Flash illumination system

• US 8,845,115 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holman, Robert L., Sampsell, Matthew B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sufleta, II, Gerald J
• Application Number:
  US13/398,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20130215596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 362/3, 362 11- 12, 362 16- 18, 257 98-100, 396/200
• US Class Current: 362/11
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0567 Solid-state light source, e.g. LED, laser
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0571 With second light source
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0582 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Systems and methods for flash illumination are disclosed. In one aspect, a flash illumination system includes sections each including a light source and a reflector. Each of the light sources includes a single light-emitting region having a first centroid and a package surrounding the single light-emitting region. The package has an exit aperture having a second centroid. The first centroid can be laterally offset from the second centroid. The reflectors include an input aperture, an output aperture, and one or more sidewalls therebetween. The input aperture is optically coupled to the exit aperture. One or more sidewalls are configured to collimate light propagating from the light source.

Claims

1. A flash illumination system comprising:

four sections in a cross-quad configuration, the four sections including a first section, a second section lateral to the first section, a third section lateral to the first section and caddy-corner to the second section, and a fourth section lateral to the second section, lateral to the third section, and caddy-corner to the first section, each of the four sections including;

a light source including

a single light-emitting region having a first centroid, and

a package surrounding the single light-emitting region, the package having an exit aperture, the exit aperture having a second centroid, the first centroid laterally offset from the second centroid; and

a reflector including

an input aperture optically coupled to the exit aperture of the package,

an output aperture, and

one or more sidewalls between the input aperture and the output aperture, the one or more sidewalls configured to collimate light propagating from the light source,

wherein the four sections include

a first single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the first single light-emitting region in a lower right portion of the first section,

a second single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the second single light-emitting region in an upper right portion of the second section,

a third single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the third single light-emitting region in an upper left portion of the third section, and

a fourth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the fourth single light-emitting region in a lower left portion of the fourth section, or

wherein the four sections include

a fifth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the fifth single light-emitting region in an upper right portion of the first section,

a sixth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the sixth single light-emitting region in a lower left portion of the second section,

a seventh single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the seventh single light-emitting region in the upper left portion of the third section, and

an eighth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the eighth single light-emitting region in a lower right portion of the fourth section.

2. The flash illumination system of claim 1,

wherein the single light-emitting region includes a light emitting diode (LED) chip, and

wherein the package includes phosphor surrounding the LED chip.

3. The flash illumination system of claim 2,

wherein the LED chip includes a blue LED chip, and

wherein the phosphor includes yellow phosphor.

4. The flash illumination system of claim 2, wherein the package includes a resin including the phosphor.

5. The flash illumination system of claim 1,

wherein the single light-emitting region includes a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) chips, and

wherein the package includes phosphor surrounding the plurality of LED chips.

6. The flash illumination system of claim 1, wherein the light sources are configured to output white light.

7. The flash illumination system of claim 1, wherein the reflectors are configured to substantially preserve etendue.

8. The flash illumination system of claim 7, wherein the reflectors are configured to collimate light propagating from the light source at a half angle from about ±

90 degrees to about ±

30 degrees off a normal direction.

9. The flash illumination system of claim 7, wherein a distance between the input aperture and the output aperture of the reflectors is less than a calculated length configured to preserve etendue for a mathematically shaped reflector.

10. The flash illumination system of claim 9, wherein the calculated length is at least partially based on a first width of the input aperture, a second width of the output aperture, and a half angle of the collimated light propagating from the reflectors.

11. The flash illumination system of claim 1, wherein the sections include an optical element proximate to the output aperture.

12. The flash illumination system of claim 11, wherein the optical element includes at least one of a lens, a mirror, and a color filter.

13. A flash illumination system comprising:

four sections in a cross-quad configuration, the four sections including a first section, a second section lateral to the first section, a third section lateral to the first section and caddy-corner to the second section, and a fourth section lateral to the second section, lateral to the third section, and caddy-corner to the first section, each of the four sections including;

means for producing light including

means for emitting light, the light-emitting means having a first centroid, and

a package surrounding the light-emitting means, the package having an exit aperture, the exit aperture having a second centroid, the first centroid laterally offset from the second centroid; and

means for collimating light propagating from the light-producing means,

wherein the four sections include

a first light-emitting means, the first centroid of the first light-emitting means in a lower right portion of the first section,

a second light-emitting means, the first centroid of the second light-emitting means in an upper right portion of the second section,

a third light-emitting means, the first centroid of the third light-emitting means in an upper left portion of the third section, and

a fourth light-emitting means, the first centroid of the fourth light-emitting means in a lower left portion of the fourth section, or

wherein the four sections include

a fifth light-emitting means, the first centroid of the fifth light-emitting means in an upper right portion of the first section,

a sixth light-emitting means, the first centroid of the sixth light-emitting means in a lower left portion of the second section,

a seventh light-emitting means, the first centroid of the seventh light-emitting means in the upper left portion of the third section, and

an eighth light-emitting means, the first centroid of the eighth light-emitting means in a lower right portion of the fourth section.

