1. An article comprising a composition for converting electromagnetic radiation having wavelength (A) to electromagnetic radiation having a shorter wavelength (B), said composition comprising:
at least one phosphor capable of converting an initial electromagnetic radiation having wavelength (A) to a different electromagnetic radiation having wavelength (B), said different electromagnetic radiation having wavelength (B) comprising UV, X-ray, or gamma radiation; and
an organic or inorganic media containing said phosphor,
said article comprising a consumer product, a children’s toy, an animal toy, a medical device, medical product, a receptacle for fluids, a receptacle for holding drinking water, a bathroom fixture, a kitchen fixture, eating or cooking utensils, a cleaning product, an article of clothing, a building or construction article, sporting equipment, electronic equipment, or a polymeric film.
2. The article of claim 1, wherein said consumer product is chosen from a toothbrush, a comb, a hair brush, a shower mat, or a toilet seat.
3. The article of claim 1, wherein said consumer product is chosen from a children’s product, an infant’s product, a changing table pad, a diaper, a diaper pail, a piece of furniture, a crib, a bassinet, a trash can, a trash bag, camping equipment, a backpack, a tent, a sleeping bag, or bedding.
4. The article of claim 1, wherein said medical device is implantable in a human body and comprises a prosthetic device, a catheter, an intralumenal device chosen from a stent, guidewire, or embolic filter, a needle, an indwelling catheter, an intravenous catheter, a urinary catheter, an outdwelling catheter, surgical instruments, a blood pressure cuff, a glove, a white coat, a scope, material to be implanted into the body to repair or replace blood vessels, components to be implanted as mesh as in hernia repair, valves for the heart or blood vessels, orthopedic devices, neurosurgical implants, nerve stimulators, and deep brain stimulators.
5. The article of claim 1, wherein said is medical product comprises an article for covering a wound chosen from a bandage, a gauze, or a suture.
6. The article of claim 1, wherein said receptacle for fluids comprises a receptacle for biological fluids, blood, blood components, serum, platelets, bone marrow, urine, plasma, medical fluids, beverages, drinking water, water, household fluids, industrial fluids, automotive fluids, gasoline, fluid hydrocarbons, brake fluid, coolants, reactor coolants, engine coolants, oils, lubricants.
7. The article of claim 1, wherein said bathroom fixture comprises a bathroom surface, a shower head, a toilet, a toilet seat, a sink, a bathtub, a shower, a countertop, a wall material, a wall covering, a floor material, a floor covering, a ceiling material, a ceiling covering, a waste receptacle, a waste receptacle liner, a handle, a knob, or a tile.
8. The article of claim 1, wherein said kitchen fixture comprises a kitchen surface, a sink, an appliance, a refrigerator surface, a refrigerator interior surface, a waste receptacle, a waste receptacle liner, a countertop, a wall material, a wall covering, a floor material, a floor covering, a ceiling material, a ceiling covering, a handle, a knob, or a tile.
9. The article of claim 1, wherein said polymeric film contains an adhesive on at least one surface.
10. The article of claim 1, wherein said cleaning product comprises a receptacle configured to contain an object to be sterilized.
11. The article of claim 1, wherein said article of clothing comprises clothing, socks, a clothing accessory, a bandana, a handkerchief, a hat, a shoe liner, a boot liner, or swimwear.
12. The article of claim 1, wherein said building or construction article comprises, caulk, drywall, flooring, decking, rugs, carpet, paint, roofing, a gutter, an exterior wall treatment, a tile, a room feature, a room sheet, a curtain, a drape, a room divider, a floor material, a floor covering, a wall material, a wall covering, a ceiling material, a ceiling covering, a piece of furniture, or a light fixture.
13. The article of claim 1, said article comprising a piece of hospital equipment, a piece of medical equipment, a piece of laboratory equipment, or a tissue culture hood.
14. The article of claim 1, wherein said sporting equipment comprises a mouth-guard, headgear for protection against combat sports, a helmet, gloves for catching balls and pucks, pads for protecting the body, and floor mats.
15. An article comprising the composition of claim 1, said article comprising a cover for a medical device or consumer product that:
is transparent or translucent to said initial electromagnetic radiation having wavelength (A) and converts said initial energy to electromagnetic radiation having a shorter wavelength (B).
