Systems for reducing the risk of contact with pathogens in a room

Abstract

System for monitoring environmental and occupancy conditions in a room, the system comprising: one or more air quality sensors configured to provide multiple air quality parameters of the room; a motion sensor that is set up to detect movements within the room; a controller that is operable in conjunction with one or more air quality sensors and the motion sensor, wherein the controller is configured to: a numerical indoor air quality index is calculated, based at least partially on two or more air quality parameters, wherein the indoor air quality index is representative of the air quality of the air in the room; a state of movement is determined based on motion data from the motion sensor; and a trend indicator is calculated for at least one of the air quality parameters.

Description

Technical field

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to facility management systems and in particular to systems for reducing the risk of pathogen contact within a building and related storage media. background

[0002] Buildings are constructed with a variety of different rooms. Each room or zone is often occupied to varying degrees and at different times. To reduce the risk of people in a building coming into contact with pathogens, it is desirable to disinfect the rooms periodically. This is often a manual process carried out by cleaning staff using chemical cleaning agents. A less intrusive, data-driven method for monitoring and disinfecting rooms within a building would be preferable. Summary

[0003] This disclosure relates generally to the monitoring and disinfection of rooms within a building. Although a hotel is described as an example of use, it should be noted that this disclosure can be used in connection with any establishment comprising a number of rooms or zones, such as an office building, a hospital, an airport, and / or any other suitable building or facility.

[0004] In one example, a system reduces the risk of contact with pathogens in a room located within a multi-room facility where one or more people are periodically present. The system includes one or more occupancy sensors configured to indicate when the room is occupied and when it is unoccupied. A disinfection device is configured to disinfect the surfaces in the room when activated. The disinfection device can be a UV disinfection unit that illuminates the surfaces in the room, killing pathogens on the surfaces or even in the air. A controller is connected to the one or more occupancy sensors and the disinfection device.The controller is set up to determine a specific time for disinfecting the room, based at least partially on information received from one or more presence sensors, and to automatically instruct the disinfection device to disinfect the surfaces in the room at that specified time.

[0005] In another example, a system manages the pathogen risk in a guest room within a facility that has multiple rentable guest rooms. This could be, for example, a hotel, a cruise ship, or another type of establishment. The system is operable via the facility's property management system (PMS) and includes one or more occupancy sensors configured to indicate when the guest room is occupied and when it is vacant. A disinfection device is configured to disinfect the surfaces in the guest room when activated. A controller is operable via the one or more occupancy sensors and the disinfection device.The controller is configured to receive information from the PMS indicating whether the guest room is rented and from one or more presence sensors indicating whether the guest room is occupied or unoccupied. The controller is configured to schedule a specific time for disinfecting the guest room, based at least in part on whether the guest room is rented and / or occupied, and to automatically instruct the disinfection device to disinfect the surfaces within the guest room at the time specified by the controller. In some cases, the specified time can be set to run when the guest room is neither rented nor occupied.

[0006] In another example, a method not part of the present invention comprises monitoring pathogen safety for a facility with multiple rentable guest rooms, each of which includes one or more air quality sensors and one or more occupancy sensors. A controller receives a reading of the current air quality in each of the multiple guest rooms. The controller also receives an indication of the current occupancy of each of the multiple guest rooms. The controller monitors when each of the multiple guest rooms should be disinfected by a disinfection device. The controller communicates with a facility property management system (PMS) to identify when each of the multiple guest rooms is rented or unoccupied.The controller automatically activates the respective disinfection device in each guest room when the respective guest room needs to be disinfected, is not rented, and is currently unoccupied.

[0007] The above summary is intended to facilitate understanding of some innovative elements of this revelation and is not meant to be a complete description. A complete understanding of the revelation is possible when one considers the entire description, the claims, the figures, and the summary as a whole. Brief description of the characters

[0008] The revelation can be more fully understood when the following description of various examples is considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whereby the following holds true: Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative facility management system; Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a room within the illustrative facility management system from Fig. 1; Fig. Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative hotel management system; Fig. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for monitoring pathogen safety, which is not part of the present invention; and Fig. Figure 5 illustrates a pathogen-related dashboard.

[0009] While the revelation is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, some of these are illustrated by way of example in the drawings and described in detail. It is important to understand, however, that the intention is not to limit the revelation to the examples described. Rather, the intention is to encompass all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and scope of the revelation. Description

[0010] The following description should be read with reference to the drawings, where identical elements in different drawings are numbered in the same way. The drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, show examples that are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Although examples are illustrated for the various elements, those skilled in the field will recognize that for many of the examples given, suitable alternatives exist that may be used.

