Endoscope with integrated, self-regulating light source

A light source for providing light to an endoscope over a fiber optic cable, said light source including:

• a light emitting element;
• a socket for receiving a fiber optical cable that is connectable to the endoscope, said socket being positioned so that when the fiber optic cable is inserted in said socket, light emitted by said light emitting element is transmitted through the fiber optic cable;
• a light intensity controller connected to said light emitting element for regulating the amount of light emitted by said light emitting element through said socket, wherein said light intensity controller is configured to selectively place said light emitting element in a standby mode in which said light emitting element emits a reduced amount of light;
• a clamp assembly adjacent said socket for holding the fiber optic cable in said socket, said clamp assembly including a sensor for generating a signal indicating if the fiber optic cable is inserted in said socket;
• a scope detector circuit attached to said socket for determining if a first type or a second type of fiber optic cable is inserted in said socket, and, if the second type fiber optic cable is inserted in said socket, it the fiber optic cable is connected to the endoscope, said scope detector circuit being connected to said clamp assembly sensor to receive the signal indicating when a fiber optic cable is inserted in said socket and being connected to said light intensity controller, wherein:
• when the signal from said clamp assembly sensor indicates the fiber optic cable is not inserted in said socket, said scope detector circuit forces said light intensity controller to place said light emitting element in the standby mode;
• when the signal from said clamp assembly sensor indicates the fiber optic cable is inserted in said socket and said scope detector circuit determines that the cable is a first type fiber optic cable, said scope detector circuit causes said light intensity controller to release said light emitting element from the standby mode regardless of the connected/disconnected state of the fiber optic cable to the endoscope;
• when the signal from said clamp assembly sensor indicates the fiber optic cable is inserted in said socket and said scope detector circuit determines that the cable is a second type fiber optic cable and the fiber optic cable is disconnected from the endoscope, said scope detector circuit causes said light intensity controller to force said light emitting element to the standby mode;
• and
• when the signal from said clamp assembly sensor indicates the fiber optic cable is inserted in said socket and said scope detector circuit determines that the cable is a second type fiber optic cable and the fiber optic cable is connected to the endoscope, said scope detector circuit causes said light intensity controller to release said light emitting element from the standby mode.

A light source for providing light to an endoscope over a fiber optic cable, the fiber optic cable having a plug with conductive contacts, said light source including:

• a light emitting element;
• a socket for receiving the fiber optical cable, said socket being positioned so that when the fiber optic cable is inserted in said socket, light emitted by said light emitting element is transmitted through the fiber optic cable;
• a light intensity controller connected to said light emitting element for regulating the amount of light emitted by said light emitting element through said socket;
• a clamp assembly adjacent said socket for holding the fiber optic cable in said socket, said clamp assembly including a jaw for securing the plug of the fiber optic cable;
• and
• a scope detector circuit, said scope detector circuit including two terminals for establishing conductive paths with the contacts of the fiber optic cable plug, wherein said jaw of said clamp assembly is one of said terminals, said scope detector circuit being configured to monitor a signal across the contacts of the plug and being connected to said light intensity controller, wherein, based on the signal across the contacts of the plug, said scope detector circuit controls said light intensity control to cause said light emitting element to emit a select amount of light.