16. The article of claim 15, wherein said cover further comprises a coating on at least one surface that is transparent or translucent to the initial energy but that prevents UV from exiting the cover.
17. The article of claim 16, wherein said at least one coating comprises a metal or oxide chosen from MgO, TiO2, SiO2 and Al2O3.
18. The article of claim 16, wherein said consumer product and medical device is chosen from a toothbrush, comb, razor, body or face brush, stethoscope, and dental implant.
19. The article of claim 1, wherein the initial electromagnetic radiation having wavelength (A) comprises infrared radiation or visible light.
20. The article of claim 1, wherein said at least one phosphor has an average particle size ranging from 1 nm to 1 cm.
21. The article of claim 1, wherein said at least one phosphor is present in an amount ranging from 0.01% to 60% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition.
22. The article of claim 1, wherein said organic media comprises a plastic resin, comprising a polymer or co-polymer of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), olefin, polycarbonate, styrene, nylon, and acetal.
23. The article of claim 1, wherein said inorganic media comprises a ceramic, metal or fabric.
24. The article of claim 1, wherein said ceramic comprises glass or porcelain, and said metal comprises stainless steel or an alloy of nickel and titanium.
25. The article of claim 1, wherein said fabric is derived from natural or synthetic fibers or blends of such fibers, wherein said natural fibers comprise cotton, wool, silk, and combinations thereof, and said synthetic fibers are chosen from polyesters, polyamides, acrylics, olefins, aramids, fluropolymers, polyurethane, polyethers, vinyl polymers and copolymers, and combinations thereof.
26. The article of claim 1, wherein said organic or inorganic media comprises a liquid for forming a sprayable slurry of said composition.
27. The article of claim 26, wherein said liquid comprises:
(a) at least one polyurethane;
(b) at least one acrylic polymer or copolymer; and
(c) at least one mineral or organic fillers;
said composition optionally containing at least one crosslinking agent.
28. The composition of claim 27, wherein at least one of (a) to (c) is contained in an aqueous medium.
29. A method of sterilizing an article by exposing it to UV radiation or radiation of a shorter wavelength, said method comprising:
exposing to long-wave ultraviolet, visible or infrared light, a composition comprising, in an organic or inorganic media, at least one phosphor capable of converting said visible or infrared light to UV radiation or radiation of a shorter wavelength,
wherein said exposing is performed for a time sufficient to deactivate or kill at least one microorganism chosen from bacteria, virus, mold, protozoa, and yeast;
andor for a time sufficient to inhibit abnormal cell growth within the body, when said composition is in an implantable medical device.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein said bacteria is chosen from: E. coli, salmonella, staphylococcus, streptococcus, legionella, bacillus, rhodospirillum, mycobacterium, clostridium, dysentery, and tuberculosis.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein said virus is chosen from bacteriophage, coxsackie, infectious hepatitis, influenza, and rotavirus.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least phosphor comprises an activator comprising ytterbium, bismuth, praseodymium and neodymium.
33. The method of claim 29, wherein the initial electromagnetic radiation of frequency (A) comprises infrared radiation or visible light.
34. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one phosphor is present in an amount ranging from 0.01% to 60% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition.
35. The method of claim 29, wherein said radiation of a shorter wavelength comprises X-ray or gamma radiation.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A computer gaming system, comprising:
a computer connected to software stored on non-transitory media, the software configured to\u2014
use at least one of a GPS and transmitter-receiver of the computing device to determine that the computer is within a predetermined geographic boundary when a game is played using the gaming system;
capture an image of an ID of the gaming player, so that the software of the computer, or software of a computer to which the computer is connected, may interpret the image captured to obtain age information;
allocate funds to be used in play of the game;
present a game to a gaming player of the system;
notify the player if the game has been won or lost; and
notify the player of a disposition of allocated funds based upon whether the game has been won or lost.
2. The system of claim 1, the software further configured to:
analyze a bar code within the captured image to determine an age associated with the ID.
3. The system of claim 1, the software further configured to:
present a selection of games from which a player using the gaming system may select.
