LED lamp provided with a variable-geometry beam device

• US 9,452,705 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zedel
• Original Assignee: Zedel
• Inventors: Bouffay, Boris, Maurice, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US14/020,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20140009066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 250/200, 250/201.1, 250/201.2, 250/204, 250/205, 250/552, 315 76- 77, 315/80, 315/82
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/00 Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/005 the device being a pocket lamp F21L4/022, F21L4/045, F21L4/085 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/00 Controlling the distribution of the light emitted by adjustment of elements reflectors with provision for adjusting the curvature F21V7/16; light filters or the like with provision for controlling the colour or intensity F21V9/40; screens using adjustable parallel laminae or strips F21V11/04; screens using iris-type diaphragms F21V11/10; screens using movable sheets without apertures F21V11/18; adjustable mountings for lighting devices F21V21/14
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0478 by means of an image recording device, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 25/00 Safety devices structurally associated with lighting devices gas- tight or water-tight arrangements F21V31/00; in general F16P; protective circuit arrangements per se H02H7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/40 with provision for controlling spectral properties, e.g. colour, or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Lamp comprising:

• • a light source comprising one or more LED type diodes;
  • control means for controlling the geometry of the light beam of said light source in response to a control information or a control signal;
  • a control unit for generating said control information or said control signal;
    wherein the control unit comprises a image sensor generating at least one image of the area illuminated by said light source and processing means for processing said image so as to generate said control information or said control signal.

Claims

1. A headlamp comprising:

a light source comprising one or more LED type diodes;

control means for controlling the geometry of the light beam of said light source in response to a control information or a control signal;

a control unit for generating said control information or said control signal;

wherein said headlamp is configured to be carried on a user'"'"'s head and allowing hand-free lighting for such user;

wherein said control unit comprises a image sensor included into said headlamp wherein said image sensor is configured for capturing an image of the scene being illuminated by said headlamp and said image sensor being further aligned with the axis of said LEDs, said image sensor generating at least one image arranged in pixels of the area illuminated by said light source and processing means for processing said image so as to generate said control information or said control signal.

2. The headlamp according to claim 1 wherein said light source comprise a display unit including at least two LED diodes, each having its focal optical system, and which powering is controlled by said control information or said control signal.

3. The headlamp according to claim 1 wherein said light source comprises one or more LED diodes associated to a controllable optical system, said optical system being controlled by said control information or said control signal.

4. The headlamp according to claim 1 wherein said light source comprises at least a first LED and a second LED, with slightly different axis and which the respective power currents are function of said control information or said control signal.

5. The headlamp according to anyone of claim 1, wherein said control module further comprises means for determining the speed, said image processor using both the image processing and said speed determination means for controlling the geometry of the light beam.

6. The headlamp according to claim 1 wherein said processing means determine a specific control area (SCA) within said image, being subject of the image processing so as to generate said control information or said control signal.

7. The headlamp according to claim 1 wherein said processing means comprises an image processor performing a computation of the average brightness of the pixels that are representative of said image for purposes of comparison with a threshold in order to generate said control information or said control signal.

8. The headlamp according to claim 7 further comprising a second sensor generating one second information representative of the reflected light intensity of the illuminated area, the control of the geometry of said light beam being derived from both said digital processing of the pixels and from said second reflection information.

9. The headlamp according to claim 1 wherein said image processor performs a contrast analysis on said image in order to detect fog, mist and/or smoke particles so as to generate said control information or said control signal.

10. The headlamp according to claim 1 wherein the processing means comprises means for configuration of the lamp, in particular according to one or more predetermined profiles.

11. The headlamp according to claim 10 wherein said configuration is carried out by means of a USB port for communicating with a computer, a touch pad, or a smart phone.

12. The headlamp according to claim 1 comprising:

a light source having one or more LED-type diodes;

means for controlling the geometry of the light beam of said light source in response to a control information or a control signal;

a control unit for generating said control information or said control signal, further comprising;

at least one infrared lamp having an axis offset from the axis of said light source;

control means of said infrared light to generate an infrared beam;

means for detecting a reflected infrared light, said control unit deriving from said detection an information representative of the presence of fog, mist and/or smoke particles to be forwarded to said control unit.

13. The headlamp according to anyone of claim 1 wherein the capturing and the processing of the images is achieved by means of a single integrated circuit.

14. A method for adjusting the light generated by a headlamp comprising one or more LEDs, comprising the steps of:

providing a headlamp comprising;

a light source comprising one or more LED type diodes;

control means for controlling the geometry of the light beam of said light source in response to a control information or a control signal;

a control unit for generating said control information or said control signal;

wherein said headlamp is configured to be carried on a user'"'"'s head and allowing hand-free lighting for such user;

wherein said control unit comprises an image sensor included into said headlamp wherein said image sensor is configured for capturing an image of the scene being illuminated by said headlamp and said image sensor being further aligned with the axis of said LEDs, processing means for processing said image so as to generate said control information or said control signal,

a controllable power unit for supplying power to the LED lamps and a control unit for controlling the light generated by the lamp

generating an image arranged in pixels of the area illuminated by said light source by means of said image sensor included into said headlamp;

storing said image in a storage memory; and

processing of said image to generate said control information or said control signal to said controllable power unit.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

using two LED diodes with slightly different axis and which the respective power currents are function of said control information or said control signal;

determining the speed, wherein said image processor uses speed determination means for controlling the geometry of the light beam;

determining a specific control area (SCA) within said image, being subject of the image processing so as to generate said control information or a control signal;

computing of the average brightness of the pixels that are representative of said image for purposes of comparison with a threshold in order to generate said control information or said control signal;

performing contrast analysis on said image in order to detect fog, mist and/or smoke particles so as to generate said control information or said control signal;

using processing means to configure the lamp according to one or more predetermined profiles;

communicating profiles with a computer, touch pad or smart phone using a USB port.