UV LED light projection method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A light emitting diode projection apparatus and method is provided for irradiating a subject with ultraviolet radiation, comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes configured to emit ultraviolet radiation and arranged in a matrix, and a power modulation control unit in communication with the diodes. The power modulation control unit is configured to energize and cause the diodes to emit light and thereby irradiate the subject with ultraviolet radiation sufficient to cause material physical change in the subject. In one embodiment of the invention, the material physical change is skin tanning. The amount, intensity, duration and type of UVR projected by the plurality of UV LED's may be varied by the power modulation control unit responsive to information input into the power modulation control unit.

INFORMATION

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for a UV light emitting diode (LED) system and method. As is well-known in the art, LED's have generally small and round physical characteristics. Accordingly, a plurality of LED's can be arranged into matrixes of virtually any type of shape. Referring now to FIG. 1, an LED UV projection system according to the present invention is illustrated. A plurality of LED's is arranged into a matrix that closely follows a human profile shape. When energized by a power and control system the matrix projects a composite UV light illumination pattern that generally follows its human profile shape. It is preferred that the matrix shape conform to the intended target of the UV illumination pattern , a user P. In this fashion the present embodiment provides superior efficiencies compared to prior art fluorescent tube tanning systems, which necessarily consist of generally rectilinear arrays of long linear fluorescent tubes.

Alternatively, another embodiment of an LED UV projection system according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. A generally rectangular array of LED's is arranged in a fashion similar to a typical array of fluorescent UV lighting tubes as found in a prior art tanning bed or booth. What is new is that the power and control system selectively fires only those LED's necessary to illuminate a particular individual P: therefore those LED's within the profile pattern are energized to emit UVR .

The array of LED's may be in communication with a sensor system that detects shape parameters of the person P and determines the profile pattern according to those parameters. For example, those LED's located beyond the height and/or width of the person may not be illuminated. Thus, the replacement of UV fluorescent tubes with UV LED's allows for superior lighting efficiencies, since no energy or lighting resources must be expended to illuminate regions beyond the human profile shape .

Another advantage will be really apparent in that a matrix of LED's arranged to conform to human profile need not be planar, but may undulate to conform to the curves and shape of a human body. FIG. 3 provides a side view of one embodiment of the present invention wherein UV LED's are arrayed in a mounting structure with a shape corresponding generally to the shape of a user P. In general, the amount of effective radiant energy received from artificial UV lighting is dependent upon the distance of skin from the lighting device, wherein the energy received is reduced in inverse proportion to an increase in distance. Therefore, the person aligned before an array of prior art linear UV fluorescent tubes will receive more energy upon those portions of skin closer to the tubes (such as the tip of the nose) relative to other skin portions. Thus, a more uniform LED-to-skin distance may be maintained by designing a matrix to correspond to a typical three-dimensional human body shape, in contrast to the limitations inherent in the tubular shape of the UV fluorescent tubes utilized in the prior art tanning bed and booths. For eliminating facial regions, the LED's can be more or less recessed in a shape conforming to the shape of a human head and face. The structure may also be formed from a flexible media with a good physical memory, such as an elastomeric compound structure. This would allow the structure shape to be formed and reformed to conform to each individual user.

UV LED's also require far less power than UV fluorescent tubes, and emit far less heat than UV fluorescent tubes. Thus, a UV tanning system according to the present invention has superior energy efficiencies, resulting in significant economic savings, and also far less demand upon electrical utility systems. The present invention thereby enables savings of the natural resources required to generate electricity, and indirectly reduces pollution generated in supplying the energy requirements, in contrast to prior art UV fluorescent tube tanning systems.

An important advantage of UV LED's over UV fluorescent lighting tubes is the consistent UV light output inherent in a UV LED device. Unlike the much larger UV fluorescent lighting tube, which suffers a degradation of efficiency and light output over the course of its life, the much smaller UV LED emits a constant and predictable amount of UV LED light over the course of its service life, which is itself significantly longer than that of a UV fluorescent lighting tube. Therefore, the present invention provides for a tanning bed or booth comprising a lighting source with a significantly longer service life. The present invention also thus provides for significant savings in the cost of light source replacement and in the man-hours required to service the equipment to keep the UV light projection system performing at an acceptable and predictable level.

