U.S. patent application number 16/803812 was filed with the patent office on 2020-06-25 for hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe.
The applicant listed for this patent is Rancho El Toston, LLC. Invention is credited to Christopher R. Carabin.
Application Number | 20200201082 16/803812 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63037639 |
Filed Date | 2020-06-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200201082 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Carabin; Christopher R. |
June 25, 2020 |
HANDS-FREE SPECTRALLY-TUNABLE SMART LOUPE
Abstract
A device includes a mounting platform selected from an eyeglass
frame, a visor, a hat, a headlamp strap, a spectrally tunable
lighting module adjustably mounted to the mounting platform and
configured to illuminate an area based on one or more predetermined
lighting commands, adjust one or more spectral characteristics of
light emitted by an LED module of the head-mounted device in
response to receiving the one or more predetermined lighting
commands, wherein the LED module includes a plurality of LEDs
selected from the group consisting of cool white LEDs, warm white
LEDs, red LED, green LED, blue LED, and combinations thereof, and a
hands-free interface that communicates the one or more
predetermined lighting commands for one or more procedures to be
performed to the head-mounted device. A system and computer program
for use with the device are disclosed.
Inventors: |
Carabin; Christopher R.;
(San Antonio, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Rancho El Toston, LLC |
San Antonio |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
63037639 |
Appl. No.: |
16/803812 |
Filed: |
February 27, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15889968 |
Feb 6, 2018 |
10620460 |
|
|
16803812 |
|
|
|
|
62456042 |
Feb 7, 2017 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C 1/088 20130101;
F21Y 2113/13 20160801; F21Y 2115/10 20160801; G02C 11/10 20130101;
F21V 33/0004 20130101; F21V 23/0471 20130101; G02C 9/04 20130101;
G02C 7/086 20130101; F21V 23/0442 20130101; A61C 5/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G02C 11/00 20060101
G02C011/00; G02C 7/08 20060101 G02C007/08; F21V 33/00 20060101
F21V033/00; F21V 23/04 20060101 F21V023/04; A61C 1/08 20060101
A61C001/08; A61C 5/00 20060101 A61C005/00 |
Claims
1. A computer program product comprising a computer readable
storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program
code executable by a processor to cause the processor to: receive
one or more lighting commands via a hands-free interface at a
spectrally-tunable loupe for adjusting one or more color
characteristics of light emitted from a spectrally-tunable lighting
module for the loupe; communicate the one or more lighting commands
for the one or more procedures to the spectrally-tunable lighting
module of the loupe; and illuminate an area for performing the one
or more procedures in response to the one or more lighting commands
communicated to the spectrally-tunable lighting module of the
loupe.
2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the program
code is further executable by the processor to cause the processor
to receive the one or more lighting commands from an external
device chosen from the group consisting of a computing device, a
tablet, a smartphone, and a digital voice assistant.
3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the program
code is further executable by the processor to cause the processor
to provide non-optical feedback to a wearer of the spectrally
tunable loupe in response to receiving the one or more lighting
commands.
4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the non-optical
feedback is selected from a tone, a voice message, a vibration via
a haptic transducer, and combinations thereof.
5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the program
code is further executable by the processor to cause the processor
to customize the one or more lighting commands based on data from a
first lighting profile.
6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the first
lighting profile comprises data from an network data source
selected from a user account, a user profile, an LED manufacturer,
a composite resin vendor, a dental practice group, and combinations
thereof.
7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the program
code is further executable by the processor to cause the processor
to select a lighting profile from the first lighting profile and a
second lighting profile.
8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program
code is further executable by the processor to cause the processor:
to optimize shade matching in response to selection of the first
lighting profile; and in response to selection of the second
lighting profile, to minimize premature curing of composites by
light emitted from the spectrally tunable lighting module.
9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program
code is further executable by the processor to cause the lighting
module to emit light with a color rendering index of at least 90 in
response to selection of the first lighting profile.
10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the program
code is further executable by the processor to cause the processor
to optimize the light emitted by the spectrally tunable light
module for shade matching of dental composites to teeth in response
to selected of the second lighting profile.
11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program
code is further executable by the processor to cause the processor
to cause the spectrally tunable lighting module to: emit light with
a color temperature in a range selected from 4500K-5500K and
5000K-6500K in response to selection of the first lighting profile;
and emit light with a color temperature in a range selected from
1200K-2000K, 1500K-3500K, and 2200K-3900K in response to selection
of the second lighting profile.
12. A system comprising: a head-mounted device for illuminating an
area based on one or more predetermined lighting commands; a
hands-free interface that communicates the one or more
predetermined lighting commands for one or more procedures to be
performed to the head-mounted device; a spectrally tunable lighting
module that adjusts one or more spectral characteristics of light
emitted by an LED module of the head-mounted device in response to
receiving the one or more predetermined lighting commands; and a
rechargeable battery disposed within a portion of the head mounted
device that supplies power to the spectrally tunable lighting
module, and the LED module.
13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a computing device
separate from the head mounted device that wirelessly communicates
the one or more predetermined lighting commands to the head-mounted
device.
14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a display associated
with the computing device separate from the head mounted device,
wherein the display displays one or more lighting parameters of a
selected lighting profile.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more lighting
parameters include at last one parameter selected from color
temperature and light intensity.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the computing device further
comprises a sensor configured to be used as a calibration input for
the spectrally tunable lighting module for determining whether
light emitted from the spectrally tunable light module matches one
or more expected characteristics for the predetermined lighting
commands.
17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a diffuser lens
disposed between the LED module and an area illuminated by light
emitted from the LED module, wherein: the diffuser lens is
adjustable to align light emitted from the LED module with a focus
point of one or more lenses of a loupe; and to minimize spectral
inhomogeneities within the area illuminated by light emitted from
the LED.
18. The system of claim 12, wherein the wherein the computing
device further comprises a hands-free audio interface that receives
voice commands for communicating the one or more predetermined
lighting commands.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the computing device is
selected from a tablet computing device, a smartphone, and a
digital voice assistant.
20. A device comprising: a mounting platform selected from an
eyeglass frame, a visor, a hat, a headlamp strap; a spectrally
tunable lighting module adjustably mounted to the mounting platform
and configured to: illuminate an area based on one or more
predetermined lighting commands; and adjust one or more spectral
characteristics of light emitted by an LED module of the
head-mounted device in response to receiving the one or more
predetermined lighting commands, wherein the LED module comprises a
plurality of LEDs selected from the group consisting of cool white
LEDs, warm white LEDs, red LED, green LED, blue LED, and
combinations thereof; and a hands-free interface that communicates
the one or more predetermined lighting commands for one or more
procedures to be performed to the head-mounted device.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of and claim
priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/889,968 entitled
"HANDS-FREE SPECTRALLY-TUNABLE" and filed Feb. 6, 2018, for
Christopher R. Carabin, which claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/456,042 entitled "DYNAMIC
SPECTRAL TUNING OF A TUNABLE WHITE LIGHT ILLUMINATION SOURCE FOR
DENTAL, SURGICAL, AND MEDICAL LOUPES" filed on Feb. 7, 2017, for
Christopher R. Carabin, all of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
FIELD
[0002] This invention relates to loupes and more particularly
relates to loupes that provide lighting suitable for performing
different procedures such as dental and medical procedures.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Procedures in the fields of medicine and dentistry are
challenging because they often require precision and efficiency
which requires that the care providers are able to clearly see the
area of the patient involved in the procedure so that they can
perform the procedure with accuracy and manual dexterity. To see
precisely and clearly, in turn, requires suitable lighting. For
example, a dentist must try to precisely and efficiently examine
and interact with a patient's teeth. Because the patient's teeth
are inside his or her mouth, the ability of a dentist to get and
maintain a clear view of the area he or she is working on can be
affected by a number of conditions such as for example, the
dentists vision, the distance from the dentist to the patient, and
the lighting conditions.
[0004] Dental chairs are designed to allow a patient to be
positioned in a reclining position. A dentist may use a dental
light mounted on an articulated arm to allow the dentist to direct
a bright light to illuminate an area inside the patient's mouth
without the light also shining in the patient's eyes. Dentists and
other care providers such as surgeons, doctors, and other
professionals may also use loupes. Loupes are magnifying devices
that a care provider may wear to improve his or her ability to
accurately view the area involved with the procedure being
performed such as for example, an area of a patient's teeth. Some
loupes are fitted with a light so that the relevant area of the
patient's mouth is illuminated and magnified suitably throughout
any dental procedure.
