Curing lamp apparatus with electronic voice

• US 20030071607A1
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coltene/Whaledent Incorporated (Coltene Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Coltene/Whaledent Incorporated (Coltene Holding AG)
• Inventors: Colombo, Joseph G., Gofman, Igor Y.
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/100
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/003 Apparatus for curing resins by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/041 the light-intensity of the source H05B39/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/042 by measuring the incident light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/20 Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

A curing lamp apparatus is used for providing electronic voice information to report a number of operating conditions associated with the curing lamp. The apparatus includes a light sensor for sensing output power, voltage and current sensors for sensing input power, a microcontroller for providing a digital number in response to receiving signals from one or more sensors, a programmed voice circuit for retrieving a voice message signal from a memory, address associated with the digital number, and a transducer for receiving and audibly reproducing the voice message signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing electronic voice information in a dental curing instrument, the apparatus comprising:

a light sensor for sensing light output power density from a lamp of the curing instrument;

a current sensing input for sensing current drawn by the curing lamp;

a voltage sensing input for sensing voltage across the curing lamp;

a microcontroller, the microcontroller comprising;

a plurality of analog to digital (A/D) converters each operative to receive an analog signal from one of the light sensor, current sensing input and voltage sensing input, and to convert the received analog signal to a digital number;

a stored program and memory, the stored program and memory being operative to analyze one or more received digital numbers to produce a digital address; and

an output for outputting the digital address;

a programmed voice circuit comprising a memory for storing voice messages and a processor for receiving the digital address at an input, retrieving a voice message stored in the memory at the digital address, and outputting the voice message as an analog signal; and

a transducer for receiving the output analog signal and outputting an audible voice message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is programmable to select digital addresses for voice messages prepared in one of a plurality of languages.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is operative to output the digital number for display on a visual display.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the visual display includes elements comprising at least one of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and liquid crystal display elements (LCDs).

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transducer includes an audio speaker.

6. A method for operating a curing light, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring an output power density for the curing light; and

when the measured output power density exceeds a predetermined threshold;

playing an audible message indicating the measured output power density.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the playing step comprises the steps of:

converting the measured output power density into a digital code comprising one or more digital addresses;

retrieving an associated voice message stored in a memory at each of the one or more digital addresses;

outputting each retrieved voice message as an analog signal; and

reproducing each output analog signal as an audible message.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the measuring step is preceded by the step of:

detecting light energy in a light sensor.

9. A method for operating a curing light, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring an output power density for a lamp in the curing light; and

when the measured output density falls below a first predetermined threshold;

determining an input power to the lamp; and

when the determined input power falls below a second predetermined threshold, playing an audible message to indicate that the lamp should be replaced.

10. A method for operating a curing light, the method comprising the steps of:

counting a time of operation during each time the curing light is activated;

accumulating the counted time in a memory to produce a cumulative time of operation for the curing light; and

playing an audible message indiciating that an output power density for a lamp of the curing light should be evaluated when the cumulative time of operation reaches a predetermined threshold.

11. A method for operating a curing light, the method comprising the steps of:

determining an input power to a lamp in the curing light; and

when the determined input power falls below a predetermined threshold, playing an audible message indicating that the lamp should be replaced.

12. The method of claim 11, when the determined input power is at least equal to the predetermined threshold, the method further comprising the steps of:

determining whether an elapsed time of operation matches a time reported by one of a plurality of predetermined time intervals; and

playing an audible message announcing the elapsed time when a match is determined.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein when no match is found, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether operation continues by a user; and

when operation continues, measuring an output power density for a lamp in the curing light.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of terminating operation when the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined value.