Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to using ultraviolet light to disinfect a remote control and methods for safely and effectively using ultraviolet light. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Ultraviolet, or UV, light is used to kill bacteria, viruses, and other micro-organisms. Exposure to ultraviolet light can harm people, but available devices and methods of using ultraviolet light to kill bacteria, viruses, and other micro-organisms rely on active human interaction. For example, ultraviolet disinfecting wands are activated by an operator and held or waved over the object the operator seeks to disinfect. The wands may be shielded to protect the user and, in particular, the user&#39;s eyes, from the ultraviolet light, but still require a user to hold the wand and be present to carry out the disinfecting process. Some disinfecting apparatuses fully enclose the object the operator seeks to disinfect and completely contain the ultraviolet light used to disinfect the object, but such apparatuses require a person to take active steps to place the object in the apparatus. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0005]    One or more embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a remote control having an ultraviolet light emitting device for disinfecting the outer surfaces of the remote control. In particular, the remote control may include an ultraviolet transmissive housing and internal ultraviolet light emitters. The ultraviolet transmissive housing allows the light from the internally mounted ultraviolet light emitters to pass through the remote control&#39;s housing and kill the bacteria, viruses, and other micro-organisms on the outer surface of the remote control. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, the remote control may also implement a method for determining whether it is safe to activate the ultraviolet light. For example, the remote control may include or be networked to a variety of sensors and devices to aid in determining when or if a user is likely to be in the same room or otherwise near the remote control. The remote control may use a microphone to listen for voices, a light sensor to detect the lights in the room or the fluctuations of light coming from a television, motion sensors to determine whether someone is holding the remote control, or wireless or radiofrequency communication to communicate with other devices to determine whether a person is near the remote control. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the remote control may communicate with a set-top box, such as a satellite receiver, digital video recorder, or cable receiver to determine whether a person is near the remote control. The set-top box may include sensors and devices to aid in determining when or if a user is likely to be in the same room or otherwise near the remote control. The set-top box may include a connection to an attached television and be able to determine whether the television is on based on the status of that connection. The set-top box may also include or be networked to a camera or motion sensor to determine whether a person is in the room with the set-top box. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment, a remote control charging pad may include an inductive coil for transferring energy to the remote control for recharging the remote control. The remote control charging pad may also include sensors for determining whether a user is near the remote control, for determining the location and orientation of the remote control on the charging pad, or for communicating with the remote control or a set-top box to aid in determining whether a person is near the remote control and when to activate the charging pad ultraviolet light emitters to disinfect the remote control. 
         [0009]    In one embodiment, a method for determining when to activate ultraviolet light emitters is disclosed. The method may include a remote control receiving information from one or more sensors or devices associated with a set-top box, a remote control, a smartphone, a home security system, a home automation system, or other devices. The remote control may determine whether a user is likely to be away from the remote control based on the received information and may activate ultraviolet light emitters if the user is determined to be away from the remote control. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify similar elements or acts. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some of these elements may be enlarged and positioned to improve drawing legibility and understanding of the features. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a isometric view of a remote control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of the internal components of the remote control of  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a partial cutaway view of a charging pad according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a isometric view of an enclosed charging pad according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of a system for disinfecting a remote control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures associated with devices, remote controls, charging devices, and set-top boxes have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the embodiments. 
         [0017]    Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims that follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as “comprises” and “comprising,” are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is, as “including, but not limited to.” 
         [0018]    References throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
         [0019]    The use of ordinals such as first, second and third does not necessarily imply a ranked sense of order, but rather may only distinguish between multiple instances of an act or structure. 
         [0020]    The headings and Abstract of the Disclosure provided herein are for convenience only and do not limit the scope or meaning of the embodiments. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a remote control  100 . In one embodiment, the remote control  100  is a self-disinfecting remote control. The remote control  100  includes a housing  102 . The housing  102  includes an outer surface  103 , a top portion  104 , and bottom portion  106 . The top portion  104  may be coupled to the bottom portion  106 . Each of the top portion  104  and bottom portion  106  may include side portions. The top portion  104  may include apertures  109  through which control buttons  108  may protrude. When using the remote control  100 , a person may hold or grip the housing  102  and issue commands to other devices, such as a television  600 , see  FIG. 5 , by pressing or otherwise interacting with the buttons  108 . 
         [0022]    Remote controls are often communal devices. For example, during any given day the remote control  100  may be used to control a family television by a parent in the morning to watch the weather report, a child in the afternoon after school, the parents again to watch the evening news and a football game, and even non-family members such as a visiting friend or a babysitter. Each person using the device may transfer germs, viruses, bacteria, and other microbes from their hands to the remote control. Remote controls are also often used during or just after a possible high-germ activity, for example, while eating food, just after coming in from outside, coughing into the person&#39;s hands, or the like. Further the remotes are often left on the floor where people have walked or dropped items, or family pets might get ahold of them. Various germs, including viruses, bacteria, and other microbes are deposited on the outer surface  103  and buttons  108  of the remote control  100 . A further problem is that the germs might enter cracks in the housing, such as below a button or at the edge of the battery case, down where conventional cleaning will not remove them. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , to kill contaminants, such as germs, viruses, bacteria, and other microbes, the remote control  100  includes within the housing  102  ultraviolet light emitters  142 ,  160 ,  161  that, when activated, emit ultraviolet light that can kill the contaminants. The remote control  100  may include one or more ultraviolet light emitters of one or more different types. 