[0011] All numbers are assumed to be modified by the term "approximately," unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Enumerating number ranges by endpoint includes all numbers that fall within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5).

[0012] In this description and the attached claims, the singular forms "ein", "eine", and "der / die / das" include the plural forms unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. In this description and the attached claims, the term "oder" is used generally in its meaning, including "and / or", unless the content clearly indicates otherwise.

[0013] It is noted that references in the description to "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "other embodiments," etc., indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or property, but that not every embodiment necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, or property. Furthermore, such terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. When a particular feature, structure, or property is described in connection with one embodiment, it is further understood that the feature, structure, or property may also apply to other embodiments, whether or not they are explicitly described, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[0014] Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative facility management system 10. The illustrative facility management system 10 is installed in a facility 12 and can be considered to be set up to reduce the risk of pathogen contact within the facility 12. The facility 12 comprises a number of rooms 14, each individually labeled 14a, 14b, and 14c. It should be noted that this is purely illustrative, as the facility 12 will typically comprise a much larger number of rooms 14 or zones. At least some of the rooms 14 may be regularly occupied by one or more people. In some cases, the facility 12 may be a hotel, and the rooms 14 may then be individually rentable guest rooms. The facility 12 may be an office building or a section of an office building, so the rooms 14 may be individual offices or work areas.Each room 14 contains one or more sensors 16, although only one sensor 16 is shown in each of the rooms 16. The sensors 16 are individually labeled 16a, 16b, and 16c. The sensors 16 may be, for example, environmental sensors such as temperature sensors, humidity sensors, visible light sensors, UV sensors, particulate matter sensors (e.g., PM2.5), VOC sensors, CO sensors, CO2 sensors, ozone sensors, and / or other suitable environmental sensors. In some cases, one or more of the sensors 16 may be located in a room thermostat in at least some of the rooms 14. Alternatively or additionally, the sensors 16 may include, for example, presence sensors such as PIR sensors, mmWave sensors, motion sensors, and / or microphones. Some of the sensors 16 may, for example, be part of a security system of the facility 12.In some cases, some of the sensors may be video cameras coupled with video analytics devices.

[0015] Each of the rooms 14, and therefore also the sensors 16 in each of the rooms 14, can be operationally linked to a facility network 18. A controller 20 is operationally linked to the facility network 18, enabling the controller 20 to receive sensor data from each of the sensors 16 in each of the rooms 14. A disinfectant 22 is also operationally linked to the facility network 18. Accordingly, the controller 20 is operationally linked via the facility network 18 to both the sensors 16 and the disinfectant 22. The facility network 18 can be wired, wireless, or a combination of both.

[0016] The disinfection device 22 is configured to disinfect surfaces in a specific room 14 when activated in that room. In some cases, the disinfection device 22 may be a portable unit that can be manually placed in a specific room 14 when it is time to disinfect that room. The disinfection device 22 may be configured to move autonomously and thus be instructed to position itself in a specific room 14. In some cases, the disinfection device 22 may be configured to communicate wirelessly with the controller 20 via the facility network 18.

[0017] In some cases, it should be noted that the disinfection device 22, although shown outside the facility 12, may include one or more disinfection elements that are actually located in each of the rooms 14. For example, in some cases, the disinfection device 22 may include one or more ultraviolet lamps (UV lamps) located in each of the rooms 14. The UV lamps may be a section of light fixtures that also include one or more sources of visible light, so that the same light fixture can emit visible light and, on command, also UV light to disinfect surfaces and / or the air in a particular room 14.

[0018] UV light can produce light that falls within a spectrum from approximately 100 nanometers (nm) to approximately 400 nm. This UV light spectrum includes UV-A, which ranges from 315 nm to 400 nm. This UV light spectrum also includes UV-B, which ranges from 280 nm to 315 nm. UV-C, which lies in the range of 200 nm to 280 nm, is particularly effective for disinfection. There is also far-UVC, which ranges from 207 nm to 222 nm and is thus a subset of the UV-C light spectrum. Far-UVC is also particularly effective for disinfection and is considered safe for human skin and eyes. The UV light spectrum also includes VUV (far-UV), which ranges from 100 nm to 200 nm.

