Prior art

US Patent 9,700,642, titled "Method and apparatus for sterilizing and disinfecting air and surfaces and protecting a zone from external microbial contamination," was granted on July 11, 2017, from an application filed on April 17, 2014. It claims priority from several earlier applications, with the earliest priority date being January 31, 2005.

The patent describes a method and apparatus utilizing a "new ultra-violet" (NUV) source that emits a narrow wavelength band of photons, preferably at 222 nm or 282 nm, to destroy microorganisms and toxic substances. It emphasizes targeting specific absorption peaks in DNA/RNA and proteins for quicker and more effective disinfection compared to traditional 254 nm mercury-based UV lamps. The invention also includes support apparatus like electrostatic precipitators and humidifiers, and methods for protecting confined spaces.

Here's an analysis of the most relevant prior art cited in US Patent 9,700,642, along with their potential anticipation of the claims:

1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,153 to Wesley

• Full Citation: Wesley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,153, "Liquid sterilizer," issued July 3, 1984. (Note: The provided text only gives the patent number and inventor, not the full title or issue date. A search for US 4,458,153 would provide this.)
• Publication/Filing Date: (Issue Date: July 3, 1984) (Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the provided text but precedes the issue date).
• Brief Description: This patent is directed towards liquid-like substances enclosed in pipes.
• Potential Anticipation: While it deals with sterilization, the primary distinction highlighted in US 9,700,642 is that Wesley does not discuss any test results for its effectiveness. Furthermore, US 9,700,642 focuses on air, surfaces, and food disinfection with specific UV wavelengths, which differs from Wesley's focus on liquids in pipes. Therefore, it might not directly anticipate claims related to specific wavelengths or applications beyond liquids in pipes. However, it could potentially anticipate broader claims regarding the concept of using a sterilization method for substances.

2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,072 to Sangster

• Full Citation: Sangster, U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,072, "Method and apparatus for sterilization utilizing an electromagnetic field," issued May 12, 1998. (Note: The provided text only gives the patent number and inventor, not the full title or issue date. A search for US 5,750,072 would provide this.)
• Publication/Filing Date: (Issue Date: May 12, 1998) (Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the provided text but precedes the issue date).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method requiring the injection of a sterilizing fluid as a mist or vapor for a magnetic field to produce radicals that alter VSP's.
• Potential Anticipation: Sangster relies on magnetic fields and an injected fluid, which is fundamentally different from the NUV light source and direct photon delivery described in US 9,700,642. The US 9,700,642 patent explicitly states that Sangster "does not discuss any test results" and its mechanism is distinct. Therefore, it is unlikely to directly anticipate claims related to UV radiation at specific wavelengths, or the apparatus for generating and directing such light.

3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,079 to Hofmann

• Full Citation: Hofmann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,079, "Process for sterilizing foodstuffs," issued June 18, 1985. (Note: The provided text only gives the patent number and inventor, not the full title or issue date. A search for US 4,524,079 would provide this.)
• Publication/Filing Date: (Issue Date: June 18, 1985) (Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the provided text but precedes the issue date).
• Brief Description: This patent is specifically directed to treating foodstuffs and speaks of requiring up to 100 pulses at frequencies ranging from 5 to 500 kHz.
• Potential Anticipation: While Hofmann addresses foodstuff treatment, the method described involves pulsed fields at specific frequencies, which is different from the NUV light source and its specific UV wavelengths in US 9,700,642. The US 9,700,642 patent notes that Hofmann's approach, though short in action time, has limitations in practical application due to power requirements and apparatus design for large areas. Claims in US 9,700,642 that specify using UV wavelengths (222 nm, 282 nm, or 254 nm) would likely not be anticipated by Hofmann's method.

General Considerations for Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):

For a prior art reference to anticipate a claim under 35 U.S.C. § 102, it must disclose every element of the claimed invention, either explicitly or inherently.

The background section of US 9,700,642 also generally discusses existing UV lamps, noting they are mercury-based and emit principally at 254 nm. It highlights that these systems require long exposure times (tens to hundreds of seconds) to be effective for air and are impractical for most surfaces. This general discussion of 254 nm UV systems could be relevant to broader claims that do not specifically limit the wavelength to 222 nm or 282 nm, or to claims that do not emphasize the "short action time" benefit of the NUV source. For example, any claim in US 9,700,642 that merely recites "generating photons of ultraviolet light" without specifying the wavelength or the "new" characteristics of the NUV source could be vulnerable to anticipation by the general knowledge of 254 nm UV lamps for disinfection.

However, the core inventive step of US 9,700,642 appears to lie in the use of "new ultra-violet (NUV) sources" emitting at specific, highly effective wavelengths (e.g., 222 nm, 282 nm) to achieve faster and more thorough destruction of pathogens and toxic substances by targeting protein absorption bands, which is distinct from traditional 254 nm mercury lamps. Claims specifically reciting these wavelengths, or the advantages derived from them (e.g., action times less than 0.1 seconds, 10-1000 times more effectiveness), would likely differentiate the invention from the cited prior art.