         [0024]    The remote control  100  may include a light emitting diode (LED) ultraviolet light emitter  142 . When activated, the LED ultraviolet light emitter  142  emits ultraviolet light that disinfects the outer surface  103  of the remote control  100 . In one embodiment, the LED ultraviolet light emitter  142  is mounted in the inner cavity  101  of the remote control  100  and emits light outward towards the housing  102  of the remote control  100 . The typical polymer material used in making the housing of a remote control and its buttons absorbs a significant portion, if not all, of the ultraviolet light strikes its surface. Therefore, in embodiments wherein the LED ultraviolet light emitter  142  emits light from the inner cavity  101  out towards the housing  102  and outer surface  103  of the remote control  100 , the housing  102  includes ultraviolet transmissive material. The ultraviolet transmissive material used in manufacturing the housing  102  may not transmit 100% of the ultraviolet light emitted by the LED ultraviolet light emitter  142 . The ultraviolet transmissive material from which the housing  102  is made should transmit enough UV light, taking into account, for example, the thickness of the housing  102 , and the amount of ultraviolet light emitted by the LED ultraviolet light emitter  142 , that the outer surface  103  of the remote control  100  receives sufficient ultraviolet light to kill or render inert the contaminants on the outer surface  103  of the remote control  100 . Similarly, the material used to make the buttons  108  may also be made from ultraviolet transmissive material. 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, the remote control  100  may include an ultraviolet light emitter  160  coupled to one or more light pipes  163 . The light pipes  163  may be a type of fiber optic material that receives ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light emitter  160  and directs it out to the outer surface  103  of the remote control  100 . In some embodiments, the light pipes  163  may transmit ultraviolet light to or through apertures in the housing  102 , such as aperture  164  and button apertures  109 . In some embodiments, the ends of the light pipes  163  may direct the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light emitter  160  onto the outer surface  103  of the remote control  100 ; for example, the light pipes  163  may protrude up through the button apertures  109  and then bend and direct the ultraviolet light back onto outer surface  103 . In some embodiments, the end of the light pipes  163  may direct ultraviolet light into a lens or other device, such as a lens  165  that further directs the ultraviolet light onto the outer surface  103  of the remote control  100 . 
         [0026]    In some embodiments, the remote control  100  may include an ultraviolet light emitting LED  161  configured to direct light into light guide  162 . In some embodiments, the ultraviolet light emitting LED  161  may be coupled, affixed, or integrated with the light guide  162 . In its most basic form, the edge of a light guide, such as light guide  162 , receives light from a light source and then distributes the light over a surface. Some light guides use a combination of total internal refraction and imperfections within the light guide to distribute light over a area. The total internal refraction properties of the light guide aid in keeping the light within the light guide while the imperfections, such as surface ridges or grooves, act to change the direction of the light and cause the light to leave the light guide and illuminate a surface. 
         [0027]    The light guide  162  receives ultraviolet light at its center from the ultraviolet light emitting LED  161  and distributes the light along an inner surface  105  of the housing  102  and also internal to the walls of the housing  102 . The housing  102 , being made from ultraviolet transmissive material, can transmit the ultraviolet light though the housing  102  and to the outer surface  103 , where it can kill containments. 
         [0028]    Although depicted as a separate structure in  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the light guide  162  can be integrated into the housing  102 . In some embodiments, the housing  102  itself may be a light guide. In such embodiments, the housing  102  may receive light from an ultraviolet light emitter, such as ultraviolet light emitting LED  161 , and distribute the light though the housing  102  to the outer surface  103 . 
         [0029]    As discussed above, the remote control  100  may include sensors, devices, and other means for determining the presence or absence of people near the remote control  100 . 
         [0030]    The remote control  100  may include one or more light sensors  122 . The light sensor  122  may be positioned within the inner cavity  101  of the remote control  100  and beneath a window  120  that transmits light from outside the remote control  100  to the light sensor  122 . The light sensor  122  is coupled to a controller  140 . The light sensor  122  can transmit information related to the light in the environment surrounding the remote control  100 . 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, the light sensor  122  may be located on the outer surface  103  of the remote control  100  or otherwise located where it may receive or evaluate all possible light in the environment surrounding the remote control  100 . In addition, the remote control  100  may include light sensors  122  in more than one location in the remote control  100 . The remote control  100  may include light sensors  122  located and configured to measure light falling on one or more locations of the top portion  104 , the bottom portion  106 , or other areas of the remote control  100 . 
         [0032]    The controller  140  receives information from the light sensor  122  and may use that information in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100 . For example, a brightly lit room may indicate that a person is present in the room with the lights on. Therefore, the controller  140  may determine that the level or amount of light in the room may indicate that a person is present. In some embodiments, the amount of light received in the light sensor may be low, yet a person may still be present in the room. The light sensor  120  might be sensitive to whether the light being sensed is from a fluorescent source, an incandescent source, an LED, or an OLED display, such as the TV itself. Also, a person may turn the lights on and off, indicating that a human is near the remote. For example, a person may watch television in a relatively dark room, but the light from the television may cause fluctuations in the amount of light in the room. In such a situation, the controller  140  may evaluate the change in light level readings from the light sensor  122  over time and determine whether a person is present in the room based on overall light levels that fluctuate over time. 
         [0033]    The remote control  100  can include one or more sound sensors, such as a microphone  124 . The microphone  124  may be positioned within the inner cavity  101  of the remote control  100  and, for example, positioned beneath an aperture in the housing  102  of the remote control  100  such as the button apertures  109 . The microphone  124  is coupled to the controller  140  and may transmit information related to the sound in the environment surrounding the remote control  100 . 
