the disinfection source(s) of system 150 and the equipment(s) and devices including the disinfection source(s) can be specifically configured for room disinfection. Specifically, the disinfection source(s) of system 150 and the equipment(s) and devices including the disinfection source(s) can be configured to distribute disinfectants in a broad manner to treat the room. As used herein, the term "room disinfection" refers to the cleaning of a bounded area that is suitable for humans to deactivate, eliminate or prevent the growth of pathogen-carrying microorganisms in the area. It is noted that the room disinfection equipment and devices described herein, especially those considered for use with reference to Figure 9-11Room disinfection equipment and devices of the described systems and processes may include various configurations, including floor-based, wall-based, and ceiling-based configurations.

[0113] Further Fig. 9 As shown, system 150 includes a processing subsystem 152 having a processor 156 and program instructions 154 executable by processor 156. Fig.10 and 11 In more detail, program instructions 154 may be configured to determine operating parameters and / or disinfection schedules for disinfection sources (e.g., disinfection source 160 and disinfection sources 162 and 164 (if applicable)) comprising system 150. The term "program instructions" as used herein may generally refer to commands within a program that are configured to perform specific functions (such as receiving input, recording signal reception, determining when and / or whether to allow a device to initiate operation, and sending signals to initiate and / or terminate operation of a device). Program instructions may be implemented in any of a variety of ways, including, in particular, procedure-based techniques, component-based techniques, and / or object-oriented techniques. For example, program instructions may be implemented using ActiveX controls, C++ objects, JavaBeans, Microsoft Foundation Classes ("MFC"), or other techniques or methodologies as desired. Program instructions that implement the processes described herein may be transmitted over a carrier medium such as a wire, cable, or wireless transmission link.

[0114] In some embodiments, the processing subsystem 152 may be a single processing unit connected to each of the disinfection sources of the system 150, and thus may be considered a central processing unit, particularly when the system 150 includes multiple disinfection sources. In such cases, in other embodiments, the processing subsystem 152 may be a single processing unit connected to each of the disinfection sources of the system 150, and thus may be considered a central processing unit, particularly when the system 150 includes multiple disinfection sources. Fig. 9 The processing subsystem 152 is a separate entity of the device or apparatus including the disinfection source(s) of the system 150 shown. In other cases, the processing subsystem 152 may be disposed within the device or apparatus including the disinfection source(s) of the system 150. In other embodiments, the processing subsystem 152 may include multiple processors, each of which is disposed on a different device or apparatus including the disinfection source(s) of the system 150. In such cases, the processing subsystem 152 may be at least partially distributed among the devices or apparatus including the multiple disinfection sources. In some embodiments, each device or apparatus including the disinfection source(s) of the system 150 may include a processor and program instructions 154.

[0115] Steering Fig.10 , provides a flow chart outlining a process for determining one or more operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources of a sterilization system based on characteristics of a room in which the one or more disinfection sources are disposed. Fig.10As shown in block 170 of the method, the method includes receiving data about the characteristics of a room in which one or more disinfection sources are arranged. Such a process may include accessing a database including the data as indicated by block 172 and / or receiving data from one or more sensors in the room that generate the data as indicated by block 174. In the latter case, in some embodiments, the one or more sensors may be independent of the disinfection source(s) and the processing subsystem of the sterilization system. In other cases, one or more of the sensors may be placed in one or more of the disinfection sources(s) or in the processing subsystem of the sterilization system (if it is separate from the disinfection source(s)).

[0116] In general, the phrase "characteristics of a room" used herein refers to the physical attributes and non-physical attributes of a room. The non-physical attributes of a room include, but are not necessarily limited to, identifiers used to refer to the room (e.g., room numbers and / or room names) and occupancy information about the room (e.g., infection information of patients who previously occupied the room or are listed as patients who are to occupy the room). The physical attributes of a room include, but are not necessarily limited to, the size and / or volume of the room and / or the number, size, distance, position, reflectivity, and / or identification or priority of the surface and / or objects in the room. In some cases, the physical attributes of a room may be the identification of one or more pathological mechanisms (i.e., detection via sampling analysis), and sometimes the number or concentration of such mechanisms in a room, in a specific area of ​​a room, or on a specific surface in a room. The phrase "operating parameters of a disinfection source" used herein refers to any parameter that may affect the operation of a disinfection source, including, but not limited to, the running time of the disinfection source, the positioning of the disinfection source, the orientation of the components of the disinfection source, the sterilization dose delivery parameters of the disinfection source, and / or the power provided to the disinfection source.

[0117] Further Fig.10 As shown in box 180 of , the method also includes determining one or more individual operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources based on the received data about the characteristics of the room. In general, there are a number of ways in which such a process is performed. Specifically, in some embodiments, the process may involve accessing a database that includes a list of room attributes and corresponding (all) predetermined operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources. For example, non-physical attributes of the room (such as a room number, a room name, or occupancy information about the room) may be entered into a user interface of the disinfection system, and such data entry may initiate access to the aforementioned database to determine (all) operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources.

[0118] Specifically, a pre-assigned room identifier (such as "108" or "operating room") may be entered into a user interface (such as by key entry or scanning a bar code), and one or more operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources disposed in such room may be determined from a database summarizing such relevant information. Such embodiments may be particularly applicable to a sterilization system that includes one or more portable disinfection devices and is thereby used in a plurality of different rooms. Another example includes inputting occupancy information about a room (e.g., infection information of a patient that previously occupied the room or a patient that is scheduled to occupy the room) into a user interface, and one or more operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources may be determined from such information. Such embodiments are particularly applicable when a patient that previously occupied the room was diagnosed with a spore infection and / or treated for it or when the patient that is about to enter is known to have a low immune system (such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)). In such cases, the operating parameters determined for one or more disinfection sources may be based on the patient's ailment.

