LIGHT OUTPUT DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD

• US 20100060821A1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wang, Lingli, De Boer, Dirk Kornelis Gerhardus
• Granted Patent: US 8,665,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/69
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10541 comprising a light source or a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/003 by interposition of elements with electrically controlled variable light transmissivity, e.g. liquid crystal elements or electrochromic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

The present invention relates to a light output device (10) comprising a plurality of light source units (18) arranged in a laminated glass structure. The light output device is characterized by a plurality of switchable liquid crystal-based (24) devices arranged to alter the beam shapes of light emitted by the light source units when in a beam shape altering mode. The present invention also relates to a method for controlling a light output device.

Claims

1. A light output device, comprising:

a plurality of light source units arranged in a laminated glass structure for emitting light, and

a plurality of switchable liquid crystal-based devices arranged to alter the beam shapes of light emitted by the light source units.

2. A light output device according to claim 1, wherein the switchable liquid crystal-based devices are selectively addressable.

3. A light output device according to claim 1, wherein the light source units are arranged between a top glass plate and a bottom glass plate of the laminated glass structure.

4. A light output device according to claim 3, wherein said top glass plate forms a bottom transparent element, having a fixed refractive index, of each switchable liquid crystal-based device.

5. A light output device according to claim 1, further comprising compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs) (20) for pre-collimating the light emitted by the light source units.

6. A light output device according to claim 1, wherein each light source unit comprises one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

7-8. -8. (canceled)