         [0034]    The microphone  124  measures the sound pressure levels in the environment surrounding the remote control  100 , and the controller  140  receives information from the microphone  124  and may use that information in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100 . For example, a loud room with high fluctuations in sound pressure levels may indicate that a person is present in the room. Therefore, the controller  140  may determine that the level or amount of sound in the room indicates that a person is present. In some embodiments, the sound in the environment surrounding the remote control may not be constant or high, yet a person may still be present in the room. For example, a person may be sitting on a couch or lying in bed reading and may only make quiet noises every few minutes. In such a situation, the controller  140  may monitor the sound levels over a period of time, for example, over two, five, ten, or fifteen minutes, and, based on the sound levels over time, determine that a person is present in the room. 
         [0035]    The remote control  100  can include one or more temperature sensors, such as temperature sensor  126 , which may be a thermometer. The temperature sensor  126  may be positioned within the inner cavity  101  of the remote control  100 . The temperature sensor  126  may be positioned beneath an aperture in the housing  102  of the remote control  100 , for example, the temperature sensor  126  maybe located beneath the button apertures  109  or near another aperture that facilitates measuring the temperature of the environment near the remote control  100 . In some embodiments, the temperature sensor  126  may be located on the outer surface  103  of the remote control  100  or integrated into the housing  102  of the remote control  100 . 
         [0036]    The temperature sensor  126  is coupled to the controller  140 . The temperature sensor  126  transmits information related to the temperature of the remote control  100  or the environment surrounding the remote control  100 . The controller  140  receives information from the temperature sensor  126  and may use that information in determining whether a person is near or holding the remote control  100 . The controller  140  may determine that a person is holding the remote control  100  based on the temperature of a surface mounted temperature sensor  126 . For example, a surface mounted temperature sensor  126  may indicate a temperature above a predetermined threshold, such as above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and the controller  140  may determine a user is present when the temperature from the temperature sensor  126  exceeds an 80 degree Fahrenheit threshold. The temperature sensor also monitors for fluctuations in temperatures. If the temperature changes a few times each hour, as may happen if a person is holding the device, or the HVAC of the home is active in the room in which the remote is located, then this indicates a high likelihood a person is present. But if there are no changes in temperature for a few hours at a time, this indicates that no person is likely present. 
         [0037]    In some embodiments, a high or low temperature may be indicate that a user is not near the remote control  100 . For example, during cold weather months many people turn their thermostat set point down when they leave the house for work or when everyone in the house goes to bed. During such cold weather seasons the controller may determine that no person is near the remote control when the ambient temperature drops more than a predetermined amount, such as three degrees below the daily indoor high or below a 72 degree Fahrenheit threshold. As another example, during warm weather months, many people turn their thermostat set point up when they leave the house. During such warm weather seasons the controller may determine that no person is near the remote control when the temperature raises more than a predetermined amount, such as three degrees above the daily indoor low or above a 78 degrees Fahrenheit threshold. 
         [0038]    The remote control  100  can include one or more motion sensors, such as an accelerometer  128  and a gyroscope  129 . The motion sensors  128 ,  129  may be positioned within the inner cavity  101  of the remote control  100  or otherwise coupled to the housing of the remote control  100 . The motion sensors  128 ,  129  may measure acceleration or angular movement in one or more axes. In some embodiments, the motion sensors  128 ,  129  measure acceleration or angular movement in three orthogonal axes. 
         [0039]    The motion sensors  128 ,  129  are coupled to the controller  140 . The motion sensors  128 ,  129  transmit information related to the movements of the remote control  100 . The controller  140  receives information from the motion sensors  128 ,  129  and may use that information in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100 . For example, the controller  140  may determine that a person is holding the remote control  100  based on the movement information received from the motion sensors  128 ,  129 . If the motion sensors  128 ,  129  indicated that the remote control  100  is currently moving, then the controller  140  may determine that a person is near to or holding the remote control  100 . As another example, the remote control  100  may be moving despite being held by a person. In such situations, by using a multi-axis accelerometer  128 , the controller can receive acceleration information which may indicate the position of the remote control  100 . If the position information indicates that the remote control is lying flat, for example, as it would on a table, then the controller  140  may determine that a person is likely not holding it, while if the acceleration information indicates that the remote control is at an inclined angle with respect to the acceleration due to gravity, then the controller  140  may determine that the remote control  100  is being held by a person. 
         [0040]    In some embodiments, one of the motion sensors  128 ,  129  may include both an accelerometer, such as a three-axis accelerometer, and a gyroscope, such as a three-axis gyroscope. Such a configuration may be called an inertial measurement unit or IMU. The IMU may send movement and position information to the controller  140  for use in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100 . 
         [0041]    The remote control  100  may include a sonar system. The sonar system may include a transmitter, such as a sonar transmitter  125  and a receiver, such as the microphone  124 . The sonar transmitter  125  may be positioned within the inner cavity  101  of the remote control  100  and behind apertures in the housing  102 ,on the outer surface  103  of the remote control  100 , or in another location, such as on a wall of a room. 
         [0042]    The sonar transmitter  125  is coupled to the controller  140 . The sonar transmitter  125  and microphone  124  work together to determine whether a person is present. The sonar transmitter may transmit high frequency pulses or pings. These pulses bounce off of people and objects in the room or near the remote control  100  and the microphone  124  receives these echoes and, based on the properties of the echoes, the remote control  100  and controller  140  may determine whether or not a person is in the room or otherwise near the remote control  100 . 
         [0043]    The charging pads  200 ,  300  security system  636 , set-top box  500 , and other devices may include the sonar transmitter  125  and microphone  124  to aid in determine the location and presence or absence of a person. As with the other sensors and devices, additional sonar transmitters  125  and microphones  124  may help more accurately detect the location and presence or absence of a person. 