[0119] In some cases, the aforementioned process can be increased by considering the number and / or type of disinfection sources or devices arranged in the room. Specifically, in addition to inputting the non-physical attributes of the room (such as the room number, room name, or occupancy information about the room) into the user interface, the number and / or type of disinfection sources or devices arranged in the room can also be input into the user interface to determine one or more operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources. In such cases, the database accessing such entries may include additional domains (all) of the number and / or type of disinfection sources applicable to each listed room attribute and each disinfection source corresponding to different one or more operating parameter sets. In some cases, a specific disinfection source can be selected for use based on the characteristics of the room. It should be noted that the aforementioned embodiment is not only applicable to a sterilization system having one or more portable disinfection devices exclusively, but also to a sterilization system having one or more portable disinfection devices combined with a disinfection source fixedly placed in the room. In the latter of such embodiments, in some cases, the operating parameters listed in the database can be preset based on the known positioning of the fixedly placed disinfection source in the room.

[0120] It should be noted that accessing the database to determine one or more operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources is not limited to non-physical properties of the room (such as a room identifier or occupancy information of the room). Specifically, the database may additionally or alternatively include a list of values ​​or ranges of one or more physical properties (such as the size and / or volume of the room and / or the number, size, distance, position, reflectivity and / or identification or priority of surfaces and / or objects in the room) and the corresponding (all) predetermined operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources that may be arranged in the room. Such embodiments may also be increased to determine one or more operating parameters of the disinfection source(s) by considering the number and / or type of disinfection sources or devices arranged in the room.

[0121] In any case, the physical properties may be input via a user interface or may be obtained via one or more sensors within the room. An example of an embodiment that may be applicable to the foregoing scenario is when the room dimensions are obtained and the accessible database includes different run times, different sterilant delivery rates, and / or different power levels to be provided to the disinfection source for different room sizes or ranges of room sizes. Specifically, relatively large rooms will most likely require longer and / or more efficient sterilant exposure than smaller rooms, and therefore, it would be advantageous to contemplate setting the run time, sterilant delivery rate, and / or power level to be provided to the disinfection source based on the size of the room. Other correlations of room characteristics with operating parameters of the disinfection source may be contemplated for use in the database, and thus, the foregoing examples are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure provided herein.

[0122] An alternative way to determine one or more operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources based on the characteristics of the room is to use an algorithm that correlates such variables. In some embodiments, the algorithm determines one or more operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources based solely on the physical characteristics of the room. In other cases, the algorithm may determine one or more operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources based on a combination of physical and non-physical characteristics of the room. In any embodiment, a specific disinfection source may be selected for use based on the characteristics of the room, especially via the use of the algorithm, and additionally or alternatively determine the operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources. As for the above-mentioned database embodiment, in some embodiments, the algorithm may be based on the number and / or type of disinfection equipment arranged in the room in addition to the characteristics of the room. Although not necessarily so limited, it may be advantageous to adopt an algorithm-based process when multiple room characteristics affect the determination of (all) operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources. Additionally or alternatively, it may be advantageous when multiple operating parameters are to be determined and / or when separate (all) operating parameters are to be determined for multiple disinfection sources. Specifically, the range of related variables becomes more complex as more variables participate in the action, and thus, in such cases, the algorithm may be more suitable than the database.

[0123] In some cases, Fig.10 The room characteristic data received at box 170 of the room characteristic data may be used to identify locations, areas, objects, and / or surfaces within the room as indicated by boxes 178 and 178. In such cases, the process of determining the individual operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources indicated in box 180 may be based on the identified locations, areas, objects, or surfaces of box 176 or box 178 (i.e., via a database or algorithm). As shown in box 176, in some embodiments, the room characteristic data received at box 170 may be used to identify locations, areas, objects, and / or surfaces within the room, and a priority ranking (e.g., a number or letter) may be assigned to each of the identified locations, areas, objects, and / or surfaces (such as via a database or algorithm) according to a predetermined association of the priority ranking with the identified locations, areas, objects, and / or surfaces. In some cases, the priority ranking of at least some of the surfaces may be based on the amount of time since their last disinfection. It is noted that the assignment of priority rankings in box 176 is one way in which priority is incorporated into locations, areas, objects, and / or surfaces within the room. Alternatively, priority rankings may be pre-assigned to locations, areas, objects, and / or surfaces. In any case, the priority rankings may include any type of characters indicating a level of importance among locations, areas, objects, and surfaces within a room, including but not limited to numbers, letters, and words such as "high" and "low."

[0124] like Fig.10 As shown, in some embodiments, the priority characters assigned in box 176 can be used to identify target locations, areas, objects and / or surfaces within the room, as indicated by the arrow between boxes 176 and 178. However, it is noted that the dashed lines demarcating boxes 176 and 178 indicate that these processes are optional. Thus, in some embodiments, box 176 may be omitted from the process and the room characteristic data received at box 170 may be used directly at box 178 to identify target locations, areas, objects and / or surfaces (such as via a database or algorithm). In other cases, box 178 may be omitted and the locations, areas, objects and / or surfaces identified in box 176 may be used to determine one or more separate operating parameters at box 180. In still other embodiments, both boxes 176 and 178 may be omitted from the method, thus, in some cases, Fig.10 The process outlined in block 170 may proceed directly from block 170 to block 180. Note that in the case where target locations, areas, objects, and / or surfaces within a room are identified, the process of block 180 determines one or more operating parameters for each disinfection source specific to its target location(s), area, object, and / or surface.

[0125] The process of identifying target locations, areas, objects, and / or surfaces at box 178 can be implemented in various ways and generally may depend on the type of sensor used to analyze such targets. For example, in some cases, the target can be identified by detecting the farthest distance from each disinfection source (i.e., using a distance sensor), that is, the farthest distance to the object between devices or the farthest distance to the disinfection source (if no other devices are detected in the vicinity). In other embodiments, the target can be identified by detecting the shortest distance from each disinfection source or detecting a surface at a specified distance from each disinfection source. In an alternative case, a sensor can be used to estimate the size of objects and / or surfaces in the room and from such data the sensor and / or the processing subsystem of the sterilization system can be able to verify what the object and / or surface is (such as a bed, a bedside table, or a quadrupole in a hospital room).

