1. An implant for controlled, sustained drug release comprising:
a pharmacologically acceptable biodegradable polymer which is degraded at the site of implantation, wherein said biodegradable polymer comprises at least about 20 weight percent of the implant;
a first therapeutically active agent at a concentration from 10 to 50 weight percent of the implant;
a release modulator comprising hydroxy-propylmethylcellulose at a concentration from 10 to 50 weight percent of the implant, and said release modulator further comprising a second therapeutically active agent having a different activity than the first therapeutically active agent;
wherein said implant is an anhydrous solid structure which is degraded at the site of implantation and releases said first therapeutically active agent within a therapeutic dosage which does not vary by more than about 100% for a period of at least about 3 days after implantation;
wherein said anhydrous solid structure is a particle, sheet, plaque, fiber, microcapsule or disc.
2. An implant according to claim 1, wherein said first therapeutically active agent is a steroid and said second therapeutically active agent is a water soluble antibiotic.
3. An implant according to claim 1, wherein said first therapeutically active agent is a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug and said second therapeutically active agent is a water soluble antibiotic.
4. An implant according to claim 1 wherein said biodegradable polymer is poly-lactic acid glycolic acid copolymer.
5. An implant for controlled, sustained drug release comprising:
poly-lactic acid glycolic acid copolymer at a concentration of at least about 20 weight percent of the implant;
a therapeutically active antiinflammatory drug at a concentration from 10 to 50 weight percent of the implant;
a release modulator comprising hydroxy-propylmethylcellulose at a concentration from 10 to 50 weight percent of the implant said release modulator further comprising a second therapeutically active agent having a different activity than the antiinflammatory drug;
wherein said implant is an anhydrous solid structure which releases said therapeutically active antiinflammatory within a therapeutic dosage that does not vary by more than about 100% for a period of at least about 3 days.
6. An implant for controlled, sustained drug release comprising:
poly-lactic acid glycolic acid copolymer at a concentration of at least about 20 weight percent of the implant;
a therapeutically active steroid at a concentration from 10 to 50 weight percent of the implant;
a release modulator comprising hydroxy-propylmethylcellulose at a concentration from 10 to 50 weight percent of the implant, and said release modulator further comprising a second therapeutically active agent having a different activity than the steroid;
wherein said implant is an anhydrous solid structure which is degraded at the site of implantation and releases said therapeutically active steroid within a therapeutic dosage which does not vary by more than about 100% for a period of at least about 3 days after implantation.
7. An implant according to claim 6, wherein said anhydrous solid structure is a particle, sheet, patch, plaque, fiber, microcapsule or disc.
8. An implant according to claim 6 wherein said second therapeutically active agent is a hydrophilic compound.
9. An implant according to claim 8 wherein said second therapeutically active agent is a water soluble antibiotic.
10. An implant for controlled, sustained drug release comprising:
poly-lactic acid glycolic acid copolymer at a concentration of at least about 20 weight percent of the implant;
a therapeutically active non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug at a concentration from 10 to 50 weight percent of the implant;
a release modulator comprising hydroxy-propylmethylcellulose at a concentration from 10 to 50 weight percent of the implants and the release modulator further comprising a second therapeutically active agent having a different activity than the therapeutically active non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug;
wherein said implant is an anhydrous solid structure which releases said therapeutically active non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug within a therapeutic dosage which does not vary by more than about 100% for a period of at least about 3 days after implantation.
11. An implant according to claim 10, wherein said second therapeutically active agent is a hydrophilic compound.
12. An implant according to claim 11, wherein said second therapeutically active agent is a water soluble antibiotic.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for detecting radiant energy with a light sensing apparatus, the light sensing apparatus comprising a phototransistor circuit configured with an adjustable sensitivity and a signal conditioning circuit, the method comprising:
detecting radiant energy from a UV lamp system at a first power level and at a second power level; and
adjusting the light sensing apparatus to provide a first signal that corresponds to the first power level and a second signal that corresponds to the second power level.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the phototransistor circuit configured with an adjustable sensitivity comprises:
a three terminal phototransistor comprising a base, an emitter, and a collector;
a first capacitor coupled to the base; and
an adjustable resistance coupled to the base in parallel with the capacitor.
3. The method of claim 1,
wherein the phototransistor circuit comprises a bipolar junction transistor.
4. The method of claim 2,
wherein the phototransistor circuit comprises a bipolar junction transistor.
5. The method of claim 2,
wherein the adjustable resistance comprises a potentiometer.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises:
a sensor output terminal;
a second capacitor coupled between the emitter and the sensor output terminal, wherein a first end of the second capacitor is coupled to the emitter and a second end of the second capacitor is coupled to the sensor output terminal;
a resistor coupled between the collector and the sensor output terminal, wherein a first end of the resistor is coupled to the collector and a second end of the resistor is coupled to the sensor output terminal.
