# US 10,873,395 B2 · Smart laser light for communication > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,395 B2 - Document ID: US10873395B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/954,463 - Filed: 2018-04-16 - Published: 2019-10-31 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-28 - Assignees: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc. - Applicants: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc. - Inventors: Melvin McLaurin; James W. Raring; Paul Rudy; Vlad Novotny - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873395B2 ## CPC - H04B 10/116: Visible light communication - G02B 19/0057: {in the form of a laser diode array, e.g. laser diode bar (semiconductor laser arrays with beam combining arrangement H01S5/4012)} - G02B 27/0916: {Adapting the beam shape of a semiconductor light source such as a laser diode or an LED, e.g. for efficiently coupling into optical fibers (coupling into light guides using intermediate optical elements G02B6/4204; details of lighting devices in general F21V)} - H01S 5/005: {Optical components external to the laser cavity, specially adapted therefor, e.g. for homogenisation or merging of the beams or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping (H01S5/026, H01S5/18388 take precedence)} - H01S 5/0087: {for illuminating phosphorescent or fluorescent materials, e.g. using optical arrangements specifically adapted for guiding or shaping laser beams illuminating these materials} - H01S 5/02251: using optical fibres - H01S 5/34333: {with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser} - H01S 5/4012: {Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms} - H04B 10/502: {LED transmitters} - H01S 5/0071: {for beam steering, e.g. using a mirror outside the cavity to change the beam direction} - H01S 5/0202: {Cleaving} - H01S 5/0203: {Etching} - H01S 5/02212: Can-type, e.g. TO-CAN housings with emission along or parallel to symmetry axis - H01S 5/02216: Butterfly-type, i.e. with electrode pins extending horizontally from the housings - H01S 5/02326: Arrangements for relative positioning of laser diodes and optical components, e.g. grooves in the mount to fix optical fibres or lenses - H01S 5/02345: Wire-bonding - H01S 5/026: Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers (stabilisation of output H01S5/06) - H01S 5/04254: {characterised by the shape} - H01S 5/04256: {characterised by the configuration} - H01S 5/1039: {Details on the cavity length} - H01S 5/2009: {by using electron barrier layers} - H01S 5/22: having a ridge or stripe structure - H01S 5/2201: {in a specific crystallographic orientation} - H01S 5/3202: {grown on specifically orientated substrates, or using orientation dependent growth} - H01S 5/4031: {Edge-emitting structures} - H01S 5/4087: {emitting more than one wavelength} - H01S 5/4093: {Red, green and blue [RGB] generated directly by laser action or by a combination of laser action with nonlinear frequency conversion} - H04B 10/114: Indoor or close-range type systems - H04B 10/1141: {One-way transmission} - H04B 10/5057: {using a feedback signal generated by analysing the optical output} - H04B 10/524: Pulse modulation - H04B 10/564: Power control - H04B 10/572: Wavelength control - H04B 10/60: Receivers - H10H 20/042: {Superluminescent diodes} - H04B: TRANSMISSION - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL - H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS ## Abstract A smart light source configured for visible light communication. The light source includes a controller comprising a modem configured to receive a data signal and generate a driving current and a modulation signal based on the data signal. Additionally, the light source includes a light emitter configured as a pump-light device to receive the driving current for producing a directional electromagnetic radiation with a first peak wavelength in the ultra-violet or blue wavelength regime modulated to carry the data signal using the modulation signal. Further, the light source includes a pathway configured to direct the directional electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength converter optically coupled to the pathway to receive the directional electromagnetic radiation and to output a white-color spectrum. Furthermore, the light source includes a beam shaper configured to direct the white-color spectrum for illuminating a target of interest and transmitting the data signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An integrated light source for communication and dynamic spatial illumination comprising: a modem configured for receiving data signals; a laser modulation driver coupled to the modem to generate a driving current and provide a modulation format based on the data signals; a laser device driven by the driving current to emit a laser light with a first peak wavelength modulated according to the modulation format; a beam shaper configured to collimate and focus the laser light with a first peak wavelength to a certain direction and focal point; an optical pathway for guiding the laser light; a beam steering optical element configured to manipulate the laser light for providing a spatially modulated excitation of a wavelength converter optically coupled to the laser light; a wavelength converting element configured to couple with the optical pathway to receive the laser light with a first peak wavelength and reemit a white-color light excited by converting a fraction of the laser light with the first peak wavelength to a spectrum with a second peak wavelength longer than the first peak wavelength and combining the fraction of the laser light with a first peak wavelength and the spectrum with the second peak wavelength, wherein the first peak wavelength and/or the white-color light carries the data signals in the modulation format; and a beam steering mechanism configured to scan the white-color light to illuminate multiple target areas in a selected period of time and to direct at least a fraction of the laser light with the first peak wavelength for transmitting the data signals to receivers at the multiple target areas. