U.S. patent application number 16/030193 was filed with the patent office on 2020-01-09 for laser illumination lighting device with solid medium freeform prism or waveguide.
The applicant listed for this patent is ABL IP HOLDING LLC. Invention is credited to Guan-Bo Lin, An MAO, David P. Ramer, Rashmi Kumar Rogers.
Application Number | 20200011506 16/030193 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 69057631 |
Filed Date | 2020-01-09 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200011506 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MAO; An ; et al. |
January 9, 2020 |
LASER ILLUMINATION LIGHTING DEVICE WITH SOLID MEDIUM FREEFORM PRISM
OR WAVEGUIDE
Abstract
An example lighting device has a luminaire. The luminaire
includes a laser light source configured to be driven by electrical
power to emit laser light rays, a phosphor plate, and a solid
medium freeform prism or waveguide. The solid medium freeform prism
or waveguide confines incoming laser light ray emitted from the
laser light source inside the solid medium until conversion into
illumination lighting by the phosphor plate. The solid medium
includes an input surface or lens coupled to the laser light
source, an output surface, and a highly reflective internal surface
to reflect laser light rays to propagate inside the solid medium
until emission through the output surface. The phosphor plate is
coupled to the output surface of the solid medium to convert the
reflected laser light rays into the illumination lighting to emit
from the luminaire.
Inventors: |
MAO; An; (Jersey City,
NJ) ; Lin; Guan-Bo; (Reston, VA) ; Rogers;
Rashmi Kumar; (Herndon, VA) ; Ramer; David P.;
(Reston, VA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ABL IP HOLDING LLC |
Conyers |
GA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
69057631 |
Appl. No.: |
16/030193 |
Filed: |
July 9, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21Y 2115/30 20160801;
G02B 6/0018 20130101; F21V 13/12 20130101; F21Y 2103/33 20160801;
G02B 6/005 20130101; F21V 25/10 20130101; F21V 7/0091 20130101;
F21V 5/003 20130101; F21V 29/70 20150115; F21V 9/30 20180201; F21V
13/14 20130101; G02B 6/34 20130101; F21V 7/30 20180201 |
International
Class: |
F21V 9/30 20060101
F21V009/30; F21V 13/14 20060101 F21V013/14; F21V 29/70 20060101
F21V029/70; F21V 25/10 20060101 F21V025/10; F21V 7/00 20060101
F21V007/00 |
Claims
1. A lighting device comprising: a luminaire comprising: a laser
light source configured to be driven by electrical power to emit
laser light rays; a phosphor plate; and a solid medium freeform
prism or waveguide to confine incoming laser light rays emitted
from the laser light source inside the solid medium freeform prism
or waveguide until conversion into illumination lighting by the
phosphor plate, the solid medium freeform prism or waveguide
including: an input surface or lens coupled to the laser light
source to shape the incoming laser light rays passing through and
entering inside the solid medium waveguide freeform prism or
waveguide into shaped laser light rays; an output surface; a highly
reflective internal surface to reflect the shaped laser light rays
to propagate inside the solid medium freeform prism or waveguide
until emission through the output surface; and wherein the output
surface emits the reflected shaped laser light rays to the phosphor
plate; wherein the phosphor plate is coupled to the output surface
of the solid medium freeform prism or waveguide to convert the
reflected shaped laser light rays into the illumination lighting to
emit from the luminaire; and a laser light source driver coupled to
the laser light source to selectively control the laser light
source to emit the laser light rays.
2. A lighting device comprising: a luminaire comprising: a laser
light source configured to be driven by electrical power to emit
laser light rays; a phosphor plate; and a solid medium freeform
prism to confine incoming laser light rays emitted from the laser
light source inside the solid medium freeform prism until
conversion into illumination lighting by the phosphor plate, the
solid medium freeform prism including: an input surface coupled to
the laser light source to shape the incoming laser light rays
passing through and entering inside the solid medium freeform prism
into shaped laser light rays; an output surface; a highly
reflective internal surface to reflect the shaped laser light rays
to propagate inside the solid medium freeform prism until emission
through the output surface; and wherein the output surface emits
the shaped laser light rays to the phosphor plate; wherein the
phosphor plate is coupled to the output surface of the solid medium
freeform prism to convert the reflected shaped laser light rays
into the illumination lighting to emit from the luminaire; and a
laser light source driver coupled to the laser light source to
selectively control the laser light source to emit the laser light
rays.