[0019] In some cases, the sensors 16 in a specific room 14 may include one or more presence sensors configured to indicate when the specific room 14 is occupied and when it is unoccupied. The controller 20 may be configured to determine a specific time for disinfecting the respective room 14, based at least partially on the information received from the sensors 16 (including, but not limited to, the presence sensors). The controller 20 may be configured to automatically instruct the disinfection device 22 to disinfect the surfaces within the specific room 14 at the specified time.In some cases, the controller 20 can determine the scheduled time for disinfecting room 14 based on an indication that room 14 is currently unoccupied and is expected to remain unoccupied for the duration required for the disinfection process to be completed by the disinfection device 22. For example, disinfecting surfaces in a hotel room with a UV lamp can take a certain amount of time, such as 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, or more, depending on several factors, including the intensity of the UV lamp and the distance between the UV lamp and the surfaces to be disinfected.

[0020] In one particular example, room 14 represents a hotel room, and controller 20 can determine that room 14 is currently empty and is expected to remain empty for a sufficient period of time to complete the disinfection process, based at least in part on an indication that room 14 is not rented. In another example, room 14 may represent an office within an office building, and controller 20 can determine, based on historical occupancy data / patterns for room 14 learned by controller 20 over time and / or a pre-programmed occupancy schedule entered by the building manager, that room 14 is currently empty and is expected to remain empty for a sufficient period of time.In some cases, the controller 20 can monitor occupancy over time to determine the level of use of room 14 and whether room 14 requires disinfection by the disinfection device. In some cases, room usage must exceed a threshold before disinfection is deemed necessary. In some cases, the controller 20 can be configured to monitor the status of sensors 16 and the disinfection device 22, as well as other equipment, and issue warnings in the event of an (actual or imminent) equipment failure.

[0021] Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative room 24. Illustrative room 24 can be considered an example of rooms 14 and can, for instance, represent a hotel room, an office, or any other room regularly used by one or more people. Room 24 includes a presence sensor 26 and an air quality sensor 28. Sensors 26 and 28 can be considered examples of sensors 16. Room 24 includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system 30, which may include an air purifier 32. The HVAC system 30 may also include, for example, a cooling source, a heating source, and a fresh air source. The air purifier 32 may, for example, be an air filter. An air filter may be a simple filter medium or an electrostatic filter element that can be switched on and off as needed.Room 24 includes a disinfection device 34, which is shown as being placed in room 24.

[0022] In some cases, it may be advisable to regularly sterilize or otherwise clean filters located in HVAC system 30 or in the ducts that supply conditioned air to room 24. Since the filters filter the air, it should be noted that they can also trap bacterial and / or viral material. The aim is to disinfect the filters by killing these pathogens. A UV-C lamp can be used at regular intervals to kill pathogens trapped in the filters. The UV-C lamp can, for example, be positioned in HVAC system 30 or in the aforementioned ducts and emit UV light onto the filter(s) to kill the pathogens on or within the filter(s).

[0023] In some cases, room 24 includes a controller 38 that is coupled to a room network 36 for operation. The controller 38 can be configured to adjust the operation of the HVAC system 30 when it receives a signal from the air quality sensor 28 indicating that the air quality is below a threshold. The controller 38 can also be configured to activate the air purifier 32 when it receives a signal from the air quality sensor 28 indicating that the air quality in room 24 is below a threshold.

[0024] Disinfection device 34 can be a temporary visitor to room 24, for example, if it is a portable device. Disinfection device 34 can be installed in room 24, such as by being attached to the ceiling. Depending on the dimensions and layout of room 24, disinfection device 34 may consist of several different devices located in different sections of room 24. For example, if room 24 is a two-bedroom hotel suite with a shared bathroom, one or more disinfection devices 34 (e.g., UV lamps) may be present in each of the bedrooms and the bathroom. In an L-shaped office, for instance, several disinfection devices 34 may be arranged in each section of the "L".This can enable better coverage of room 24, so that when the disinfection device 34 is activated, all relevant surfaces are disinfected. The disinfection device 34 can emit UV light, such as UV-C light, which disinfects surfaces exposed to the UV-C light for a sufficient duration.

[0025] In some cases, a litmus test device or similar can be placed on a surface in the room before the disinfection device is activated, for example, by cleaning staff after the room has been cleaned but before the disinfection device disinfects the room. The litmus test device may change color or other properties when exposed to UV-C light for a sufficiently long time. This can confirm to the guest that the room has been disinfected. It is also conceivable that a UV sensor could be placed in the room to monitor the UV lamp. The Controller 38 can use the output of the UV sensor to verify that the UV lamp is functioning correctly during disinfection (e.g., that the UV lamp has not burned out).