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, wherein the modem is configured to receive the data signals digitally encoded from a data source and to convert the digitally encoded data signals into analog signals for determining an output of the laser driver. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, wherein the modulation format based on the data signals comprises one selected from double-sideband modulation (DSB), double-sideband modulation with carrier (DSB-WC), double-sideband suppressed-carrier transmission (DSB-SC), double-sideband reduced carrier transmission (DSB-RC), single-sideband modulation (SSB, or SSB-AM), single-sideband modulation with carrier (SSB-WC), single-sideband modulation suppressed carrier modulation (SSB-SC), vestigial sideband modulation (VSB, or VSB-AM), quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), phase-shift keying (PSK), frequency-shift keying (FSK), continuous phase modulation (CPM), minimum-shift keying (MSK), Gaussian minimum-shift keying (GMSK), continuous-phase frequency-shift keying (CPFSK), orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), or discrete multitone (DMT). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, wherein the output of the laser modulation driver includes at least an electric current as the driving current supplied to a gallium and nitrogen containing material in an active region of the laser device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The integrated light source of claim 4, wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing material comprises one or more of GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, InAlN, InAlGaN. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, wherein the laser light emitted from the laser device is a laser pulse modulated with a rate in a range selected from 50 MHz to 300 MHz, 300 MHz to 1 GHz, or 1 GHz to 100 GHz based on the modulation format. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, wherein the laser device comprises one or more laser diodes for emitting a violet spectrum in a wavelength range of 380-420 nm, one or more laser diodes for emitting a blue spectrum in a wavelength range of 420-480 nm, one or more laser diodes for emitting a green spectrum in a wavelength range of 480-550 nm, and one or more laser diodes for emitting a red spectrum in a wavelength range of 600-670 nm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, wherein the optical pathway comprises optics selected from free-space optics, waveguide, and optical fiber configured to guide, filter, collimate, focus, combine, and split the laser light. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, wherein the beam steering mechanism comprises one or a combination of optical elements selected a list of slow axis collimating lens, fast axis collimating lens, aspheric lens, ball lens, total internal reflector (TIR) optics, parabolic lens optics, refractive optics, and micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) mirrors configured to direct, collimate, focus the white-color light to at least modify an angular distribution thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, wherein the beam steering mechanism is selected from one of a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) mirror, a digital light processing (DLP) chip, a digital mirror device (DMD), and a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) chip for steering, patterning, or pixelating the white-color light. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The integrated light source of claim 10, wherein the beam steering optical element is the MEMS mirror and is based on actuators that are electromagnetic, electrostatic, piezoelectric, electrothermal, pneumatic, or shape memory alloy. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, wherein the dynamic spatial illumination is configured as a spot light system such as a flashlight, spotlight, automobile headlamp or any direction light applications where the light must be directed or projected to a specified location or area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, further comprising a reflector disposed downstream of the white-color light, the reflector being a parabolic reflector to reflect and propagate a collimated beam along an axis thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The integrated light source of claim 1, further comprises a lens used to collimate the white-color light into a projected beam, the lens including an aspheric lens positioned in front of the wavelength converting element to collimate the white-color light. ### Claim 15 An integrated light source for communication and dynamic spatial illumination comprising: a vehicle lighting system comprising: a modem configured for receiving data signals; a laser modulation driver coupled to the modem to generate a driving current and provide a modulation format based on the data signals; a laser device driven by the driving current to emit a laser light with a first peak wavelength modulated according to the modulation format; a beam shaper configured to collimate and focus the laser light with a first peak wavelength to a certain direction and focal point; an optical pathway for guiding the laser light; a beam steering optical element configured to manipulate the laser light for providing a spatially modulated excitation of a wavelength converter optically coupled to the laser light; a wavelength converting element configured to couple with the optical pathway to receive the laser light with a first peak wavelength and reemit a white-color light excited by converting a fraction of the laser light with the first peak wavelength to a spectrum with a second peak wavelength longer than the first peak wavelength and combining the fraction of the laser light with a first peak wavelength and the spectrum with the second peak wavelength, wherein the first peak wavelength and/or the white-color light carries the data signals in the modulation format; and a beam steering mechanism configured to scan the white-color light to illuminate multiple target areas in a selected period of time and to direct at least a fraction of the laser light with the first peak wavelength for transmitting the data signals to receivers at the multiple target areas.