SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING LIGHT THERAPY TO A SUBJECT

• US 20110257467A1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Clegg, William Edwin, Colbaugh, Michael Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,870,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0648 the light being directed to the eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0618 Psychological treatment

Abstract

A sleep mask is configured to provide light therapy to a subject. The sleep mask provides a comfortable delivery mechanism for the light therapy, and may deliver the light therapy to the subject while the subject is asleep, in the process of going to sleep, and/or waking from sleep. In one embodiment, the sleep mask includes one or more of a shield, a strap, a first lighting module, and/or a second lighting module.

Claims

1. A sleep mask configured to provide light therapy to a subject, the sleep mask comprising:

a shield configured to cover the eyes of a subject wearing the sleep mask such that the shield provides a barrier between ambient radiation and the eyes of the subject;

one or more radiation sources configured to emit radiation that provides light therapy to the subject, the one or more radiation sources being carried by the shield such that radiation emitted by the one or more radiation sources is directed to the eyes of the subject; and

one or more filters disposed in one or more apertures in the shield, the one or more filters being configured (i) to block ambient radiation that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted by the one or more radiation sources, and (ii) to enabling ambient radiation to pass through the barrier formed by the shield that does not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted by the one or more radiation sources.

2. The sleep mask of claim 1, wherein the one or more filters are configured (i) to block ambient radiation at wavelengths that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted by the one or more radiation sources, and (ii) to enable ambient radiation to pass through the barrier formed by the shield at wavelengths that do not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted by the one or more radiation sources.

3. The sleep mask of claim 2, wherein the one or more filters are configured to enable ambient radiation to pass through the barrier formed by the shield at wavelengths greater than about 580 nm.

4. The sleep mask of claim 1, further comprising a processor connected to the one or more radiation sources, and configured to control the one or more radiation sources in accordance with a predetermined light therapy algorithm.

5. The sleep mask of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to control the transmission characteristics of the one or more filters in accordance with the predetermined light therapy algorithm.

6. The sleep mask of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to control the transmission characteristics of the one or more filters by varying the transmission of the one or more filters for radiation within a predetermined wavelength range.

7. The sleep mask of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to control the transmission characteristics of the one or more filters by varying the transmission of the one or more filters for radiation across the visible spectrum.

8. A method of providing light therapy to a subject, the method comprising:

covering the eyes of a subject by providing a barrier between ambient radiation and the eyes of the subject;

emitting radiation between the eyes of the subject and the barrier;

blocking ambient radiation at the barrier that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier; and

enabling ambient radiation to pass through the barrier that does not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein blocking ambient radiation at the barrier that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier comprises blocking ambient radiation at wavelengths that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier, and wherein enabling ambient radiation to pass through the barrier that does not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier comprises enabling ambient radiation to pass through the barrier at wavelengths that do not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein ambient radiation that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier comprises ambient radiation having a wavelength at or above about 580 nm, and wherein ambient radiation that does not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier comprises ambient radiation having a wavelength at or below about 580 nm.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising controlling the emission of radiation between the barrier and the eyes of the subject in accordance with a predetermined light therapy algorithm.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling the transmission characteristics of one or more filters disposed in the barrier in accordance with the predetermined light therapy algorithm to accomplish blocking ambient radiation at the barrier that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier, and enabling ambient radiation to pass through the barrier that does not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein controlling the transmission characteristics of the one or more filters comprises varying the transmission of the one or more filters for radiation within a predetermined wavelength range.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein controlling the transmission characteristics of the one or more filters comprises varying the transmission of the one or more filters for radiation across the visible spectrum.

15. A mask configured to provide light therapy to a subject, the mask comprising:

means for covering the eyes of a subject by providing a barrier between ambient radiation and the eyes of the subject;

means for emitting radiation between the eyes of the subject and the barrier;

means for blocking ambient radiation at the barrier that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier; and

means for enabling ambient radiation to pass through the barrier that does not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier.

16. The mask of claim 15, wherein the means for blocking ambient radiation at the barrier that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier comprises means for blocking ambient radiation at wavelengths that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier, and wherein the means for enabling ambient radiation to pass through the barrier that does not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier comprises means for enabling ambient radiation to pass through the barrier at wavelengths that do not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier.

17. The mask of claim 15, wherein ambient radiation that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier comprises ambient radiation having a wavelength at or above about 580 nm, and wherein ambient radiation that does not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier comprises ambient radiation having a wavelength at or below about 580 nm.

18. The mask of claim 15, further comprising means for controlling the emission of radiation between the barrier and the eyes of the subject in accordance with a predetermined light therapy algorithm.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising means for controlling the transmission characteristics of one or more filters disposed in the barrier in accordance with the predetermined light therapy algorithm to accomplish blocking ambient radiation at the barrier that, if allowed to reach the eyes of the subject, would interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier, and enabling ambient radiation to pass through the barrier that does not interfere with the light therapy provided to the subject by the radiation emitted between the eyes of the subject and the barrier.

20. The mask of claim 19, wherein the means for controlling the transmission characteristics of the one or more filters comprises means for varying the transmission of the one or more filters for radiation within a predetermined wavelength range.

21. The mask of claim 19, wherein means for controlling the transmission characteristics of the one or more filters comprises means for varying the transmission of the one or more filters for radiation across the visible spectrum.