         [0044]    The remote control  100  may include a power system. The power system may include one or more power inputs, such as power port  130  and induction charger  131 . The power system may also include power storage, such as a capacitor, or a battery  132 . The power system provides power to the remote control  100  and its components, for example, the controller  140 ; the wireless transceiver  150 ; the sonar transmitter  125 ; the sensors  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 ,  129 ; and the ultraviolet light emitters, such as the ultraviolet light emitters  142 ,  160 ,  161 . 
         [0045]    The induction charger  131  transfers energy between a power source, such as, the charging pad  200 , and the remote control  100  through an electromagnetic field. The power transferred from the power source may be used to recharge or otherwise store energy in the battery  132 , or to power the other components of the remote control  100 . In some embodiments, the induction charger  131  may simultaneously charge the battery  132  and provide power to the other components of the remote control  100 . 
         [0046]    Similarly, the power port  130  may supply energy to recharge or otherwise store in the battery  132 , or to power the other components of the remote control  100 , either simultaneously or one at a time. 
         [0047]    The controller  140  may receive information from the charging system. The information may be as simple as receiving power to turn on the remote control  100 , but may also include information such as charging status and whether the induction charger  131  or the power port  130  are receiving power from a power source. The controller  140  may use the information from the charging system to aid in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100 . For example, the remote control  100  is typically used as a wireless device and freely moved around during use. Therefore, when the remote control  100  is receiving power through the power port  130 , the remote control  100  is likely attached to a power adapter that is plugged into the wall and may not be in use or located near a person, and when the remote control  100  is receiving power through the induction charger  131 , the remote control  100  is likely positioned on an induction charger power source and may not be in use or located near a person. 
         [0048]    The remote control  100  may include a wireless communication system including, but not limited to, an infrared (IR) transceiver  154 , one or more wireless transceivers  150 , and one or more wireless antennas  152 . The wireless communication system is configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The wireless signals are generally radio signals, such as RF4CE, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, but can also be infrared signals or any other wireless signal. 
         [0049]    The wireless communication system may monitor wireless communications near the remote control  100  or communicate with other devices near the remote control  100 . 
         [0050]    The remote control  100  may actively or passively monitor wireless communication traffic to aid in determining whether a user is near the remote control  100 . For example, if the IR transceiver  154  is monitoring IR signals near the remote control  100  and receives an IR signal, even one not directed to the remote control  100 , the IR transceiver may send information to the controller  140  that indicates that an IR signal was received. The controller  140  may use this information in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100 , for example, detecting an IR signal may be indicative of a person using a second remote control in the same room as the remote control  100 . 
         [0051]    Similarly, the wireless transceiver  150  may actively or passively monitor wireless traffic, for example, based on the received Wi-Fi signal strength, such as Wi-Fi traffic on nearby wireless area networks to help determine whether a person is near the remote control  100 . For example, if the wireless transceiver  150  monitors the Wi-Fi traffic and determines that an access point is nearby, for example by receiving the broadcast SSID of the access point, but there is no other network traffic going to or coming from that access point, the controller  140  may determine that it is likely that no people are in the area. For example, most people carry a smartphone with them everywhere and their smartphone may automatically connect to the access point when they are home and regularly transmit data over the Wi-Fi network to check email, social networks, and for other reasons, thus if no network traffic or low signal strength is detected, the person&#39;s smartphone, and therefore the person, are likely not near the remote control. Alternatively, if the wireless transceiver  150  detects high signal strength, then the person is in proximity of the remote control. 
         [0052]    The remote control  100  may also communicate with other devices though the wireless communication system. In some embodiments, the remote control  100  may communicate with other devices to send commands to them, such as to turn on a television, change a channel, or record a show, and, as discussed in more detail later, may also communicate with other devices to receive information that aids in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100 . 
         [0053]    The controller  140  of the remote control  100  may include a processor, memories, input/output ports, and other components commonly used in computers or controllers. The controller  140  may also include programs for carrying out the methods and processes disclosed herein, including, but not limited to, the communication with the sensors  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 ,  129 , the sonar transmitter  125 , the ultraviolet light emitters  142 ,  160 ,  161 , power systems, and a wireless communication system, determining whether a person is near or in the same room as the remote control  100 , activating or turning on the ultraviolet light emitters  142 ,  160 ,  161 , and communicating with other devices, for example, set-top boxes, security systems, thermostats, smart appliances, or the like. 
         [0054]    By way of example, the controller  140  may use a number of different sources of information to determine that a person is not likely near the remote control  100 . In some embodiments, the controller  140  may receive temperature information from a surface mounted temperature sensor  126  indicating that the surface temperature of the remote control is below a threshold of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, sound pressure level information from the microphone indicating that the ambient noise in the room is below a threshold of 25 dB, light sensor information indicating that the luminous flux in the room is steady and below a threshold of 5 lux, and information over the wireless network from a set-top box indicating that the television is turned off. 
         [0055]    Further sensors include time sensors, both time of day and time since last moved, exposed to high light, high sound, etc. In the first, time of day, the remote can obtain the time of day from its own internal clock. Alternatively, the remote can obtain the time of day by communication with the set-top box. Television is rarely watched at 2:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. The remote can therefore use this as one factor to determine that a person is not present. 