[0126] In some embodiments of such embodiments, the target may be selected based on the verified object or surface. For example, in some cases, the target area may be identified based on a relatively high number of objects or surfaces in the area. In other embodiments, the target area may be identified in the area based on one or more high priority objects and / or surfaces. Similarly, the target position, object or surface may be identified based on the priority of the position, object and / or surface in the room. In some cases, identifying the target position, area, object or surface may include identifying a subset of multiple positions, areas, objects or surfaces arranged around each disinfection source respectively and designating the position, area, object or surface in each subset as a target. The designation process may be based on a certain number of different qualification criteria, including but not limited to the priority of the position, area, object or surface and / or the distance from each disinfection source.

[0127] There are a number of ways in which databases and / or algorithms may be designed to determine the operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources. Some example ways are Fig.10 . Specifically, box 184 indicates that one or more individual operating parameters are formulated to primarily disinfect the surfaces of furniture and / or equipment in the room compared to the surfaces of the floor, walls, and ceiling of the room. In some of such cases, the process may also include determining one or more secondary operating parameters to primarily disinfect the floor, walls, and / or ceiling of the room after the furniture and / or equipment have been disinfected for a preset amount of time. Generally speaking, the furniture and equipment in the room have a higher likelihood of having bacteria than the floor, walls, and ceiling of the room, and therefore, it may be advantageous to formulate a disinfection process that primarily disinfects those surfaces. Specifically, calling such a priority on the disinfection schedule may result in a shorter and / or more efficient disinfection process or at least increase the likelihood that a sufficient amount of disinfection has occurred in the event that the disinfection process is terminated early.

[0128] As described above, the area between about 2 feet and about 4 feet from the floor of the room is considered to be a "high touch" area of ​​the room because frequently used objects are usually placed in such areas. Since such areas are considered to be high touch areas, they are generally considered to be areas with the highest possibility of contact with bacteria, and some studies indicate that high touch areas can be areas with the highest bacterial concentrations. For such reasons, it may be advantageous to formulate one or more separate operating parameters to mainly disinfect the surfaces of furniture and / or equipment in the area between about 2 feet and about 4 feet from the floor of the room. Additionally or alternatively, it may be advantageous to formulate one or more separate operating parameters among different furniture and / or equipment or even among different components of furniture and / or equipment. For example, a higher and / or longer dosage of disinfectant can be guaranteed for cabinet handles compared to the vertical surface of the cabinet. Several other priorities among furniture, equipment and components may also be considered to formulate disinfection source operating parameters depending on the disinfection needs of the room being treated.

[0129] like Fig.10 As shown in box 186 in, in some embodiments, the process of box 180 may include developing one or more separate operating parameters to primarily disinfect surfaces having a highest priority ranking, which may have been assigned with reference to box 176 or may have been pre-assigned to locations, areas, objects and / or surfaces within the room. Similar to the process of box 184, the process of box 186 invoking such priorities on the disinfection schedule may result in a shorter and / or more efficient disinfection process or at least increase the likelihood that an adequate amount of disinfection has occurred in the event that the disinfection process is terminated early. In some of such cases, the method may include determining one or more secondary operating parameters to primarily disinfect surfaces having a lower priority ranking after the surface having the highest priority ranking has been disinfected for a preset amount of time. Boxes 184 and 186 are similar to the process of box 184. Fig.10 In particular, many other ways can be used to formulate one or more operating parameters of one or more disinfection sources based on room characteristic data, and therefore, the scope of the disclosure provided herein should not necessarily be limited to Fig.10 Description of.

[0130] Further Fig.10As shown, the process may optionally include a block 182 for determining a separate operating parameter schedule for one or more disinfection sources. In such contexts, the term "schedule" refers to a series of operating parameter specifications to be performed sequentially for one or more disinfection sources. As discussed with reference to the options for performing the process of block 180, determining the operating parameter schedule may be based on the furniture and equipment in the main disinfection room and / or may be based on pre-assigned priorities of locations, areas, objects and / or surfaces within the room. Other approaches may also be used to formulate the schedule.

[0131] Regardless of the manner in which the operating parameter(s) of one or more disinfection sources are determined, in some embodiments, Fig.10 The process includes a box 188 for sending information to one or more disinfection sources according to the one or more individual operating parameters. The information may include the running time of the disinfection source(s), the command for adjusting the sterilant delivery rate from the disinfection source(s), and / or the power level of the operation source(s). In other embodiments, the specific power amount(s) may be sent to the disinfection source(s) according to the determination process performed with reference to box 180. In some cases, the information sent to the disinfection source(s) may be the orientation of the disinfection source(s) placed in the room and / or the orientation of the components(s) of the disinfection source(s). In such cases, the disinfection devices(s) including the disinfection source(s) may be configured to move and / or they may be able to move one or more of their components so that they can comply with the received information. Alternatively, the one or more operating parameters determined at box 180 may be displayed on a user interface and the user of the disinfection system may call the one or more operating parameters.

[0132] Fig.10 Embodiments of the method summarized in the present invention with specific application for room disinfection are described in detail below. Although such embodiments are described in detail and further enhancements are contemplated for them, the specific disclosure of such embodiments should not be construed as limiting the above description of the present invention. Fig.10 The scope of the disclosure set forth.

[0133] Consider a system with a specific application for room disinfection, including a disinfection source and a processing subsystem, which includes a processor and a program instruction that can be executed by the processor to receive physical property data about the room in which the disinfection source is arranged. Such program instructions can be used to access a database including data and / or receive data from one or more sensors of the system that generate the data. In either case, the processing subsystem includes program instructions that can be executed by the processor to determine the position of the disinfection source in the room based on the received data and / or the program instructions for the orientation of the components including the disinfection source. In some cases, these program instructions are further used to determine a list of positions for locating the disinfection source in the room based on the data and / or a list of the orientation of one or more components of the disinfection source. In some embodiments, the disinfection source can be one of the multiple disinfection sources that include the system. In such cases, the program instructions of the system can be executed by the processor to determine the position of each disinfection source in the room for locating multiple disinfection sources and / or determine the orientation of one or more components of each disinfection source in the multiple disinfection sources.

