TEETH WHITENING WITH EXTERNAL OR CONTROLLED LIGHT SOURCE
Devices for whitening teeth of a user that include a pulse width modulation circuit or a light source and a light delivery mechanism or reflector. The light source may deliver light to the user's teeth and may be located outside the mouth of the user when the device is being used to whiten the teeth of the user while the light delivery mechanism or reflector may be located inside the mouth. The pulse width modulation circuit may drive the light source. The light source may include LEDs or independently-controlled light sources. Intensity of the light source may be controlled, or the device may be controlled wirelessly, for example, using a separate electronic device or hand gestures (e.g., with a gesture sensor). The device may include two antennas or an infrared receiver.
1 . A device for whitening teeth of a user, the device comprising: a light source; and a light delivery mechanism that delivers light from the light source to the user's teeth; wherein: the user has a mouth; and, when the device is being used to whiten the teeth of the user, the light source is located outside the mouth of the user.
2 . (canceled)
3 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 1 wherein when the device is being used to whiten the teeth of the user, the light delivery mechanism is located inside the mouth of the user; and the light delivery mechanism comprises a reflector.
4 . (canceled)
5 . (canceled)
6 . (canceled)
7 . (canceled)
8 . (canceled)
9 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 1 wherein: the light source comprises multiple independently-controlled light sources; and intensities of the light sources are independently controlled.
10 . (canceled)
11 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 1 wherein the device is controlled wirelessly using a separate electronic device.
12 . (canceled)
13 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 1 wherein the device comprises a gesture sensor that senses hand gestures.
14 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 1 further comprising two antennas.
15 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 1 further comprising an infrared receiver.
16 . A device for whitening teeth of a user, the device comprising: a light source; wherein the device is controlled using hand gestures.
17 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 16 wherein: the user has a mouth; the device comprises a reflector; and, when the device is being used to whiten the teeth of the user: the light source is located outside the mouth of the user; and the reflector is located inside the mouth of the user.
18 . A device for whitening teeth of a user, the device comprising: a light source; and an accelerometer.
19 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 18 further comprising a pulse width modulation circuit that drives the light source; wherein the light source comprises multiple light sources that are each independently controlled by the pulse width modulation circuit.
20 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 18 wherein the device is controlled using hand gestures.
21 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 18 wherein: the user has a mouth; and, when the device is being used to whiten the teeth of the user, the light source is located outside the mouth of the user.
22 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 18 wherein: the accelerometer wakes up the device when the device is shaken.
23 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 18 wherein: the device comprises a processor and the accelerometer is connected to an interrupt pin on the processor.
24 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 18 wherein the device is controlled wirelessly using a separate electronic device.
25 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 16 further comprising a pulse width modulation circuit that drives the light source; wherein the pulse width modulation is used to alter individual light intensity in different quadrants of the teeth.
26 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 16 wherein the device comprises a gesture sensor that senses hand gestures.
27 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 26 wherein the gesture sensor comprises two antennas.
28 . The device for whitening teeth of claim 26 wherein the gesture sensor comprises an infrared receiver.