Lighting apparatus and light control method

• US 6,483,247 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MEAD Corporation (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Syris Scientific, LLC
• Inventors: Edwards, Brian R., Hebold, Walter C., Manchester, Walter T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Wilson
• Application Number:
  US09/789,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/224, 315/307, 315/308, 315/360, 315/362, 315/112-133
• US Class Current: 315/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• 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 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 25/10 coming into action when lighting device is overloaded, e.g. thermal switch
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/20 Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection

Abstract

A lighting apparatus and method. The apparatus includes a light source, counting means for counting an actual amount of time that the light source has been used, and recording means in communication with the counting means for recording the actual amount of time that the light source has been used. The method includes the steps of supplying power to the light source, counting an actual amount of time that the power has been supplied to the light source, and recording the actual amount of time that power has been supplied to the light source.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus comprising:

a light source;

a microcontroller;

counting means comprising a counting program within said microcontroller for counting an actual amount of time that said light source has been used;

a computer memory for recording said actual amount of time that said light source has been used, said computer memory being in communication with said counting means; and

a light source control for controlling a supply of power to said light source;

wherein said microcontroller is programmed to compare said actual amount of time that said light source has been used with a useful life of said light source, and wherein said light source control is adapted to receive a result of said comparison and to supply a reduced amount of power to said light source when said actual amount of time exceeds said useful life of said light source.

2. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a display, said display being in communication with said microcontroller and being adapted to display said actual amount of time that said light source has been used.

3. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said display comprises at least one indicator light and wherein said microcontroller sends a number of signals to said indicator light, wherein said number of signals corresponds to a number of hours that said light source has been used, and wherein said indicator light is illuminated upon receipt of each of said signals.

4. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said display comprises three indicator lights, wherein said number of signals corresponds to a number of hundreds of hours, a number of tens of hours and a number of single hours, and wherein a first of said indicator lights is illuminated once for each signal corresponding to hundreds of hours, a second of said indicator lights is illuminated once for each signal corresponding to tens of hours, and a third of said indicator lights is illuminated once for each signal corresponding to single hours.

5. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a temperature measurement device for measuring a temperature of said apparatus, wherein said temperature measurement device is in electrical communication with said light source control, and wherein said light source control is further adapted to control a supply of power to said light source based upon said temperature of said apparatus.

6. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said light source control comprises a light source control program within said microcontroller, and wherein said program is adapted to stop a supply of power to said light source when said temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature.

7. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said light source control program is adapted to start a supply of power to said light source after said apparatus is stopped and restarted.

8. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said microcontroller is further programmed to count and store a number of on/off cycles.

9. A lighting method for a lighting apparatus comprising a light source, said method comprising the steps of:

supplying power to said light source;

counting an actual amount of time that said power has been supplied to said light source;

comparing said actual amount of time that said power has been supplied to said light source with a useful life of said light source; and

reducing a flow of power to said light source when said actual amount of time exceeds said a useful life of said apparatus.

10. The lighting method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising the step of displaying said actual amount of time that said power has been supplied to said light source.

11. The lighting method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising the step of measuring a temperature of said apparatus.

12. The lighting method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising the step of counting a number of on/off cycles of the apparatus.

13. A lighting apparatus comprising:

a light source;

a microcontroller;

counting means comprising a counting program within said microcontroller for counting an actual amount of time that said light source has been used;

a computer memory for recording said actual amount of time that said light source has been used, said computer memory being in communication with said counting means; and

a light source control for controlling a supply of power to said light source;

wherein said microcontroller is programmed to compare said actual amount of time that said light source has been used with a useful life of said light source, and wherein said light source control is adapted to oscillate said power to said light source once said actual amount of time exceeds said useful life of said light source.

14. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a display, said display being in communication with said microcontroller and being adapted to display said actual amount of time that said light source has been used.

15. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said display comprises at least one indictor light and wherein said microcontroller sends a number of signals to said indicator light, wherein said number of signals corresponds to a number of hours that said light source has been used, and wherein said indicator light is illuminated upon receipt of each of said signals.

16. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said display comprises three indicator lights, wherein said number of signals corresponds to a number of hundreds of hours, a number of tens of hours and a number of single hours, and wherein a first of said indicator lights is illuminated once for each signal corresponding to hundreds of hours, a second of said indicator lights is illuminated once for each signal corresponding to tens of hours, and a third of said indicator lights is illuminated once for each signal corresponding to single hours.

17. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a temperature measurement device for measuring a temperature of said apparatus, wherein said temperature measurement device is in electrical communication with said light source control, and wherein said light source control is further adapted to control a supply of power to said light source based upon a said temperature of said apparatus.

18. The lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said microcontroller is further programmed to count and store a number of on/off cycles.