SUMMARY
[0005] A computer program product includes a computer readable
storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program
code executable by a processor to cause the processor to receive
one or more lighting commands via a hands-free interface at a
spectrally-tunable loupe for adjusting one or more color
characteristics of light emitted from a spectrally-tunable lighting
module for the loupe, communicate the one or more lighting commands
for the one or more procedures to the spectrally-tunable lighting
module of the loupe, and illuminate an area for performing the one
or more procedures in response to the one or more lighting commands
communicated to the spectrally-tunable lighting module of the
loupe.
[0006] A system includes a head-mounted device for illuminating an
area based on one or more predetermined lighting commands, a
hands-free interface that communicates the one or more
predetermined lighting commands for one or more procedures to be
performed to the head-mounted device, a spectrally tunable lighting
module that adjusts one or more spectral characteristics of light
emitted by an LED module of the head-mounted device in response to
receiving the one or more predetermined lighting commands, and a
rechargeable battery disposed within a portion of the head mounted
device that supplies power to the spectrally tunable lighting
module, and the LED module.
[0007] A device includes a mounting platform selected from an
eyeglass frame, a visor, a hat, a headlamp strap, a spectrally
tunable lighting module adjustably mounted to the mounting platform
and configured to illuminate an area based on one or more
predetermined lighting commands, adjust one or more spectral
characteristics of light emitted by an LED module of the
head-mounted device in response to receiving the one or more
predetermined lighting commands, wherein the LED module includes a
plurality of LEDs selected from the group consisting of cool white
LEDs, warm white LEDs, red LED, green LED, blue LED, and
combinations thereof, and a hands-free interface that communicates
the one or more predetermined lighting commands for one or more
procedures to be performed to the head-mounted device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] In order that the advantages of the invention will be
readily understood, a more particular description of the invention
briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific
embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings.
Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments
of the invention and are not, therefore, to be considered to be
limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and
explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an
existing loupe;
[0010] FIG. 2A is a right-front perspective view illustrating one
embodiment of a hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2B is a left-rear perspective view of the embodiment of
FIG. 2A;
[0012] FIG. 3A is an exploded right-perspective view illustrating
details of an embodiment of an adjustable mount for a lighting
module of the embodiment of FIG. 2A;
[0013] FIG. 3B is an exploded top perspective view illustrating
details of the adjustable mount for the embodiment of the
adjustable mount illustrated in FIG. 3A;
[0014] FIG. 4 is schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of a system that uses a hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe;
[0015] FIG. 5A is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example
first application for the embodiment of FIG. 2A that includes color
matching as part of a procedure;
[0016] FIG. 5B is a table illustrating a first lighting profile for
the first application illustrated in FIG. 5A;
[0017] FIG. 5C is a schematic block diagram illustrating a second
application for the embodiment of FIG. 2A that includes color
matching as part of a procedure;
[0018] FIG. 5D is a table illustrating one embodiment of a second
lighting profile for the second application illustrated in FIG.
5C;
[0019] FIG. 6A is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of a
light-emitting diode (LED) module that may be used in a hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe;
[0020] FIG. 6B is a table illustrating one embodiment of a first
lighting profile that may be used in connection with the LED module
of FIG. 6A;
[0021] FIG. 6C is a table illustrating one embodiment of a second
lighting profile that may be used in connection with the LED module
of FIG. 6A;
[0022] FIG. 6D is a chart illustrating the relative impact of the
first lighting profile of FIG. 6B and the second lighting profile
of FIG. 6C premature curing of a light-cured resin composite;
[0023] FIG. 7A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of an LED module that includes a checkerboard pattern of a white
LEDs with different color temperatures and red, green, and blue
LEDs;
[0024] FIG. 7B is a graph comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the white LEDs with different
color temperatures of the LED module illustrated in FIG. 7A;
[0025] FIG. 7C is a graph comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the red, green, and blue LEDs
of the LED module illustrated in FIG. 7A.
[0026] FIG. 7D is a schematic block diagram illustrating a
perspective view of the LED module of FIG. 7A with a diffuser
lens;
[0027] FIG. 8A is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of an
LED module that includes checkerboard pattern of cool-white LEDs
and warm-white LEDs;
[0028] FIG. 8B is a graph comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the LED module of FIG. 8A;
[0029] FIG. 8C is a chart illustrating the relative impact of the
cool white LEDs and the warm white LEDs on premature curing of a
light-cured resin composite.
[0030] FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a device
that includes hands-free interfaces and touch interfaces by which a
user may communicate commands between the device and the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe; and
[0031] FIG. 10 is a flowchart diagram illustrating a method of
using the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe of FIG. 2A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment,"
"an embodiment," or similar language means that a particular
feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with
the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus,
appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment,"
and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not
necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or
more but not all embodiments" unless expressly specified otherwise.
The terms "including," "comprising," "having," and variations
thereof mean "including but not limited to" unless expressly
specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply
that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive and/or mutually
inclusive unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms "a,"
"an," and "the" also refer to "one or more" unless expressly
specified otherwise.
[0033] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and
characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable
manner. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the
embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific
features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other
instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in
certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments.
[0034] These features and advantages of the embodiments will become
more fully apparent from the following description and appended
claims or may be learned by the practice of embodiments as set
forth hereinafter. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the
art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system,
method, and/or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of
the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware
embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,
resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining
software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to
herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system." Furthermore, aspects
of the present invention may take the form of a computer program
product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having
program code embodied thereon.
[0035] Some of the functional units described in this specification
have been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly
emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module
may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI
circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic
chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also
be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field
programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable
logic devices or the like.
[0036] Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by
various types of processors. An identified module of program code
may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks
of computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as
an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of
an identified module need not be physically located together but
may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations
which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and
achieve the stated purpose for the module.
[0037] Indeed, a module of program code may be a single
instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over
several different code segments, among different programs, and
across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be
identified and illustrated herein within modules and may be
embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable
type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a
single data set, or may be distributed over different locations
including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least
partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network.
Where a module or portions of a module are implemented in software,
the program code may be stored and/or propagated on in one or more
computer readable medium(s).
[0038] The computer readable medium may be a tangible computer
readable storage medium storing the program code. The computer
readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an
electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared,
holographic, micromechanical, or semiconductor system, apparatus,
or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
[0039] More specific examples of the computer readable storage
medium may include but are not limited to a portable computer
diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only
memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or
Flash memory), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a
digital versatile disc (DVD), an optical storage device, a magnetic
storage device, a holographic storage medium, a micromechanical
storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In
the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium
may be any tangible medium that can contain, and/or store program
code for use by and/or in connection with an instruction execution
system, apparatus, or device.
[0040] The computer readable medium may also be a computer readable
signal medium. A computer readable signal medium may include a
propagated data signal with program code embodied therein, for
example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a
propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including,
but not limited to, electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, optical,
or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal
medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer
readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or
transport program code for use by or in connection with an
instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Program code
embodied on a computer readable signal medium may be transmitted
using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wire-line,
optical fiber, Radio Frequency (RF), or the like, or any suitable
combination of the foregoing
[0041] In one embodiment, the computer readable medium may comprise
a combination of one or more computer readable storage mediums and
one or more computer readable signal mediums. For example, program
code may be both propagated as an electromagnetic signal through a
fiber optic cable for execution by a processor and stored on RAM
storage device for execution by the processor.
[0042] Program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the
present invention may be written in any combination of one or more
programming languages, including an object-oriented programming
language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, PHP or the like and
conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C"
programming language or similar programming languages. The program
code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the
user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the
user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the
remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote
computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type
of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area
network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external
computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet
Service Provider). The computer program product may be shared,
simultaneously serving multiple customers in a flexible, automated
fashion.
[0043] The computer program product may be integrated into a
client, server, and network environment by providing for the
computer program product to coexist with applications, operating
systems and network operating systems software and then installing
the computer program product on the clients and servers in the
environment where the computer program product will function. In
one embodiment software is identified on the clients and servers
including the network operating system where the computer program
product will be deployed that are required by the computer program
product or that work in conjunction with the computer program
product. This includes the network operating system that is
software that enhances a basic operating system by adding
networking features.
[0044] Aspects of the embodiments are described below with
reference to schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block
diagrams of methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program
products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be
understood that each block of the schematic flowchart diagrams
and/or schematic block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the
schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, can
be implemented by program code.
[0045] The program code may be provided to a processor of a
general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, sequencer, or
other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine,
such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the
computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create
means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the
schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block
or blocks.
[0046] The program code may also be stored in a computer readable
medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data
processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular
manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable
medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions
which implement the function/act specified in the schematic
flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block or
blocks.
[0047] The program code may also be loaded onto a computer, other
programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a
series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other
programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer
implemented process such that the program code which executed on
the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for
implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or
block diagram block or blocks.
