US2012026569A1PendingUtilityA1

System and method for illumination attenuation

48
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Nov 20, 2006Filed: Sep 2, 2011Published: Feb 2, 2012
Est. expiryNov 20, 2026(~0.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:John C. HuculakChristopher Horvath
G02B 26/04G02B 6/266G02B 6/3552G02B 6/3568Y10S359/90
48
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Claims

Abstract

Generally speaking, the output brightness of an illuminator is varied by chopping an output light beam such that the beam is alternately interrupted and unhindered. An interrupter can be rapidly moved into and out of the transmission path of a light beam. The brightness of the light beam received at a site will be attenuated based on the amount of time per cycle the light beam remains obstructed versus unhindered.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for attenuating light comprising:
 projecting a light beam along a path;   moving an interrupter, comprising:
 moving the interrupter into and out of the path of the light beam for a plurality of cycles with a repetition rate to attenuate a brightness of the light beam without affecting a color temperature of the light beam; and 
 moving the interrupter such that the light beam is unhindered by the interrupter for a first portion of each cycle and is fully incident on the interrupter for a second portion of the cycle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directing light from the light beam to a site with an optical fiber. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directing light from the light beam to a human eye, wherein the light from the light beam appears attenuated and continuous to the human eye. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the repetition rate is at least 30 cycles per second. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the repetition rate is at least 60 cycles per second. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein moving the interrupter further comprises linearly moving the interrupter. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein moving the interrupter further comprises rotating the interrupter into and out of the path of the light beam. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein moving the interrupter further comprises swinging the interrupter into and out of the path of the light beam. 
     
     
         9 . A method for attenuating light comprising:
 projecting a light beam along a path; and   moving an interrupter, comprising:
 moving the interrupter into and out of the path of the light beam for a plurality of cycles with a repetition rate to yield attenuated light that appears attenuated and continuous to a human eye; and 
 moving the interrupter such that the light beam is unhindered by the interrupter for a first portion of each cycle and is fully incident on the interrupter for a second portion of the cycle. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising directing light from the light beam to a site with an optical fiber. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising directing light from the light beam to the human eye. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the repetition rate is at least 30 cycles per second. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the repetition rate is at least 60 cycles per second. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein moving the interrupter further comprises linearly moving the interrupter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein moving the interrupter further comprises rotating the interrupter into and out of the path of the light beam. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein moving the interrupter further comprises swinging the interrupter into and out of the path of the light beam. 
     
     
         17 . A method for attenuating light comprising:
 receive one or more attenuation control parameters;   determine a control scheme to cause an interrupter to move into and out of a path of a light beam for a plurality of cycles with a repetition rate to attenuate a brightness of the light beam, wherein the light beam is unhindered by the interrupter for a first portion of each cycle and is fully incident on the interrupter for a second portion of the cycle; and   generate one or more control signals to cause an actuator to move the interrupter into and out of the path of the light beam according to the control scheme.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the repetition rate is selected to yield light from the light beam attenuated by the interrupter that appears continuous to a human eye. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the repetition rate is at least 30 cycles per second. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the repetition rate is at least 60 cycles per second.

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