[0026] Room 24 can be considered as including an entrance door 40. In some cases, it may be desirable to warn others that the disinfection device 34 in room 24 is currently operating to disinfect the surfaces in room 24. In some cases, some UV light strips may be considered harmful to humans with sufficient exposure. It may be desirable to be able to switch off the disinfection device 34 if someone ignores the warning and opens the entrance door 40. In some cases, room 24 may include a door opening sensor 42, which is configured to indicate to the controller 38 that the entrance door 40 is open or is being opened.If room 24 is a hotel room, the door opening sensor 42 can be part of a door lock, so that the controller 38 receives a notification to open the entrance door 40 even before the entrance door 40 begins to move when a person inserts their key card into the door lock. If room 24 is an office, an office worker swiping their access card at a door lock can have the same effect. The controller 38 is configured to instruct the disinfection device 34 to cease operation when the door opening sensor 42 indicates that the entrance door 40 is open or is being opened. Room 24 can also include an audible and / or visual indicator 44 located outside room 24 that provides a perceptible warning when the disinfection device 34 inside room 24 is operating.In some cases, and as a safety precaution, an emergency stop switch may be provided in the room, allowing a person inside to immediately shut down the disinfection device. In some cases, a warning light, other warning sign, or alarm may also be installed in the room when the disinfection device is in operation.

[0027] The presence sensor 26, the air quality sensor 28, the HVAC system 30, the disinfection device 34, the controller 38, the door opening sensor 42, the acoustic and / or visual indicator 44, and the "off" switch can all be operated via a room network 36, which in turn can be linked to a facility network such as the facility network 18. Some of these network connections may be wired connections such as Ethernet connections. Some of these network connections may be wireless connections, depending on the location of the devices and whether wired connections are possible.

[0028] Fig. Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative hotel management system 50. The illustrative hotel management system 50 is installed in a hotel 52 and includes a remote server 54 located away from the hotel 52. Although the remote server 54 is shown outside the hotel 52, this is not necessary in all cases. It is conceivable that the remote server 54 could be located inside the hotel 52, if desired. The remote server 54 could be a single computer, or it could be a cloud-based server comprising one or more different computers. The hotel 52 includes a number of guest rooms 56, each labeled 56a, 56b, and 56c. Note that this is purely illustrative, as the hotel 52 typically includes a much larger number of guest rooms 56. Each guest room 56 includes one or more sensors 58, although only one sensor 58 per guest room 56 is shown.The sensors 58 are individually labeled 58a, 58b, and 58c. These sensors 58 may include, for example, environmental sensors such as temperature sensors, humidity sensors, visible light sensors, UV sensors, particulate matter sensors (e.g., PM2.5), VOC sensors, CO sensors, CO2 sensors, ozone sensors, and / or other suitable environmental sensors. In some cases, one or more of the sensors 58 may be located in a room thermostat in at least some of the guest rooms 56. Alternatively or additionally, the sensors 58 may include, for example, presence sensors such as PIR sensors, mmWave sensors, motion sensors, and / or microphones. Some of the sensors 58 may be part of a hotel security system 52. In some cases, some of the sensors may be video cameras coupled with video analytics devices.

[0029] Each of the 56 guest rooms in the hotel 52 includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system 60, individually labeled 60a, 60b, and 60c. The HVAC system 60 in each guest room 56 may include several different types of HVAC systems, including split systems. In many cases, the HVAC system 60 in each guest room 56 may be configured to supply warm air, cool air, and recirculated air at ambient temperature as needed to maintain a specific temperature setpoint in the guest room 56. The specific temperature setpoint may, for example, be a predetermined temperature setpoint determined for all guest rooms 56 within the hotel 52, particularly for times when a particular guest room 56 is not rented, or for times when a particular guest room 56 is rented but not occupied.In times when a particular guest room 56 is both rented and occupied, the target temperature for this particular guest room 56 can ultimately be determined by the guest, for example by interacting with a room thermostat.

[0030] Each of the guest rooms 56 includes a disinfection device 62, individually labeled 62a, 62b, and 62c. The disinfection device 62 may be a temporary fixture in guest room 56, such as a portable disinfection device. The disinfection device 62 may be permanently installed in guest room 56, for example, by being attached to the ceiling. Depending on the dimensions and layout of guest room 56, the disinfection device 62 may include several different disinfection devices 34 located in different sections of guest room 56. For example, if guest room 56 is a suite with two bedrooms and a shared bathroom, there may be one or more disinfection devices 62 in each of the two bedrooms and in the bathroom.In an L-shaped guest room 56, for example, several disinfection devices 62 can be arranged in each section of the "L". This can provide better coverage of the guest room 56, so that when the disinfection device 62 is activated, all surfaces are disinfected. The disinfection device 62 can emit UV light, such as UV-C light, which disinfects surfaces that come into contact with the UV-C light. In some cases, a specific area can be illuminated with UV light from two or more sides (e.g., from above and below). The TV remote control and / or other frequently touched devices can be placed on the designated area by the cleaning staff.