         [0056]    In addition to tracking the time of day, the remote can also store a history of the time of day in which is has been used for the last several months. Generally, use in a household follows a predictable pattern with respect to a time of day. For example, young children may watch television for a few moments each morning before going to school or the parents may check the weather before the start of the day. Then, the television remote may remain idle for several hours, even to the lunch hour, or until children return from school or the parents return from work. After a period of several days or weeks, the remote can store a history of the time of day when it is not used, and can use the time of day, as well as the history of no use for several weeks during a particular time of day, as a further data point that a person is not likely adjacent to the remote. 
         [0057]    When determining whether the remote has been used at a particular time of day, the most reliable indication will be whether a button on the remote has been pressed within a certain time period. For example, when a remote is first used, a button is pressed to turn on the television, and in addition, the volume will likely be adjusted. When the remote is no longer going to be used, the OFF button will be used to turn the television off. These are steps which can be measured and stored in the controller  140  as an indication that a person was present during that time period, since it can be assumed that only a person would use the remote to turn the television on and off or change the volume. Accordingly, the times of day in which no button has been pressed for long periods of time can be stored in the controller  140 , and this can be used as a data point for an indication that a user was not present during that time. If each day has large blocks of time during which the remote has not been used, for example during the midday or at nighttime between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m., after collecting the data for several weeks, this can provide an indication that the likelihood of use during these time periods is extremely low. On the other hand, in some households, the viewing habits may be to watch TV between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m., for example if the homeowners work an odd shift, or some other reason. Accordingly, by accumulating a use history and learning a time of day when the remote is not in use for several hours at a time, which extends for several weeks or months, the controller  140  can use this as a data point, either alone or in combination with the other data as described herein to determine that no person is present, and thus perform the UV cleaning during these time periods. 
         [0058]    In addition to a time of day sensor and data point, the controller  140  may include a timer for each of the other sensors or devices which have been described herein. For example, the time since the accelerometer  128  or the gyroscope  129  have been activated can be determined, and after a long time has passed with no activation, this is another data point to indicate that a person is not likely adjacent to the remote. Similarly, the changes over time from the other sensors, such as temperature changes, sound changes, and other changes over time can be monitored, and when one of the sensors indicates no change for long periods of time, this can be other data points that a person is not likely present. Thus, not only is low noise or low light one of the indications that a person is not present, but the time which has passed since the noise changed or the light changed, or the time over which the light level and noise level has been maintained below a certain value, are also data points which can be used to determine that a person is likely not present. 
         [0059]    Based on this information, the remote control may determine that all the sensors and devices have each sent information to the controller  140  that indicates that a person is not near the remote control  100 . For example, a surface temperature of 68 degrees may indicate that the remote control  100  is not being held, the 25 dB sound level indicates that no person is in talking or moving around near the remote control  100 , the light level below 5 lux indicates that the lights in the room are off and no television is on, and the set-top box provides corresponding information that the television is off. Based on this data the remote may determine that no person is near the remote control  100  and it may be safe to activate the ultraviolet emitters  142 ,  160 ,  161  to disinfect the remote control  100 . In some embodiments, less than all of the information may indicate that no people are in the room and the controller  140  may still activate the ultraviolet light emitters  142 ,  160 ,  161 . 
         [0060]    Cleaning and disinfecting the remote control  100  with ultraviolet light can take a few seconds to several minutes. Before activating the ultraviolet lights, the remote control  100  may determine, for example, based on past experience, the likelihood that a person will enter the room during the cleaning. For example, if the remote control  100  determines that no person is present in the room at 7:55 PM, but knows the cleaning cycle takes five minutes, and a user typically enters the room just before 8:00 PM to start watching a television show, the remote control  100  may not activate the ultraviolet emitters because it may not be able to finish the cleaning cycle before a person enters the room. In some embodiments, the remote control  100  may initiate a shorter cleaning cycle when it expects a person to enter a room before completion of a full cleaning cycle. 
         [0061]    If the remote control  100  activates the ultraviolet emitters to start a cleaning cycle, but then detects a person entering the room, then the remote control  100  may immediately deactivate the ultraviolet emitters to prevent accidental exposure to the person that entered the room. 
         [0062]    In addition, the remote control  100  may use sensors to determine whether a user has a cold or infection. For example, the remote control  100  may use the microphone  124  to detect coughing, sneezing, or sniffling, the temperature sensors  126  to detect an elevated temperature of the user holding the remote control  100 , or the cameras  523 ,  623  to look for visual indications that a user is sick. 
         [0063]    In some embodiments, the set-top box  500  may use facial recognition to find and recognize faces in images from the camera  523  in the set-top box  500 . The set-top box  500  may also analyze the color tone of a person&#39;s skin to aid in determining whether a person is sick or not. For example, a paler than normal skin tone or a more red then normal nose may indicate that the person has a cold or is sick. 
         [0064]    If the remote control  100  determines that a user is sick the remote control  100  may prioritize cleaning. For example, if the remote control  100  determines that a sick user has ceased using the remote control  100  and left the room, the remote control  100  may activate the ultraviolet emitters to start disinfecting the remote control  100 , even when the remote control  100  does not expect to have a long time window during which to clean the remote control  100 . 
         [0065]    If a sick user stops using the remote control  100  or leaves the room and another user is detected in the room or using the remote control  100 , the remote control  100  may prompt the healthy user to allow the remote control  100  to active the ultraviolet emitters to clean the remote control  100 . For example, the remote control  100  may interact with the set-top box  500  or television  600  to display a message to the user and confirm the cleaning. In some embodiments, the healthy user may authorize the cleaning and insert the remote control  100  into an enclosed charging pad, such as the enclosed charging pad  300 , or the user may leave the room for several minutes during the cleaning. 
