Method of using an illuminated display system

• US 7,510,527 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Southwest Synergistic Solutions, Llc
• Original Assignee: Juan Enrique Cienfuegos
• Inventors: Cienfuegos, Juan Enrique
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRANSON JR, JAMES W
• Application Number:
  US11/999,908
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 362/231, 362/253, 600/300
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

An illuminated display system and method of use may be applied to a variety of situations requiring organization, such as triage scenarios. Illustratively, illuminated signals from the illuminated display system visually provide the triage status of an injured user at a distance and in low-visibility settings. In particular, the illuminated display system includes a plurality of light emitters. Each light emitter from the plurality of light emitters provides a different predetermined wavelength of light than the other light emitters from the plurality of light emitters. In operation, each respective predetermined wavelength of light provides information relating to the degree of injury or other information associated with the user such that a desired light emitter is selected to display the desired wavelength and, ultimately, the desired information.

Claims

1. A method for organizing medical care, the method comprising the steps of:

administering a brief clinical assessment to an injured soldier in battlefield settings;

coupling an illuminated display system to the injured soldier,

the illuminated display system including a display interface and a selector coupled to the display interface,

the display interface including a plurality of light emitters, each light emitter from the plurality of light emitters providing a different predetermined wavelength of light than the other light emitters from the plurality of light emitters,

each respective predetermined wavelength providing information relating to the degree of injury of the soldier; and

activating a desired light emitter via the selector.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of entering information indicated by the activated light emitter into an information card system.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of coupling a transmitter to the illuminated display system whereby the transmitter and the display interface provides information regarding the injured soldier.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of prioritizing the administration of medical care to the injured soldier based on the soldier'"'"'s degree of injury as indicated by the corresponding light emitter illuminated at the desired predetermined wavelength of light.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of establishing a waterproof, hermitic seal to the illuminated display system.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of activating a desired light emitter includes the steps of

applying at least one manual input to the selector in a manner prescribed by at least one predetermined illumination sequence;

and

activating the desired light emitter based on the at least one manual input received by the selector.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of activating a desired light emitter includes the step of illuminating the desired light emitter for sending colored light within the spectrum of visible light based on a color scheme associated with medical triage.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of activating a desired light emitter includes the step of illuminating the desired light emitter for sending infrared light.

9. A method for organizing medical care administered to an injured user with respect to a plurality of injured users, the method comprising the steps of:

administering a brief clinical assessment to the injured user;

coupling an illuminated display system to the injured user,

the illuminated display system including a display interface and a selector coupled to the display interface,

the display interface including a plurality of light emitters, each light emitter from the plurality of light emitters providing a different predetermined wavelength of light than the other light emitters from the plurality of light emitters,

each respective predetermined wavelength providing information relating to the degree of injury of the user; and

activating a desired light emitter via the selector.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising the steps of

illuminating the light emitter at the desired predetermined wavelength to provide information relating to the degree of injury of the injured user with respect to the plurality of injured users;

and

ranking the administration of medical care to the injured user based on the illuminated light emitter as related to the degree of injury indicated by the illuminated light emitter.

11. The method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of coupling a sensor to the plurality of light emitters for illumination of the plurality of light emitters in response to data collected by the sensor.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of collecting biologic information with the sensor as the sensor engages against the user'"'"'s body.

13. The method according to claim 9 wherein the step of activating a desired light emitter includes the step of illuminating the desired light emitter for sending colored light within the spectrum of visible light.

14. The method according to claim 9 wherein the step of activating a desired light emitter includes the step of illuminating the desired light emitter based on instructions from a control system coupled to the selector and adjusting the intensity of light produced by at least one light emitter of the plurality of light emitters.

15. The method according to claim 9 wherein the step of activating a desired light emitter includes the step of illuminating the desired light emitter based on instructions from a control system coupled to the selector and adjusting the duration of light produced by at least one light emitter of the plurality of light emitters.

16. The method according to claim 9 wherein the step of activating a desired light emitter includes the step of illuminating the desired light emitter by sending light from the desired light emitter through at least one optical modifier and enhancing visibility of the light as it is transmitted from the at least one optical modifier to the surrounding environment.

17. A method for displaying information, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying information associated with a user with respect to a group of users to be conveyed by an illuminated display system;

relating the identified information to a predetermined sequence provided by the illuminated display system;

coupling an illuminated display system to the user;

the illuminated display system including a display interface and a selector coupled to the display interface,

the display interface including a plurality of light emitters, each light emitter from the plurality of light emitters providing a different predetermined wavelength of light than the other light emitters from the plurality of light emitters,

each respective predetermined wavelength providing information relating to the identified information to be conveyed by the user; and

activating a desired light emitter via the selector.

18. A method for displaying information with a portable illuminated device, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying information to be displayed by the portable illuminated device;

relating the identified information to a predetermined sequence provided by the portable illuminated device;

the portable illuminated device including a display interface and a selector coupled to the display interface,

the display interface including a plurality of light emitters, each light emitter from the plurality of light emitters providing a different predetermined wavelength of light than the other light emitters from the plurality of light emitters,

each respective predetermined wavelength providing information relating to the identified information; and

activating a desired light emitter via the selector.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the identified information to be displayed comprises information associated with environmental conditions.

20. The method according to claim 18 wherein the identified information to be display comprises information associated with location.