[0134] The disinfection source(s) in the aforementioned system may include(s) liquid, gas, steam, plasma, ultraviolet light, and / or high intensity narrow spectrum (HINS) light disinfection source. In addition, the adjustable one or more components of the disinfection source(s) may include any movable component of the disinfection source(s). Examples of movable components of the light-based disinfection source may include, but are not limited to, any component of the filter comprising the disinfection source or the reflector system comprising the disinfection source, such as Figure 1-8 Components described with reference to the ultraviolet discharge lamp device shown in . In some embodiments, the disinfection source can be configured to move relative to the device or apparatus including the disinfection source(s). For example, an example of a possible configuration of a movable disinfection source can be similar to a movable spotlight with 180 degree movement capability or even up to almost 360 degree movement capability. For example, other movable disinfection source configurations can be considered. For example, in some cases the disinfection source can be configured to move along a track. In other embodiments, the entire device or apparatus including the disinfection source can be configured to move, in particular to different locations within a room.

[0135] In any case, in embodiments where the disinfection source is configured to move itself and / or move one or more of its components, the processing subsystem may also include program instructions executable by the processor to send information to the disinfection source for positioning itself at a determined position and / or arranging the components in a determined orientation. In still other embodiments, the determined position and / or the determined component orientation may be displayed on a user interface and the user of the sterilization system may call up the one or more operating parameters. In any case, a disinfection source that is considered particularly suitable for the signing method is a UV disinfection source with a repositionable reflector. However, such disclosure should not be construed in any way as necessarily limiting the scope of the systems and / or methods described herein. In any case, the foregoing system may have the above references. Fig. 9 and 10 Any of the configurations shown. Thus, the system is not necessarily limited to receiving data about physical properties of the room. In particular, the system can be configured to also receive non-physical properties of the room. Moreover, the system can include program instructions for determining any operating parameters of the disinfection source based on the characteristics of the room. In particular, the foregoing system is not necessarily limited to determining the position of the disinfection source within the room and / or the orientation of the components comprising the disinfection source.

[0136] Consider another system with a specific application for room disinfection, including multiple disinfection sources and a processing subsystem including one or more processors and program instructions that can be executed by the one or more processors to receive data about the characteristics of the room in which the multiple disinfection sources are arranged. In addition, these program instructions are used to determine one or more individual operating parameters of the multiple disinfection sources based on the data. In particular, the one or more individual operating parameters are specific to each of the disinfection sources. The one or more individual operating parameters may include the operating time of the disinfection source, the positioning or speed of the disinfection source in the room, the orientation of the components including the disinfection source, the rate of delivery of the disinfectant from the disinfection source, and / or the power provided to the disinfection source. In some cases, the program instructions are also used to determine a list of individual operating parameters based on the characteristics of the room for each of the multiple disinfection sources based on the data. In general, the multiple disinfection sources may include (all) liquids, gases, steam, plasma, ultraviolet light, and / or high-intensity narrow spectrum (HINS) light disinfection sources. The multiple disinfection sources may include the same type of disinfection source or may include a combination of disinfection sources in which at least some of the disinfection sources are different from each other. Moreover, the aforementioned system may have the above reference Fig. 9 and 10 Any of the configurations shown.

[0137] A sterilization system that is considered to be particularly suitable for the aforementioned system is a light disinfection system having multiple light disinfection sources and a power distribution device for allocating a separate power requirement determined by a processing subsystem to each of these light disinfection sources. In place of the power distribution device, each of the disinfection sources may include a power control circuit. In such a case, the processing subsystem may include processor executable program instructions for sending an independent signal to the power control circuit to set the amount of power used to generate light for each disinfection source. In either case, different light disinfection sources may be allocated in different devices, may be placed on the same device, or may be combined. Although the aforementioned light disinfection system is considered to be particularly suitable for room disinfection in which multiple disinfection sources are used, such disclosure should not be interpreted in any way as necessarily limiting the scope of the systems and / or methods described herein. Specifically, it is stated that other types of sterilization disinfection sources can be used in similar systems and / or the system can be configured to have operating parameters that vary from power.

[0138] As shown below Fig.11 In more detail, in some embodiments, the system may be configured to enable the disinfection sources to work in cooperation with each other, especially with respect to the location, area, object and / or surface to be disinfected by the disinfection source target. In some cases, the collaborative effectiveness may involve different devices communicating with each other. Specifically, a system including disinfection sources placed on different devices may be configured to enable at least some of these devices to communicate with each other, especially with respect to their existence / position relative to each other and / or the location, area, object or surface to be disinfected by its (all) disinfection source targets. Specifically, in some cases, these devices may be configured to detect each other via a sensing system, such as but not limited to ultrasonic detection or infrared detection. In other embodiments, at least one device may include a processor and program instructions executable by the processor for sending information about its location or the target location, area, object or surface of its disinfection source. Thus, the sterilization device of the system described herein may be configured to know or be able to verify the existence or location of other sterilization devices in the room.

[0139] In the case where a device is configured to transmit information about a target location, area, object, or surface of a disinfection source, another device may include a processor and processor executable program instructions for receiving the information and comparing the received information with the target location, area, object, or surface of a disinfection source. However, in addition or alternatively, the collaborative effort may involve comparing data about the target location, area, object, or surface of multiple disinfection sources at a central processing unit. In either scenario, as described below with reference to Fig.11Described in more detail, the system may be configured to perform one or more actions upon detecting that two or more locations, objects, or surfaces are within a predetermined distance of each other or upon detecting that two or more areas overlap. Additionally, the system may be configured to record areas that have been disinfected by the device during the progress of the disinfection process so that those areas are deprioritized or not considered for subsequent stages of the disinfection process.

[0140] Steering Fig.11 , showing that the generalization can be configured to perform Fig. 9 A flowchart of another method in which a processor of the described system can execute program instructions. Specifically, Fig.11 A method is outlined for coordinating information about target locations, areas, objects, or surfaces of multiple disinfection sources and executing changes to the target locations, areas, objects, or surfaces and / or changes to operating parameters of one or more of the disinfection sources upon detecting that two or more locations, objects, or surfaces are within a predetermined distance of each other or upon detecting that two or more areas overlap. Fig.11 As shown in blocks 190 and 192 of the method, the method includes identifying, for each of the plurality of disinfection sources, a target location, area, object, or surface of a room in which the plurality of disinfection sources are arranged. It is noted that the term "identifying" as used herein includes reference to Fig.10 The method of determining / identifying a target location, area, object, or surface based on the room characteristic data described in block 178 of the present invention may also include receiving a target location, area, object, or surface, such as by user input, barcode scanning, or accessing a database. In any case, at blocks 194 and 196, a determination is made as to whether two or more target locations, objects, or surfaces are within a predetermined distance from each other or whether two or more target areas overlap. The predetermined distance may have any predetermined value, and in some cases, may be a threshold value indicating whether the target locations, objects, and surfaces are the same.

