US 12,114,835 B2
Illumination device with light guide detection
Thomas Hinding, Tuttlingen (DE); Bernhard Gloeggler, Tuttlingen (DE); Werner Goebel, Tuttlingen (DE); and Teresa Pfau, Tuttlingen (DE)
Assigned to KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG, Tuttlingen (DE)
Filed by KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG, Tuttlingen (DE)
Filed on Jul. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/388,435.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 123 031.1 (DE), filed on Sep. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0061638 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 1/06 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/04 (2006.01); A61B 1/07 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 1/00126 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00117 (2013.01); A61B 1/04 (2013.01); A61B 1/0669 (2013.01); A61B 1/0684 (2013.01); A61B 1/07 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An illumination device configured for an endoscope, the device comprising:
illumination means for coupling light into a light guide connectable to the device, the illumination means comprising an LED matrix array comprising a plurality of LED pixels forming an emission area,
a light guide port associated with the illumination means for positioning a light-guiding transmission area, which is disposed at an end of the light guide, essentially orthogonally to a main emission direction of the emission area of the LED matrix array,
LED pixels configured as sensor elements which are configured to detect LED pixels of the emission area that are directed at non-light-guiding portions of the light guide in the main emission direction, and
a control unit coupled to the LED matrix array and to the LED pixels configured as sensor elements and configured to selectively operate the LED pixels of the LED matrix array for coupling light into the light guide in such a manner that at least some of the LED pixels directed at the non-guiding portions of the light guide in the main emission direction are operated at lower power or deactivated.