# US 11,906,767 B2 · Light control system with hexagonal-shaped tunable optics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,767 B2 - Document ID: US11906767B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/448,214 - Filed: 2021-09-21 - Published: 2023-03-23 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-21 - Assignees: Honeywell International Inc. - Applicants: Honeywell International Inc. - Inventors: Wei Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906767B2 ## CPC - F21V 5/04: of lens shape - G02B 5/3008: {comprising dielectric particles, e.g. birefringent crystals embedded in a matrix} - B60Q 1/245: {Searchlights, e.g. adjustable from within the vehicle (adjustable headlights B60Q1/06)} - F21S 41/63: by acting on refractors, filters or transparent cover plates - F21S 41/645: {by electro-optic means, e.g. liquid crystal or electrochromic devices} - F21V 5/007: {Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane (combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008)} - F21V 7/0091: {using total internal reflection} - F21V 14/06: by movement of refractors {(in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635)} - G02B 3/14: of variable focal length - G02B 26/005: {based on electrowetting} - F21V 5/008: {Combination of two or more successive refractors along an optical axis} - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - F21Y 2115/30: Semiconductor lasers - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract A tunable optic includes a hexagonal-shaped housing, a polar liquid, a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, a fourth electrode, a fifth electrode, a sixth electrode, and a grounding electrode. The hexagonal-shaped housing includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth side walls and first and second light transmissive end walls, and the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth side walls and the first and second light transmissive end walls define a hexagonal-shaped inner cavity. The polar liquid is disposed within the hexagonal-shaped inner cavity. The polar liquid has a surface, and the surface has a curvature and a two-dimensional tilt angle that is variable in response to voltages supplied to each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth electrodes, whereby lens characteristics and light deflection characteristics of the tunable optic are varied. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tunable optic, comprising: a hexagonal-shaped housing including first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth side walls and first and second light transmissive end walls, the first and fourth side walls disposed parallel to each other, the second and fifth sidewalls disposed parallel to each other, the third and sixth sidewalls disposed parallel to each other, the first and second light transmissive end walls spaced apart from each other and coupled to the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth side walls, whereby the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth side walls and the first and second light transmissive end walls define a hexagonal-shaped inner cavity; a polar liquid disposed within the hexagonal-shaped inner cavity; a first electrode coupled to the first side wall; a second electrode coupled to the second side wall; a third electrode coupled to the third side wall; a fourth electrode coupled to the fourth side wall; a fifth electrode coupled to the fifth side wall; a sixth electrode coupled to the sixth sidewall; and a grounding electrode electrically connected to the polar liquid, wherein: the polar liquid has a surface, and the surface has a curvature and a two-dimensional tilt angle that is variable in response to voltages supplied to each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth electrodes, whereby lens characteristics and light deflection characteristics of the tunable optic are varied. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tunable optic of claim 1, wherein: varying the curvature of the surface varies the lens characteristics; and varying the tilt angle of the surface in two dimensions varies the light deflection characteristics in two dimensions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tunable optic of claim 1, further comprising: a controllable power source coupled to, and operable to supply at least, a first voltage to the first electrode, a second voltage to the second electrode, a third voltage to the third electrode, a fourth voltage to the fourth electrode, a fifth voltage to the fifth electrode, and a sixth voltage to the sixth electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tunable optic of claim 1, further comprising: a dielectric layer is coated on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth side walls; and a hydrophobic layer overlies the dielectric layer, wherein the polar liquid contacts at least a portion of the hydrophobic layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tunable optic of claim 4, wherein the dielectric layer, the hydrophobic layer, the polar liquid, and dimensions of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth side walls are selected such that the lens characteristics are that of a spherical lens. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The tunable optic of claim 4, wherein the dielectric layer, the hydrophobic layer, the polar liquid, and dimensions of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth side walls are selected such that the lens characteristics are that of a cylindrical lens. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The tunable optic of claim 4, further comprising: a non-polar liquid disposed within the hexagonal-shaped inner cavity, the non-polar liquid contacting the polar liquid and the hydrophobic layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tunable optic of claim 7, wherein: the polar liquid is a saline solution; and the non-polar liquid is an oil. ### Claim 9 A light control system, comprising: a housing; a controllable power source configured to supply a plurality of separate and individual voltages; a light source coupled to the housing and operable, upon being electrically energized, to emit a light beam; and at least seven hexagonal-shaped tunable optics coupled to the housing and arranged such that one of the hexagonal-shaped tunable optics is surrounded by six other hexagonal-shaped tunable optics and such that there are no gaps between adjacent hexagonal-shaped tunable optics, each hexagonal-shaped tunable optic disposed to receive at least a portion of the light beam emitted from the light source, each hexagonal-shaped tunable optic having tunable lens characteristics and tunable light deflection characteristics, each hexagonal-shaped tunable optic further coupled to receive six separate and individual voltages from the controllable power source, each hexagonal-shaped tunable optic comprising a liquid that varies the tunable lens characteristics and tunable light deflection characteristics in response to the six voltages supplied thereto, whereby light beam pattern and light beam steering are achieved. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The light control system of claim 1, further comprising a non-variable lens coupled to the housing and disposed between the light source and each hexagonal-shaped tunable optic. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The light control system of claim 10, wherein the non-variable lens is configured as a total-internal-reflection (TIR) lens. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The light control system of claim 9, wherein the light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs). ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The light control system of claim 9, wherein the light source comprises one or more lasers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The light control system of claim 9, wherein: the light source is an array of individual light sources, each individual light source coupled to the housing and operable, upon being electrically energized, to emit an individual light beam; each hexagonal-shaped tunable optic is associated with a different one of the individual light sources and is disposed to receive the individual light beam emitted from its associated individual light source. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The light control system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of non-variable lenses, each non-variable lens coupled to the housing and disposed between a different one of the individual light sources and a different one of the hexagonal-shaped tunable optics. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The light control system of claim 15, wherein each non-variable lens is configured as a total-internal-reflection (TIR) lens. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The light control system of claim 9, wherein: the six voltages include a first voltage, a second voltage, a third voltage, a fourth voltage, a fifth voltage, and a sixth voltage; and each hexagonal-shaped tunable optic comprises: first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth side walls and first and second light transmissive end walls, the first and fourth side walls disposed parallel to each other, the second and fifth sidewalls disposed parallel to each other, the third and sixth sidewalls disposed parallel to each other, the first and second light transmissive end walls spaced apart from each other and coupled to the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth side walls, whereby the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth side walls and the first and second light transmissive end walls define a hexagonal-shaped inner cavity; a polar liquid disposed within the hexagonal-shaped inner cavity; a first electrode coupled to the first side wall and coupled to receive the first voltage; a second electrode coupled to the second side wall and coupled to receive the second voltage; a third electrode coupled to the third side wall and coupled to receive the third voltage; a fourth electrode coupled to the fourth side wall and coupled to receive the fourth voltage; a fifth electrode coupled to the fifth side wall and coupled to receive the fifth voltage; a sixth electrode coupled to the sixth sidewall and coupled to receive the sixth voltage; and a grounding electrode electrically connected to the polar liquid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The light control system of claim 9, wherein: varying the curvature of the surface varies the lens characteristics; and varying the tilt angle of the surface in two dimensions varies the light deflection characteristics in two dimensions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The light control system of claim 9, further comprising: a dielectric layer is coated on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth side walls; and a hydrophobic layer overlies the dielectric layer; and a non-polar liquid disposed within the hexagonal wherein the polar liquid contacts at least a portion of the hydrophobic layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The tunable optic of claim 19, wherein: the polar liquid is a saline solution; and the non-polar liquid is an oil.