CONTROL OF LIGHT SOURCES FOR LIGHT THERAPIES

• US 20100121419A1
• Filed: 11/13/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Verilux Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Verilux Incorporated
• Inventors: Douglas, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US12/617,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20100121419A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00988 Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0642 Irradiating part of the body at a certain distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0662 Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning

Abstract

Light therapy systems that track their own usage and provide for control of light output. LEDs can degrade over time in a way that may not be apparent to a user but impacts therapy. A light therapy system activates a light source and applies therapeutic light to a tissue of a patient during a session. Usage data is stored over a plurality of the sessions and is tested against a predetermined value to determine when further degradation of the light source is unacceptable.

Claims

1. A light therapy system to activate a light source and apply therapeutic light to a tissue of a patient over a plurality of sessions comprising

a light source and a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to store usage data in a computer readable medium over a plurality of the sessions and to test the usage data to determine if degradation of the light source exceeds a predetermined test value.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor program provides for test outcome to control the light source to be non-activatable when the degradation of the light source exceeds the predetermined test value.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the test outcome provides a report comprising a visual or audio display and comprising a status of the light source degradation.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined test value is a cumulative duration of activation.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the usage data is a cumulative duration of light source activation that is updated by the processor in response to activation of the light source.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the usage data further comprises light source drive current, light source temperature, or both drive current and temperature.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the light source is located in a head reversibly connectable to a body that passes electrical power to the light source when the head and body are connected, with the head and body forming a hand-held unit.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the data is stored in a computer-readable medium located in the head.

9. The system of claim 7 comprising a plurality of the heads that each comprise a computer readable medium to store the data for each head, with each head being reversibly connectable to the same body.

10. The system of claim 9 with one of the heads comprising a light source that provides a therapy to treat wrinkles.

11. The system of claim 9 with one of the heads comprising a light source that provides a therapy to treat acne.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor is located in the body.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the predetermined test value is stored in a computer-readable medium located in the body.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the predetermined test value is stored in a computer-readable medium located in each of the heads.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the predetermined test value is different for each of the heads.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is a plurality of processors that cooperate to measure the usage data, store the usage data, and test the usage data.

17. The system of claim 1 comprising a counter that is incremented or decremented by activation of the light source.

18. The system of claim 1 comprising a timer that measures a cumulative time of light source activation and stores the cumulative time as the usage data.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises a computer memory or a register in a processor.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), a laser LED, or a combination thereof.

21. A light therapy system to activate a light source and apply therapeutic light to a tissue of a patient over a plurality of sessions, with control of cumulative usage of the light source, the system comprising:

a plurality of heads, with each at least one head comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that provide therapeutic light and are electrically activatable to emit light on the tissue, wherein each head is non-identical and provides a distinct profile of therapeutic light;

a body reversibly connectable to each head, with the body being electrically connected to each head to pass electrical power to the LEDs when the head is connected to the body;

a computer-readable medium located in each head that stores LED usage data;

a computer-readable medium in the body that stores a cumulative, predetermined use test value; and

a processor in the body programmed to compare the usage data and the cumulative use test value, the processor allowing LED activation only when the comparison shows that a cumulative use of the head connected to the body exceeds a predetermined test value, with the processor further updating the usage data to reflect LED usage in the session;

wherein the body and any of the heads, when connected, form a user-activatable, hand-held, light therapy unit for the user to administer the therapeutic light to the tissue of the user.