[0141] In the case where the determination at box 194 or box 196 is "no", the method proceeds to box 198 to continue preparing the system for the disinfection process based on the target location, area, object or surface identified for the disinfection source. In some cases, the process at box 198 may include, for example, referring to Fig.10 The process of determining one or more individual operating parameters of each of the disinfection sources described above. However, in alternative embodiments, such a process may have been performed before blocks 194 and 196. In some cases, the process at block 198 may include, for example, referring to Fig.10The process of block 198 may include sending information to the disinfection source according to the individual operating parameters determined for each of the disinfection sources. In an alternative embodiment, the process of block 198 may include displaying one or more operating parameters on a user interface and the user of the disinfection system may call the one or more operating parameters.

[0142] In the case where the determination at box 194 or box 196 is "yes", the method continues to box 200 to perform one or more corrective actions, especially changes to the planned disinfection process of at least one of the multiple disinfection sources. Although boxes 202 and 204 are given to provide examples of corrective actions that can be performed, other corrective actions can be considered. It should be noted that both boxes 202 and 204 can be performed by box 200 or one of boxes 202 and 204 can be performed by box 200. As shown in box 202, one corrective action can be to identify different target locations, areas, objects and / or surfaces for at least one of the disinfection sources corresponding to two or more detected target locations, areas, objects and / or surfaces. Another corrective action can be to change the operating parameters of at least one of the disinfection sources corresponding to two or more detected target locations, areas, objects and / or surfaces as indicated in box 204. In such cases, the changed operating parameters may be the operating time of the disinfection source, the positioning of the disinfection source within the room, the orientation of the components comprising the disinfection source, the rate of delivery of the disinfectant from the disinfection source, and / or the power provided to the disinfection source. In some cases, the operating parameters predetermined for the disinfection source corresponding to two or more detected locations, areas, objects, and / or surfaces may be compared prior to performing one or more corrective actions at box 200. Specifically, in the case where the determination at box 194 or box 196 is "yes", the operating parameters predetermined for the disinfection source may be compared and the comparison may take into account one or more corrective actions performed with reference to box 200.

[0143] Note that although Fig.10 and 11 The processor executable program instructions summarized in are described as being part of a system including one or more disinfection sources, but the processor executable program instructions are not necessarily so limited. Specifically, Fig.10 and 11 The processor executable program instructions summarized in may be located on a separate storage medium that is not necessarily associated with a specific sterilization system. Specifically, Fig.10 and 11The processor-executable program instructions summarized in may be distributed as software on a commercially available storage medium for use in conjunction with one or more sterilization systems. In general, the term "storage medium" as used herein may refer to any electronic medium configured to maintain one or more sets of program instructions, such as, but not limited to, read-only memory, random access memory, magnetic or optical disks, or tape.

[0144] Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure will appreciate that it is believed that the present invention provides ultraviolet discharge lamp devices having one or more reflectors and methods for operating such devices. In addition, it is believed that the present invention provides a system for determining operating parameters and / or a disinfection schedule for a sterilization device. Specifically, the system is configured to work in a "smart" manner (i.e., taking one or more characteristics of a room into consideration to determine operating parameters and / or a disinfection schedule for a sterilization device). In some cases, the system may be configured to optimize the disinfection process of a room (e.g., time, efficiency, and ubiquity). In view of this specification, further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0145] For example, although the foregoing discussion emphasizes the configuration of ultraviolet radiation lamp equipment for disinfection purposes, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Specifically, the ultraviolet radiation lamp equipment described herein can be used for any application utilizing ultraviolet rays. In addition, the system and process described herein for determining operating parameters and disinfection scheduling can be applied to any sterilization system. Therefore, this specification is only interpreted as illustrative, with the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general way of performing the present invention. It is to be understood that the form of the present invention shown and described herein is adopted as a currently preferred embodiment. Elements and materials can be replaced for the embodiments illustrated and described herein, parts and processes can be reversed, and certain features of the present invention can be utilized independently, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art after having the benefit of the specification of the present invention. Changes can be made to the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as described in the following claims.

Claims

1. A device comprising: a lamp configured to emit germicidal light, wherein the device is configured such that the germicidal light emitted from the lamp is projected to an exterior of the device; a support structure, wherein, when the apparatus is disposed on a floor of a room or area, the light extends beyond an upper surface of the support structure to spread the germicidal light to an area that is between 2 feet and 4 feet from the floor of the room or area; a roller disposed along a bottom portion of the device; a motor for automatically moving the device within at least a portion of the room or area; Processor; and A storage medium having program instructions executable by the processor for activating the motor so that the device moves within the room or area while the lamp emits germicidal light.

2. A device comprising: a lamp configured to emit germicidal light, wherein the device is configured such that the germicidal light emitted from the lamp is projected to an exterior of the device; a roller disposed along a bottom portion of the device; a motor for automatically moving the device within at least a portion of a room or area in which the device is arranged; an occupancy sensor for determining whether a person is present in the room or area in which the device is arranged; processor; as well as A storage medium having program instructions executable by the processor for: activating the motor so that the device moves within the room or area while the lamp emits the germicidal light; and When the occupancy sensor detects the presence of a person in the room or area, the projection of germicidal light to the exterior of the device is inhibited and terminated.

3. A device comprising: a lamp configured to emit ultraviolet light; a support structure supporting the lamp, wherein the lamp is arranged so that ultraviolet light emitted from the lamp is projected into an environment surrounding the device; Rollers arranged along the bottom of the support structure; a motor for automatically moving the support structure within at least a portion of a room or area in which the device is arranged; one or more ultraviolet light dose sensors; processor; as well as A storage medium having program instructions executable by the processor for: activating the motor so as to move the support structure within the room or area while the lamp is emitting ultraviolet light and the one or more sensors are detecting ultraviolet light; retrieving ultraviolet light dosage values ​​from the one or more sensors; as well as Mapping the UV light dosage received on one or more surfaces within the area or room.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least some of the one or more UV dose sensors are disposed on the one or more surfaces.

