Laser based white light system configured for communication

A communication module configured for white light illumination and communication, the communication module comprising:

• a laser driving unit (LDU);
• one or more multifunction modules each electrically coupled to the LDU with an electrical connection and configured to transmit both electrical power and data, each of the one or more multifunction modules comprising:
• a gallium and nitrogen containing edge-emitting ridge laser diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation characterized by a first peak wavelength ranging from 380 nm to 480 nm;
• wherein the laser diode comprises a p-electrode and an n-electrode;
• an output facet on the laser diode configured to output the electromagnetic radiation characterized by the first peak wavelength;
• a wavelength converter comprising a phosphor arranged to be optically coupled to the edge-emitting ridge laser diode, and configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the edge-emitting ridge laser diodes characterized by the first peak wavelength and convert at least a fraction of the electromagnetic radiation characterized by the first peak wavelength to at least a second peak wavelength that is longer than the first peak wavelength;
• a free space between the output facet on the laser diode and the wavelength converter, with a non-guided characteristic capable of transmitting the electromagnetic radiation characterized by the first peak wavelength from the laser diode to the wavelength converter;
• wherein the electromagnetic radiation forms an excitation spot on an excitation surface of the wavelength converter;
• wherein the wavelength converter and the edge-emitting ridge laser diode are components in a single package;
• a beam shaping unit that is coupled to the single package;
• and
• two infrared (IR) laser diodes configured to emit electromagnetic radiation, wherein at least one of the IR laser diodes is arranged to emit electromagnetic radiation through the wavelength converter;
• and
• one or more illumination units optically coupled to each of the one or more multifunction modules by a waveguide, the one or more illumination units configured to emit the white light illumination and transmit the data using the two IR laser diodes.

A laser based white light system configured for illumination and communication, comprising:

• a laser driving unit (LDU) having a network switch;
• a plurality of multifunction illumination units coupled to the LDU, each of the plurality of multifunction illumination units having a first laser source and a first detector, the first laser source including at least one first laser diode device configured to provide white light illumination, and at least one second laser diode device configured to provide first optical signals, wherein the LDU is coupled to a network and configured to receive downlink data over the network and the network switch is configured to direct the downlink data to the plurality of multifunction illumination units, and the plurality of multifunction illumination units are configured to convert the downlink data to the first optical signals and emit the white light illumination;
• and
• a plurality of transceivers each having a second laser source and a second detector, the second laser source including at least one third laser diode device configured to provide second optical signals at IR wavelength, wherein the second detector of each transceiver is configured to receive the first optical signals from at least one of the plurality of multifunction illumination units and convert the first optical signals to the downlink data and provide the downlink data to a respective electronic device, and each transceiver is configured to receive uplink data from the respective electronic device and convert the uplink data to second optical signals and emit the second optical signals;
• wherein the first optical signals are provided at different center emission wavelengths to provide multiple communication channels with multiple ones of the plurality of transceivers;
• wherein the first detector of each of the plurality of multifunction illumination units is configured to receive the second optical signals from at least one of the plurality of transceivers and convert the second optical signals to the uplink data and provide the uplink data to the network switch, and the network switch is configured to provide the uplink data to the network;
• wherein the at least one first laser diode device comprises:
• a gallium and nitrogen containing edge-emitting ridge laser diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation characterized by a first peak wavelength ranging from 380 nm to 480 nm;
• wherein the laser diode comprises a p-electrode and an n-electrode;
• an output facet on the laser diode configured to output the electromagnetic radiation characterized by the first peak wavelength;
• a wavelength converter comprising a phosphor arranged to be optically coupled to the laser diode, and configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the edge-emitting ridge laser diode characterized by the first peak wavelength and convert at least a fraction of the electromagnetic radiation characterized by the first peak wavelength to at least a second peak wavelength that is longer than the first peak wavelength, wherein at least one of the second laser diode devices comprises an IR laser diodes arranged to emit electromagnetic radiation through the wavelength converter;
• a free space between the output facet on the laser diode and the wavelength converter, with a non-guided characteristic capable of transmitting the electromagnetic radiation characterized by the first peak wavelength from the laser diode to the wavelength converter;
• wherein the electromagnetic radiation forms an excitation spot on an excitation surface of the wavelength converter;
• wherein the wavelength converter and the edge-emitting ridge laser diode are components in a single package;
• and
• a beam shaping unit that is coupled to the single package.