Apparatus for Spatially and Spectrally Adaptable Dichromatic White Light Source Using Spatial Light Modulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016377252-A1
Application number	US-201615163357-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 25, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In described examples of an illumination system, the illumination system includes: at least two illumination modules to output different color light beams to an illumination path; and illumination optics corresponding to each of the at least two illumination modules to receive the light beams and to provide illumination to a programmable spatial light modulator. The programmable spatial light modulator receives the illumination and outputs patterned light to projection optics. The projection optics receive the patterned light and output the patterned light as an output beam through a lens. A controller controls the intensity and duration of light output from the at least two illumination modules and controls the pattern of the spatial light modulator. The output beam is a color formed by combining the different color light beams. The output beam is spectrally tunable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An illumination system configured to project an output beam of light forward from a lens, the illumination system comprising:
at least two illumination modules, each configured to output a light beam to an illumination path, the at least two illumination modules configured to output different color light beams; illumination optics corresponding to each of the at least two illumination modules, configured to receive the different color light beams and configured to provide illumination to a programmable spatial light modulator; the spatial light modulator configured to receive the illumination and configured to output patterned light to projection optics; the projection optics configured to receive the patterned light and configured to output the patterned light as an output beam through the lens; and a controller coupled to the at least two illumination modules and to the spatial light modulator, configured to control the intensity and duration of light output from the at least two illumination modules and configured to control a pattern of the spatial light modulator; wherein the output beam is a color formed by combining the different color light beams, and the output beam is spectrally tunable.

2 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator further includes a digital micro-mirror device.

3 . The illumination system of claim 2 , wherein the digital micro-mirror device has tilt positions at +/−12 degrees with respect to an unpowered position.

4 . The illumination system of claim 2 , wherein the digital micro-mirror device has tilt positions at +/−17 degrees with respect to an unpowered position.

5 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein a first illumination module of the at least two illumination modules is configured to produce a light beam color using a phosphor.

6 . The illumination system of claim 5 , wherein a second illumination module of the at least two illumination modules is configured to produce a light beam color without using a phosphor.

7 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the output beam is a white light beam.

8 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein a first illumination module of the at least two illumination modules is configured to produce a yellow light beam, and wherein a second illumination module of the at least two illumination modules is configured to produce a blue light beam.

9 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the color of the output beam is spectrally tunable over an entire image.

10 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a dichroic mirror positioned to direct the light beams of the at least two illumination modules onto the spatial light modulator.

11 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator is configured to adaptively change a pattern of the output beam responsive to the controller.

12 . The illumination system of claim 11 , wherein the color of the output beam is spectrally tunable on a pixel basis.

13 . An automotive headlamp, comprising:
a first illumination source configured to output a first color light; a second illumination source configured to output a second color light different from the first color light; a digital micro-mirror device configured to receive the first color light and the second color light and to reflect the first color light and the second color light; a projection optics configured to receive reflected light from the digital micro-mirror device and configured to output a beam from the automotive headlamp that has a color that is a combination of the first and second colors; and a controller configured to control intensity and duration of the first illumination source and the second illumination source and to control a pattern on the digital micro-mirror device; wherein the controller is configured to spectrally tune the color of the output beam.

14 . The automotive headlamp of claim 13 , wherein the first illumination source further includes:
a phosphor configured to emit light when illuminated; and an illumination source configured to illuminate the phosphor.

15 . The automotive headlamp of claim 14 , wherein the phosphor is yellow, and the first color light is yellow light.

16 . The automotive headlamp of claim 13 , wherein the second illumination source is configured to emit light without a phosphor.

17 . The automotive headlamp of claim 16 , wherein the second illumination source emits blue light.

18 . The automotive headlamp of claim 13 , wherein the projection optics is configured to output a beam of white light that is a combination of the first color light and the second color light.

19 . An illumination system, comprising:
a digital micro-mirror device configured to reflect illumination light as a patterned light beam; projection optics positioned to receive the patterned light beam and to project an output light beam; a first illumination source configured to output light of a first color and further comprising laser diodes positioned to output light and a phosphor positioned to receive the output light after it is reflected from a first surface of a dichroic mirror, the phosphor configured to emit the first color light in response to the output light; a second illumination source configured to output light of a second color different from the first color and positioned to illuminate a second surface of the dichroic mirror; illumination optics configured to receive reflected light of the second color from the second surface of the dichroic mirror and further configured to receive the first color light from the phosphor transmitted through the dichroic mirror, and configured to transmit the received light of the first color and the second color to a surface of the digital micro-mirror device; and a controller configured to control intensity and duration of the light from the first illumination source and to control intensity and duration of the light from the second illumination source, and further configured to control the pattern on the digital micro-mirror device; wherein the output light beam is a visibly white color that is a combination of the first color and the second color.

20 . The illumination system of claim 19 , wherein the controller is configured to spectrally tune the white light over a portion of an entire beam.

Assignees

• Texas Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Bhakta Vikrant R

Classifications

• F21S41/16

  Laser light sources · CPC title

• F21S41/675 Primary

  by moving reflectors · CPC title

• F21V13/14

  the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements, reflectors and refractors · CPC title

• F21S41/176

  Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element · CPC title

• H05B45/00 Primary

  Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title