Apparatus, systems and methods for processing and treating a biological fluid with light

Apparatus for treating a biological fluid comprising:

• a fluid treatment chamber for receiving said biological fluid;
• a light source with two arrays, each array with a plurality of lamps, said light source having one array disposed above said fluid treatment chamber and having another array disposed below said fluid treatment chamber;
• and
• a light sensing system with a plurality of light sensors for sensing the amount of light emitted by each array, wherein each light sensor of said plurality of light sensors is disposed adjacently to at least one of said plurality of lamps in each array.

A method of treating a biological fluid in apparatus with a fluid treatment chamber for receiving and a biological fluid, a light source with a plurality of lamps disposed either above or below said fluid treatment chamber to treat the biological fluid with light and a light sensing system with a plurality of light sensors, said method comprising the steps of:

• sensing the amount of light emitted by said plurality of lamps with said plurality of light sensors;
• developing a plurality of frequency signals from the plurality of light sensors, the frequency of each frequency signal from each of said plurality of light sensors related to the amount of light received by each light sensor;
• providing said plurality of frequency signals to a first multiplexer;
• multiplexing the plurality of frequency signals with said first multiplexer to provide a first multiplexed frequency signal;
• and
• counting the plurality of frequency signals in said first multiplexed frequency signal with a first counter to provide a first counted output signal representative of the amount of light emitted by said plurality of lamps.

A method of treating a biological fluid in apparatus with a fluid treatment chamber for receiving and a biological fluid, a light source with a plurality of lamps disposed in two arrays above and below said fluid treatment chamber to treat the biological fluid with light and a light sensing system with a plurality of light sensors, said method comprising the steps of:

• sensing the amount of light emitted by said plurality of lamps with said plurality of light sensors;
• developing a plurality of frequency signals from the plurality of light sensors, the frequency of each frequency signal from each of said plurality of light sensors related to the amount of light received by each light sensor;
• providing said plurality of frequency signals to a first multiplexer;
• multiplexing the plurality of frequency signals with said first multiplexer to provide a first multiplexed frequency signal;
• and
• counting the plurality of frequency signals in said first multiplexed frequency signal with a first counter to provide a first counted output signal representative of the amount of light emitted by said plurality of lamps.

An electronic control system for apparatus to receive and treat a biological fluid in a fluid treatment chamber with at least one light source comprising a plurality of lamps, said light source disposed either above or below said fluid treatment chamber, said electronic control system comprising:

• a plurality of sensors for sensing operative conditions in said apparatus;
• a light sensing system to sense the amount of light emitted by said plurality of lamps;
• a computer circuit board with a microprocessor and a memory for said microprocessor;
• and
• an interface circuit board to interface signals to and from said plurality of sensors and signals to and from said light sensing system with said computer board.

An electronic control system for apparatus to receive and treat a biological fluid in a fluid treatment chamber with at least one light source comprising a plurality of lamps, said light source disposed above and below said fluid treatment chamber, said electronic control system comprising:

• a plurality of sensors for sensing operative conditions in said apparatus;
• a light sensing system to sense the amount of light emitted by said plurality of lamps;
• a computer circuit board with a microprocessor and a memory for said microprocessor;
• and
• an interface circuit board to interface signals to and from said plurality of sensors and signals to and from said light sensing system with said computer board.

A method of calibrating a light sensing system for measuring the light intensity emitted by a plurality of lamps in a biological fluid treatment chamber with a first radiometer, said method comprising the steps of:

• inserting the first radiometer into said treatment chamber;
• taking measurements of the light intensity in said treatment chamber with said first radiometer;
• taking measurements of the light intensity in the treatment chamber with said light sensing system;
• and
• calculating at least one first calibration coefficient for said light sensing system based upon the differences in the measured light intensities.

