Controlled protocol timer

Abstract

A phototherapy treatment dispensing device provides therapeutic light emissions treatments. The device provides additional means for controlling a patient's exposure to those treatments through a controlled protocol timer. The controlled protocol timer can provide for incremental exposure increases; monitors patient compliance with a treatment regimen; and reminds the patient when a treatment will soon be overdue.

What is claimed s: 
     
         1 . A light treatment dispensing device, comprising:
 a therapeutic treatment dispenser configured to emit therapeutic treatments;   an input device; and   a controller in electrical communication with the therapeutic treatment dispenser and the input device, the controller configured to determine a prescribed therapeutic treatment protocol based on a coded input received via the input device, wherein the prescribed treatment protocol comprises a plurality of treatment control parameters.   
     
     
         2 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of treatment control parameters comprise:
 a prescribed number of sessions, and   one or more of a prescribed session frequency and a prescribed duration for each session.   
     
     
         3 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of treatment control parameters further comprise a prescribed number of therapeutic treatments per session. 
     
     
         4 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 2 , wherein the prescribed session frequency identifies a number of the prescribed number of sessions dispensable per a designated time period. 
     
     
         5 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 2 , wherein the prescribed session frequency identifies a designated time period between consecutive sessions. 
     
     
         6 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a permitted adjustment to one of more of the plurality of treatment control parameters. 
     
     
         7 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 6 , wherein the permitted adjustment is a percentage of the prescribed duration that can be added to the determined prescribed duration. 
     
     
         8 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 6 , wherein the permitted adjustment is an amount of time that can be added to the prescribed duration. 
     
     
         9 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the therapeutic treatment dispenser in accordance with the prescribed therapeutic treatment protocol. 
     
     
         10 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to store operational information. 
     
     
         11 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 10 , comprising a removable memory medium for storing the operational information. 
     
     
         12 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the input device comprises one of more of a keyboard and a touchscreen. 
     
     
         13 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic treatment dispenser comprises one or more ultraviolet ray-emitting tubes. 
     
     
         14 . A method for controlling the exposure of a patient using a phototherapy treatment dispensing device, comprising:
 receiving a coded input via an input device;   determining, by a controller, a prescribed treatment protocol based on the coded input, the prescribed treatment protocol comprising a plurality of treatment control parameters, wherein the plurality of treatment control parameters comprises a prescribed number of phototherapy sessions, and one or more of a prescribed session frequency and a prescribed duration for each session; and   dispensing a phototherapy session in accordance with the plurality of treatment control parameters.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising:
 adjusting at least one of the plurality of treatment control parameters.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the adjustment is an increment of the prescribed duration for each session. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising:
 limiting, by the controller, the increment based on a duration of one or more previous phototherapy sessions.   
     
     
         18 . A light treatment dispensing device, comprising:
 a therapeutic treatment dispenser configured to emit therapeutic treatments; and   a controller in electrical communication with the therapeutic treatment dispenser, the controller configured to receive a coded input and, based on the coded input, determine a plurality of treatment control parameters.   
     
     
         19 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of treatment control parameters comprises a prescribed number of sessions, and one or more of a prescribed session frequency and a prescribed duration for each session. 
     
     
         20 . The light treatment dispensing device of  claim 19 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a permitted adjustment to one of more of the plurality of treatment control parameters.