Apparatus and method for powering portable battery operated light sources

• US 20030193314A1
• Filed: 04/10/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Endoscopy-America Incorporated (Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg)
• Original Assignee: Karl Storz Endoscopy-America Incorporated (Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg)
• Inventors: Solingen, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 6,809,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0655 Control therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device

Abstract

A portable imaging system incorporating a portable light source powered by a battery, the output of which is conditioned and regulated to supply an output voltage of a selected level such that the light source provides illuminating light of a selected illumination level and a selected color temperature for use in illuminating the area of interest of an object whose image is observed by means of said portable imaging system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing illuminating light of a selected illumination level and color temperature utilized with a portable imaging device comprising:

a battery, providing electrical power;

a light source;

a power conditioning circuit, connecting said battery with said light source, said power conditioning circuit modifying the electrical power based upon a selected threshold parameter representative of a desired illumination level and a desired color temperature of the illuminating light; and

a portable imaging device, generating an image;

wherein said power conditioning circuit causes said light source to provide illuminating light of an illumination level and a substantially constant color temperature based upon the selected threshold parameter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portable imaging device is selected from the group consisting of endoscope, laryngoscope, industrial boroscope, video endoscope, video laryngoscope, or industrial video boroscope.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light source has an illumination rating and a color temperature rating.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said power conditioning circuit modifies the electrical power to re-rate the light source to, a selected illumination level different from the illumination rating or a selected color temperature different from the color temperature rating.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said battery is a rechargeable battery.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said battery is a non-rechargeable battery.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said battery is a Lithium Ion battery.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power conditioning circuit comprises a switching voltage regulator.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises a tungsten filament lamp.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power conditioning circuit further comprises an illumination feedback device, said illumination feedback device measuring the illumination level or the color temperature of the illuminating light.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a video camera and display system for viewing the image generated by said portable imaging device.

12. An apparatus for providing illuminating light of a selected illumination level and color temperature utilized with a portable imaging device comprising:

a battery, providing electrical power;

a light source, having an illumination rating and a color temperature rating; and

a power conditioning circuit, connecting said battery with said light source, said power conditioning circuit modifying the electrical power to re-rate the light source to, a selected illumination level different from the illumination rating or a selected color temperature different from the color temperature rating.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a portable imaging device generating an image.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said portable imaging device is selected from the group consisting of endoscope, laryngoscope, industrial boroscope, video endoscope, video laryngoscope, or industrial video boroscope.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a video camera and display system for viewing the image generated by said portable imaging device.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said battery is a rechargeable battery.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said battery is a non-rechargeable battery.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said battery is a Lithium Ion battery.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said power conditioning circuit comprises a switching voltage regulator.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said light source comprises a tungsten filament lamp.

21. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said power conditioning circuit further comprises an illumination feedback device, said illumination feedback device measuring the illumination level or the color temperature of the illuminating light.

22. An apparatus for providing illuminating light of a selected illumination level and color temperature utilized with a portable imaging device comprising:

a battery, providing electrical power;

a light source, having an illumination rating and a color temperature rating;

a power conditioning circuit, connecting said battery with said light source, said power conditioning circuit modifying the electrical power based upon a selected threshold parameter representative of a desired illumination level and a desired color temperature of the illuminating light, and said power conditioning circuit modifying the electrical power to re-rate the light source to, a selected illumination level different from the illumination rating or a selected color temperature different from the color temperature rating; and

a portable imaging device, generating an image;

wherein said power conditioning circuit causes said light source to provide illuminating light of an illumination level and a substantially constant color temperature based upon the selected threshold parameter.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said portable imaging device is selected from the group consisting of endoscope, laryngoscope, industrial boroscope, video endoscope, video laryngoscope, or industrial video boroscope.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a video camera and display system for viewing the image generated by said portable imaging device.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said power conditioning circuit comprises a switching voltage regulator.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said power conditioning circuit further comprises an illumination feedback device, said illumination feedback device measuring the illumination level or the color temperature of the illuminating light.

27. A method for providing illuminating light of a selected illumination level and color temperature and utilized with a portable imaging device comprising the steps of:

supplying electrical power with a battery;

selecting a light source having an illumination rating and a color temperature rating;

connecting the battery with the light source through a power conditioning circuit;

selecting a threshold parameter representative of a desired illumination level and a desired color temperature of the illuminating light;

modifying the electrical power with the power conditioning circuit based upon the selected threshold parameter;

modifying the electrical power with the power conditioning circuit to re-rate the light source to, a selected illumination level different from the illumination rating or a selected color temperature different from the color temperature rating;

supplying illuminating light of an illumination level and a substantially constant color temperature based upon the selected threshold parameter.

28. The method according to claim 27 further comprising the step of generating an image with a portable imaging device.

29. The method according to claim 28 wherein the portable imaging device is selected from the group consisting of endoscope, laryngoscope, industrial boroscope, video endoscope, video laryngoscope, or industrial video boroscope.

30. The method according to claim 28 further comprising the step of viewing the image generated by said portable imaging device with a video camera and display system.

31. The method according to claim 27 wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

32. The method according to claim 27 wherein the battery is a non-rechargeable battery.

33. The method according to claim 27 wherein the battery is a Lithium Ion battery.

34. The method according to claim 27 wherein the power conditioning circuit comprises a switching voltage regulator.

35. The method according to claim 27 wherein the light source is a tungsten filament lamp.

36. The method according to claim 27 further comprising the step of measuring the illumination level or the color temperature of the illuminating light with an illumination feedback device.

37. A portable endoscopic imaging system comprising:

a battery, providing electrical power;

a power conditioning circuit, conditioning the electrical power and having a voltage regulator, for maintaining a selected output voltage level;

a light source, having a selected illumination level and a selected color temperature, for providing illuminating light of a selected color temperature; and

a portable imaging device, for viewing the image of an object illuminated by the illuminating light;

wherein said power conditioning circuit provides a substantially constant output voltage level based upon a selected threshold parameter and said light source provides a substantially constant illumination level and a substantially constant light color temperature based upon a selected threshold parameter.

38. A portable illumination system comprising:

a portable power source;

a light source, having a selected illumination level and a selected color temperature;

a power conditioning circuit, that provides a constant voltage level based upon a selected threshold parameter;

wherein said light source is re-rated to provide a substantially constant illumination level and a substantially constant light color temperature that is higher than the selected illumination level and a color rating that is shifted toward ultra-violet from the selected color temperature.