[0048] The schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block
diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality,
and operation of possible implementations of apparatuses, systems,
methods and computer program products according to various
embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in
the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams
may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which
comprises one or more executable instructions of the program code
for implementing the specified logical function(s).
[0049] It should also be noted that, in some alternative
implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of
the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in
succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or
the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order,
depending upon the functionality involved. Other steps and methods
may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect
to one or more blocks, or portions thereof, of the illustrated
Figures.
[0050] Although various arrow types and line types may be employed
in the flowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to
limit the scope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some
arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical
flow of the depicted embodiment. For instance, an arrow may
indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration
between enumerated steps of the depicted embodiment. It will also
be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart
diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or
flowchart diagrams, can be implemented by special purpose
hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or
acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and program
code.
[0051] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and
characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable
manner. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the
embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific
features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other
instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in
certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments.
[0052] These features and advantages of the embodiments will become
more fully apparent from the following description and appended
claims or may be learned by the practice of embodiments as set
forth hereinafter. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the
art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system,
method, and/or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of
the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware
embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,
resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining
software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to
herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system." Furthermore, aspects
of the present invention may take the form of a computer program
product embodied in one or more computer-readable medium having
program code embodied thereon.
[0053] The schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block
diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality,
and operation of possible implementations. It should also be noted
that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in
the block may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For
example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed
substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed
in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved.
Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the
flowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to limit
the scope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some arrows or
other connectors may be used to indicate only an exemplary logical
flow of the depicted embodiment.
[0054] The description of elements in each figure may refer to
elements of proceeding figures. Unless otherwise clear from
context, like numbers refer to like elements in all figures,
including alternate embodiments of like elements.
[0055] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an
existing loupe 100 that incorporates many of the elements found in
existing loupes. Dental, medical, and surgical loupes, such as
existing loupe 100, can provide significant benefits by allowing
procedures to be performed under helpful magnification. However,
existing loupes may suffer from problems including lighting,
mechanical, ergonomic, hygienic, and procedural problems that
interrelate and affect the quality of dentistry, surgery, and/or
medicine that is being performed. This section describes various
elements found in existing loupe 100 that affect those interrelated
problems, and subsequent sections describe how the various
embodiments of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe
described below recognize and solve these interrelated problems.
Many of the examples used illustrate the problems with existing
loupes relate to dentistry. However, similar problems may be found
in existing loupes used in the fields of surgery and medicine.
[0056] The existing loupe 100 includes a frame 102 that holds
lenses 104. As used herein, the term "frame" refers to the entire
frame including the temples 108 on both the left and right sides. A
rear portion 110 of the temple 108 of the frame 102 is sometimes
called a temple tip in existing loupes. The existing loupe 100 may
also include magnifiers 106 (sometimes referred to as telescopes)
that attach to lenses 104. As used herein, unless otherwise clear
from context, the terms "loupe," "dental loupe," "surgical loupe,"
"medical loupe," and so forth, generally refer to the entire piece
of eyewear including the frame 102, lenses 104, magnifiers 106,
rather than referring separately to the individual telescopes or
magnifiers 106. For example, the magnifiers 106 may help the
dentist or dental hygienist inspect the inside of the patient's
mouth and focus his or her vision closely on particular areas, such
as for example, when performing an evaluation or reparative
procedure on the patient's teeth.
[0057] The existing loupe 100 may be worn substantially the same
way that eyeglasses may be worn, with temples 108 that rest on the
dentist's ears and a rear portion 110 of the temples curving behind
the dentist's ears. The frame 102 of the existing loupe 100 has a
bridge 112 and/or nose pads 114 that rest upon the dentist's nose
substantially as eyeglasses do.
[0058] The existing loupe 100 may also include a light 116 that
attaches to a frame 102 using a mount 118. The existing loupe 100
may also include a cable 120 that may connect to a power source
such as a battery pack (not shown) which the dentist puts in a
pocket so that the light 116 has sufficient power to illuminate an
area in the patient's mouth during a procedure to be performed by
the dentist.
[0059] Some dental loupes such as the existing loupe 100 depicted
in FIG. 1 may include a small rechargeable battery (not shown)
inside a housing 122 for the light 116. In such configurations, the
cable 120 may be used to recharge the battery. However, some
procedures are time-consuming so having sufficient battery life to
maintain suitable illumination throughout the procedure can be
challenging.
[0060] Moreover, some procedures include multiple steps that have
different lighting requirements. For example, some composite resins
used in dental work are cured or hardened by application of light
in the blue range of visible light or by other short wavelength
light. Typically, this curing is performed by handheld application
of a high-intensity curing light.
[0061] Although many dentists and other care providers use loupes
similar to existing loupe 100, a number of interrelated problems
with loupes such as existing loupe 100 have been recognized by the
present inventor, which problems are addressed by the various
embodiments of a hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe which is
described in more detail below.
[0062] It may be useful to explain in more detail the meaning of
particular terms as they are used in this application.
[0063] As used herein the term "hands-free" means configured to be
useful to perform a procedure without substantial functional
contact between the loupe wearer's hands and the loupe during the
performance of the procedure. For example, a loupe that is capable
of interacting with the wearer by means of voice or other sounds
may be considered a hands-free loupe. Similarly, a loupe may
interact based on hand or finger gestures and still be considered a
hands-free loupe, provided that such hands or finger gestures do
not require substantial functional contact between the loupe
wearer's hands and the loupe during the performance of the
procedure. By contrast, if for example, during a performance of a
procedure, the wearer needed to manually turn a dial in order to
change the intensity of the lighting or to flip a filter to change
the color of the lighting, a loupe that utilized such manipulations
during the performance of the procedure would not be considered
hands-free. A "procedure" as used herein may include a multistep
procedure or may include multiple procedures.
[0064] While many of the procedures described herein refer to
dental procedures, medical procedures, surgical procedures, and the
like, other procedures may be performed using a hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe. For example, art restoration
procedures, jewelry procedures, counterfeit detection procedures,
and so forth may all benefit from the use of a hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe in particular because they all
involve the use of both hands during the procedure and the need to
adjust lighting conditions during the procedure according to one or
more lighting profiles.
[0065] However, a "hands-free" loupe could accommodate manual
adjustments or interactions that utilize substantial functional
contact between the loupe wearer's hands and the loupe prior to or
after the performance of the procedure. For example, a user of the
loupe might use his or her hands to place the hands-free loupe upon
his or her head prior to performing a procedure. Similarly,
hands-free loupe might utilize substantial functional contact if it
is being sterilized before or after a procedure or if it is being
configured or calibrated before or after a procedure.
[0066] The term "spectrally-tunable" with reference to lighting,
means configurable to accommodate changes in spectral
characteristics. For example, a lighting module for a loupe that is
configurable to accommodate changes in the emission spectrum or
intensity of light having different wavelengths would be considered
spectrally-tunable. Similarly, a lighting module for a loupe that
is configurable to emit various combinations of light having
different wavelengths would also be considered spectrally-tunable.
By contrast, a lighting module that is only capable of emitting
light having a single wavelength would not be considered
spectrally-tunable merely because it is configurable to accommodate
a change from an "off" state to an "on" state.
[0067] The term "smart loupe" means a loupe that is configurable to
communicate, process, respond and otherwise interact with the
wearer using a processor, logic circuitry, or similar electronic
functions. For example, a loupe that includes a microcontroller and
electrical circuitry that facilitate communications by gesture or
voice, communication, and processing of data, and/or determining
and responding to internal or external conditions would be
considered a "smart loupe." By contrast, a loupe with lighting that
provides responses to ordinary mechanical and electrical controls
such as turning on when a switch is moved, or a button is pressed
would not be considered a "smart loupe" on the basis of it
responding to for example a gesture that contacts and presses an
on/off button.
[0068] However, this does not mean that a smart loupe is devoid of
novel mechanical features particularly when such mechanical
features enhance the interactive "smart loupe" features. So, for
example, a loupe with mechanical features configurable to promote
comfortable wearing may enhance the smart and/or hands-free
capabilities of the loupe by extending the duration in which the
loupe may be comfortably worn while responding as a "smart loupe"
to various "hands-free" communications with a care provider.
[0069] Referring now to FIGS. 2A, 2B, FIG. 2A is a right-front
perspective view illustrating one embodiment of a hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 for illuminating an area in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 2B is a left-rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG.
2A.
[0070] At least one embodiment, the hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe 200 includes a frame 202 that may have a similar form
to that of a frame for eyeglasses where the frame includes a front
portion 252 and temples 208 that include a rear portion 210. In
some embodiments, the portions of the frame 202 including portions
of the temples 208 may include interior compartments or channels
that are configurable to enclose various components and connections
of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200.