A method of calibrating a light sensing system for measuring the light intensity emitted by a plurality of lamps in a biological fluid treatment chamber with a first radiometer, said method comprising the steps of:

• inserting the first radiometer into said treatment chamber;
• taking measurements of the light intensity in said treatment chamber with said first radiometer;
• taking measurements of the light intensity in the treatment chamber with said light sensing system;
• and
• calculating a plurality of first calibration coefficients for said light sensing system including one calibration coefficient for each light sensor, the calculation of the calibration coefficients based upon the differences in the measured light intensities.

A method of determining the light intensity emitted by a plurality of lamps in a biological fluid treatment apparatus having a treatment chamber, said apparatus having a light sensing system with at least one light sensor, a computer processing system with associated memory, and at least one calibration coefficient associated with said at least one light sensor stored in memory from a prior calibration procedure, said method comprising the steps of:

• taking measurements of the light intensity in the treatment chamber with said light sensing system;
• retrieving said at least one calibration coefficient from said memory;
• and
• applying said at least one calibration coefficient to the measured light intensity to obtain a corrected light intensity.

A method of determining the light intensity emitted by a plurality of lamps in a biological fluid treatment apparatus having a treatment chamber, said apparatus having a light sensing system with a plurality of light sensors, a computer processing system with associated memory, and a plurality of calibration coefficients with one calibration coefficient associated with each light sensor stored in memory from a prior calibration procedure, said method comprising the steps of:

• taking measurements of the light intensity in the treatment chamber with said light sensing system;
• retrieving said plurality of calibration coefficients from said memory;
• and
• applying said plurality of calibration coefficients to the measured light intensity to obtain a corrected light intensity.

A method of determining the length of treatment of a biological fluid with a desired illumination dose in a biological fluid treatment apparatus having a treatment chamber, said apparatus having a light sensing system, a computer processing system with associated memory, and at least one calibration coefficient stored in memory from a prior calibration procedure, said method comprising the steps of:

• measuring the light intensity in the treatment chamber with said light sensing system;
• retrieving said at least one calibration coefficient from said memory;
• applying said at least one calibration coefficient to the measured light intensity to obtain a corrected light intensity;
• and
• using the corrected light intensity and the desired illumination dose to determine the treatment time.

A method of determining the length of treatment of a biological fluid with a desired illumination dose in a biological fluid treatment apparatus having a treatment chamber, said apparatus having a light sensing system, a computer processing system with associated memory, and at least one calibration coefficient stored in memory from a prior calibration procedure, said method comprising the steps of:

• measuring the light intensity in the treatment chamber with said light sensing system;
• retrieving said at least one calibration coefficient from said memory;
• applying said at least one calibration coefficient to the measured light intensity to obtain a corrected light intensity;
• updating a previously determined illumination dose;
• and
• using the corrected light intensity, the previously determined illumination dose and the desired illumination dose to determine the remaining treatment time.

A method of determining the length of treatment of a biological fluid with a desired illumination dose in a biological fluid treatment apparatus having a treatment chamber, said apparatus having a light sensing system with a plurality of light sensors, a computer processing system with associated memory, and a plurality of calibration coefficients stored in memory from a prior calibration procedure, said method comprising the steps of:

• measuring the light intensity in the treatment chamber with said light sensing system;
• retrieving said plurality of calibration coefficients from said memory;
• applying said plurality of calibration coefficients to the measured light intensity to obtain a corrected light intensity;
• and
• using the corrected light intensity and the desired illumination dose to determine the treatment time.

A method of determining the length of treatment of a biological fluid with a desired illumination dose in a biological fluid treatment apparatus having a treatment chamber, said apparatus having a light sensing system with a plurality of light sensors, a computer processing system with associated memory, and a plurality of calibration coefficients stored in memory from a prior calibration procedure, said method comprising the steps of:

• measuring the light intensity in the treatment chamber with said light sensing system;
• retrieving said plurality of calibration coefficients from said memory;
• applying said plurality of calibration coefficients to the measured light intensity to obtain a corrected light intensity;
• updating a previously determined illumination dose;
• and
• using the corrected light intensity, the previously determined illumination dose and the desired illumination dose to determine the remaining treatment time.