[0031] Each of the guest rooms 56 can comprise a room network 63, individually labeled 63a, 63b, or 63c. The room network 63 in each guest room 56 can be operationally linked to the sensors 58, the HVAC system 60, and the disinfection device 62 in that guest room 56. The room network 63 in each guest room 56 can be a wired network, such as an Ethernet network, or it can be a wireless network. Each of the room networks 63 can be considered operationally linked to a hotel network 64. Accordingly, data from each guest room 56 can enter the hotel network 64 and thus be forwarded to other devices. Likewise, instructions or other commands from outside the individual guest rooms 56 can be relayed to devices within each guest room 56, such as the sensors 58, the HVAC systems 60 and the disinfection devices 62, but are not limited to these.

[0032] In some cases, the hotel network 64 is also connected to devices located outside the guest rooms 56. For example, the hotel 52 may include a reception terminal 66. The reception terminal 66 may be configured to allow hotel staff to check guests in and out of the hotel 52. Although only one reception terminal 66 is shown, it should be noted that many hotels 52 may have more than one reception terminal 66. In some hotels 52, for example, a guest may check out of their room 56 using the television in their room. In such cases, the television can be considered a terminal device and replace some of the functions of the reception terminal 66. Accordingly, the television in each guest room 56 may also be connected to the hotel network 64.

[0033] The illustrative hotel 52 includes a property management system (PMS) 68. The PMS 68 can be viewed as software that monitors which guest rooms 56 are rented and which are not. The PMS 68 can also monitor other parameters and elements. For example, the PMS 68 can monitor film and game rentals in each of the guest rooms 56 so that these rentals can be attributed to the respective room occupants and billed correctly. While the PMS 68 is shown as being operable via the hotel network 64, in some cases the PMS 68 can also be coupled with the reception terminal 66, as in Fig. 3 is indicated by a dashed line between the PMS 68 and the reception terminal 66.

[0034] A gateway 70 can establish a connection between the hotel network 64, and thus the various devices that are operable via the hotel network 64, and the remote server 54. In some cases, the gateway 7 can be a simple modem / router that allows the hotel network 64 and the devices within the hotel network 64 access to wide area networks (WANs), such as, but not limited to, the internet. The gateway 70 can be configured to allow software to be downloaded from the remote server 54 to the gateway 70. In some cases, the software downloaded to the gateway 70 can equip the gateway 70 with additional functions. For example, the software downloaded to the gateway 70 can assist the gateway 70 in communicating with the individual room networks 63 and / or the individual components, such as the sensors 58, the HVAC systems 60, and the disinfection devices 62 in each of the guest rooms 56.The software downloaded to the Gateway 70 can enable the Gateway 70 to transmit commands to the individual components, such as the sensors 58, the HVAC systems 60 and the disinfection devices 62, if desired.

[0035] The illustrative system 50 includes a controller 72, which is coupled to the remote server 54. Although the figure shows the controller 72 located outside the hotel 52, in some cases it may also be located inside the hotel 52. The controller 72 allows a person to access the information available on the hotel network 64. In the example shown, the controller 72 includes a display 74, which can be used to display information. Although not illustrated, it should be noted that the controller 72 may also include data input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, or the like. The controller 72 may be a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, and / or any other suitable computing device. In some cases, the remote server 54 and the controller 72 may be one and the same device.

[0036] In some cases, the sensors 58 in each guest room 56 include one or more presence sensors configured to indicate when guest room 56 is occupied and when guest room 56 is unoccupied. The presence sensors may include motion sensors that can detect the movement of people in guest room 56, as well as an indicator of whether an entrance door to guest room 56 has been opened. For example, the one in Fig. The door opening sensor 42 shown in Figure 2 can be used by the controller 72 to determine whether a person previously detected by a motion sensor is still in the room but only sleeping, or whether they have left the room. In some cases, the one or more sensors can include one or more IR sensors (i.e., heat sensors) to detect the presence of people and / or animals in a room, even if they are not moving (e.g., sleeping).

[0037] Controller 72 is configured to receive information from PMS 68 indicating whether guest room 56 is rented. Controller 72 is also configured to receive information from one or more presence sensors, such as sensors 58, indicating whether guest room 56 is occupied or unoccupied. Controller 72 determines a specific time for disinfecting guest room 56, based at least in part on whether guest room 56 is rented and / or occupied. Controller 72 automatically instructs disinfection device 62 to disinfect the surfaces in guest room 56 at the time specified by Controller 72.

