# US 10,309,607 B2 · Lighting system

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- Number: US 10,309,607 B2
- Document ID: US10309607B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/574,127
- Filed: 2016-05-10
- Published: 2018-05-31
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-05-18
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Inventors: Ulrich Hechtfischer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309607B2

## CPC

- F21S 41/675: by moving reflectors
- F21S 41/16: Laser light sources
- F21S 41/176: Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
- F21S 41/285: {Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24 - F21S41/2805}
- F21S 41/365: successively reflecting the light
- G02B 26/0833: {the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B)}
- G02B 26/105: {with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors (G02B26/101 takes precedence)}
- G02B 27/0927: {Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat}
- G02B 27/0972: {Prisms (prisms per se G02B5/04)}
- G02B 27/0977: {Reflective elements}
- G02B 27/0983: {being curved}
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A lighting system includes a light source such as a laser, a scanning system such as a micro-mechanical mirror, and a converter element such as a phosphor. A redirection element is arranged in the optical path and has a discontinuity so that light is redirected to spaced apart locations on the converter element from adjacent locations on either side of the discontinuity. The redirection element increases the light's angular range. The lighting system may have a lens to project a desired pattern of light on the converter element forwards. A controller may control the scanning system to produce the desired pattern of light. The lighting system may adapt the pattern of light. The lighting system may be used in automotive applications.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lighting system comprising:
a light source, for emitting first light;
a wavelength converter element, configured to receive the first light and emit second light;
an optical path between the light source and the wavelength converter element;
a scanning system, arranged in the optical path and configured to direct the first light in a plurality of directions; and
a redirection element, arranged in the optical path between the scanning system and the wavelength converter element, the redirection element having a discontinuity;
wherein the redirection element is arranged to redirect the first light to spaced apart locations on the wavelength converter element from adjacent locations on either side of the discontinuity;
wherein:
the redirection element has a first section and a second section, the discontinuity being between the first and second sections;
the first section is arranged to redirect first light onto a first portion of the wavelength converter element;
the second section is arranged to redirect first light onto a different second portion of the wavelength converter element;
the first and second portions of the wavelength converter element have adjacent inner edges;
the first and second portions have outer edges opposite to the inner edges;
the first and second sections of the redirection element have adjacent inner edges at the discontinuity; and
the redirection element is arranged to direct light from at least one of the inner edges of the first and second sections of the redirection element to one of the outer edges of the first and second portions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein
the spaced apart locations on the wavelength converter element are spaced apart from each other by at least 50% of a full width of the first and second portions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second portions overlap on the wavelength converter element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein
the redirection element is arranged to direct light from both inner edges of the first and second sections to the outer edges of the first and second portions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the redirection element is a reflector, having first and second sections having an angular discontinuity between the first and second sections.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The lighting system according to claim 5 wherein the first and second sections are planar.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the redirection element is a prism, having first and second sections with the discontinuity between the first and second sections, wherein the prism is arranged to refract first light incident on the first section towards the first portion of the wavelength converter element and first light incident on the second section in a different direction towards the second portion of the wavelength converter element.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the redirection element is a reflector having an edge, the edge constituting the discontinuity, wherein first light incident on the redirection element is redirected by the redirection element towards the first portion of the wavelength converter element, and first light incident on the other side of the discontinuity passes by the redirection element and is incident on the second portion of the wavelength converter element without redirection.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the redirection element has at least three sections each directing the first light onto a respective portion of the wavelength converter element.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, further comprising a controller, wherein the controller is arranged to drive the scanning system in a predetermined pattern repeating with a repetition rate of at least 100 Hz to generate a predetermined intensity profile at the wavelength converter element.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the scanning system comprises a movable reflector.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The lighting system according to claim 11, wherein the movable reflector is a micromechanical system including a mirror.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, further comprising a lens arranged to project light from the wavelength converter element.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the light source is arranged to emit first light of a first color, and wherein the wavelength converter element is a phosphor adapted to pass some first light of the first color and to absorb some first light of the first color and emit the second light in a second color, wherein the first and the second colors combine to give white.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

An automotive headlamp comprising a lighting system according to claim 1.