Lamp with steerable beam
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorTzvi Philipp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lamp with a steerable beam, suitable for use as a vehicle headlight, includes a phosphor converter that emits white light from a location impinged by light from a laser, and at least one projection lens for transmitting the white light emitted from the phosphor converter in as a beam in a direction dependent on the location of emission from the phosphor converter. There is at least one high intensity laser; and at least one multi-stage, bi-axial liquid crystal polarization grating for directing laser light from the at least one high intensity laser to a selectable location on the phosphor converter to change the direction of the beam emitted from the light.
Claims20
A lamp with a steerable beam, comprising:
- a phosphor converter that emits white light from a location impinged by light from a laser;
- at least one projection lens forward of the phosphor converter for transmitting the white light emitted from the phosphor converter in as a beam in a direction dependent on the location of emission from the phosphor converter;
- at least one high intensity laser directed generally rearwardly toward the phosphor converter;
- and
- at least one multi-stage, bi-axial liquid crystal polarization grating for directing laser light from the at least one high intensity laser to a selectable location on the phosphor converter.
In combination with a vehicle, a headlight with a steerable beam, comprising:
- a phosphor converter that emits white light from a location impinged by light from a laser;
- at least one projection lens forward of the phosphor converter for transmitting the white light emitted from the phosphor converter in as a beam in a direction dependent on the location of emission from the phosphor converter;
- at least one high intensity laser directed generally rearwardly toward the phosphor converter;
- and
- at least one multi-stage, bi-axial liquid crystal polarization grating for directing laser light from the at least one high intensity laser to a selectable location on the phosphor converter.
A method of changing the direction of the beam of a headlight on a vehicle having a high intensity laser source, a phosphor converter that emits white light from a location impinged by light from a laser positioned forward of the phosphor converter, and at least one projection lens in front of the phosphor converter for transmitting the white light emitted from the phosphor converter in as a beam in a direction dependent on the location of emission from the phosphor converter, the method comprising operating a multi-stage, bi-axial liquid crystal polarization grating to change the location where the laser impinges on the phosphor converter to thereby change the direction of the beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.