Directable light

• US 10,054,291 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2017
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: MacIntosh, Fraser I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowman, Mary Ellen
• Application Number:
  US15/399,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20180195695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/30 characterised by reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/645 by electro-optic means, e.g. liquid crystal or electrochromic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/02 Combinations of only two kinds of elements
• 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: F21V 7/00 Reflectors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505

Abstract

A directable light, the light comprising: a light source for generating light; a first reflector for forming said generated light into a beam; a light switching layer, located between said light source and said first reflector, said light switching layer comprising a plurality of portions, each of said portions having at least two states, in a first state said light switching layer being substantially transparent to said generated light and in a second state said light switching layer being substantially opaque to said generated light; and a light controller which determines which of said portions of said light switching layer are substantially transparent and which of said portions of said light switching layer are substantially opaque.

Claims

1. A directable light, the light comprising:

a light source for generating light;

a first reflector for forming said generated light into a beam;

a light switching layer, located between said light source and said first reflector such that said generated light travels through said light switching layer prior to being reflected by said first reflector, said light switching layer comprising a plurality of portions, each of said portions having at least two states, in a first state said light switching layer being substantially transparent to said generated light and in a second state said light switching layer being substantially opaque to said generated light; and

a light controller which determines which of said portions of said light switching layer are substantially transparent and which of said portions of said light switching layer are substantially opaque.

2. The light of claim 1, wherein said light switching layer comprises a liquid crystal panel.

3. The light of claim 1, wherein at least a first portion of said first reflector is located at a different distance from said light source from at least a second portion of said first reflector.

4. The light of claim 1, wherein said light controller comprises a first predetermined configuration which causes said switching layer to have portions which are substantially transparent and portions which are substantially opaque so as to direct said beam to the right, suitable for a vehicle used on a road where vehicles drive on the right hand side of the road and a second predetermined configuration which causes said switching layer to have portions which are substantially transparent and portions which are substantially opaque so as to direct said beam to the left, suitable for a vehicle used on a road where vehicles drive on the left hand side of the road.

5. The light of claim 1, wherein said light controller comprises a predetermined configuration which causes said switching layer to have portions which are substantially transparent and portions which are substantially opaque so as to direct said beam according to the intended direction of travel of the vehicle.

6. The light of claim 1, wherein said light controller comprises a predetermined configuration which causes said switching layer to have portions which are substantially transparent and portions which are substantially opaque so as to direct said beam to vary the beam angle relative to the ground.

7. The light of claim 1, wherein said light controller comprises a predetermined configuration which causes said switching layer to have portions which are substantially transparent and portions which are substantially opaque so as to direct said beam to maintain a substantially constant angle relative to the ground.

8. A method of configuring the output of a light source in a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a first reflector for forming the output of the light source into a beam, the first reflector located in directions contained within a hemisphere centered on the light source;

providing a light switching layer, located between the light source and the first reflector such that generated light of the light source travels through the light switching layer prior to being reflected by the first reflector, the light switching layer comprising a plurality of portions, each portion having at least two states, in a first state being substantially transparent to the generated light and in a second state being substantially opaque to the generated light; and

providing a light controller which determines which portions of the light switching layer are substantially transparent and which portions are substantially opaque.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing a first predetermined configuration which causes said switching layer to have portions which are substantially transparent and portions which are substantially opaque so as to direct said beam to the right, suitable for a vehicle used on a road where vehicles drive on the right hand side of the road and providing a second predetermined configuration which causes said switching layer to have portions which are substantially transparent and portions which are substantially opaque so as to direct said beam to the left, suitable for a vehicle used on a road where vehicles drive on the left hand side of the road.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing a predetermined configuration which causes said switching layer to have portions which are substantially transparent and portions which are substantially opaque so as to direct said beam according to the intended direction of travel of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing a predetermined configuration which causes said switching layer to have portions which are substantially transparent and portions which are substantially opaque so as to direct said beam to vary the beam angle relative to the ground.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing a predetermined configuration which causes said switching layer to have portions which are substantially transparent and portions which are substantially opaque so as to direct said beam to maintain a substantially constant angle to the ground.