[0071] In some embodiments, the frame may be formed of materials
that exhibit a certain amount of elasticity so that the temples 208
of the frame 202 gently but resiliently press against the wearer
(e.g., dentist or hygienist, etc.) during use. As used herein, the
term "frame" as in frame 202 refers to the entire frame and not
merely to that portion of the frame in front that holds the lenses
204. In other words, the frame 202 includes the temples 208 on both
the left and the rear sides including both the front portion 252
and the rear portion 210 of each temple 208.
[0072] In some embodiments, materials for the frame 202 may be made
of plastics such as cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate
propionate, or blended nylon such as polyamides, co-polyamides, and
the like. In other embodiments, the frames may be made of metal
such as titanium, beryllium, stainless steel, aluminum, and the
like. Moreover, the frame 202 may be laminated and may include a
combination of various materials. In some embodiment, the
combination of various materials may be used. For example, in some
embodiments, metal components may be used on an interior portion of
the frames 202 to provide a degree of RF shielding while plastic
components may be used on the exterior portion of the frames 202 to
allow RF signals to easily be emitted away from the wearer.
[0073] In some embodiments, the frame 202 a rear portion 210 of the
frame 202 (e.g., a rear portion of the temples 208 on both the left
and right sides) may have a planiform portion 226 that has a
significant surface area and is configured to resiliently press
against a back portion of a wearer's head during use. It may be
noted that the surface area of the planiform portion 226 may be
significantly larger than the surface area of the rear portion 110
of the existing loupe 100 as shown in FIG. 1.
[0074] In some loupes, such as existing loupe 100, a substantial
portion of the total weight of the frame 102 may be supported by
the bridge 112 for the nose pads 114. This may be the source of
several problems such as soreness or irritation due to most of the
weight pressing against the wearer's nose.
[0075] Moreover, the uneven distribution of weight may cause the
existing loupe 100 to slip or shift position. This can be a problem
because it may require the dentist to re-adjust the loupe thus
interrupting a dental procedure and requiring the dentist to touch
the frame 102 which may contaminate the dentist's fingers or thumb.
It may also reduce the duration of time that a dentist may
comfortably wear the existing loupe 100.
[0076] Thus, in embodiments in which the large surface area of the
planiform portion 226 of the frame 202 is configured to press
resiliently against a back portion of a wearer's head during use,
the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 helps solve the
weight distribution problem of the existing loupe 100 and thus
significantly improves the hands-free operational nature of the
hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 during
procedures.
[0077] Moreover, in some embodiments, the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 includes a power module 242 that
comprises a battery 246 within a rear portion 210 of the frame 202.
In some embodiments, a battery 246 may be included in each rear
portion 210 on the left and right sides of the frame. In some
embodiments, the battery may be a rechargeable battery such as a
lithium ion or lithium polymer ion battery/In some embodiments, the
power module 242 includes a charging circuit 248 that receives
power wirelessly for recharging the battery 246.
[0078] For example, the charging circuit 248 may include one or
more inductive or resonant coils that provide current when placed
in a charging field 426 emitted by one or more inductive or
resonant coils in a wireless charger 424. The charging circuit 248
may also include active components and printed circuit board
components. One source for a wireless charging module that includes
a charging coil, printed circuit board, and active components is
Integrated Device Technology, Inc of San Jose, Calif. USA who
distributes their products in the US through distributors such as
for example Mouser Electronics.
[0079] One of the benefits of a hands-free loupe such as hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 is that the hands-free nature of
the loupe minimizes the risk of contamination of the loupe surface
by hand-borne pathogens. A related benefit of the power module 242
including the battery 246 which is a rechargeable battery and a
charging circuit 248 that is wireless is that without a need for a
battery door to exchange a used battery, the frame 202 to be
designed to minimize or even eliminate openings, cracks, crevices,
etc., which may also harbor pathogens. Thus, in some embodiments,
the hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe may be less likely to be
contaminated and may be easier to decontaminate because the
batteries may be charged without openings are connections typically
associated with non-rechargeable or recharging via and wires.
[0080] It may be noted that although battery 246 adds weight to the
frame 202, the frame 202 includes the planiform portion 226 that
presses against the back portion of the wearer's head during use
and supports the weight directly on a greater surface area of the
wearer's head. Thus, a significant portion of the weight of the
battery 246 (or batteries) is substantially distributed over a
broad area of the planiform portion 226 rather than being
concentrated at a particular point of the frame such as the bridge
212 or a portion of the temples 208 that rests upon a wearer's
ears.
[0081] In at least one embodiment, the frame 202 further includes a
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 that includes one or more
light emitting diodes. More details about components and
characteristics of various embodiments of the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 are described below with respect to FIGS. 5B,
5D, 6A-6D, 7A-7D, 8A-8C. In some embodiments, the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 is configured to be
spectrally-tunable by adjusting various electrical parameters
applied to that one or more LEDs included in the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216.
[0082] In some embodiments, one or more of the control module 234,
the power module 242, and the spectrally-tunable lighting module
216 may be a distributed module. For example, the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 may include an LED module
enclosed within a housing 222 and may further include an LED driver
(not shown in FIGS. 2A-2B) enclosed within a different area of the
frame 202 such as for example a front portion of the temple
208.
[0083] It may be noted that in some embodiments, various modules or
other components of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe
200, may be further distributed in the various compartments at the
front portion 252 or rear portion 210 of the temples 208 on both
the left side and right side of the frame 202 and/or in the housing
222. Various components distributed within the frame 202 may be
electrically connected by wires or other connectors that also are
enclosed within the frame 202.
[0084] In at least one embodiment, the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 further comprises an adjustable
mount 218 that couples the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216
to an upper front portion of the frame 202. The adjustable mount
218 may be configured to couple the housing 222 for the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 to a portion of the frame
202 so that the direction of the light that is emitted from the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 may be precisely adjusted to
align with the focus point of any magnifiers 206 that are attached
to the lenses 204.
[0085] Referring now to FIGS. 3A, 3B, FIG. 3A is an exploded
right-perspective view illustrating details of an adjustable mount
218 for the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 of the
embodiment of FIG. 2A. FIG. 3B is an exploded top perspective view
illustrating details of the adjustable mount 218 for the embodiment
of the adjustable mount illustrated in FIG. 3A.
[0086] As described above, one of the problems with existing loupes
such as existing loupe 100 may exhibit is a misalignment between
the focal point of light emitted by the light 116 and the focal
point of the magnifiers 106. For example, because the weight of the
existing loupe 100 may cause a dentist to reposition or otherwise
adjust the existing loupes 100 as he or she wears it, the mount 118
may be jostled or bumped during the process. Often a mount, such as
the mount 118, may be adjustable in a way that leaves it subject to
misalignment if it is bumped or nudged inadvertently. This can
create the problem of having to realign the direction of the light
emitted from light 116 and the focal point of the magnifiers 106 to
correct for such misalignment.
[0087] Moreover, the degrees of freedom and the direction of
adjustment of a mount, such as the mount 118, may make it difficult
to precisely align the direction of the light being emitted from
light 116 and the focal point of a magnifiers 106. For example, if
mount 118 is a type of ball joint, it may be adjusted in any
direction, but such freedom of movement also makes it more
challenging for a person making the adjustment to adjust the light
to point in the correct vertical and horizontal angles.
[0088] The adjustable mount 218 may help solve problems associated
with the mount 118 of existing loupes 100 by providing an
adjustable mount 218 that allows the light emitted by the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 to be "sighted in" to a
correctly aligned elevation angle (e.g., up or down) and then
separately "sighted in" to a correctly aligned azimuthal angle
(e.g., side to side).
[0089] In at least one embodiment, the adjustable mount 218
comprises a plurality of vertically-oriented interlacing plates for
adjusting and fixing an elevation angle of the spectrally-tunable
lighting module with respect to the frame 202 and a plurality of
horizontally-oriented interlacing plates for adjusting and fixing
an azimuthal angle of the spectrally-tunable lighting module with
respect to the frame 202.
[0090] Because the adjustable mount 218 comprises several sets of
interlacing plates (e.g., 342, 344, 346, 348) the interlacing of
the plates increases the number and area of coupling surfaces of
the housing hinge 232 that robustly maintain the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 in a predetermined alignment relative to the
frame and to the focal point of the magnifiers 206. For example, by
compressing the multiple surfaces of the interlacing plates 342 of
the housing hinge 232 together against the interlacing plates 344
of the coupler 230 a greater degree of stability against movement
is provided with less tightening pressure being applied by the
tightener 334 or tighteners at each end of the shaft 336.