5. An apparatus as described in claim 3 or 4, wherein at least some of the ultraviolet dose sensors are arranged on the support structure, and wherein the program instructions are also used to determine the location of the one or more surfaces in the area or room, and determine the ultraviolet dose received on the one or more surfaces based on the ultraviolet dose values ​​retrieved from the one or more sensors.

6. A device comprising: a lamp configured to emit germicidal light, wherein the device is configured such that the germicidal light emitted from the lamp is projected to an exterior of the device; a support structure that supports the lamp; a push / pull handle extending from an outer surface of the device, wherein an uppermost surface of the push / pull handle is disposed at a lower height than an uppermost surface of the lamp; a roller disposed along a bottom portion of the device; a motor for automatically moving the device within at least a portion of a room or area in which the device is arranged; processor; as well as A storage medium having program instructions executable by the processor for activating the motor so that the device moves within the room or area while the lamp emits germicidal light.

7. A device comprising: a lamp configured to emit ultraviolet light, wherein the device is configured such that the ultraviolet light emitted from the lamp is projected to the exterior of the device; UV dose sensor; a roller disposed along a bottom portion of the device; a motor for automatically moving the device within at least a portion of a room or area in which the device is arranged; processor; as well as A storage medium having program instructions executable by the processor for: activating the motor so that the device moves within the room or area while the lamp emits ultraviolet light; and An operating parameter of the device is modified based on the amount or intensity of ultraviolet light detected by the ultraviolet dosage sensor.

8. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lamp is a xenon flash lamp or a mercury vapor lamp.

9. A device comprising: a mercury vapor discharge lamp configured to emit germicidal light and arranged longitudinally perpendicular to a horizontal plane of the apparatus, wherein the apparatus is configured such that germicidal light emitted from the lamp is projected to an exterior of the apparatus; a roller disposed along a bottom portion of the device; a motor for automatically moving the device within at least a portion of a room or area in which the device is arranged; processor; as well as A storage medium having program instructions executable by the processor for activating the motor so that the device moves within the room or area while the mercury vapor discharge lamp emits germicidal light.

10. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-7 and 9, further comprising a reflector assembly configured to redirect germicidal light emitted from the lamp to an area outside the apparatus at a distance of 2 feet to 4 feet from the room in which the apparatus is arranged or the floor of the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-7 and 9, wherein the lamp is arranged in the apparatus so that when the apparatus is arranged on the floor of the room or area, the uppermost surface of the lamp is at least 36 inches from the floor of the room or area.

12. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-7 and 9, further comprising a moving bracket positioned below the light, wherein the light cannot extend beyond the lateral extent of the moving bracket.

13. A device comprising: a plurality of lamps configured to emit germicidal light; a support structure that supports the plurality of lamps, wherein the plurality of lamps are arranged in the apparatus to extend above an upper surface of the support structure and outside the apparatus; a reflector for each of the plurality of lamps, wherein each reflector is configured to redirect germicidal light emitted from its respective lamp; a roller disposed along a bottom portion of the device; a motor for automatically moving the device within at least a portion of a room or area in which the device is arranged; Processor; and A storage medium having program instructions executable by the processor for activating the motor so that the device moves within the room or area while the lamp emits germicidal light.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plurality of lamps are xenon flash lamps or mercury vapor lamps.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plurality of lamps are arranged in a lengthwise direction and substantially perpendicular to a horizontal plane of the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of any one of claims 13-15, wherein the apparatus is configured such that germicidal light emitted from the plurality of lamps is projected outside the apparatus and reaches an area surrounding the apparatus, and wherein the germicidal light projected into the surrounding area collectively occupies the entirety of the surrounding area during operation of the apparatus.

17. The device of any one of claims 1-7, 9, and 13, further comprising a system for collecting data regarding characteristics of the room or area, wherein the program instructions are further for retrieving the data, determining operating parameters of the device based on the data, and sending commands to devices in the device to invoke the operating parameters.

18. The device of any one of claims 1-7, 9, and 13, further comprising a user interface, wherein the program instructions are further used to determine one or more operating parameters of the device based on a room number, a room name, or occupancy information about the room input into the user interface.

19. A system comprising: Multiple disinfection units, each disinfection unit includes: at least one lamp configured to emit germicidal light; and A set of one or more sensors for detecting characteristics of the environment outside their respective disinfection units, wherein the characteristics detectable by the one or more sensors include: the size and / or dimensions of the room in which the plurality of disinfection devices are arranged; The number, size, distance, position, reflectivity, and / or or logo; and / or the number, concentration, and / or identification of pathogens in the room, in specific areas of the room, or on specific surfaces in the room; and A processing subsystem comprising one or more processors and program instructions executable by the one or more processors to: Each set of one or more sensors receives one or more information about one or more areas in the room associated with the disinfection unit. data on the detected characteristics; One or more operating parameters of each of the plurality of disinfection units are determined based on the received data, wherein the one or more operating parameters are specific to each of the plurality of disinfection units. The element is independent; and After determining the one or more operating parameters: Activate the operation of the plurality of disinfection devices and disinfect the plurality of One or more devices within each disinfection unit in the unit send one or more commands to automatically call the one or more operating parameters; or The one or more operating parameters are relayed to the user of the system User interface.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more independent operating parameters include a same run time for each of the plurality of sterilization units, and wherein the program instructions are further for activating the plurality of sterilization units simultaneously.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more independent operating parameters include an operating time of the disinfection unit, a location of the disinfection unit within the room, an orientation of components comprising the disinfection unit, a sterilization delivery rate of the disinfection loop, and / or a power supplied to the disinfection unit.

22. The system of any one of claims 19-21, wherein the program instructions for determining one or more independent operating parameters of the plurality of disinfection units include program instructions for: identifying a target location, area, surface, or object within the room for each of the plurality of disinfection units based on the received data; and One or more independent operating parameters are determined for each of the plurality of disinfection units, the one or more independent operating parameters being specifically used to disinfect its target location, area, surface or object.

23. The system of any one of claims 19-21, wherein at least some of the plurality of disinfection units are discrete devices that are not connected to each other.

