Color adaptive therapeutic light control system

• US 9,205,277 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Feng, Xiao-Fan, Katoh, Hiromi
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lipitz, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US13/401,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 607 88- 94
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/06 Heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/42 Rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/50 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/63 Motion, e.g. physical activity
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0663 Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0618 Psychological treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A system for influencing a state of a user includes a light source for emitting light influencing the state of the user. The system includes a light controller selectively controlling the emission of the light and an analysis engine which provides a signal to the light controller indicating a desired emission of the light. The system selectively directs blue light from the light source onto a material that retransmits it as a light different than blue light.

Claims

1. A system for influencing a state of a user comprising:

(a) a light source for emitting light having a spectral characteristic for influencing the state of the user;

(b) a light controller selectively modifying the emitted light from said light source to modify said spectral characteristics of said emitted light;

(c) an analysis engine that provides a signal to said light controller indicating a desired emission of said light, wherein said system uses an LCD layer to steer an amount of blue light of said spectral characteristics emitted from said light source, through said LCD layer and onto a material positioned on the opposite side of said LCD layer relative to said light source, and in a selectively time-varying spatial pattern projected on a surface of said material, said material capable of selectively converting the blue light into a different color, selection based on said time-varying pattern so as to result in said modified spectral characteristics.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said system includes a liquid crystal layer that said selectively controls said emission of said light being in an optical path of said light.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said system includes a first lens in said optical path of said light and that collimates said light, including said blue light.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said system includes a second lens in said optical path of said light and that focuses said light on an image plane.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said blue light is directed onto said material after passing through said liquid crystal layer, said first lens, and said second lens.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein said selectively directs is based upon a signal being applied to said liquid crystal layer.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said material is a phosphor material.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said phosphor material includes yellow phosphor.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said phosphor material includes red phosphor.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein said phosphor material is patterned.

11. The system of claim 5 wherein said system further includes a first filter between said second lens and said material.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said first filter is a dichroic filter.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said first filter substantially passes blue light and substantially reflects light of a different color.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said different color is yellow.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said system further includes a second filter at a location on the opposing side of said material than said first filter.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said second filter is spatially patterned.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said second filter selectively reflects blue light.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said second filter is a dichroic filter.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said system includes at least two liquid crystal layers being in an optical path of said light to selectively adjust color chromaticity.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein said system selectively adjust color chromaticity.