[0091] The shaft 336 may be any suitable fastener that can be
configured to pass through holes in the horizontally-oriented
interlaced plates of the housing hinge 232 and the coupler 230. For
example, in one embodiment, the tightener 334 below the housing
hinge 232 may be a knurled head of a shoulder bolt and the
tightener 334 above the housing hinge 232 may be a knurled thumb
nut so that the dentist or another loupe wearer may easily tighten
the housing module at a preferred azimuthal angle (e.g., so that it
is maintained in position without moving from side to side).
[0092] In at least one embodiment, the coupler 230 also includes
two interlacing plates 346 that are vertically oriented which
interlace with three interlacing plates 348 of the frame hinge 228
which are also vertically oriented which extend forward from a
front portion of frame 202. In at least one embodiment, a shaft 338
passes horizontally through the interlacing plates 348 of the frame
hinge 228 that are interlaced with the interlacing plates 346 of
the coupler 330.
[0093] In some embodiments, the tighteners 334, 340 may be knurled
or otherwise configured to be easily tightened by hand. In some
embodiments, tighteners may further include a type of head or nut
that may be tightened by use of a screwdriver, a hex key, a
star-shaped driver, or any tightening tool known in the art. By
providing tighteners (e.g., 342, 344, 346, 348) that can be
tightened first by hand and then further tightened with the use of
a tool, the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 may be more
securely maintained in alignment.
[0094] It may be recognized by one of the art that other plate
configurations involving different numbers of interlacing plates
for each of the components that make up the adjustable mount 218
may be useful in accordance with the embodiments described and
claimed herein. Thus, as described above, the interlacing plates,
e.g., 342, 344, 346, 348 of the adjustable mount 218 contribute to
the hands-free nature because any adjustment can be made and
secured prior to the procedure. This provides a way to eliminate
contact between the dentist's hands in the loupe during the
procedure. Other ways that the spectrally-tunable loupe is made
hands-free are explained in more detail in the sections that
follow.
[0095] FIG. 4 is schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of a system 400 for illuminating an area during a
procedure (e.g., a dental procedure). In at least one embodiment,
the system 400 includes a head-mounted device 200 for illuminating
an area based on one or more predetermined lighting commands. The
system 400 further includes a hands-free interface 236 that
communicates the one or more predetermined lighting commands for
one or more procedures to be performed to the head-mounted device
201 for illuminating the area.
[0096] In the at least one embodiment, the system 400 also includes
an LED module 404 that adjusts one or more spectral characteristics
of light emitted by the head-mounted device 201 in response to the
spectrally tunable light module 216 receiving the one or more
predetermined lighting commands.
[0097] In at least one embodiment, the head-mounted device 201 for
illuminating an area (e.g., an area within a patient's mouth) may
be a loupe, a headlamp, a visor, that adjusts one or more spectral
characteristics of light emitted by the apparatus 200 based on one
or more predetermined lighting commands. For example, a first
lighting command may be to shine a white light on the area during a
first part of a procedure that requires high-intensity light or
significant color matching (also referred to as shade matching). A
second lighting command may be to shine a light that minimizes
premature curing of a composite resin during a second part of the
procedure.
[0098] The head-mounted device 201 may include any of the
structures described above with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3 may
further include additional structures described in this section
with respect to FIG. 4. For example, as described above, in at
least one embodiment, the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe
200 includes a control module 234, a spectrally-tunable lighting
module 216, and a power module 242.
[0099] In some embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 may form
part of, or be disposed within the head-mounted device 201. In
other embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 may be included
with an external device 420. For example, an external device 420
such as a computing device 422, a smartphone 428, and a digital
voice assistant 472 may include a hands-free interface 236 in place
of or in addition to the hands-free interface 236 of the
head-mounted device 201.
[0100] Additionally, in some embodiments, the head-mounted device
201 may have one of the various forms of being positioned on a
wearer's head. For example, in some embodiments, instead of a frame
202 that is like an eyeglass frame, the head-mounted device 201 may
comprise a visor, a hat, or a headlamp maintained in position by
one or more straps.
[0101] In at least one embodiment, the control module 234 may
include a microcontroller 238 which may include internal memory for
storing and using data and program code. In some embodiments, the
data and program code may be accessed by the microcontroller 238
from an external memory 250.
[0102] In at least one embodiment, the control module 234 may
include a hands-free interface 236 that enables a wearer to
communicate with and control the hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe 200 without necessitating any contact of the dentist's
hands. In at least one embodiment, the hands-free interface 236
comprises one or more transducers disposed within the frame 202,
where the one or more transducers are selected from the group
consisting of optical sensors, proximity sensors, motion sensors,
accelerometers, sound transducers, and haptic transducers.
[0103] For example, referring to also to FIG. 2A, the hands-free
interface 236 may connect to a sensor 240 that senses a distance
between the frame 202 and a patient. For example, in some
embodiments, a lighting command is communicated through the sensor
240 to the control module 234 which then communicates to turn off
the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 if the sensed distance
between the dentist or doctor and a patient exceeds a predetermined
distance threshold for more than a predetermined period of time.
This distance-based timeout function saves power and avoids
unnecessary shining of light if for example, the dentist is looking
away from the patient at a display screen or if the dentist has
reached a point in the procedure where he or she doesn't need the
spectrally-tunable lighting module to remain on. In some
embodiments, the sensor 240 may include an infrared light emitter
and an infrared light detector to measure a reflected distance.
[0104] In some embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 may
include a sensor 240 such as the infrared type sensor described
above. Although the sensor 240 is depicted as sensing phenomena
that occur in the front of the frame 202, the sensor 240 may, or
even another sensor 240 may be disposed to sense phenomena
occurring at the side of the temple 208 or in any direction. In
other embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 may include a
motion detecting sensor that that senses gestures by sensing
changes caused by the gestures in reflected infrared emissions, or
in capacitance, or in inductance.
[0105] For example, the hands-free interface 236 make sense motion
of a dentist's arm or wrist gesture such as a wave or a simulated
flipping of a virtual anti-curing filter all without requiring any
contact between the dentist's hands and the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200. For example, a dentist could
perform a first gesture that simulates flipping an anti-curing
filter up for a part of a procedure that utilizes white light and
further perform a second gesture that simulates flipping an
anti-curing filter down for a part of the procedure that
traditional utilizes light that is filtered to prevent premature
curing. It may be noted by one of ordinary skill in the art that
the sensor 240 or sensors may operate effectively to detect a
predetermined direction of motion even though such motion may be
performed with significant variation.
[0106] In some embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 may
include a sound transducer such as a microphone that detects voice
commands from the dentist. For example, in such embodiments, a
dentist may vocally give a first lighting command by saying a word
such as "white" in order to perform a part of a procedure that
requires white light. The dentist may further vocally give a second
command by saying the word such as "orange" in order to perform a
part of a procedure that historically has required an orange or
amber colored anti-curing filter. Moreover, because the control
module 234, like any of the modules described herein, may be a
distributed module, in some embodiments, the control module 234 may
include one or more hands-free interfaces 236 that are located
outside the frame 202.
[0107] In some embodiments, in response to receiving one or more
lighting commands, in addition to controlling the light output of
the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216, the control module 234
provides non-optical feedback to a wearer, meaning aware of the
hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200. For example, a
dentist may give a lighting command to emit light that minimizes
premature curing of composite resins. In response, the control
module 234 may provide non-optical feedback to the dentist such as
for example, a tone, a voice message, or a vibration via a haptic
transducer.
[0108] In some embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 or
interfaces may be located within an external device 420. smartphone
428, and/or digital voice assistant 472. These devices may already
include hardware and software that are optimized to detect,
process, and communicate commands based on voice input. Thus, in
such embodiments, one or more lighting commands may be communicated
in a hands-free mode by a dentist saying a lighting command into an
external device 420 such as for example, a computing device 422
(which may be a tablet, a laptop, a computer, a dental instrument,
a medical instrument), a smartphone 428, or a digital voice
assistant 472.
[0109] In some embodiments, the control module 234 includes a
wireless interface 408 that is configured to receive commands from
an external device 420 that is chosen from the group consisting of
a computing device 422 (e.g., tablet, laptop computer, notebook
computer, dental instrument, medical instrument,), a smartphone
428, and a digital voice assistant 472.
[0110] In some embodiments, lighting commands communicated via the
hands-free interfaces 236 of the external device 420 may be
communicated to the control module 234 of the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 via one or more wireless
connections 410.
[0111] In some embodiments, the wireless connection 410 may be via
a mobile telephone network. The wireless connection 410 may also
employ a Wi-Fi network based on any one of the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards.
