Patent ID: 9459415
Filing Date: 2016-10-04
CPC Classification: A61B,G02B,H05B

Claim Text:
1. An external endoscopic light source system comprising: a plurality of light emitting diodes, each light emitting diode capable of producing a different illumination color with respect to at least one of the other light emitting diodes; a plurality of dichroic filter elements for receiving light from the light emitting diodes; a light collimating and mixing device for receiving light from the dichroic filter elements; an image sensor for sensing an image from a surgical site; an interface connected to a fiber optic cable such that the fiber optic cable can receive light from the light collimating and mixing device; a color sensor for sensing a color value from the illumination in a light path, the fiber optic cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers, and one of said optical fibers directly providing light to said color sensor; a controller for receiving the color value from the color sensor and comparing the color value with a predetermined color value; and a camera control unit for determining the amount of light received by the image sensor and providing an intensity feedback signal to a generator, the generator providing a shutter speed signal which results in a fast shutter opening time for the camera when receiving bright light and a slower shutter opening time when receiving dim light at a surgical site, wherein the shutter opening time results in an image having desired light characteristics; wherein the controller is capable of varying a power signal to control the light intensity output by at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes based on signals from the color sensor and the generator, so that the color illumination from the light emitting diodes is balanced according to a predetermined balance level and the color value sensed by the color sensor corresponds to a predetermined color light output.