Light and bioelectric therapy pad

A light and bioelectric therapy pad for providing light stimulation and bioelectric stimulation to adjacent bodily tissue, including:

• a) a pad substrate;
• b) two or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a matrix and positioned on the pad substrate, each of the two or more LEDs having an anode and a cathode, the matrix of two or more LEDs including a plurality of spacially parallel and spaced-apart rows of LEDs, each row of LEDs having a first end and an opposite second end, and including more than two LEDs positioned from the first end to the second end of the row, and including a first group of LEDs and a second group of LEDs,
• c) a first header tracing extending proximate to, along one side of, and parallel with each row of LEDs, from the first end to the opposite second end, and a second header tracing extending proximate to, along the opposite side of, and parallel with each row of LEDs, from the first end to the opposite second end;
• d) wiring to connect the anode and cathode of each LED of each row of LEDs in parallel between the respective first header tracing and the second header tracing, wherein the first group of the LEDs is wired with the anode to the first header tracing and the cathode to the second header tracing, and the second group of LEDs is wired with the cathode to the first header tracing and the anode to the second header tracing;
• e) where each row of more than two LEDs, respective first and second header tracings, and wiring to connect each LED to said first and second header tracings, forms an approximate linear tracing (ALT) having a first end and a second end, and a centerline, and where the plurality of spacially parallel and spaced-apart rows of LEDs, respective first and second header tracings, and wiring to connect each LED to said first and second header tracings, form a plurality of ALTs in a parallel, side-by-side pattern having a spacing between centerlines of at least 4 mm;
• f) a first current supply tracing connected to the first header tracing at the first end of each ALT, and a second current supply tracing connected to the second header tracing at the opposite second end of each ALT, where the plurality of ALTs are wired in series, with a first current supply tracing of a first ALT wired to a second current supply tracing of a second ALT;
• g) an AC source connected to the plurality of ALTs;
• h) were a current flowing from the first current supply tracing to the second current supply tracing, during the positive drive cycle of the AC, flows through only the first group of LEDs and through both the first header tracing and the second header tracing in the same direction from the first end of the ALT to the second end of the ALT, resulting in light being emitted only from the first group of LEDs and in a unidirectional flow of current through the ALT from the first end to the second end, and in a magnetic field in a first direction around the ALT in accordance with Ampere's law;
• i) where a current flowing from the second current supply tracing to the first current supply tracing, during the negative drive cycle of the AC, flows through only the second group of LEDs and through both the first header tracing and the second header tracing in the same direction from the second end of the ALT to the first end of the ALT, resulting in light being emitted only from the second group of LEDs and in a unidirectional flow of current through the ALT from the second end to the first end, and in a magnetic field in an opposite second direction around the ALT in accordance with Ampere's law;
• j) where the oppositely-directed magnetic fields of an adjacent pair of ALTs during alternating positive drive cycles and negative drive cycles of the AC, induce eddy currents within a body tissue when the light and bioelectric therapy pad is placed adjacent the skin of a subject;
• and
• k) a light-transmissive, thermally-insulative, skin-facing film layer disposed over the pad substrate, through which the emitted light of the plurality of LEDs can pass.