Alternatively, the wireless connection 410 may be a BLUETOOTH.RTM.
connection. In addition, the wireless connection 410 may employ a
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) communication including RFID
standards established by the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC), the American Society for Testing and
Materials.RTM. (ASTM.RTM.), the DASH7.TM. Alliance, and
EPCGlobal.TM..
[0112] Alternatively, the wireless connection 410 may employ a
ZigBee.RTM. connection based on the IEEE 802 standard. In one
embodiment, the wireless connection 410 may employ a Z-Wave.RTM.
connection as designed by Sigma Designs.RTM.. Alternatively, the
wireless connection 410 may employ an ANT.RTM. and/or ANT+.RTM.
connection as defined by Dynastream.RTM. Innovations Inc. of
Cochrane, Canada.
[0113] The wireless connection 410 may be an infrared connection
including connections conforming at least to the Infrared Physical
Layer Specification (IrPHY) as defined by the Infrared Data
Association.RTM. (IrDA.RTM.). Alternatively, the wireless
connection 410 may be a cellular telephone network communication.
All standards and/or connection types include the latest version
and revision of the standard and/or connection type as of the
filing date of this application.
[0114] It may be recognized by one of ordinary skill of the art
that hardware and software for many existing wireless connection
types, such as for example, Bluetooth.RTM., may be readily obtained
both within an external device 420 such as for example, a computing
device 422, a smartphone 428, and/or a digital voice assistant
472.
[0115] In some embodiments, the hardware and software within the
external device 420 form part of a distributed control module 234
that also includes some components that may be at least partially
enclosed within the frame 202. In some embodiments, the external
components of control module 234 may be connected to parts of the
control module 234 inside the frame 202 via the wireless
connections 410.
[0116] Moreover, in some embodiments, the wireless interface 408
and wireless connections 410 allow the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe to obtain parameters for the general
profile 466 or general profiles from sources external to the frame
202. For example, in some embodiments, the one or more lighting
commands may be customized based on data from a lighting profile
communicated from a source on a network such as for example, a user
account or user profile. Other network sources may include, for
example, an LED manufacturer's site, a composite resin vendor site,
a dental practice group site, and so forth.
[0117] In some embodiments, one or more lighting commands given by
the care provider are customized based on a data from one or more
first lighting profiles e.g., 518 and one or more second lighting
profiles 520 associated with the general profile 466 for a
particular loupe and/or a particular user which in some
embodiments, may be communicated to the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe over a network 462 and/or via
wireless connections 410.
[0118] For example, the control module 234 may communicate via
wireless interface 408 over wireless connections 410 to an access
point 468 that communicates over network 462 to a server 464 to
retrieve a general profile 466 that includes lighting related data
for a for a particular type of type and shade of crown resin from a
manufacturer's web site.
[0119] The ability to dynamically update a lighting profile e.g.,
518, 520 within a general profile 466 via wireless connections 410
to information sources outside the hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe 200 significantly enhances the dental lighting
technology by enabling access to a significantly expanded number of
predetermined parameters that optimize the dentist's ability to
perform various parts of procedures requiring different lighting
commands. Additional details regarding the types of information
that may be included in first lighting profile in the second
lighting profile within a general profile 466 are described with
additional details below.
[0120] Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, FIG. 5A is a
schematic block diagram illustrating an example first application
for the embodiment of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe
200 of FIG. 2A that includes color matching as part of a procedure.
FIG. 5B is a table illustrating a first lighting profile 518 for
the first application 500 illustrated in FIG. 5A.
[0121] In some embodiments, a care provider gives one or more
lighting commands that include switching between a first profile,
e.g., the first lighting profile 518 and a second lighting profile
520 based on a particular application or procedure. For example, in
at least one embodiment, the first lighting profile 518 may be
optimized for color matching and the second lighting profile 520
may be optimized for minimizing premature curing of composites from
light emitted by the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216.
[0122] In some embodiments, the first lighting profile 518 may
provide emitted light with a color temperature in a range selected
from 4500K-5500K and 5000K-6500K, and the second lighting profile
520 may provide emitted light with a color temperature in a range
selected from 1200K-2000K, 1500K-3500K, and 2200K-3900K. A
predetermined color temperature may be selected from within a given
range in accordance with color matching shade matching and/or a
likelihood of premature curing due to a given color temperature of
light for a given composite resin.
[0123] Some applications utilize precise lighting for a particular
purpose. For example, a first application 500 may be a color
matching application for teeth (sometimes referred to as tooth
shade matching). In the first application 500, a dentist may
compare the appearance of a tooth 502 with a crown 504 which will
be installed as part of the dental procedure. Suitable lighting
under a variety of conditions is important for such
applications.
[0124] For example, the shade of the crown 504 may appear to match
the shade of the tooth 502 in bright lighting that simulates
natural sunlight. However, the shade of the crown 504 may exhibit a
slight mismatch under different lighting such as for example,
lighting that simulates cool white indoor fluorescent lighting.
Thus, for any first application 500 (or procedure), it may be
beneficial to predetermine a first lighting profile 518 that is
suitable for the first application 500.
[0125] In at least one embodiment, a general profile 466 may
include a first lighting profile 518 that include various types of
lighting related data. For example, the first lighting profile 518
may include entity data 506 that provides information about a
particular user such as the user's name or the name of the
practice. The entity data 506 may also information indicating that
the values or the profile are associated with a particular
manufacturer of dental materials or materials for other types of
procedures. This type of entity data may help standardize lighting
conditions for a particular practice group when performing a
particular procedure.
[0126] In some environments, the first lighting profile 518 may
include application data 508 that identifies lighting parameters or
other information related to a particular application. For example,
the first lighting profile 518 may include application data 508
that specifies that the color temperature for a particular color
matching application should be set to a particular value in the
range of 5000 to 6500K.
[0127] The application data 508 may further indicate that the color
rendering index of the lighting for the particular application
should be 90 or higher. Many types of application data could be
included in the first lighting profile, or the lighting profile
could be very simple with only a few parameters that change in
response to one or more lighting commands.
[0128] FIG. 5C is a schematic block diagram illustrating a second
application 530 for the embodiment of FIG. 2A where curing of a
composite resin 590 is intended to be performed by application of a
curing light 588. However, premature curing of the composite resin
590 as a result of light emitted by the spectrally-tunable lighting
module 216 is intended to be minimized. Unlike an amalgam filling
which has a metallic appearance, a composite resin 590 may be used
so as to more closely match the color of a tooth 522 to be
filled.
[0129] Some composite resins 590 used in dental work are cured or
hardened by application of light in the blue range of visible light
or by other short wavelength light. If the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart
loupe 200 emits blue light having a similar wavelength to that of
the curing light, some portions of the composite resin 590 may
experience some degree of premature curing which may weaken or
otherwise impair the quality of the filling. Therefore, in some
embodiments, the first lighting profile 518 optimized for dental
color matching and the second lighting profile 520 is optimized for
minimizing premature curing of dental composites resulting from the
light emitted by the spectrally-tunable lighting module.
[0130] FIG. 5D is a table illustrating one embodiment of a second
lighting profile 520 for the second application 530 illustrated in
FIG. 5C may include the same kinds of information of the first
lighting profile 518 or may include some types of information not
included in the first lighting profile 518.
[0131] One benefit of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe
is that, in contrast to the anti-curing filter 124 of the existing
loupe 100 which typically has an orange or amber filter that must
be manually adjusted or flipped, the hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe 200 offers an infinite commendation of choices may be
configured to provide suitable lighting for any procedure or group
of procedures.
[0132] Some embodiment, the first lighting profile 518 and second
lighting profile 520 include device data 510, 526 that may indicate
for example, various types of devices being used in the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 and parameters that may be
dynamically changed as a care provider switches from a first
lighting profile 518 to second lighting profile 520. For example,
in the impediments illustrated in FIGS. 5B and 5D, the type of LED
module 404 used in the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216
includes a combination of multiple light-emitting diodes selected
from red, green, blue, and white (RGBW) LEDs.
[0133] In one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5B, in the first
lighting profile 518, all of the red, green, blue, and white LED's
are turned on to a high level, e.g., substantially fully turned on.
Based on a lighting command given by a care provider and further
based on application data 524 and/or device data 526 in the second
lighting profile 520, the LED module 404 may emit light having a
low color temperature, e.g., 3500K to avoid premature curing of the
composite resin 590.
[0134] In some embodiments, a similar lighting output may be
emitted by the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 using a
different type of LED module that may include cool white LEDs `C`
and warm white LEDs `W.` In this example in the first lighting
profile 518 the cool white LED is turned on full and the warm white
LED is turned on low and when hands-free command is given to switch
to the second lighting profile 520 the cool white LED module is
turned on to a low level or turned completely off in the warm white
LED module is turned to a high level.
