Variable light source

Abstract

A light source includes features configured to compensate for discontinuous solid state sources. The light source can produce a wide color gamut in display, and improved color rendering of tissue under observation by phosphor gap filling with colored LEDs. The light source can include provisions to depart from a white light spectrum to heighten differences in anatomical features or functions. The light source can include provisions to introduce narrow-band solid-state sources for producing false-color and pseudo-color images, with variable color rendering to change the power spectral distribution and to compensate for fiber optic length and fiber optic diameter tip sensing.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An illumination device comprising:
 at least one sub-source comprising a plurality of light emitters configured to produce light flux; and   a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers comprising a first end portion configured to receive the light flux from a corresponding light emitter and a second end portion configured to emit the received light flux, the light emitters arranged in a first pattern, the first end portions arranged in the first pattern, and the second end portions are arranged in a second pattern different from the first pattern.   
     
     
         16 . The illumination device of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one sub-source comprises an array of sub-sources. 
     
     
         17 . The illumination device of  claim 16 , wherein the array of sub-sources is arranged in a rectilinear, square, or rectangular first sub-pattern, the light emitters of each sub-source arranged in a rectilinear, square, or rectangular second sub-pattern, the first pattern comprising the first sub-pattern and the second sub-pattern, and the second end portions are arranged in a circular pattern. 
     
     
         18 . The illumination device of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers are mechanically coupled together in at least one first end assembly containing the first end portions and at least one second end assembly containing the second end portions. 
     
     
         19 . The illumination device of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one first end assembly has a non-round format and the at least one second end assembly has a round format or a different non-round format. 
     
     
         20 . The illumination device of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one first end assembly has a square format and the at least one second end assembly has a round format. 
     
     
         21 . The illumination device of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers are configured to be moved such that the second end portions are positioned at various selected locations relative to the first end portions. 
     
     
         22 . The illumination device of  claim 15 , wherein the first end portions are tapered. 
     
     
         23 . The illumination device of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers are mechanically coupled together in a plurality of end assemblies containing the first end portions and one second end assembly containing the second end portions. 
     
     
         24 . The illumination device of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers are mechanically coupled together in a plurality of end assemblies containing the first end portions and a plurality of second end assemblies containing the second end portions. 
     
     
         25 . The illumination device of  claim 15 , wherein the first end portions are tapered with respect to the second end portions such that the first end portions are smaller than the second end portions. 
     
     
         26 . The illumination device of  claim 15 , wherein the second end portions are tapered with respect to the first end portions such that the second end portions are smaller than the first end portions.