7. The method of claim 1,
wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises a low-pass filter.
8. The method of claim 2,
wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises a low-pass filter.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the adjusting step comprises:
measuring the first signal; and
adjusting the adjustable resistance.
10. A method for detecting radiant energy with a light sensing apparatus, the light sensing apparatus comprising a phototransistor circuit configured with an adjustable sensitivity and a signal conditioning circuit, the method comprising:
configuring an UV lamp to provide radiant energy at or above a first power level;
detecting certain of the radiant energy provided by the UV lamp system;
measuring a first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy at or above the first power level;
adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is at a first signal ON level;
configuring the UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at a second power level, where the second power level is less than the first power level;
measuring the first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy at the second power level; and
determining if the first signal is at a first signal failure level.
11. The method of claim 10,
wherein the first signal ON level is greater than the first signal failure level.
12. The method of claim 10,
wherein the first signal ON level is less than the first signal failure level.
13. The method of claim 10,
wherein adjusting the light sensing apparatus further includes adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is above the first signal ON level.
14. The method of claim 10,
wherein adjusting the light sensing apparatus further includes adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is below the first signal ON level.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein if the first signal is not at the first signal failure level further performing the steps of:
configuring the UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at or above the first power level;
detecting certain of the radiant energy provided by the UV lamp system;
measuring the first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy at or above the first power level;
adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is at a first signal ON level.
16. A method for detecting radiant energy with a light sensing apparatus, the light sensing apparatus comprising a phototransistor circuit configured with an adjustable sensitivity and a signal conditioning circuit, the method comprising:
configuring a first UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at a first UV lamp system failure power level;
configuring a second UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at or above a second UV lamp system ON power level;
detecting at least certain of the radiant energy provided by the second UV lamp system at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level;
measuring a first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy provided by the first UV lamp system at the first UV lamp system failure power level and the second UV lamp system at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level;
adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is at a first signal failure level;
configuring the first UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at or above a first UV lamp system ON power level, where the power provided at the first UV lamp system ON power level is greater than the power provided at first UV lamp system failure power level;
detecting at least certain of the radiant energy provided by the first UV lamp system at or above the first UV lamp system power level;
configuring the second UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at a second UV lamp system failure power level, where the power provided at the second UV lamp system failure power level is less than the power provided at the second UV lamp system ON power level;
measuring the first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy of the first UV lamp system at or above the first UV lamp system ON power level and the second UV lamp system at the second UV lamp system failure power level; and
determining if the first signal is at a first signal ON level.
17. The method of claim 16,
wherein the first signal ON level is greater than the first signal failure level.
18. The method of claim 16,
wherein the first signal ON level is less than the first signal failure level.
19. The method of claim 16,
wherein adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is at a first signal failure level further includes adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is above the first signal failure level.
20. The method of claim 16,
wherein adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is at a first signal failure level further includes adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is below the first signal failure level.
21. The method of claim 16, where the radiant energy at the first UV lamp system failure power level is substantially no radiant energy.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein if the first signal is not at the ON signal level further performing the steps of:
configuring the first UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at the first UV lamp system failure power level;
configuring the second UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level;
detecting at least certain of the radiant energy provided by the second UV lamp system at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level;
measuring the first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy provided by the first UV lamp system at the first UV lamp system failure power level and the second UV lamp system at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level;
adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is at the first signal failure level.
23. A method for detecting radiant energy with a light sensing apparatus, the light sensing apparatus comprising a phototransistor circuit configured with an adjustable sensitivity and a signal conditioning circuit, the method comprising:
configuring a first UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at or above a first UV lamp system ON power level;
configuring a second UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at or above a second UV lamp system ON power level;
detecting certain of the radiant energy provided by the first UV lamp system at or above the first UV lamp system ON power level and the second UV lamp system at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level;
measuring a first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy provided by the first UV lamp system at or above the first UV lamp system ON power level and the second UV lamp system at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level;
adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is at a first signal ON level;
configuring the first UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at a first UV lamp system failure power level, where the power provided at the first UV lamp system failure power level is less than the power provided at the first UV lamp system ON power level;
measuring the first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy of the first UV lamp system at the first UV lamp system failure power level and the second UV lamp system at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level; and
determining if the first signal is at a first signal failure level.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
configuring the first UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at or above the first UV lamp system ON level;
configuring the second UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at a second UV lamp system failure power level, where the power provided at the second UV lamp system failure power level is less than the power provided at the second UV lamp system ON power level;
measuring the first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy of the first UV lamp system at or above the first UV lamp system ON power level and the second UV lamp system at the second UV lamp system failure power level; and
determining if the first signal is at the first signal failure level.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:
configuring the first UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at the first UV lamp system failure power level;
configuring the second UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at a second UV lamp system failure power level, where the power provided at the second UV lamp system failure power level is less than the power provided at the second UV lamp system ON power level;
measuring the first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy of the first UV lamp system at the first UV lamp system failure power level and the second UV lamp system at the second UV lamp system failure power level; and
determining if the first signal is at the first signal failure level.