Another important advantage of the present invention is that the amount and type of UV light rays emitted by a matrix of UV LED's can be easily controlled through a power and control system that may selectively energize individual UV LED's. Thus, a matrix of UV LED's may comprise a blend of UVA and UVB LED's into virtually any type of configuration. An LED matrix may have a one-for-one blend of alternating UVA and UVB LED's, or other combinations may be desirable, such as providing for two or three UVA LED's for every UVB LED. It is to be understood that these proportions are illustrative only, and it will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that different combinations, or even a blending of different combination levels, may be desirable to practice the present invention. In the present invention, all of the LED's may be selected and, therefore, the matrix may have a constant output of UVA, UVB, or blend of UVA and UVB light. Alternatively, the power and control system may be programmed to provide for different combinations of UVA and UVB illumination, allowing a user to select different relative percentages of UVA and UVB LED's, or even selecting only one of the UVA and UVB LED pluralities.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the power and control system utilized to energize the UV LED's is programmable to provide for specific illumination intensities and periods. The power control circuit can modulate the amount of UV projected by a given UV LED by modulating the amount of electricity used to energize the LED. Thus, in contrast to the constant UV emission and energy requirement profiles of a UV fluorescent tube, a UV LED can be “turned up” or “turned down” by increasing or decreasing, respectively, the energy input to the LED.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a side view of a rectilinear matrix structure comprising an array of UV LED's is provided in communication with a power and control system according to the present invention. The LED's may comprise UVA LED's and UVB LED's . The power and control system may be configured to vary the intensity of all of the UV LED's commonly. It may also increase or decrease the intensities of the UVA LED's relative to the UVB LED's based upon programmed or manual settings and requirements. And/or it may also vary individual LED's intensities, or sub-groups of LED's based upon specific parameters. Examples of parameters include the distance D of skin surfaces from an individual LED or subgroup ; the region of the body proximate to the an individual LED or subgroup (for example, face regions may indicate lower intensities than leg regions); and desired relative UVA to UVB intensities.

It is preferred that the power and control system may energize LED's for specified time periods. The time periods may be provided by a program, manually set, dynamically altered responsive to input data, or chosen responsive to other system inputs. Exemplary input data may include skin and/or eye complexion parameters, recent session history, amount of UV energy projected in the current session, or other input parameters.

Therefore, a significant advantage of the present invention is the ability to select precise UVA and UVB emission profiles through (1) the selective illumination of individual LED's; (2) varying the UVR output of any given LED by varying its energy input from the power and control system; (3) varying the illumination time period of any given LED; and (4) any combination of these factors. By using UVR LED's with a precision control circuit, the present invention can fine tune the UVA/UVB emission ratios to diminish or even eliminate the premature aging problem associated with the higher UVA/UVB ratios of the prior art tanning bed and booth systems.

Thus, a person with a dark complexion who tans relatively easily may program the system according to the above factors for a relatively short duration of a relatively high UVB to UVA ratio LED illumination. Another person with a fairer complexion may program the device to use a higher UVA to UVB ratio, and select a time period sufficient to cause a desired tanning or health effect, yet brief enough to prevent erythema, premature aging or other undesired effects.

Illumination sessions under the present invention may, therefore, blend different light spectrums including UVA and UVB LED's, over different time periods and intensity levels for each LED utilized. The time periods selected and relative blend of UVA and UVB LED's energized may be from a predetermined menu programmed into the control and power system. These individualized programs may be based upon medical and scientific studies. Accordingly, the best known emission ratio of UVA to UVB may be dynamically selected. If different ratios are subsequently determined by governmental or other health authorities as preferred, than the composite UVA/UVB emission profile may be adjusted to follow the ratios. Similarly, the requirements of people with certain skin complexions, skin and eye-color combinations, or any other predictor may be accommodated by the present invention. Alternatively, or additionally, each user may manually select his own time and UV LED profile.

Is also to be understood that, although the present invention has been discussed with regard to UVA and UVB LED's, other types of LED's may be utilized. Thus, LED's that emit other electromagnetic spectrum light, such as infrared, or any other visible light spectrum, may be utilized with the present invention. The present invention may also be used for applications other than human skin tanning, such as curing applications, “black lights” testing, insect control, and entertainment industry applications, germicidal applications, and therapeutic UVR applications. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to only tanning applications using UVA and UVB LED's, but may be utilized at any type of LED that emits light within a spectrum that will cause a desirable effect. For example, many studies show that artificial light systems may alleviate depression in other seasonal affective disorders (SAD's) that are caused by the reduction in sunlight during the winter months. In some situations, there may be a total lack of natural sunlight such as through habitation of either the Arctic or Antarctic regions during winter months, or prolonged underground or undersea habitation. Thus, alternative embodiments of the present invention may combine UV LED's with other light spectrum LED's, or even other types of lights, such as conventional fluorescent and incandescent lighting.