14. The flash illumination system of claim 13,

wherein the light-producing means includes a light source, or

wherein the light-emitting means includes a single light-emitting region, or

wherein the light-collimating means includes a reflector including

an input aperture optically coupled to the exit aperture of light-producing means,

an output aperture, and

one or more sidewalls between the input aperture and the output aperture.

15. The flash illumination system of claim 13, wherein the light-producing means includes means for luminescing surrounding the light-emitting means.

16. The flash illumination system of claim 15,

wherein the light-emitting means includes a light emitting diode (LED) chip or a plurality of LED chips, and

wherein the luminescing means includes phosphor.

17. The flash illumination system of claim 16,

wherein the LED chip or the plurality of LED chips includes a blue LED chip or a plurality of blue LED chips, and

wherein the phosphors include yellow phosphor.

18. The flash illumination system of claim 13, wherein the light-collimating means are configured to substantially preserve etendue.

19. A method for fabricating a flash illumination system, the method comprising:

providing four sections in a cross-quad configuration in the flash illumination system, the four sections including a first section, a second section lateral to the first section, a third section lateral to the first section and caddy-corner to the second section, and a fourth section lateral to the second section, lateral to the third section, and caddy-corner to the first section;

for each of the four sections, optically coupling an input aperture of a reflector to an exit aperture of a package of a light source, the light source including a single light-emitting region having a first centroid, the exit aperture having a second centroid, the first centroid laterally offset from the second centroid, and the reflector including one or more sidewalls between the input aperture and an output aperture, the one or more sidewalls configured to collimate light propagating from the light source; and

arranging each of the single light-emitting regions within the cross-quad configuration

such that the four sections include

a first single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the first single light-emitting region in a lower right portion of the first section,

a second single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the second single light-emitting region in an upper right portion of the second section,

a third single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the third single light-emitting region in an upper left portion of the third section, and

a fourth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the fourth single light-emitting region in a lower left portion of the fourth section, or

such that the four sections include

a fifth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the fifth single light-emitting region in an upper right portion of the first section,

a sixth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the sixth single light-emitting region in a lower left portion of the second section,

a seventh single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the seventh single light-emitting region in the upper left portion of the third section, and

an eighth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the eighth single light-emitting region in a lower right portion of the fourth section.

20. The method of claim 19,

wherein the single light-emitting regions include a blue LED chip, and

wherein the packages include yellow phosphor surrounding the blue LED chip.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the reflectors are configured to substantially preserve etendue.

22. A method of providing flash illumination, the method including, in each of four sections in a cross-quad configuration, the four sections including a first section, a second section lateral to the first section, a third section lateral to the first section and caddy-corner to the second section, and a fourth section lateral to the second section, lateral to the third section, and caddy-corner to the first section:

producing light from a light source within a respective section, the light source including

a single light-emitting region having a first centroid, and

a package surrounding the single light-emitting region, the package having an exit aperture, the exit aperture having a second centroid, the first centroid laterally offset from the second centroid; and

collimating the light propagating from the light source with one or more sidewalls of a reflector, the one or more sidewalls between an input aperture and an output aperture, the input aperture optically coupled to the exit aperture of the package,

wherein the four sections include

a first single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the first single light-emitting region in a lower right portion of the first section,

a second single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the second single light-emitting region in an upper right portion of the second section,

a third single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the third single light-emitting region in an upper left portion of the third section, and

a fourth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the fourth single light-emitting region in a lower left portion of the fourth section, or

wherein the four sections include

a fifth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the fifth single light-emitting region in an upper right portion of the first section,

a sixth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the sixth single light-emitting region in a lower left portion of the second section,

a seventh single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the seventh single light-emitting region in the upper left portion of the third section, and

an eighth single light-emitting region, the first centroid of the eighth single light-emitting region in a lower right portion of the fourth section.

23. The method of claim 22,

wherein each of the single light-emitting regions includes a blue LED chip, and

wherein each of the packages includes yellow phosphor surrounding the blue LED chip.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein collimating the light includes substantially preserving etendue.