         [0066]    In some embodiments, the remote control  100  may be cleaned on a regular cycle, such as once a week, every two or three days, or more often, depending on how the remote control  100  is used. For example, when the remote control  100  is used by only one healthy person, the remote control  100  may be cleaned once a week, but when used by a large group of people the remote control  100  may be cleaned once a day, or even more often. 
         [0067]    The remote control  100  may also monitor or record the parts of the remote control  100  that a user interacts with and may record this information or may transmit this information to the set-top box  500 . For example, the remote control  100  may record that a user may only interacts with the number buttons or the pause and play buttons or mainly holds a certain portion of the housing of the remote control  100 . In some embodiments, only ultraviolet light emitters associated with the parts of the remote control  100  that the user has interacted with or has interacted with the most are activated during cleaning. By only activating certain ultraviolet light emitters, less energy is used and batter power is conserved. 
         [0068]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , an embodiment of a charging pad  200  in partial cutaway is shown. The charging pad  200  includes a housing  202  and a top surface  204 . The top surface  204  is configured to receive a handheld device, such as a remote control (e.g., remote control  100 ), for example by placing the remote control  100  on top of the top surface  204 . 
         [0069]    The charging pad  200  includes sensors  222 ,  224  coupled to a controller  240 . The light sensor  222  may have a structure and functionality similar to the light sensor  122  discussed above with reference to the remote control  100  in  FIG. 1 , for example, the light sensor  222  may be located beneath a window  220 . Likewise, the microphone  224 , the controller  240 , and the wireless system, including wireless transceiver  250  and antenna  252 , may also have a similar structure and functionality as the systems and parts discussed above with respect to the remote control in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0070]    The charging pad  200  may include a charging system. The charging system can include an inductive charger  231  and a power port  230 . The power port receives energy from outside the charging pad  200  and provides it to the rest of the charging pad  200 . The inductive charger  231  receives energy from the power port  230  and provides the energy to the remote control  100  through an electromagnetic field. 
         [0071]    The charging pad may also include one or more proximity sensors, for example proximity sensors  270 . The proximity sensors  270  are arranged in a two dimensional array such that they may aid in determining the location and orientation of the remote control  100  when it is placed on the charging pad  200 . For example, the controller  240  may receive proximity information from the each of the proximity sensors  270  and may determine the location and orientation of remote control  100  on the charging pad  200  based on that information. Although depicted as having six proximity sensors  270 , the charging pad  200  may include more or less proximity sensors  270 . 
         [0072]    The charging pad also includes the controller  240  that may send or receive information from the remote control  100  or other device, such as a set-top box, to aid in determining whether a person is likely near the charging pad  200  or remote control  100 . In some embodiments, the charging pad  200  may send information to the remote control  100  which the remote control  100  then uses in determining whether or not to active the ultraviolet light emitters  142 ,  160 ,  161 . In some embodiments, the charging pad  200  receives information from the remote control  100  to determine whether a person is near the charging pad  200  and whether to activate the ultraviolet emitters  262 . 
         [0073]    The ultraviolet emitters  262  are arranged in an ultraviolet emitter array  260  and the controller  240  may control the activation of the ultraviolet emitters  262  in the array  260 . The array  260  can include ultraviolet LEDs distributed along the length and width of the top surface  204  of the charging pad  200 . In some embodiments, the LEDs may be coupled to the top surface  204 . In some embodiments, the top surface  204  may be made from ultraviolet light transmissive material and the LEDs may be positioned below the top surface  204  and within the housing  202 . The controller  240  activates the ultraviolet emitters in the array  260  when the controller  240  determines that a remote control  100  is placed on the charging pad  200  and that a person is likely not near the charging pad  200 . Although depicted as having an array of ultraviolet emitters  262  in  FIG. 3 , in addition to or in place of the ultraviolet emitters  262 , the charging pad  200  may use light pipes or light guides to distribute the ultraviolet light and disinfect the surface of a remote control  100 . 
         [0074]    Each of the ultraviolet emitters  262  may be associated with one or more proximity sensors  270 , in particular, the ultraviolet light emitters  262  may be associated with a nearest one or more of the proximity sensors  270 . In some embodiments, when the controller  240  activates the ultraviolet light emitters  262 , the controller  240  only activates the ultraviolet light emitters  262  associated with proximity sensors  270  that indicate they are near an object, such as the remote control  100 . 
         [0075]    In some embodiments, the charging pad  200  may determine the location and orientation of the remote control  100  on the charging pad  200  and may activate the ultraviolet emitters  262  in close proximity to the remote control  100  or directly beneath the remote control  100 . In this way, the charging pad  200  may conserve energy and reduce the amount of stray ultraviolet light. 
         [0076]    In some embodiments, the charging pad  200  may receive information or commands from another device, such as the remote control  100  or a set-top box, that indicate that no people are near the charging pad  200 . Based on this information, the charging pad  200  will activate the ultraviolet emitters. 
         [0077]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , an embodiment of an enclosed charging pad  300  is depicted. The enclosed charging pad  300  may have all of the features of the charging pad  200  discussed above. In addition to those features, the charging pad  300  may include means for shielding ultraviolet light and aiding in reducing the amount of ultraviolet light that escapes from the shielded charging pad  300 . 
         [0078]    The housing  302  of the shielded charging pad  300  may include a base  304  with a power port  330  and one or more sidewalls  305 ,  307 ,  309 . The sidewalls  305 ,  309  extend from opposing sides of the base  304  of the shielded charging pad  300 . In some embodiments of the charging pad  300 , the sidewalls  305 ,  309  extend outward from the base  304  and curve upward to form a side portion, for example side portion  311  of sidewall  305 . The sidewalls  305 ,  309  may continue to curve upward and inward to form a top or roof portion, for example the roof portion  308  of sidewall  309  and the roof portion  313  of sidewall  305 . The roof portion  308  may extend over only a portion of the base  304 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , or the roof portion  308  may extend over the entire base  304  and, for example, join the first sidewall  305  with the second sidewall  309 . In some embodiments, the roof portions  308 ,  313  may not extend over the base  304  or may be omitted altogether. 
