Light source module with adjustable diffusion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016337564-A1
Application number	US-201514711707-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 13, 2015
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A light source module includes an array of illumination elements and a light diffusing material. The light source module is configured to receive a control signal for adjusting diffusion of light emitted from the light source module and in response adjust the amount of diffusion of light emitted from the light source module. A light source module may include a segmented light diffusing material where each segment is associated with an illumination element. And individual segments may have light diffusing properties that are different than other segments of the light diffusing material. Some illumination elements may emit light of a different color spectrum than other illumination elements, and a light diffusing material may scatter the different colored light to illuminate a scene with combinations of light of different colors. A light source module may be embedded in a mobile computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mobile computing device, comprising:
a camera; a light source module embedded in the mobile device, the light source module comprising:
an illumination array comprising a plurality of illumination elements configured to emit light;
a light diffusing material; and
a housing, wherein the housing is configured to position the light diffusing material relative to the illumination array such that the light emitted from one or more of the plurality of illumination elements of the illumination array passes through the light diffusing material when emitted from the light source module; and
a controller configured to:
detect one or more characteristics of a field of view of the camera via information received from the camera; and
apply one or more control signals to the light source module to adjust a level of diffusion of light emitted from the light source module based, at least in part, on the detected one or more characteristics of the field of view of the camera.

2 . The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the light diffusing material positioned in the housing comprises a plurality of segments, wherein each segment of the light diffusing material has a light diffusing property different from one or more other segments of the plurality of segments; and to adjust the diffusion of the light emitted from the light source module, the controller is further configured to apply the one or more control signals to selectively illuminate one or more of the plurality of illumination elements of the illumination array, wherein individual illumination elements of the illumination array are respectively associated with one or more particular segments of the plurality of segments of the light diffusing material.

3 . The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the light diffusing material positioned in the housing is configured to adjust a light diffusing property of the light diffusing material based on application of an electric current or voltage to the light diffusing material; and to adjust the level of diffusion of the light emitted from the light source module, the controller is configured to apply the one or more control signal to adjust the electric current or voltage applied to the light diffusing material.

4 . The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the light diffusing material has a light diffusing property such that when the light source module is not emitting light a view of internal components of the light source module is obscured.

5 . A light source module, comprising:
a plurality of illumination elements; and a light diffusing material configured to diffuse light emitted from one or more of the plurality of illumination elements; wherein the light source module is configured to be embedded in a mobile computing device and is further configured to:
receive one or more control signals for adjusting an amount of diffusion for light emitted from the light source module; and
adjust, in response to receiving the one or more control signals, the amount of diffusion of the light emitted from the light source module.

6 . The light source module of claim 5 , wherein:
the light diffusing material comprises a plurality of segments, wherein each segment of the plurality of segments has a light diffusing property different from one or more other segments of the plurality of segments; and to adjust, in response to receiving the one or more control signal, the level of diffusion of the light emitted from the light source module, the light source module illuminates one or more of the plurality of illumination elements, wherein individual illumination elements are respectively associated with one or more particular segments of the plurality of segments of the light diffusing material.

7 . The light source module of claim 6 , wherein:
each of the plurality of segments are associated with respective ones of the plurality of illumination elements that each emit a particular color spectrum of light; and at least some of the illumination elements associated with a particular segment emit a different particular color spectrum of light than other illumination elements associated with other segments of the plurality of segments.

8 . The light source module of claim 6 , wherein:
at least one of the plurality of illumination elements is configured to emit light at a controllable intensity in accordance with the one or more control signals, wherein at least one of the one or more control signals is received by a particular illumination element of the at least one controllable illumination elements independent of other control signals of the one or more control signals received by other illumination elements.

9 . The light source module of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of reflectors, wherein individual illumination elements of the plurality of illumination elements are coupled in separate respective reflectors of the plurality of reflectors such that light emitted from a respective illumination element is directed towards the one or more respective particular segments of the light diffusing material associated with the respective illumination element via the respective reflector.

10 . The light source module of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of reflectors comprises a different shape reflector than other reflectors of the plurality of reflectors.

11 . The light source module of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of reflectors comprises one or more of: (a) a circular reflector, (b) a square reflector, or (c) a polygonal reflector.

12 . The light source module of claim 6 , further comprising one or more reflectors, wherein the plurality of illumination elements comprises a particular plurality of illumination elements associated with one or more particular segments of the plurality of segments of the light diffusing material, wherein the particular plurality of illumination elements are coupled in a respective reflector of the one or more reflectors such that light emitted from the particular plurality of illumination elements is directed towards the one or more respective particular segments of the light diffusing material associated with the particular plurality of illumination elements via the respective reflector.

13 . The light source module of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of illumination elements coupled in the respective reflector are separated from each other by a reflective partition.

14 . The light source module of claim 5 , wherein:
a light diffusing property of the light diffusing material is adjustable based on application of an electric current or voltage to the light diffusing material; and to adjust the amount of diffusion of the light emitted from the light source module, an electric current or voltage applied to the light diffusing material is adjusted.

15 . The light source module of claim 5 , wherein the light diffusing material has a light diffusing property such that when the light source module is not emitting light a view of internal components of the light source module is obscured.

16 . The light source module of claim 5 further comprising:
a layer in addition to the light diffusing material, wherein the additional layer comprises electrochromic glass or a polymer dispersed liquid crystal display, wherein the additional layer is configured to change a light transmission property of the additional layer from clear to opaque based on application of an electric current or voltage to the additional layer; wherein:
the additional layer is positioned adjacent to the light diffusing

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Fournier Florian R
• Alaimo Angelo M
• Lee Simon S
• Scepanovic Miodrag
• Weber Andreas G

Classifications

• G03B15/05 Primary

  Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units · CPC title

• H04N23/56 Primary

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/74

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• G03B2215/05

  Combinations of cameras with electronic flash units · CPC title