The embodiment of the invention described above maybe tangibly embodied in a in a computer program residing on a computer-readable medium or carrier , illustrated in FIG. . The medium may comprise one or more of a fixed and/or removable data storage device such as a floppy disk or a CD-ROM, or it may consist of some other type of data storage or data communications device. The computer program may be loaded into a memory unit to configure a processor unit within the power and control system of FIG. 4 for execution. The computer program comprises instructions which, when read and executed by the processor unit causes the processor unit to perform the steps necessary to execute the steps or elements of the present invention.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein, variations in the design may be made, and such variations may be apparent to those skilled in the art of tanning beds and booths and other artificial lighting systems, as well as to those skilled in other arts. The materials identified above are by no means the only materials suitable for the manufacture of the present invention, and substitute materials will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. The scope of the invention, therefore, is only to be limited by the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a LED UV projection system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of another LED UV projection system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective illustration of a LED UV projection system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective illustration of another LED UV projection system according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program according to the present invention embodied in said medium.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefits of provisional patent application Ser. No. No. 60/477,685, filed Jun. 11, 2003.

CLAIMS

1. A UVR LED light projection apparatus for irradiating a subject, comprising: (a) a plurality of light emitting diodes configured to emit ultraviolet radiation, the plurality of diodes arranged in a matrix corresponding to a shape of the subject to be irradiated; and (b) a power modulation control unit in communication with the plurality of diodes; wherein the power modulation control unit is configured to energize and cause the diodes to emit light and thereby irradiate the subject with ultraviolet radiation, said ultraviolet radiation having an intensity sufficient to cause material physical change in said subject.

2. The UVR LED light projection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subject is human skin; the material physical change is a tanning of the skin; and the amount and type of UVR projected by the plurality of UV LED's may be varied by the power modulation control unit responsive to information input into the power modulation control unit.

3. The UVR LED light projection apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of ultraviolet radiation emitting diodes further comprise UVA light emitting diodes and UVB light emitting diodes, and the power modulation control unit is further configured to select at least one relative intensity ratio of UVA diode intensity to UVB diode intensity.

4. The UVR LED light projection apparatus of claim 3, wherein the power modulation control unit is further configured to energize one or more of the plurality of diodes for at least one time period.

5. The UVR LED light projection apparatus of claim 4, wherein the power modulation control unit is further configured to energize one or more of the plurality of diodes responsive to an input parameter.

6. The UVR LED light projection apparatus of claim 2, wherein the matrix defines an undulating shape corresponding to a shape of a subject.

7. The UVR LED light projection apparatus of claim 2, wherein the matrix is attached to a deformable substrate, wherein the substrate may be deformed to conform to a shape of a subject.

8. A method for irradiating a subject with UVR from a plurality of light emitting diodes, comprising the steps of: (a) arranging a plurality of light emitting diodes in a matrix, corresponding to a shape of the subject to be irradiated the plurality of diodes configured to emit ultraviolet radiation; (b) providing a power modulation control unit in communication with the plurality of diodes; (c) the power modulation control unit energizing and thereby causing the diodes to emit ultraviolet radiation light having an intensity sufficient to cause material physical change in a subject; (d) irradiating a subject with said ultraviolet radiation light; and (e) the irradiation of the subject with the ultraviolet radiation light causing a material physical change in said subject.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the subject is human skin; the material physical change is a tanning of the skin; and further comprising the steps of: inputting information into the power modulation control unit; and the power modulation control unit varying an amount and type of UVR projected by the plurality of diodes responsive to the input information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of ultraviolet radiation emitting diodes further comprise UVA light emitting diodes and UVB light emitting diodes, and further comprising the step of the power modulation control unit selecting at least one relative intensity ratio of UVA diode intensity to UVB diode intensity.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of the power modulation control unit energizing one or more of the plurality of diodes for at least one time period.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of the power modulation control unit energizing one or more of the plurality of diodes responsive to an input parameter.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of forming the matrix into an undulating shape corresponding to a shape of a subject.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of: attaching the matrix of diodes to a deformable substrate; and deforming the substrate to conform to a shape of a subject.

15. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program embodied in said medium, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to: cause a power modulation control unit to energize a plurality of light emitting diodes, arranged in a matrix corresponding to a shape of the subject to be irradiated the diodes thereby emitting ultraviolet radiation having an intensity sufficient to cause material physical change in the subject.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the subject is human skin; the material physical change is a tanning the human skin; and the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, further causes the computer to cause the power modulation control unit to vary an amount and type of ultraviolet radiation projected by the plurality of responsive data input into computer.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the plurality of ultraviolet radiation emitting diodes further comprise UVA light emitting diodes and UVB light emitting diodes, and the computer readable program further causes the power modulation control unit to select at least one relative intensity ratio of UVA diode intensity to UVB diode intensity.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the computer readable program further causes the power modulation control unit to energize one or more of the plurality of diodes for at least one time period.

COPYRIGHT

User acknowledges that Fairview Research and its third party providers retain all right, title and interest in and to this xml under applicable copyright laws. User acquires no ownership rights to this xml including but not limited to its format. User hereby accepts the terms and conditions of the License Agreement.