24. A system comprising: Multiple disinfection sources; as well as A processing subsystem comprising one or more processors and program instructions executable by the one or more processors to: receiving data regarding the number and / or type of one or more of the plurality of disinfection sources used to disinfect an area or room; determining one or more operating parameters of at least one of the one or more disinfection sources to disinfect the room based on the received data; as well as After determining the one or more operating parameters: activating operation of each of the plurality of disinfection sources and sending one or more commands to one or more devices within the system to automatically invoke the one or more operating parameters; or The one or more operating parameters are relayed to the user of the system User interface.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein data specifying the number and / or type of the one or more disinfection sources is received from a user interface of the system.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the processing system further comprises program instructions executable by the processor for receiving data regarding characteristics of the area or room, wherein: The program instructions for determining the one or more operating parameters are also based on data received regarding characteristics of the area or room, wherein the characteristics include: room identification information and / or occupancy information about the area or room; the size and / or dimensions of the area or room; The number, size, distance, location, reflectivity and / or identification; and / or The number, concentration and / or identification of one or more pathology facilities within the area or room.

27. A system as described in claim 24, wherein the one or more operating parameters include the operating time of the at least one disinfection source, the location of the at least one disinfection source in the area or room, the orientation of the components of the at least one disinfection source, the sterilization delivery rate of the at least one disinfection source, and / or the power provided to the at least one disinfection source.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the processing system further comprises program instructions executable by the processor to: identifying a target location, area, surface or object within the area or room for each of the one or more disinfection sources; and One or more independent operating parameters are determined for each of the one or more disinfection sources, and the one or more independent operating parameters are specifically used to disinfect its corresponding target location, area, surface or object.

29. The system of any one of claims 24-28, wherein at least some of the plurality of disinfection sources are disposed on the same device.

30. The system of any one of claims 24-28, wherein at least some of the plurality of disinfection sources are disposed on different devices.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the plurality of disinfection sources comprises one or more portable disinfection devices and one or more disinfection devices fixedly disposed within the area or room.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of disinfection sources is a portable disinfection device.

33. An apparatus comprising: a lamp configured to emit ultraviolet light; processor; as well as A storage medium having program instructions executable by the processor for: receiving data regarding the size and / or distance of objects in a room in which the device is arranged; and One or more operating parameters of the device are determined based on the received data.

34. The device of claim 33, further comprising a user interface, wherein the data is received from the user interface.

35. The device of claim 33, further comprising one or more sensors for detecting the size and / or distance of one or more objects in the room, wherein the data is received from the one or more sensors.

36. An apparatus as described in any of claims 33-35, wherein the one or more operating parameters include the operating time of the apparatus, the location of the apparatus within the area or room, the orientation of components of the apparatus, the germicidal delivery rate of the lamp and / or the power supplied to the apparatus.

37. A system comprising: Disinfection source; as well as A processing subsystem comprising a processor and program instructions executable by the processor to: Receiving room identification information of the room; Receiving data regarding physical characteristics of the room, wherein the physical characteristics include: the size and / or dimensions of the said room; the number of one or more surfaces, objects and / or items in the room, size, distance, location, reflectivity and / or identification; and / or the number, concentration, and / or identification of one or more pathology facilities within said room; determining one or more operating parameters of the disinfection source to disinfect the room by an algorithm, wherein the algorithm associates room identification information of the room with data regarding physical characteristics of the room; and After determining the one or more operating parameters, one or more commands are sent to one or more devices within the disinfection system to automatically invoke the one or more operating parameters.

38. A system as described in claim 37, wherein the one or more operating parameters include the operating time of the disinfection source, the location of the disinfection source in the room, the speed at which the disinfection source moves around the room, the orientation of the components comprising the disinfection source, the sterilization delivery rate of the disinfection source and / or the power provided to the disinfection source.

39. A system comprising: Disinfection source; as well as A processing subsystem comprising a processor and program instructions executable by the processor to: receiving data regarding non-physical characteristics of the room, wherein the non-physical characteristics include room identification information and / or occupancy information regarding the room; Receiving data about a physical characteristic of the room, the physical characteristic being different from a non-physical characteristic of the room, wherein the physical characteristic comprises: the size and / or dimensions of the said room; the number of one or more surfaces, objects and / or items in the room, size, distance, location, reflectivity and / or identification; and / or the number, concentration, and / or identification of one or more pathology facilities within said room; Determine the operating time of the disinfection source by an algorithm to disinfect the room, wherein the algorithm correlates data about the non-physical properties of the room with data about the physical properties of the room; and After determining the runtime, one or more commands are sent to devices within the system to automatically invoke the runtime.

40. A system as described in claim 39, wherein the program instructions are also used to determine one or more additional operating parameters of the disinfection source to disinfect the room based on data about non-physical characteristics of the room and / or data about physical characteristics of the room, and wherein the one or more additional operating parameters include the position of the disinfection source in the room, the speed at which the disinfection source moves around the room, the orientation of components including the disinfection source, the sterilization delivery rate of the disinfection source and / or the power provided to the disinfection source.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the disinfection source is an ultraviolet lamp, wherein the system further comprises one or more ultraviolet light dosage sensors, and wherein the program instructions are further for modifying the run time based on measurements from the one or more ultraviolet light dosage sensors.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the program instructions for determining an operating time for the disinfection source include program instructions for determining a schedule of operating times for the disinfection source to disinfect the room.

43. A system comprising: Disinfection equipment, including: Disinfection source; A roller arranged along the bottom of the disinfection device; and a motor for automatically moving the disinfection device within at least a portion of a room or area; and A processing subsystem comprising a processor and program instructions executable by the processor to: receiving data regarding non-physical characteristics of the room, wherein the non-physical characteristics include room identification information and / or occupancy information regarding the room; Receiving data about a physical characteristic of the room, the physical characteristic being different from a non-physical characteristic of the room, wherein the physical characteristic comprises: the size and / or dimensions of the said room; the number of one or more surfaces, objects and / or items in the room, size, distance, location, reflectivity and / or identification; and / or the number, concentration, and / or identification of one or more pathology facilities within said room; determining, by an algorithm, a speed at which the disinfection device moves around a room to disinfect the room, wherein the algorithm relates data about the non-physical characteristics of the room to data about the physical characteristics of the room; and After determining the speed, one or more commands are sent to the motor to automatically invoke the speed.