         [0079]    The shielded charging pad  300  may also include a third sidewall or end wall, for example, a sidewall  307 . The sidewall  307  extends outward from the base  304  and curves upward to form a side portion, and continues to curve upward and inward to form a top or roof portion. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the sidewall  307  may join with the first and second sidewalls  305 ,  309  to form a continuous structure including the three sidewalls  305 ,  307 ,  309 . In some embodiments, the sidewall  307  may not join with the first or second sidewalls  305 ,  309 . 
         [0080]    The sidewalls  305 ,  307 ,  309  may be opaque to ultraviolet light or may have an outer surface  306  that is opaque to ultraviolet light. The outer surface  306  may be opposite an inner surface  310 . The inner surface  310  faces the base  304  of the shielded charging pad  300 . 
         [0081]    As discussed above with reference to the charging pad  200 , the housing  302  of the shielded charging pad  300  may include ultraviolet light emitters. The ultraviolet light emitters may be located within the base  304  and oriented to emit ultraviolet light upward out of the base and towards an item, such as a remote control  100  that may be positioned on the base  304 . Ultraviolet light emitted from the base  304  of the shielded charging pad  300  may have a limited disinfecting capabilities with respect to some surfaces of the remote control  100  because the ultraviolet light emitted from the base  304  may strike the surfaces of the remote control  100  facing the base, such as the bottom portion  106 , but not the other surfaces of the remote control  100 , for example the top portion  104  of the remote control  100  facing away from the base  304 . To more effectively disinfect the remote control  100 , ultraviolet light emitters may be positioned in the sidewalls  305 ,  307 ,  309  and the roof portion  308  such that they emit ultraviolet light that may disinfect the sides and top portion  104  of the remote control  100 . 
         [0082]      FIG. 5  discloses a system  400  for disinfecting a remote control  100 . The system  400  includes a set-top box  500  with a housing  502  surrounding an inner cavity  501 . The set-top box  500  includes sensors  522 ,  524  coupled to a controller  540 . The light sensor  522  may have a structure and functionality similar to the light sensor  122  discussed above with reference to the remote control  100  in  FIG. 1 , for example the light sensor  522  may be located beneath a window, not shown, in the housing  502  of the set-top box  500 . Likewise, the microphone  524 , the controller  540 , and the wireless system, including wireless transceiver  550  and antenna  552 , may also have a similar structure and functionality as the systems and parts discussed above with respect to the remote control in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0083]    The set-top box  500  may also include a camera  523 . The camera  523  may be positioned in or on the set-top box  500  and oriented such that it points towards the space near the set-top box  500 , for example, the camera  523  may be oriented such that is has a view of the room in which the camera  523  is placed and, for example, a view of a couch in the room. The camera  523  can be either wired or wirelessly coupled to the controller  540 . The camera  523  can transmit information related to the environment near the camera  523 . For example, the camera  523  can transmit images to the controller  540  with so-called machine vision capabilities to determine whether people are present in the images. 
         [0084]    The set-top box  500  may also include a motion detector  521 . Unlike the motion sensors  128 ,  129  that sense the movements of the remote control  100  in which they are mounted, the motion detector  521  detects movements of people or objects within the field of view of the motion detector  521 , through for example, detecting changes in the level of inferred light, measurement of Doppler shifts in emitted microwave or ultrasonic waves, or other methods. The motion detector  521  may be similar to the motion detectors found in motion activated lights or motion detectors in home or office security systems. 
         [0085]    The motion detector  521  can be either wired or wirelessly coupled to the controller  540 . The controller  540  receives information from the motion detector  521  and may use that information in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100  or set-top box  500 . For example, the controller  540  may determine that a person is near the set-top box  500  based on receiving motion information from the motion detector  521  that indicates current movement in the room. The controller  540  may determine that a person is not in the room based on receiving information from the motion detector  521  that indicates that no movement has occurred in the room over a period of time, such as 30 or 60 minutes. 
         [0086]    The set-top box  500  may also include a clock  527  that keeps track of the date and time. The controller  540  may use the date and time from the clock  527  to aid in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100  or charging pad  200 . For example, a person is more likely to be asleep in a bedroom at 3:00 AM than in the living room watching television; therefore, it is likely to be safer to activate ultraviolet emitters to disinfect a remote control  100  that is in a living room at 3:00 AM than to activate ultraviolet emitters to disinfect a remote control  100  in a bedroom at 3:00 AM. 
         [0087]    The set-top box  500  may also include a media port, such as an HDMI port  595 , connected to a television  600 . An HDMI cable  620  transmits messages and information between the television  600  and the set-top box  500 . The information transmitted between the television  600  and the set-top box  500  can include a power signal from the television  600  informing the set-top box that the television  600  is turned on. The set-top box  500  and the controller  540  may use this information to aid in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100  or charging pad  200 . 
         [0088]    The set-top box  500  may also store information  545  related to the viewing habits of the people that use the remote control  100 . The set-top box  500  may monitor viewing habits of people who use the television, the network traffic near the set-top box  500  or remote control  100 , information from the motion detector  521 , and other activities and may use that information to predict when it may be appropriate to activate ultraviolet emitters to disinfect the remote control  100 . 
