ADAPTIVE LIGHTING SYSTEM WITH III-NITRIDE LIGHT EMITTING DEVICES

• US 20110205049A1
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Philips Lumileds Lighting Company LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.), Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Lumileds Lighting Company LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.), Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: KMETEC, Jeffrey D., STERANKA, Frank M.
• Application Number:
  US12/709,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205049A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/465
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/30 Indexing codes relating to the vehicle environment
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/324 Road inclination, e.g. uphill or downhill
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/332 on city roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/333 on suburban or country roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/334 on motorways
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 Wavelength conversion elements

Abstract

A device includes a light source, a sensor, and a controller. The light source includes at least one light emitting device connected to a mount. The light emitting device comprises a plurality of segments with neighboring segments spaced less than 200 microns apart. In some embodiments, the plurality of segments are grown on a single growth substrate. Each segment includes a III-nitride light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. The mount is configured such that at least two segments may be independently activated. The controller is coupled between the sensor and the mount. The controller is operable to receive an input from the sensor and based on the input, selectively illuminate at least one segment in the light source.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a light source comprising at least one light emitting device connected to a mount, the light emitting device comprising a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a III-nitride light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region, wherein neighboring segments are spaced less than 200 microns apart, wherein the mount is configured such that at least two segments may be independently activated;

a sensor; and

a controller coupled between the sensor and the mount, wherein the controller is operable to receive an input from the sensor and based on the input, selectively energize at least one segment in the light source.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of segments are grown on a single growth substrate.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein adjacent segments are separated by a trench.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the trench is filled with a dielectric.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the growth substrate is removed from each light emitting device.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein at least two neighboring segments share a single n-type region.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a wavelength converting material disposed over at least one light emitting device in the light source.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a user-activated switch.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor is operable to indicate an orientation of the light source relative to gravity.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor is operable to indicate whether a wheel on an automobile is turned.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a machine vision system.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a switch that is user-activated or automatically-activated, wherein the switch controls every segment identically.