# US 11,906,121 B1 · Laser high beam and low beam headlamp apparatus and method

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- Number: US 11,906,121 B1
- Document ID: US11906121B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/971,466
- Filed: 2022-10-21
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-10-21
- Assignees: KYOCERA SLD Laser, Inc.
- Applicants: KYOCERA SLD Laser, Inc.
- Inventors: Cole J. Cunnien; Eric Goutain; Sten Heikman; James W. Raring
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906121B1

## CPC

- F21S 41/16: Laser light sources
- F21S 41/13: Ultraviolet light; Infrared light
- 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 41/321: {the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated}
- F21S 41/322: {the reflector using total internal reflection}
- F21S 41/33: Multi-surface reflectors, e.g. reflectors with facets or reflectors with portions of different curvature
- F21S 41/40: characterised by screens, non-reflecting members, light-shielding members or fixed shades
- F21S 45/43: using gas
- F21S 45/47: Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
- F21W 2102/13: for high-beam region or low-beam region
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS

## Abstract

The present techniques include a plurality of laser lamp modules. In an example, the plurality of laser lamp modules includes a high beam wide lamp module, a high beam narrow lamp module, a low beam cut lamp module, and a low beam wide lamp module, each of which has a blue laser, and is sealed from an outside environment for reliability.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lighting apparatus for a mobile machine, comprising:
a blue laser diode device comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing material configured to emit electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength ranging from about 400 nm to 500 nm and having a beam spot size to create an output beam of the blue laser diode device;
a phosphor material configured to interact with the output beam of the blue laser diode device to generate a white light output of electromagnetic radiation characterized by an output of 400 to 2500 lumens and 500 Candela per square millimeter and greater;
a surface mount substrate configured to attach the blue laser diode device on a surface of the surface mount substrate;
a window or lens device operably coupled to the white light output of electromagnetic radiation and configured to focus and spread the white light output of electromagnetic radiation to cause formation of a white light beam;
an infrared laser diode device configured to output electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength ranging from 800 nm to 1800 nm and having an output beam to create an infrared output beam;
an electronic control unit configured to operate the blue laser diode device independent from the infrared laser diode device;
wherein the white light beam is configured for at least one of a high beam application, a low beam application, a low beam cut application, or a high beam spot application; and
wherein the window or lens device is arranged so that the white light output of electromagnetic radiation and the infrared output beam propagate through the window or lens device colinearly.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blue laser diode device comprises a plurality of blue laser devices.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the infrared laser device is coupled to the surface mount substrate so that the infrared output beam is overlying the output beam of the blue laser diode device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an ultraviolet laser diode device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength ranging of about 400 nm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the white light output of electromagnetic radiation is characterized by a range of at least 600 meters or at least 1000 meters.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the surface mount substrate has a size characterized by a length or width ranging from 4 mm to 12 mm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrical source having a driver device separately coupled to the blue laser diode device and the infrared laser diode device, the electrical source configured to provide about 12 volts and greater.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the window or lens device comprises a total internal reflection (TIR) lens operably coupled to the white light output of electromagnetic radiation and a spread lens configured to shape the white light output to generate the white light beam.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an ellipsoidal reflector spatially positioned relative to the phosphor material to collect the white light output of electromagnetic radiation and reflect the white light output of electromagnetic radiation to a shield device that allows a portion of the white light output of electromagnetic radiation to traverse through the window or lens device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a thermal heat conducting material coupled to the surface mount substrate and configured to transfer thermal energy from the blue laser diode device and the infrared laser diode device to a heat sink.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the infrared laser diode device is configured for a night vision application, a fog or smoke vision application, a ranging and sensing application, or a LiFi communication application.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an infrared imaging system configured to obtain images using reflected portions of the infrared output beam.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The lighting apparatus of claim 12 wherein the images are processed using at least one of an image processing, machine learning, or artificial intelligence analysis technique.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a sensing device operably coupled to the infrared laser diode device and configured to detect a reflection of the infrared output beam.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the white light output of electromagnetic radiation is a point source.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a housing configured to partially enclose the blue laser diode device, the phosphor material, the surface mount substrate, and the infrared laser diode device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lighting apparatus is a front lighting apparatus, and the mobile machine is an automobile, motorcycle, aircraft, drone, marine craft, or all-terrain vehicle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the white light output of electromagnetic radiation is characterized by an output of 750 Candela per square millimeter and greater; 1000 Candela per square millimeter and greater; 1500 Candela per square millimeter and greater; or 2000 Candela per square millimeter and greater.