Patent ID: 8597569

Claim:
A self-sterilizing user input device, comprising: a touchscreen configured to receive tactile user input and to provide a first output signal indicative of tactile user input; a timer, functionally connected to the touchscreen and responsive to the first output signal to provide a second output signal if the first output signal does not indicate tactile user input for a predetermined period of time; a proximity sensor responsive to presence of a user within a predetermined proximity to provide a third output signal indicative of user presence; an ultraviolet (UV) light source configured to emit UV light onto the touchscreen at a sterilization wavelength; and a controller, functionally connected to the touchscreen, the timer, the proximity sensor, and the UV light source, and configured to activate the UV light source if both the second output signal indicates no tactile user input for at least the predetermined period of time and the third output signal indicates no user presence, and to deactivate the UV light source if either the second output signal indicates tactile user input or the third output signal indicates user presence.