44. A system as described in claim 43, wherein the program instructions are also used to determine one or more additional operating parameters of the disinfection device to disinfect the room based on data about non-physical characteristics of the room and / or data about physical characteristics of the room, and wherein the one or more additional operating parameters include the operating time of the disinfection device, the position of the disinfection device in the room, the orientation of the components of the disinfection device, the sterilization delivery rate of the disinfection device and / or the power provided to the disinfection device.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the disinfection source is an ultraviolet lamp, wherein the system further comprises one or more ultraviolet light dosage sensors, and wherein the program instructions are further for modifying the speed based on measurements from the one or more ultraviolet light dosage sensors.

46. ​​The system of claim 43, wherein the program instructions for determining a speed at which the disinfection device moves about the room to disinfect the room include program instructions for determining a schedule of speeds at which the disinfection device moves about the room to disinfect the room.

47. A system comprising: Disinfection source; as well as A processing subsystem comprising one or more processors and program instructions executable by the one or more processors to: receiving data regarding non-physical characteristics of the room, wherein the non-physical characteristics include room identification information and / or occupancy information regarding the room; Determine a list of sterilization delivery rates of the disinfection source based on the received data, So that the disinfection source can disinfect the room; as well as After determining the list of sterilization delivery rates, a command is sent according to the determined list of sterilization delivery rates to set or adjust the sterilization delivery rate of the disinfection source.

48. A system comprising: Disinfection source; as well as A processing subsystem comprising one or more processors and program instructions executable by the one or more processors to: receiving data regarding characteristics of the room or area; and determining a schedule of power to provide to the disinfection source based on the received data so that the disinfection source disinfects the room or area; as well as After determining a schedule of power to be provided to the disinfection source, a command is sent to set or adjust the amount of power provided to the disinfection source according to the determined schedule of power to be provided to the disinfection source.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the data regarding the characteristics of the room comprises: room identification information and / or occupancy information about the area or room; the size and / or dimensions of the area or room; the number, size, distance, location, reflectivity and / or identification of one or more surfaces, objects and / or items within the area or room; and / or The number, concentration and / or identification of one or more pathology facilities within the area or room.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the room identification information is a room number and / or a room name.

51. The system of any one of claims 37-50, wherein the disinfection source comprises a liquid, gas, steam, plasma, ultraviolet light, and / or a high intensity narrow spectrum (HINS) light disinfection source.

52. The system of any of claims 37-50, wherein the disinfection source is configured to project sterilant to an area of ​​the room between 2 feet and 4 feet from a floor of the room when the disinfection device is disposed within the room.

53. The system of any one of claims 37-50, wherein the system comprises a plurality of disinfection sources, and wherein the program instructions further provide for: identifying a target location, area, object or surface within the room for each of the plurality of disinfection devices based on the data regarding the characteristics of the room; and One or more independent operating parameters are determined for each of the plurality of disinfection devices, the one or more independent operating parameters being specifically used to disinfect a target location, area, object or surface thereof.

54. A method for disinfecting objects and surfaces in a room or area, the method comprising: receiving data regarding characteristics of a room or area; Based on the received data, identifying target objects and / or different target surfaces to be disinfected in the room, wherein the target objects and / or different target surfaces are arranged in an area at a distance between 2 feet and 4 feet from a floor of the room or area; Determining a schedule of locations for locating disinfection equipment in the room or area so as to successively disinfect identified target objects and / or different target surfaces; and One or more operating parameters of the disinfection device are formulated to primarily disinfect the identified target objects and / or different target surfaces at each schedule location.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the one or more operating parameters include an operating time of the disinfection device, an orientation of components of the disinfection device, a sterilization delivery rate of the disinfection device, and / or a power supplied to the disinfection device.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the step of receiving the data comprises receiving a map of the area or room.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the step of receiving the data comprises accessing a database comprising a list of characteristics of the room.

58. The method of claim 54, wherein the step of receiving the data comprises receiving the data from one or more sensors in the room.

59. A device for disinfecting a room, the device comprising: a germicidal lamp configured to emit ultraviolet light; a support structure that supports the germicidal lamp; a first reflector disposed above the germicidal lamp, wherein an underside surface of the first reflector is dimensionally configured to be inclined relative to a horizontal plane of the apparatus to redirect light emitted from the germicidal lamp downwardly to an area outside the apparatus at a distance between 2 feet and 4 feet from a floor of a room in which the apparatus is disposed; as well as A second reflector is disposed below the germicidal lamp, wherein an upper surface of the reflector is dimensionally configured to be inclined relative to a horizontal plane of the device to redirect light emitted from the germicidal lamp upward to an area outside the device at a distance between 2 feet and 4 feet from a floor of a room in which the device is arranged.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the first reflector and the second reflector comprise a material having a reflectivity of greater than 85% to ultraviolet light.

61. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the second reflector is disposed within or on the support structure.

62. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the germicidal lamp, first reflector, and second reflector are part of an assembly that is movable relative to the support structure.

63. A device for disinfecting a room, the device comprising: a germicidal lamp configured to emit ultraviolet light; a housing surrounding the germicidal lamp, wherein a side wall of the housing is transparent to ultraviolet light, and The germicidal lamp and the housing are arranged in the device so that the germicidal lamp The ultraviolet light emitted by the bacteria lamp and transmitted through the side wall is projected to the outside of the device; a power circuit configured to operate the germicidal lamp; a support structure that supports the germicidal lamp; as well as A reflector is disposed above the germicidal lamp, wherein the reflector is configured to redirect light transmitted through the housing to an area between 2 feet and 4 feet from a floor of a room in which the device is disposed.

64. A device as claimed in claim 63, wherein the device is configured so that light projected outside the device propagates to an area surrounding the device, and wherein during operation of the device, the light propagated to the surrounding area collectively occupies the entirety of the surrounding area.

65. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 59 to 64, wherein the discharge lamp is arranged longitudinally perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the apparatus.

66. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 59 to 64, wherein the discharge lamp is arranged longitudinally parallel to the horizontal plane of the apparatus.

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