[0038] Even if this is in Fig. Not shown in Figure 3, it should be noted that each guest room 56 may include an external optical display located outside the guest room 56, as shown in Figure 3. Fig. 2. Acoustic and / or visual indicator 44 shown. The external visual indicator can be instructed by the controller 72 to display a visual warning outside guest room 56 when the disinfection device 62 in guest room 56 is operating. In some cases, the acoustic and / or visual indicator 44 can also trigger an acoustic and / or visual alarm inside guest room 56 to provide a warning within guest room 56. The internal or external acoustic and / or visual indicator can be activated before the disinfection device is switched on to warn staff and guests that the disinfection device will soon be activated.

[0039] Similarly, each guest room 56 includes an entrance door, such as the entrance door 40, and a door sensor, such as the door opening sensor 42. The controller 72 can be configured to instruct the disinfection device 62 to switch off when the entrance door is opened or is open. In some cases, each guest room 56 may include a disinfection device off switch 76, individually labeled 76a, 76b, or 76c. A guest can activate the switch 76 to turn off the disinfection device, thereby instructing the controller 72 to switch off the disinfection device 62.

[0040] In some cases, occupancy can be a factor in how frequently a guest room 56 is ventilated, cleaned, and / or disinfected. For example, if a particular guest room 56 is rented, the controller 72 may not ventilate and / or air-ventilate that guest room 56 to save energy that would otherwise be wasted on ventilating and / or air-cleaning an empty room. The controller 72 may allow the guest room 56 in question to reach an unoccupied temperature point to save energy that would otherwise be wasted on heating (or cooling) an unoccupied room that is empty and expected to remain so for a certain period of time. If the guest room remains unoccupied for longer than the time that pathogens can remain alive or active, the disinfection treatment may be suspended or discontinued.

[0041] To further reduce the risk of contact with pathogens, frequently touched surfaces in a guest room can be made antimicrobial. Light switches and switch covers, for example, can be made of an antimicrobial polymer or have such an outer layer. These polymers are well-known and can inhibit microbial growth for years. Some polymers, for example, still exhibit an efficacy of over 99% even after 15 years. Other plastic surfaces in a guest room, such as a telephone, an alarm clock, a TV remote control, and the like, can also be made of or coated with antimicrobial polymers. In some cases, non-plastic surfaces can be sprayed or otherwise coated with a solution that kills pathogens.Some surfaces may be made of metals that inhibit the growth of pathogens, such as silver, copper, and zinc, but these are not the only options. Silver phosphate glass can be used as a specific example.

[0042] Fig. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method 80, which is not part of the present invention, for monitoring pathogen safety for a facility (such as the hotel 52) comprising several rentable guest rooms (such as the guest rooms 56), each of which includes one or more air quality sensors (such as the air quality sensors 28) and one or more occupancy sensors (such as the occupancy sensors 26). A current air quality reading in each of the guest rooms is received by a controller (such as the controller 72), as specified in block 82. An indication of the current occupancy of each of the guest rooms is received by the controller, as specified in block 84. The controller monitors when each of the guest rooms should be disinfected by a disinfection device, as specified in block 86.The controller communicates with the facility's property management system (PMS) to determine when each of the multiple guest rooms is rented or unoccupied, as specified in Block 88. The controller automatically activates the disinfection device in each of the multiple guest rooms to disinfect each room when each room is due for disinfection, is unoccupied, and is currently unoccupied, as specified in Block 90.

[0043] In some cases, and as optionally specified in Block 92, the controller can be configured to display a dashboard on a screen that includes air quality parameters from the one or more air quality sensors within each guest room of the multiple guest rooms, as well as an indoor air quality index and / or an infection risk index. A disinfection progress indicator can be displayed on the dashboard for guest rooms currently being disinfected, as optionally shown in Block 94. The indoor air quality index can be calculated from, but is not limited to, a range of air quality parameters, such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide level, VOC (volatile organic compound) level, particulate matter level as indicated by a PM2.5 level, and ozone level (O3 level). Ozone can be generated during UV sterilization and / or ionization sterilization.