         [0089]    Many people in the household can use the remote control  100  and therefore, to help prevent the spread of containments from one person to another, the system  400  may determine when the remote control  100  is likely to change users. For example, a child might typically use the remote control  100  in the morning and afternoon while an adult is likely to use the remote control  100  in the late evening. The system  400  may make determination with respect to who is using or likely to use the remote control  100  based on the content of the media watched on the television, e.g., cartoons and teen programing in the morning and afternoon, before 8:00 PM and crime dramas in the evening, after 9:00 PM. The remote control  100  may also observe that the remote control  100  is rarely used between 8:00 PM and 8:20 PM, which may coincide with putting the child to bed. 
         [0090]    If the remote control  100  observes such behavior, it may proactively activate the ultraviolet emitters to disinfect the remote control  100  after the remote control  100  is still for a relatively short period of time, for example, after five minutes. On the other hand, if the system  400  determines that a user nearly always watches a particular television show between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM on Wednesday nights, but not the other nights of the week, the system may not activate the ultraviolet emitters after only five minutes of inactivity on Wednesday nights between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM because it is likely the user may walk into the room to begin watching the particular television show. 
         [0091]    The system  400  may use other devices and systems to aid in determining when people are not present in the room with the remote control  100  and when to activate the ultraviolet emitters. 
         [0092]    The system  400  may include a thermostat  634 . The thermostat  634  may be connected to a network or the internet through, for example, a wireless access point  630 . The thermostat  634  may include smart features such as motion sensors and other devices and logic to determine when a user is present and when they are away. The thermostat  634  may also include temperature set points to control the temperature based on the time and day. The system  400  may use the temperature set point, motion, and other information to determine when a person is likely not near the remote control  100  and when to activate the ultraviolet emitters. 
         [0093]    The system  400  may include a phone  640 . The phone  640  may be connected to a network or the internet through, for example, a wireless access point  630 . The phone  640  may also include Bluetooth or Wi-Fi direct communication capabilities that may act as proximity detectors. For example, the wireless transceiver  550  in the set-top box  500  may also include Bluetooth or Wi-Fi direct communication capabilities so that when the phone  640  is within range of wireless transceiver  550  the system  400  may detect such proximity and determine that a person is located near the remote control  100  or charging pad  200  and to not activate the ultraviolet emitters. Additionally, the phone  640  may include a GPS receiver or other means of determining the phone&#39;s  640  location. The phone  640  may communicate its location, based on information from the GPS receiver, to the system  400  for use in determining when to activate the ultraviolet emitters. 
         [0094]    The system  400  may include an alarm system  636 . The alarm system  636  may include a motion detector, electronic door locks, a key pad for user input, and other devices a person of skill in the art would understand as associated with an alarm system. The alarm system  636  may also be connected in electronic communication with the system  400  and the set-top box  500 , in particular. The system can use information from the alarm system  636  to determine whether a person is near ultraviolet emitters. For example, motion sensors placed in various rooms in the house can tell the system  400  which rooms in the house contain people, the electronic door locks can inform that a person has arrived at the house, and the keypad can inform the system  400  when the alarm system is activated in an away mode or sleep mode. 
         [0095]    The system  400  may also include a game console  610  which may also include an IR emitter  614 , an IR receiver  613 , and a camera  623 . The camera  623  may have functionality similar to that of the camera  523  associated with the set-top box  500 . The IR emitter  614  and IR receiver  613  can function as motion detectors and, in more sophisticated embodiments, track the movement of people within the field of view of the IR emitter  614  and IR receiver  613 . The game console  610  can send this information to other devices in the system  400  that can use the information to determine whether a person is near and when to activate the ultraviolet emitters. 
         [0096]    Cameras, such as the camera  523  associated with the set-top box  500 , or the camera  623  associated with the game console can also detect the presence of specific people, for example through facial recognition or by the shape or other attributes of the body. The system  400  may store user profiles as part of the information  545  stored on the set-top box. The profiles may include the viewing habits and location habits of the various users of the remote control  100  and may be used to predict the time during which a person is likely to be away from the remote control  100 . 
         [0097]    In addition to using a video camera to detect who is present, the system  400  may also detect the presence of particular people based on voice recognition using a microphone or detection of particular mobile devices associated with particular people, such as a user&#39;s smartphone  640  or other devices. The system may update or load user profiles based on the presence or absence of a particular person at particular times. 
         [0098]    The system  400  may also include a wireless access point  630 . The wireless access point  630  can connect the components, such as the devices and sensors that are associated with the system  400 , together and facilitate the transfer of information between the components. The system  400  may also include a wired network  632  that can connect the devices and sensors together. 
         [0099]    In addition to connecting the components of the system  400  together, the access point  630  and wired network  632  may act as sensors for the system. For example, they can send information regarding the devices connected to the network and the traffic on the network to the set-top box  500  or remote control  100 . The system  400  can use the network information to aid in determining whether a person is near the remote control  100 , the charging pad  200 , or the ultraviolet emitters. 
         [0100]    The system  400  may also include other connected devices  638 . A person of skill in the art would understand that the system  400  can use any of a myriad of other devices to determine the presence of a person and whether to activate the ultraviolet emitters. For example, key fobs for cars can include proximity sensors, watches and phones may include near field communication capabilities, activity trackers may communicate over wireless networks, and sensors and locks on doors, vehicle tracking and location systems, and other devices can monitor and report on the location of people and objects that the system  400  can use to determine the presence of a person and whether to activate the ultraviolet emitters. 
         [0101]    The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments. 
         [0102]    These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.

Technology Category: 5