[0135] In some embodiments, the device data 510, 526 may include
information about the type of LED driver used to drive the LED
inputs. Example some LED drivers use a constant current to drive
LEDs while other LED drivers use constant voltage. In some
embodiments, technical details of device data 510, 526 need not be
provided by or understood by the care provider using the loupe but
the general profile 466 and/or the first lighting profile 518 and
the second lighting profile 520 may include device data 510, 566
that is accessed by the microcontroller 238.
[0136] Although various types of LED modules have been developed
for some types of lighting applications, there are certain unique
lighting requirements for certain applications such as dentistry.
Without the limitations of only two choices (filter or no filter)
presented by the existing anti-curing filter 124, significant
improvement may be achieved hands-free spectrally-tunable smart
loupe 200 over the existing loupe 100. For example, in some
applications such as the second application 530 illustrated in FIG.
5C, it may be desirable to have lighting that improves the ability
to determine color or shade matching of the composite resin 590 to
the tooth 522.
[0137] Referring now to FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D with references to
elements shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 4. FIG. 6A is a schematic block
diagram of one embodiment of an LED module 602 that may be used in
a hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe. In at least one
embodiment, the LED module 602 comprises a red LED `R,` a green LED
`G,` a blue LED `B,` and a white LED `W.` Various combinations of
the R, `G,` `B,` and W elements may be turned on or off with
varying levels of intensity in order to provide light suitable for
a particular application. In some embodiments, using the LED module
602 with one LED per color provides cost benefits as well as
simplified driver and control design. It may be noted that with
respect to FIG. 6A the white LED `W` may be a cool white LED, or a
neutral white LED, or a warm white LED depending on the particular
intended application. In some embodiments, a neutral white LED
having a color temperature of about 5000K may be suitable.
[0138] One example of an LED module 602 having RGBW LEDs is the
XLamp.RTM. XM-L color LED module available from Cree at 4600
Silicon Drive, Durham, N.C., 27703 USA. In some embodiments, such
an LED module 602 may be effective in providing suitable lighting
for applications such as general dental color matching in
accordance with a first lighting profile 604 as shown in FIG.
6B.
[0139] FIG. 6B is a table illustrating one embodiment of a first
lighting profile 604 that may be used in connection with the LED
module 602 of FIG. 6A. For purposes of simplification, only certain
values of device data 610a are shown in the first lighting profile
604. A first lighting command 606a may be the word "white." In some
embodiments, the first lighting command 606a may be a voice command
received through the hands-free interface 236 shown in FIGS. 2A,
2B, and 4 or through the wireless interface 408 shown in FIG. 4,
including via the hands-free interface 236 on associated with the
external device 420 which may be for example, tablet 422,
smartphone 428, and digital voice assistant 472.
[0140] In some embodiments, in response to the first lighting
command 606a the control module 234 communicates to the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 such that the LED driver 406
drives each of the red LED `R`, the green LED `G`, the blue LED
`B`, and the white LED `W` to a high level of intensity in order to
illuminate an area for a procedure to be performed with lighting
suitable for color matching and/or general examination and
procedures.
[0141] FIG. 6C is a table illustrating one embodiment of a second
lighting profile 608 that may be used in connection with the LED
module of FIG. 6A. When a care provider communicates a second
lighting command 606b (e.g., the word "filter") which may be
communicated verbally or electronically through the hands-free
interface 236 or the wireless interface 408 as described above, the
control module 234 may respond by communicating to the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 such that the LED driver 406
drives the red LED `R` and the green LED `G` each to a high level
of intensity. It may be noted by one of ordinary skill that what
constitutes a high level, mid-level, or low-level may depend upon
the particular application including color rendering index and
anti-curing characteristics desired.
[0142] FIG. 6D is a chart 612 illustrating the relative impact of
the first lighting profile of FIG. 6B and the second lighting
profile of FIG. 6C premature curing of a light-cured resin
composite. In one experiment, from which the chart 612 is derived,
a layer of dental composite material, such as composite resin 590
as shown in FIG. 5C, was smeared on a glass slide.
[0143] Inside a dark room, the LED module 602, an RGBW-type LED
module, was mounted 14 inches above the glass slide. All four LEDs
(`R,` `G,` `B,` `W`) were turned on to a high level to provide
white light. A first time tRGBW to complete curing (i.e.,
solidification) of the composite resin 590 after exposure to the
white light of the first lighting profile 604 was observed to be
110 seconds.
[0144] A second slide with a similar amount of composite resin 590
was provided under the same conditions and communication of a
second lighting command e.g., 606b "filter" was simulated by
turning off the blue `B` and the white `W` LEDs to provide an amber
or orange appearing light from the mixing of the red and green
light emitted by the red LED `R` and the blue LED `B`, with a
similar color to that of an anti-curing filter such as the
anti-curing filter 124 shown in FIG. 1. A second time tRG to
complete curing (i.e., solidification) of the composite resin 590
was observed to be 480 seconds.
[0145] The results show that lighting commands to turn off the blue
LED `B` and the white LED `W` as shown in the second lighting
profile 608 significantly reduces the degree of premature curing
resulting from a light emitted by LED module 602. One may note that
under normal lighting conditions encountered in, for example, a
dental procedure, ambient light or other light may modify the
relative impact of the first lighting profile 604 and the second
lighting profile 608.
[0146] In other embodiments, the hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe 200 may include other types of spectrally-tunable
lighting modules 216 that include an LED module 404 that has an
alternative combination of LEDs from those depicted here to emitted
light with different tunable characteristics.
[0147] FIG. 7A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of an LED module 702 that includes a checkerboard pattern of a
white LEDs with different color temperatures and red, green, and
blue LEDs. In some embodiments, multiple diodes may be arranged in
an alternating color pattern. For example, the LED module 702
illustrates one alternating color pattern where a top center LED is
a neutral white LED `N,` a middle center LED is a blue LED `B` and
a bottom center LED is a neutral white LED `N.` Thus, the center
column of LED module 702 depicts a pattern that alternates between
a white colored LED `N` and a single colored LED (e.g., blue LED
`B`).
[0148] In some embodiments, the alternating pattern of LEDs enables
effective distribution of emitted light having a predetermined
range of color temperatures. In some embodiments, a first lighting
profile similar to first lighting profile 518 described in FIG. 5B
provides emitted light with a color rendering index of greater than
90. In general, light emitted by a mixture of light from single
color LEDs e.g., `R`, `B`, G has a much lower coloring rendering
index than light emitted from `C`, `N`, and `W` LEDs which have
been manufactured or screened to meet a predetermined minimum CRI
of 90.
[0149] FIG. 7B is a graph 704 comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the white LEDs with different
color temperatures of the LED module illustrated in FIG. 7A. In
some embodiments, light emitted from the first lighting profile,
e.g., 518 is selected by a turning on combinations of `C,` `N,` and
`W` white LEDs with predetermined intensities.
[0150] FIG. 7C is a graph comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the red, green, and blue LEDs
of the LED module illustrated in FIG. 7A. In some embodiments, the
output of any individual LED or any combination of LEDs may be
determined by driving a group of specific individual LEDs to have a
light output from 0.0 to 1.0 in accordance with a predetermined
lighting profile.
[0151] For example, if the first lighting profile, e.g., 518 is
optimized for shade matching of a crown to a patient's tooth, `R`,
G, and `B` LEDs shown in FIG. 7C may be turned completely off in
the first lighting profile 518 because the light emitted by mixing
the `R`, `G`, and `B` LEDs may fall below a predetermined threshold
for CRI.
[0152] In some embodiments, the second lighting profile 520 is
additionally optimized for color matching of dental composites to
teeth. For example, in some embodiments, the second lighting
profile, e.g., 520 may be optimized to improve shade matching
between a composite resin 590 and a tooth 522 while at the same
time minimizing premature curing. As can be seen by the dashed line
labeled `W` in the graph of light output 704 as shown in FIG. 7B,
the output intensity of blue light emitted (e.g., in the range of
400-480 nm) by the warm white LEDs `W` may be sufficiently low to
avoid premature curing that exceeds unacceptable threshold. At the
same time, light emitted from the warm white LEDs may exceed a CRI
of 90 thus enabling improved color matching over white light
emitted by the light 116 that is filtered by an anti-curing filter
(e.g., 124).