[0044] Fig.5 is an illustrative Dashboard 100 that can be displayed for a facility. Dashboard 100 includes a Building Health Alert 102. As illustrated, Building Health Alert 102 indicates that there are currently 39 healthy zones, 1 active unhealthy zone, and 8 active moderate zones. Active can refer to a zone that is currently being disinfected. An active unhealthy zone is a zone where the disinfection process has just begun, while an active moderate zone can be a zone where the disinfection process is not yet complete but has been running for some time. Dashboard 100 also includes a Pathogen Risk Index 104. The Pathogen Risk Index 104, also known as the Infection Risk Index, can be calculated from a number of air quality parameters. For example, certain combinations of temperature and humidity are ideal for the growth and spread of pathogens.Such combinations of temperature and humidity would lead to a relatively higher value for the Pathogen Risk Index 104. Small increases in PM2.5 levels can have similar effects on the growth and spread of pathogens. Dashboard 100 also includes a Comfort Index 106. Further details on the Comfort Index and its calculation can be found in patent applications “Methods and Systems for Evaluating Energy Conservation and Guest Satisfaction in Hotels,” Attorney Docket 1456.1427101, and “Methods and Systems for Determining Guest Satisfaction Including Guest Sleep Quality in Hotels,” Attorney Docket 1456.1428101. Both applications are incorporated in full by reference into this document.

[0045] At the top of Dashboard 100 is an Indoor Air Quality Index (IAQ) symbol 108, which is calculated from a series of indoor air quality parameters represented by a temperature symbol 110, a humidity symbol 112, a carbon dioxide symbol 114, a VOC symbol 116, a PM2.5 symbol 118, and an ozone symbol 120. Each of the symbols 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, and 120 includes both a numerical value displayed in the center of the symbol and a graphic representation comprising a segment of a colored circle, with each symbol having a unique color. In some cases, each of these graphic representations is repeated within the IAQ symbol 108, as shown in the figure.

[0046] The illustrative Dashboard 100 includes a section 122 that displays air quality trends. These can be shown for any desired time period, such as daily, weekly, or monthly. Each of the air quality parameters represented by symbols 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, and 120 is repeated in section 122. Dashboard 100 also includes a "Room Health" section 124, which displays the current conditions in each zone or room. For illustration, the section “Room Health” 124 includes a “Name” column 126, a “Zone” column 128, a “Temperature” column 130, a “Humidity” column 132, a “PM2.5” column 134 which indicates either “healthy”, “unhealthy” or “moderate”, a “Sterilization Status” column 136, a “Dose Time” column 138 and a “Last Sterilization” column 140.

[0047] The following numbered statements form part of this revelation: Statement 1. System for reducing the risk of contact with pathogens in a room located within a facility, the system comprising: a user interface that includes a display; multiple air quality sensors set up to provide a display of the air quality in the room; a controller that is operable in conjunction with the user interface and the multiple air quality sensors, wherein the controller is configured to: receives a corresponding air quality parameter from each of the multiple air quality sensors; an indoor air quality index is calculated, which is based at least partially on two or more of the several air quality parameters; a dashboard is displayed on the screen, and the dashboard includes: the air quality parameter from each of two or more of the multiple air quality sensors; and the calculated indoor air quality index. Statement 2. System according to statement 1, wherein the dashboard further displays a pathogen risk index, the pathogen risk index being based at least partially on two or more of the several air quality parameters. Statement 3. System according to statement 2, wherein the pathogen risk index is based at least partially on two or more of the several air quality parameters. Statement 4. System according to statement 3, wherein the pathogen risk index is based at least partially on a temperature air quality parameter received from a temperature sensor and a humidity air quality parameter received from a humidity sensor. Statement 5. System according to statement 1, wherein the dashboard further displays a comfort index for the room. Statement 6. System according to Statement 1, further comprising an activatable air purifier, wherein the controller is configured to activate the air purifier when it is determined that the air quality in the room has fallen below a threshold. Statement 7. System according to statement 6, wherein the controller determines that the air quality in the room has fallen below the limit value, based on one or more of the several air quality parameters. Statement 8. System according to statement 1, wherein the multiple air quality sensors comprise two or more of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a volatile organic compound sensor, a particulate matter sensor and an ozone sensor. Statement 9. System according to statement 1, wherein the multiple air quality sensors include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a volatile organic compound sensor and a particulate matter sensor. Statement 10. System according to statement 1, wherein the indoor air quality index is based at least partially on a temperature air quality parameter received from a temperature sensor, a humidity air quality parameter received from a humidity sensor, a volatile organic compound air quality parameter from a volatile organic compound sensor, and a particulate matter air quality parameter from a particulate matter sensor. Statement 11. System according to statement 1, wherein the indoor air quality index is based at least partially on a temperature air quality parameter received from a temperature sensor and a humidity air quality parameter received from a humidity sensor. Statement 12. System according to statement 1, where the dashboard displays a trend of the indoor air quality index. Statement 13. System according to statement 1, wherein the dashboard displays a trend of two or more of the multiple air quality parameters. Statement 14. Method, which is not part of the present invention, for reducing the risk of contact with pathogens in a room located within a facility, the method comprising: Receiving a corresponding air quality parameter from each of several air quality sensors; Calculating a pathogen risk index, where the pathogen risk index is based at least partially on two or more of the multitude of air quality parameters. Displaying a dashboard on the screen, the dashboard comprising the following: the air quality parameter from each of two or more of the multiple air quality sensors; and the calculated pathogen risk index. Statement 15. Method that is not part of the present invention, according to Statement 14, further comprising: Activating an air purifier when it is detected that the air quality in the room has fallen below a threshold.