26. The method of claim 25,
wherein the first signal ON level is greater than the first signal failure level.
27 The method of claim 25,
wherein the first signal ON level is less than the first signal failure level.
28. The method of claim 25,
wherein adjusting the light sensing apparatus further includes adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is above the first signal ON level.
29. The method of claim 25,
wherein adjusting the light sensing apparatus further includes adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is below the first signal ON level.
30. The method of claim 25, wherein if the first signal is not at the first signal failure level further performing the steps of:
configuring the first UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at or above the first UV lamp system ON power level;
configuring the second UV lamp system to provide radiant energy at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level;
detecting certain of the radiant energy provided by the first UV lamp system at or above the first UV lamp system ON power level and the second UV lamp system at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level;
measuring the first signal of the light sensing apparatus that corresponds to the radiant energy provided by the first UV lamp system at or above the first UV lamp system ON power level and the second UV lamp system at or above the second UV lamp system ON power level;
adjusting the light sensing apparatus so that the first signal is at the first signal ON level.
31. A UV lamp system comprising:
a first lamp configured to provide radiation output at or above a first lamp operational radiation output to an output region when in a first lamp operating state and to provide less than the first lamp operational radiation output to the output region when in a first lamp failure state; and
a second lamp configured to provide radiation output at or above a second lamp operational radiation output to the output region when in a second lamp operating state and to provide less than the second lamp operational radiation output to the output region when in a second lamp failure state; and
a light sensing apparatus comprising a phototransistor circuit configured with an adjustable sensitivity and a signal conditioning circuit;
where the light sensing apparatus in the output region is configured to generate an ON signal when the first lamp is in the first lamp operating state and the second lamp is in the second lamp operating state; and
where the light sensing apparatus in the output region is further configured to generate a failure signal when the first lamp is in the first lamp failure state and the second lamp is in the second lamp failure state.
32. The UV lamp system of claim 31,
where the light sensing apparatus in the output region is further configured to generate the failure signal when the first lamp is in the first lamp failure state and the second lamp is in the second lamp operating state; and
where the light sensing apparatus in the output region is further configured to generate the ON signal when the first lamp is in the first lamp operating state and the second lamp is in the second lamp failure state.
33. The UV lamp system of claim 31,
where the light sensing apparatus in the output region is further configured to generate the ON signal when the first lamp is in the first lamp failure state and the second lamp is in the second lamp operating state; and
where the light sensing apparatus in the output region is further configured to generate the ON signal when the first lamp is in the first lamp operating state and the second lamp is in the second lamp failure state.
34. The UV lamp system of claim 31,
wherein the ON signal level is greater than the failure signal level.
35. The UV lamp system of claim 31,
wherein the ON signal level is less than the failure signal level.
36. The UV lamp system of claim 31, wherein the phototransistor circuit configured with an adjustable sensitivity and a signal conditioning circuit is adjusted to provide a signal above the ON signal.
37. The UV lamp system of claim 31, wherein the phototransistor circuit configured with an adjustable sensitivity and a signal conditioning circuit is adjusted to provide a signal below the ON signal.
38. The UV lamp system of claim 31, wherein the phototransistor circuit configured with an adjustable sensitivity comprises:
a three terminal phototransistor comprising a base, an emitter, and a collector;
a first capacitor coupled to the base; and
an adjustable resistance coupled to the base in parallel with the capacitor.
39. The UV lamp system of claim 31, wherein the phototransistor circuit comprises a bipolar junction transistor.
40. The UV lamp system of claim 38, wherein the phototransistor circuit comprises a bipolar junction transistor.
41. The UV lamp system of claim 38, wherein the adjustable resistance comprises a potentiometer.
42. The UV lamp system of claim 38, wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises:
a sensor output terminal;
a second capacitor coupled between the emitter and the sensor output terminal, wherein a first end of the second capacitor is coupled to the emitter and a second end of the second capacitor is coupled to the sensor output terminal;
a resistor coupled between the collector and the sensor output terminal, wherein a first end of the resistor is coupled to the collector and a second end of the resistor is coupled to the sensor output terminal.
43. The UV lamp system of claim 31, wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises a low-pass filter.
44. The UV lamp system of claim 38, wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises a low-pass filter.