Automotive headlighting with improved visibility
AssigneeLumileds LLC
InventorRalph BERTRAM
Life of this patent
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Abstract
LED devices and methods of operating them are described. An LED lighting device includes a substrate (702), a white LED (402) on the substrate at a location configured for alignment with an optical axis of an automotive lamp when installed, and a near ultraviolet LED (404) on the substrate at a location spaced apart from the white LED by an amount such that the near ultraviolet LED is defocused from the optical axis of the automotive lamp when installed such that the near ultraviolet LED emits energy in the near ultraviolet band in a larger area than the white LED when powered on.
Claims20
A light-emitting diode (LED) lighting device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a white LED on the substrate at a location configured for alignment with an optical axis of an automotive lamp when installed;
- and
- a near ultraviolet LED on the substrate at a location spaced apart from the white LED by an amount such that the near ultraviolet LED is defocused from the optical axis of the automotive lamp when installed such that the near ultraviolet LED emits energy in the near ultraviolet band in a larger area than the white LED when powered on.
A method of operating a light-emitting diode (LED) lighting system, the method comprising:
- powering on a first LED to illuminate a first region of a roadway with visible light;
- and
- powering on a second LED to energize the first region of the roadway and a second region of the roadway that extends beyond the first region of the roadway with invisible light by defocusing energy emitted by the second LED with respect to an optical axis of the LED lighting system
A light-emitting diode (LED) lighting device comprising:
- an optical element;
- a centering ring;
- a first white LED on a substrate, the first white LED being aligned with an optical axis of the optical element;
- a second white LED spaced apart on the substrate from the first white LED and aligned with an optical axis of the LED lighting device;
- and
- a near ultraviolet LED defocused from the optical element such that the near ultraviolet LED emits energy in the near ultraviolet band in a wider area than the first and second white LEDs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.