[0048] After the description of several illustrative embodiments of this disclosure, those skilled in the field will readily recognize that further embodiments can be manufactured and used within the scope of the appended claims. However, it should be understood that this disclosure is in many respects only illustrative. Modifications in detail, particularly with regard to shape, size, arrangement of parts, and the exclusion and sequence of steps, are possible without exceeding the scope of the disclosure. The scope of the disclosure is, of course, defined by the language in which the appended claims are expressed.

[0049] A system according to the invention reduces the risk of contact with pathogens in a room located within a multi-room facility where one or more people are periodically present. The system comprises one or more occupancy sensors configured to indicate when the room is occupied and when it is unoccupied. A disinfection device is configured to disinfect the surfaces in the room when activated. A controller is coupled to the one or more occupancy sensors and the disinfection device. The controller is configured to determine a specific time for disinfecting the room, based at least partially on information received from the one or more occupancy sensors, and to automatically instruct the disinfection device to disinfect the surfaces in the room at the specified time. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited non-patent literature

[0000] Methods and Systems for Evaluating Energy Conservation and Guest Satisfaction in Hotels", with Attorney Docket 1456.1427101

[0044] Methods and Systems for Determining Guest Satisfaction Including Guest Sleep Quality in Hotels”, with Attorney Docket 1456.1428101

[0044]

Claims

[1] System for monitoring environmental and occupancy conditions in a room, the system comprising: one or more air quality sensors configured to provide multiple air quality parameters of the room; a motion sensor that is set up to detect movements within the room; a controller that is operable in conjunction with one or more air quality sensors and the motion sensor, wherein the controller is configured to: a numerical indoor air quality index is calculated, based at least partially on two or more air quality parameters, wherein the indoor air quality index is representative of the air quality of the air in the room; a state of movement is determined based on motion data from the motion sensor; and a trend indicator is calculated for at least one of the air quality parameters. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein the controller further calculates a pathogen risk index. [3] System according to claim 2, wherein the pathogen risk index is based at least partially on a temperature parameter and a humidity parameter. [4] System according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a dashboard accessible via a cloud-based interface for remote monitoring and control. [5] System according to claim 4, wherein the dashboard displays the temperature parameter and the humidity parameter. [6] System according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to issue an alarm when the indoor air quality index falls below a threshold value. [7] System according to claim 1, wherein the multiple air quality sensors comprise a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a volatile organic compound sensor, a particulate matter sensor and / or an ozone sensor. [8] Controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to be coupled to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC system) and the controller is further configured to stop the operation of the HVAC system in response to an indication that the air quality is below a limit value. [9] Non-transitory storage medium comprising an instruction set that can be executed by a processor, the processor being configured to execute the instruction set in order to: to receive one or more air quality parameters from multiple air quality sensors; to receive motion data from a motion sensor that indicates whether a room is occupied; to calculate an indoor air quality index that is based at least partially on two or more air quality parameters, wherein the indoor air quality index is representative of the air quality of the air in the room; to determine a state of movement based on the movement data; to calculate a trend indicator for at least one of the air quality parameters; and to display the calculated indoor air quality index and the trend indicator on a dashboard. [10] Storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the instruction set is further executable by the processor to display a pathogen risk index on the dashboard. [11] Storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the pathogen risk index is based at least partially on a temperature parameter and a humidity parameter. [12] Storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the dashboard is accessible via a cloud-based interface for remote monitoring and control. [13] Storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the instruction set can further be executed by the processor to display the temperature parameter and the humidity parameter on the dashboard. [14] Storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the instruction set can further be executed by the processor to provide a warning when the indoor air quality index falls below a threshold. [15] Storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the multiple air quality sensors comprise a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a volatile organic compound sensor, a particulate matter sensor and / or an ozone sensor. [16] Storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the instruction set can further be executed by the processor to establish a connection with a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. [17] Storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the instruction set is further executable by the processor to stop the operation of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (the HVAC system) in response to an indication that the indoor air quality index is below a threshold. [18] Storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the instruction set is further executable by the processor to adjust the operation of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (an HVAC system) in response to an indication that one or more of the air quality parameters are below a threshold value.

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