4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
at least one computer server connectable to communicate with the computer, to share information pertaining to the game played and the game player.
5. The system of claim 1, the software further configured to:
enable the selection by the game player of one or more additional potential players who may be invited to participate in play of the game.
6. The system of claim 5, the software further configured to:
communicate with social media software using an API in order to provide a list of the one or more additional potential players.
7. The system of claim 1, the software further configured to:
receive information pertaining to values associated with a gaming game that has been played in the real world, or in a virtual world using a computer; and
use the received information in play of a game of the gaming system.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein play of a game of the gaming system includes using the values as an entry in play of a game of the gaming system.
9. The system of claim 1, the software further configured to:
obscure an area of a display of the computer so that values may not be seen within the area; and
reveal values within the obscured area when a player performs a gesture corresponding to wiping the screen within the obscured area, wherein values within the wiped area become visible, or are made visible.
10. The system of claim 10, the software further configured to:
use the revealed values in a subsequent game of the gaming system.
11. The system of claim 1, the software further configured to:
ask a gaming player one or more questions, the answers to which may be correlated by the software, or by software executing on at least one computer server connectable to communicate with the computer, with published information, to validate that the gaming player has reached a predetermined age.
12. The system of claim 1, the software further configured to:
use values obtained in a first game of the gaming system in a second game of the gaming system, the values operative to reveal a portion of the second game.
13. The system of claim 1, the software further configured to:
use values obtained in a first game of the gaming system in a second game of the gaming system, the values corresponding to discrete elements displayed within the second game, the discrete elements used to determine a win or loss of the second game.
14. A computer gaming system, comprising:
a handholdable device including a transmitter and receiver, a GPS, a display, and a computer processor;
software stored on non-transitory media, the software configured to execute upon the computer processor, and to\u2014
use at least one of the GPS and transmitter-receiver to determine that the handholdable device is within a predetermined geographic area when a game is played using the device;
determine an age of a player of the gaming system by performing at least one of methods (a) and (b), where
method (a) includes capturing an image of an ID of the gaming player, so that the software of the computer, or software of a computer to which the computer is connected, may interpret the image captured to obtain age information, and
method (b) includes asking a gaming player one or more questions, the answers to which are correlated by the software, or by software executing on at least one computer server connectable to communicate with the computer, with published information, to validate that the gaming player has reached a predetermined age;
allocate funds to be used in play of the game;
present a game to a gaming player of the system; and
notify the player if the game has been won or lost.
15. The system of claim 14, the software further configured to:
if determining an age of a player uses method (a), analyze a bar code within the captured image to determine an age associated with the ID.
16. The system of claim 14, the software further configured to:
communicate with social media software using an API in order to provide a list of the one or more additional potential players from which one or more additional players may be invited to participate in play of the game.
17. The system of claim 14, the software further configured to:
obscure an area of a display of the computer so that values may not be seen within the area; and
reveal values within the obscured area when a player performs a gesture corresponding to wiping the screen within the obscured area, wherein values within the wiped area become visible, or are made visible.
18. A computer gaming system, comprising:
a handholdable cellphone device including a transmitter and receiver, a GPS, a display, and a computer processor;
software stored on non-transitory media, the software configured to execute upon the computer processor, and to\u2014
use at least one of the GPS and transmitter-receiver to determine that the cellphone is within a predetermined geographic area when a game is played using the cellphone;
communicate with at least one server and a player of the gaming system to determine that the player has attained a certain age;
enable the player to allocate funds using at least one of a credit card, ACH transfer, cash, and cell phone carrier, to be used in play of the game;
present a game to the gaming player of the system for play;
notify the player if the game has been won or lost; and
notify the player of a disposition of allocated funds based upon whether the game has been won or lost.
19. The system of claim 18, the software further configured to:
communicate with social media software using an API in order to provide a list of the one or more additional potential players from which one or more additional players may be invited to participate in play of the game.
20. The system of claim 18, the software further configured to:
obscure an area of a display of the computer so that values may not be seen within the area; and
reveal values within the obscured area when a player performs a gesture corresponding to wiping the screen within the obscured area, wherein values within the wiped area become visible, or are made visible.