Endoscopic light source and imaging system
A light source includes a first LED in communication with a first DAC; a second LED in communication with a second DAC; a third LED in communication with a third DAC; a color sensor capable of sensing light in the visible light spectrum; and one or more processors configured for: receiving color intensity values from the color sensor, determining whether the color intensity values are balanced to achieve white light, adjusting the current to the second DAC and third DAC until the color intensity levels are balanced to achieve white light at a combined intensity level, setting a new red LED current value, a new green LED current value, and a new blue LED current value to adjust the combined intensity level toward a target intensity level, and repeating the setting step until the target intensity level is achieved.
1. A method of providing color balance in a light source, the method comprising:
providing a first LED, a second LED, and a third LED, the first LED in communication with a first DAC, the second LED in communication with a second DAC, and the third LED in communication with a third DAC;
providing a computing device which is in communication with the first DAC, the second DAC, and the third DAC, the computing device having a memory device having stored therein target intensity values for the first LED, the second LED, and the third LED;
providing a color sensor in communication with the computing device and capable of sensing light in the visible light spectrum and being capable of providing information to the computing device based on sensed light;
the computing device retrieving a first LED color intensity value, a second LED color intensity value, and a third LED color intensity value from the color sensor;
the computing device determining whether the first, second, and third LED color intensity values are balanced to achieve white light; and
adjusting a current to the second DAC and third DAC until the first, second, and third LED color intensity values are balanced to achieve white light at a first combined intensity level;
setting at least one intermediate first LED color intensity value, at least one intermediate second LED color intensity value, and at least one intermediate third LED color intensity value to achieve white light at at least one intermediate intensity level between the first combined intensity level and a target combined intensity level; and
setting a target first LED color intensity value, a target second LED color intensity value, and a target third LED color intensity value to achieve the target combined intensity level.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one intermediate first LED color intensity value, the at least one intermediate second LED color intensity value, and the at least one intermediate third LED color intensity value are set based on intermediate color intensity values stored in the memory.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the intermediate color intensity values were stored in the memory during calibration of the light source.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target combined intensity level is based on a user-commanded change in intensity.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target combined intensity level is stored in the memory.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein different target combined intensity values are stored in the memory for different user-selectable illumination modes.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, in response to a user command to switch to a different illumination mode, retrieving target first, second, and third LED color intensity values associated with the different illumination mode from the memory, and adjusting at least one of the first, second, or third LED color intensity values based on the target first, second, and third LED color intensity values associated with the different illumination mode retrieved from the memory.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second LED is a red LED and the third LED is a blue LED.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein setting at least one intermediate first LED color intensity value, at least one intermediate second LED color intensity value, and at least one intermediate third LED color intensity value to achieve white light at at least one intermediate intensity level between the first combined intensity level and a target combined intensity level comprises achieving white light at multiple intermediate intensity levels.
10. The light source of claim 1 , wherein setting at least one intermediate first LED color intensity value, at least one intermediate second LED color intensity value, and at least one intermediate third LED color intensity value to achieve white light at at least one intermediate intensity level between the first combined intensity level and a target combined intensity level comprises achieving white light at multiple intermediate intensity levels.
11. A light source comprising: a first LED in communication with a first DAC; a second LED in communication with a second DAC; a third LED in communication with a third DAC; a color sensor capable of sensing light in the visible light spectrum; one or more processors; and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
receiving a first LED color intensity value, a second LED color intensity value, and a third LED color intensity value from the color sensor,
determining whether the first, second, and third LED color intensity values are balanced to achieve white light,
adjusting a current to the second DAC and third DAC until the first, second, and third LED color intensity values are balanced to achieve white light at a first combined intensity level,
setting at least one intermediate first LED color intensity value, at least one intermediate second LED color intensity value, and at least one intermediate third LED color intensity value to achieve white light at at least one intermediate intensity level between the first combined intensity level and a target combined intensity level; and
setting a target first LED color intensity value, a target second LED color intensity value, and a target third LED color intensity value to achieve the target combined intensity level.
12. The light source of claim 11 , wherein the at least one intermediate first LED color intensity value, the at least one intermediate second LED color intensity value, and the at least one intermediate third LED color intensity value are set based on intermediate color intensity values stored in the memory.
13. The light source of claim 12 , wherein the intermediate color intensity values were stored in the memory during calibration of the light source.
14. The light source of claim 11 , wherein the target combined intensity level is based on a user-commanded change in intensity.
15. The light source of claim 11 , wherein the target combined intensity level is stored in the memory.
16. The light source of claim 15 , wherein different target combined intensity values are stored in the memory for different user-selectable illumination modes.
17. The light source of claim 16 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for, in response to user command to switch to a different illumination mode, retrieving target first, second, and third LED color intensity values associated with the different illumination mode from the memory, and adjusting at least one of the first, second, or third LED color intensity values based on the target first, second, and third LED color intensity values associated with the different illumination mode retrieved from the memory.
18. The light source of claim 11 , wherein the second LED is a red LED and the third LED is a blue LED.