[0153] It may be noted that in some embodiments, the individual
LEDs making up the alternating pattern need not be limited to `R,`
`G,` `B,` `C,` `N,` and `W.` For example, in some embodiments,
infrared LEDs `I,` ultraviolet LEDs `U` may be used instead of or
in combination with the aforementioned LED types. Such patterns may
be useful for hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupes where a
first lighting profile is configured to emit light having a typical
daylight, ambient, or other broad-spectrum white light
characteristics and a second lighting profile is configured to emit
narrow-spectrum light suitable for a specific application.
[0154] For example, in some embodiments, ultraviolet-emitting LEDs
`U` may be used in forensic applications to detect biological
fluids such as urine, semen, and so forth. In other embodiments,
near-infrared emitting LEDs "I" may be used in connection with
procedures involving skin and/or eyes. In such embodiments, the
hands-free spectral tuning of the hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe may enable the practitioner to more accurately and
efficiently perform the procedure under suitable first and second
lighting profiles lighting profile
[0155] FIG. 7D is a schematic block diagram illustrating a
perspective view of the LED module 702 of FIG. 7A with a diffuser
708. In some embodiments, the diffuser 708 may be disposed between
the one or more light emitting diodes of the LED module 702 and the
area to be illuminated. For example, in some embodiments, the
diffuser 708 may encapsulate the one or more LEDs included in the
LED module 702. In other embodiments, the diffuser 708 may be may
be disposed at a distance from the one or more LEDs of the LED
module 702.
[0156] In some embodiments, the diffuser 708 may minimize spectral
gradients within the illuminated area (e.g., from tooth to tooth in
a patient's mouth). In certain LED modules, spatial separation
between LEDs comprising an alternating color pattern within an LED
module may produce spectral inhomogeneities in an area illuminated
for performing a procedure. In some embodiments, the inclusion of a
diffuser 708 may minimize spectral inhomogeneities within the
illuminated area while allowing for fewer or more varied color
patterns of LEDs to be included in the LED module 702.
[0157] FIG. 8A is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of an
LED module 802 that includes a checkerboard, e.g., an alternating
pattern of cool-white LEDs `C` and warm-white LEDs `W.` In some
embodiments, 802 may include a significant number of warm white
LEDs "W" that exceeds the number of cool white LEDs `C` by a
predetermined amount. For example, the LED module 802 illustrated
in FIG. 8A includes 24 warm white LEDs `W` and 18 cool white LEDs
`C`.
[0158] In some embodiments, the spectrally-tunable lighting module
216 may include an LED module like LED module 802 that consists
only of cool white LEDs `C` and warm white LEDs `W.` One source for
an LED module that includes an alternating pattern of warm white
LEDs and cool white LEDs is the Vesta" series tunable 9 mm Array
available from BridgeLux of 46430 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, Calif.
94538.
[0159] In some embodiments, a benefit of having a significant
number of warm white LEDs, and neutral white LEDs is that the first
lighting profile, e.g., 518 and the second lighting profile, e.g.,
520 may be high flux profiles emitting a typical flux of 1000
lumens or more. In such embodiments, the housing, e.g., 222 may be
designed to channel heat away from a wearer's head, and the power
manager 244 may control the power provided to the LED driver 406 to
limit maximum power output to predetermined periods of time.
[0160] In some embodiments, each of the LEDs in LED module 802 has
a CRI of greater than 90. However, the first lighting profile,
e.g., 518 may be optimized for shade matching and the second
lighting profile 520 may be optimized to minimize premature curing.
Neither profile need be limited to profiles where all LEDs of a
particular color temperature are turned on or where all LEDs of
particular color temperature are turned off. Instead, the first
lighting profile 518 may turn on a predetermined pattern of more
cool white LEDs `C` turned on and fewer warm white LEDs `W` turned
on.
[0161] Similarly, the second lighting profile 520 may turn on a
predetermined pattern of more warm white LEDs `W` turned on and
fewer cool white LEDs `C` turned on. Additionally, the intensity of
one or more LEDs of a particular color or type may vary in
accordance with an application defined in a first lighting profile
and a second lighting profile.
[0162] FIG. 8B is a graph comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the LED module of FIG. 8A. In
some embodiments, the peak output of the warm white LEDs `W` may
exceed peak output of the cool white LEDs `C.`
[0163] FIG. 8C is a chart 806 illustrating the relative impact of a
cool white LEDs `C` like those shown in FIG. 8a and a warm white
LED `W` like those shown in FIG. 8A on premature curing of a
light-cured resin composite. An experiment was performed using a
cool white LED having a color temperature of about 6000K and a warm
white LED having a color temperature of about 2700K.
[0164] The procedure for determining values for the chart 806 of
premature curing was substantially the same as described above with
respect to FIG. 6D. With only cool white light `C` being emitted as
shown in dotted line `C` of graph 804 in FIG. 8B, the time to
curing tC was 90 seconds and with only warm white light being
emitted as shown in dashed line `W` of graph 804 the time to curing
tW was 360 seconds.
[0165] FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an external
device 420 that includes a first hands-free interface 902 such as a
speaker and a second hands-free interface 908 such as a microphone.
The external device 420 may further include a touchscreen display
906 by which a user may communicate commands other than hands-free
lighting commands between the external device 420 and the
hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200. For example, a user
may use the touchscreen display 906 to set and/or view a particular
color temperature to be associated with a particular first lighting
profile such as first lighting profile 518.
[0166] The touchscreen display 906 may also display a menu 910 or
other controls. In some embodiments, the external device 420
includes a sensor 904 which may be, for example, a camera or a
light sensor. In some embodiments, the sensor 904 may be used to
detect gestures related to lighting commands. In other embodiments,
the sensor 904 may be used as a calibration input for the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216.
[0167] For example, a user may position the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 so that it emits light into the sensor 904. The
sensor 904 may detect the emitted light and determine whether the
color temperature, intensity, or other lighting characteristics
match the expected characteristics for the current lighting
commands or lighting profile communicated to the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216.
[0168] In some embodiments, the external device 420 may be a
smartphone 428. In other embodiments, the external device 420 may
be a computing device 422 such as a tablet, a laptop, a computer, a
dental instrument, or a medical instrument. The external device 420
may include a touchscreen display 906 and one or more hands-free
interfaces such as first hands-free interface 902 and second
hands-free interface 908.
[0169] A user of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200
may use the touchscreen display 906 of the external device 420
prior to a procedure to set up a general profile 466 or to select
from different options displayed on a menu 910
[0170] FIG. 10 is a flowchart diagram illustrating a method 1000
for illuminating an area for one or more procedures. In at least
one embodiment, the method 1000 begins and includes receiving 1002
at a loupe one or more lighting commands via a hands-free interface
to adjust one or more color characteristics of light emitted from a
spectrally-tunable lighting module for the loupe.
[0171] In the at least one embodiment, the method 1000 continues
and includes communicating 1004 the one or more lighting commands
for the one or more procedures to the spectrally-tunable lighting
module of the loupe. The method 1000 continues and further includes
illuminating 1006 an area for performing the one or more procedures
in response to the one or more lighting commands communicated to
the spectrally-tunable lighting module of the loupe, and the method
1000 ends.
[0172] In some embodiments, the loupe of the method 1000 at which
the one or more lighting commands is received may be, for example,
the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 substantially as
described above with respect to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5A-5D, and
6A-6D. In some embodiments of the method 1000, the one or more
lighting commands may be lighting commands such as first lighting
commands 606a and second lighting command 606b associated that are
associated with one or more first and second lighting profiles
e.g., 518, 520 that are each configured to provide suitable
lighting for the one or more procedures.
[0173] In some embodiments, receiving 1002 the lighting commands
may include receiving commands to adjust one or more color
characteristics of light emitted from a spectrally-tunable lighting
module for the loupe where the color characteristics are chosen
from the group consisting of color temperature, color rendering
index, and intensity.
[0174] In some embodiments, the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart
loupe of the method may include a spectrally-tunable lighting
module 216 that includes an LED module 404 which may include
multiple LEDs configured as illustrated in LED modules 602, 702,
802, or as in other configurations in accordance with the
apparatuses and systems described with respect to FIGS. 2A-9.
[0175] In some embodiments, illuminating 1006 an area for
performing one or more procedures may refer to an area for
performing one or more dental procedures, one or more surgical
procedures, and/or one or more medical procedures. In other
embodiments, illuminating 106 an area for performing one or more
procedures may refer to an area for performing one or more art
restoration procedures, jewelry procedures, counterfeit detection
procedures, and the like.
[0176] This description uses examples to disclose the invention and
also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the
invention, including making and using any devices or systems and
performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the
invention is defined by the claims and may include other examples
that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are
intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have
structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of
the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with
insubstantial differences from the literal language of the
claims.
[0177] The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from its spirit or essential
characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in
all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of
the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims
rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come
within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be
embraced within their scope.
* * * * *