Skin tanning and light therapy incorporating light emitting diodes

Abstract

The invention relates to a skin tanning chamber, the improvement comprising at least one light emitting diode emitting a UVA light, such as a UVA LED that emits essentially only UVA. Additionally, multiple LEDs of varying types with various characteristic wavelengths are controlled independently to produce an arbitrary light pattern in an arbitrary sequence over time. The chamber can be rigid or flexible. It can be a bed, booth or incorporated into a flexible form, such as a garment or cloth. In one embodiment, the chamber further comprises at least one LED emitting a UVC light, whereby the UVC light sanitizes the chamber surface. Preferably the LED emitting the UVA light is under independent control from the LED emitting UVC light.

1 - 22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . A UVR LED light projection apparatus for irradiating a subject, comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of light emitting diodes configured to emit ultraviolet radiation, the plurality of diodes arranged in a matrix corresponding to a shape of the subject to be irradiated; and    (b) a power modulation control unit in communication with the plurality of diodes;    wherein the power modulation control unit is configured to energize and cause the diodes to emit light and thereby irradiate the subject with ultraviolet radiation, said ultraviolet radiation having an intensity sufficient to cause material physical change in said subject.    
   
   
       24 . An LED device for light therapy and tanning, comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of LEDs capable of emitting a UV light, fabricated as arrays in a form factor contoured to conform to the body of the individual user; and    (b) an LED compatible power supply;    wherein the LED compatible power supply is capable of powering the LED device and thereby cause tanning and other therapeutic effects on the subject.    
   
   
       25 . An LED device for tanning of a human subject comprising: 
 (a) a form factor for incorporating a plurality of LEDs suitable for emitting UVA light, said form factor contoured to conform to the body of the user of the device; and    (b) an LED compatible power supply configured to selectively power the LEDs to provide specific areas of tanning over the body of the user.    
   
   
       26 . A method for irradiating a subject with UVR from a plurality of light emitting diodes, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) arranging a plurality of light emitting diodes in a matrix, corresponding to a shape of the subject to be irradiated the plurality of diodes configured to emit ultraviolet radiation;    (b) providing a power modulation control unit in communication with the plurality of diodes;    (c) the power modulation control unit energizing and thereby causing the diodes to emit ultraviolet radiation light having an intensity sufficient to cause material physical change in a subject;    (d) irradiating a subject with said ultraviolet radiation light; and    (e) the irradiation of the subject with the ultraviolet radiation light causing a material physical change in said subject.    
   
   
       27 . An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program embodied in said medium, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to: 
 cause a power modulation control unit to energize a plurality of light emitting diodes, arranged in a matrix corresponding to a shape of the subject to be irradiated the diodes thereby emitting ultraviolet radiation having an intensity sufficient to cause material physical change in the subject.