Monitoring light exposure using a weighting function and light-monitoring system configured for user communication
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring light exposure, comprising:
- receiving light exposure from at least one light source with a light detector of a light monitor, wherein the light monitor further includes at least one of (a) an output device and (b) a communication device transported by a user;
using the light detector to convert the light exposure into an electrical signal;
recording current time of day as the light exposure is received;
generating an instantaneous light exposure value from the electrical signal;
applying a weighting function to the instantaneous light exposure value as a function of the recorded time of day associated with the light exposure to produce a weighted instantaneous light exposure value;
integrating the weighted instantaneous light exposure value to produce a weighted cumulative luminous exposure value;
comparing the weighted cumulative luminous exposure value with an established luminous-exposure target; and
providing an indication of the weighted cumulative luminous exposure value in comparison with the established luminous-exposure target.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Light exposure from at least one light source is received with a light detector of a light monitor that includes at least one of (a) an output device and (b) a communication device transported by a user. The light detector converts the light exposure into an electrical signal, and the current time of day at which the light exposure is received is recorded. An instantaneous light exposure value is generated from the electrical signal, and a weighting function is applied to the instantaneous light exposure value as a function of the recorded time of day associated with the light exposure to produce a weighted instantaneous light exposure value. The weighted instantaneous light exposure value is integrated to produce a weighted cumulative luminous exposure value; and the weighted cumulative luminous exposure value is compared with an established luminous-exposure target.
35 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A method for monitoring light exposure, comprising:
-
receiving light exposure from at least one light source with a light detector of a light monitor, wherein the light monitor further includes at least one of (a) an output device and (b) a communication device transported by a user; using the light detector to convert the light exposure into an electrical signal; recording current time of day as the light exposure is received; generating an instantaneous light exposure value from the electrical signal; applying a weighting function to the instantaneous light exposure value as a function of the recorded time of day associated with the light exposure to produce a weighted instantaneous light exposure value; integrating the weighted instantaneous light exposure value to produce a weighted cumulative luminous exposure value; comparing the weighted cumulative luminous exposure value with an established luminous-exposure target; and providing an indication of the weighted cumulative luminous exposure value in comparison with the established luminous-exposure target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A light-monitoring system including an apparatus comprising:
-
a power source; a light detector that generates an electrical signal when illuminated by light; a computer processor coupled with the power source and in communication with the light detector and configured to receive and record an indication of exposure to light from the generated electrical signal; an output device coupled with the computer processor and configured to communicate directly with a user of the light monitoring system; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled with the computer processor and storing instruction code for summing the recorded indication of exposure to light from the computer processor over time and communicating a signal to the output device to generate and communicate a signal to the user of the light-monitoring system indicating that a cumulative threshold light exposure for the user to achieve a psychological benefit or a benefit in treating insomnia or a circadian rhythm disorder has been reached. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
-
Specification