Controllable high luminance illumination with moving light-sources

• US 9,333,904 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumileds LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Dross, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): D A, Minh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alaeddini, Borna
• Application Number:
  US14/383,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 315/77, 315/78, 315/79, 315/80, 315/82, 315/83, 362512-514, 362/469
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/04 the devices being headlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/10 due to vehicle inclination, e.g. due to load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1415 Dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/16 illuminating the way asymmetrically
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions
• 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 41/147 the main emission direction of the LED being angled to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/657 by moving light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/43 using gas
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/60 Heating of lighting devices, e.g. for demisting

Abstract

The present invention relates to an illumination device (1) for providing a controllable illumination configuration. The illumination device comprises a light-source unit (2; 20) comprising a plurality of individually controllable solid state light-sources (8); and an optical element (3) arranged to modulate light from the solid state light-sources through a modulation area (16) of the optical element (3). The illumination device (1) further comprises an actuator (4) connected to the light-source unit (2) and controllable to move the light-source unit relative to the optical element (3) in such a way that the solid state light-sources (8) pass the modulation area (16) of the optical element (3) in succession; and a control unit (5) configured to control each of the solid state light-sources (8) to emit light with a time-varying intensity corresponding to the illumination configuration while the solid state light-source (8) moves past the modulation area of the optical element.

Claims

1. An illumination device for providing controllable illumination, said illumination device comprising:

a light-source unit comprising a plurality of individually controllable solid state light-sources;

an optical element arranged to modulate light from said solid state light-sources through a modulation area of said optical element;

an actuator connected to the light-source unit and controllable to move said light-source unit relative to said optical element in such a way that said solid state light-sources pass through said modulation area of the optical element in succession; and

a control unit configured to drive each of said solid state light-sources with a sequence of drive parameter values corresponding to an illumination configuration from when said solid state light-source enters said modulation area of the optical element until said solid state light-source leaves said modulation area of the optical element so said solid state light-source emits light with a time-varying intensity, said sequence of drive parameter values including at least three different drive parameter values.

2. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein said control unit comprises:

an input for receiving a control signal indicative of said illumination configuration;

processing circuitry configured to determine said sequence of drive parameter values corresponding to said desired illumination configuration; and

an output for providing said sequence of drive parameter values to each of said solid state light-sources depending on a position of said solid state light-source in said modulation area of the optical element.

3. The illumination device according to claim 2, wherein said output of the control unit is a wireless output for wirelessly providing said sequence of at least three drive parameter values to said solid state light-sources.

4. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of individually controllable solid state light-sources comprises:

a first set of solid state light-sources each following a first trajectory when moving past said modulation area of the optical element; and

a second set of solid state light-sources, each following a second trajectory different from the first trajectory when moving past said modulation area of the optical element.

5. The illumination device according to claim 4, wherein said first set of solid state light-sources comprises a first number of solid state light-sources and said second set of solid state light-sources comprises a second number of solid state light-sources, said first number being greater than said second number.

6. The illumination device according to claim 5, wherein said first number is at least two times said second number.

7. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein said light-source unit is arranged to be rotated about a rotational axis by said actuator.

8. The illumination device according to claim 7, wherein said rotational axis is substantially parallel with an optical axis of said optical element.

9. The illumination device according to claim 7, wherein said rotational axis is substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of said optical element.

10. The illumination device according to claim 7, wherein said solid state light-sources are arranged in a spiraling configuration.

11. The illumination device according to claim 1, further comprising a fan arrangement being drivable by said actuator to provide an air flow in a direction substantially parallel with an illumination direction of said illumination device.

12. The illumination device according to claim 11, wherein said fan arrangement is integrated in said light-source unit.

13. An automotive headlamp arrangement comprising an illumination device according to claim 1, being configured to provide a substantially horizontally extending illumination configuration when mounted in a vehicle.

14. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein said control unit is further configured to drive each of said solid state light-sources with another sequence of drive parameters corresponding to another illumination configuration while said solid state light-source moves through said modulation area of the optical element.

15. A method of providing controlled illumination, comprising the steps of:

providing a light-source unit comprising a plurality of individually controllable solid state light sources;

moving said light-source unit relative to an optical element in such a way that said solid state light-sources pass through a modulation area of the optical element in succession; and

driving each of said solid state light-sources with a sequence of drive parameter values corresponding to an illumination configuration from when said solid state light-source enters said modulation area of the optical element until said solid state light-source leaves said modulation area of the optical element so said solid state light-source emits light with a time varying intensity, said sequence of drive parameter values comprising at least three different drive parameter values.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said step of driving comprises the steps of:

acquiring a control signal indicative of said illumination configuration;

determining said sequence of drive parameter values corresponding to said illumination configuration; and

providing said sequence of drive parameter values to each of said light-sources depending on a position of said light-source in said modulation area of the optical element.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising driving each of said solid state light-sources with another sequence of drive parameters corresponding to another illumination configuration while said solid state light-source moves through said modulation area of the optical element.