3. The lighting device of claim 2, wherein: the phosphor plate is a
transmissive coating or layer deposited directly or indirectly on
the output surface; the luminaire further includes a reflector or
lens coupled to the phosphor plate on the output surface to shape a
beam pattern of the emitted illumination lighting; the input
surface is an aspherical or spherical shape and includes a first
antireflective coating; the input surface and the laser light
source are coupled together without an air gap in between; the
highly reflective internal surface is a half TIR lens shape; and
the output surface includes a second antireflective coating.
4. A lighting device comprising: a luminaire comprising: a laser
light source configured to be driven by electrical power to emit
laser light rays; a phosphor plate; a solid medium waveguide to
confine incoming laser light rays emitted from the laser light
source inside the solid medium waveguide until conversion into
illumination lighting by the phosphor plate, the solid medium
waveguide including: an input surface coupled to the laser light
source for incoming laser light rays emitted by the laser light
source to enter the solid medium waveguide; an output surface; and
a highly reflective internal surface to steer the laser light rays
passing through the solid medium waveguide to the phosphor plate,
the highly reflective internal surface including an initial highly
reflective internal surface portion to initially reflect the laser
light rays to propagate inside a remainder the solid medium
waveguide; wherein the phosphor plate is coupled to the solid
medium waveguide to convert the reflected laser light rays into the
illumination lighting; and a laser light source driver coupled to
the laser light source to selectively control the laser light
source to emit the laser light rays.
5. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein: the input surface is in
an optical path between the laser light source and the initial
highly reflective internal surface portion; the input surface
includes an aspherical or spherical shape to collimate the incoming
laser light rays emitted by the laser light source passing through
and entering inside the solid medium waveguide into collimated
laser light rays prior to striking the initial highly reflective
internal surface portion; and the input surface and the laser light
source are coupled together without an air gap in between.
6. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein the luminaire further
comprises: a collimating lens in an optical path between laser
light source and the input surface to collimate the incoming laser
light rays emitted by the laser light source passing through and
entering inside the solid medium freeform waveguide into collimated
laser light rays prior to striking the input surface.
7. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein the input surface
includes an antireflective coating.
8. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein: the solid medium
waveguide is formed of acrylic, glass, silicone, fused silica, or a
combination thereof; the initial highly reflective internal surface
portion includes a total internal reflection (TIR) shape; and the
highly reflective internal surface includes at least one highly
reflective optical coating or layer.
9. The lighting device of claim 8, wherein the at least one highly
reflective optical coating or layer includes a dichroic film, a
silvered mirror, or a combination thereof.
10. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein the solid medium
waveguide is a wedge shape and the initial highly reflective
internal surface portion includes a tapered surface of the wedge
shape to initially reflect the laser light rays to propagate inside
the remainder of the solid medium waveguide.
11. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein: the luminaire further
comprises a holographic reflective optical element coupled to the
output surface of the solid medium waveguide; the phosphor plate
includes a phosphor layer deposited on a reflective substrate; and
the holographic reflective optical element is wavelength sensitive
to selectively emit illumination lighting reflected from the
phosphor plate through the output surface of the solid medium
waveguide and substantially exclude the reflected laser light rays
from emission through the output surface of the solid medium
waveguide.
12. The lighting device of claim 11, wherein: the phosphor layer
includes a ceramic powder phosphor or a single-crystal phosphor;
and the reflective substrate includes aluminum oxide.
13. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein: the highly reflective
internal surface includes a holographic reflective optical element
to reflect the laser light rays towards the phosphor plate; the
phosphor plate is transmissive and is coupled to the output surface
of the solid medium waveguide; and the luminaire further includes a
reflector or lens coupled to the transmissive phosphor plate on the
output surface to shape a beam pattern of the emitted illumination
lighting.
14. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein: the solid medium
waveguide is a rectangular shape and the highly reflective internal
surface further includes at least one holographic reflective
optical element to reflect the laser light rays.
15. The lighting device of claim 14, wherein: the phosphor plate is
transmissive and coupled to the output surface; the initial highly
reflective internal surface portion includes a first holographic
reflective optical element to initially reflect the laser light
rays to propagate inside the remainder of the solid medium
waveguide; the highly reflective internal surface of the solid
medium waveguide is coupled to a second holographic reflective
optical element; and the second holographic reflective optical
element opposes the transmissive phosphor plate to further reflect
the propagating laser light rays towards the transmissive phosphor
plate.
16. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein the output surface
includes an antireflective coating.
17. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein: the phosphor plate is
reflective; the output surface is coupled to a holographic
reflective optical element, which is wavelength sensitive, to
selectively emit the illumination lighting emitted from the
reflective phosphor plate and substantially exclude the reflected
laser light rays from emission through the output surface of the
solid medium waveguide; and the luminaire further includes a
reflector or lens coupled to the reflective phosphor plate on the
output surface to shape a beam pattern of the emitted illumination
lighting.
18. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein: the luminaire further
comprises a heat sink coupled to the phosphor plate; the luminaire
further comprises a temperature sensor coupled to the phosphor
plate to produce a temperature-dependent voltage output of the
phosphor plate; and the selective control of the laser light source
driver includes: receiving temperature feedback input based on the
produced temperature-dependent voltage output of the temperature
sensor; and in response to the temperature feedback input exceeding
a temperature threshold, turning off the laser light source.
19. The lighting device of claim 4, further comprising: a laser
light source matrix coupled to the input surface of the solid
medium waveguide and including multiple laser light sources, each
of the laser light sources configured to be driven by electrical
power to emit laser light rays; and wherein the multiple laser
light sources are in different locations to emit the laser light
rays directed towards the input surface.
20. The lighting device of claim 19, wherein: the laser light
source matrix is coupled directly or indirectly to the input
surface without an air gap; and the laser light sources of the
laser light source matrix are annularly arranged around the input
surface.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present subject matter relates to a lighting device,
e.g., a luminaire or a light fixture for illumination lighting,
which includes a solid medium, such as a freeform prism or a
waveguide, with techniques for generating illumination lighting
from laser light.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Light emitting diode (LED) based illumination lighting has
limitations. LEDs, for example, typically emit light over a rather
broad angular output field, typically called Lambertian angular
distribution with 120-degree beam angle (full-width at
half-maximum). To achieve high brightness and a narrow beam, for
example for use in a high bay light application, many LEDs are
needed which increases the weight and bulkiness of the luminaire.
Even with optical elements to somewhat narrow the output angle
range, some light often is lost outside the desired area of
illumination, for example, at ground or floor level in the high bay
light application. Achieving a high brightness and a narrow beam in
a downlight application also requires a luminaire with a large form
factor.
[0003] Laser light sources are good pumping sources and have high
power in a relatively small package with extremely strong
directionality. But because of safety concerns and low optical
efficiency, blue laser light sources are typically not utilized as
a light source for illumination lighting in the lighting industry.
Blue laser light is not dangerous because of the wavelength of blue
colored light, but rather because the laser light beam is highly
focused and coherent, resulting in a high power density light
source.
[0004] Although blue laser light sources have been utilized in
automobile headlamp applications, the designs for those lighting
devices involve several mirrors to deflect the blue laser light and
have many air gaps. The air gaps and mirrors in the design of such
lighting devices are problematic for several reasons. In the event
of breakage of the lighting device (e.g., during an automobile
accident), the blue laser light is not confined and escapes
outside, which can harm a living organism exposed to the blue laser
light directly, or even indirectly. Accordingly, incorporating a
blue laser light source into a lighting device for illumination
lighting in a safe and optically efficient design is difficult.
SUMMARY
[0005] In an example, a lighting device includes a luminaire. The
luminaire includes a laser light source configured to be driven by
electrical power to emit laser light rays and a phosphor plate. The
luminaire further includes a solid medium freeform prism or
waveguide to confine incoming laser light rays emitted from the
laser light source inside the solid medium freeform prism or
waveguide until conversion into illumination lighting by the
phosphor plate. The solid medium freeform prism or waveguide
includes an input surface or lens coupled to the laser light source
to shape the incoming laser light rays passing through and entering
inside the solid medium waveguide freeform prism or waveguide into
shaped laser light rays. The solid medium freeform prism or
waveguide further includes an output surface and a highly
reflective internal surface to reflect the shaped laser light rays
to propagate inside the solid medium freeform prism or waveguide
until emission through the output surface. The output surface emits
the reflected shaped laser light rays to the phosphor plate. The
phosphor plate is coupled to the output surface of the solid medium
freeform prism or waveguide to convert the reflected shaped laser
light rays into the illumination lighting to emit from the
luminaire. The lighting device further includes a laser light
source driver coupled to the laser light source to selectively
control the laser light source to emit the laser light rays.
[0006] In one example, a lighting device includes a luminaire. The
luminaire includes a laser light source configured to be driven by
electrical power to emit laser light rays and a phosphor plate. The
luminaire further includes a solid medium freeform prism to confine
incoming laser light rays emitted from the laser light source
inside the solid medium freeform prism until conversion into
illumination lighting by the phosphor plate. The solid medium
freeform prism includes an input surface coupled to the laser light
source to shape the incoming laser light rays passing through and
entering inside the solid medium freeform prism into shaped laser
light rays. The solid medium freeform prism further includes an
output surface and a highly reflective internal surface to reflect
the shaped laser light rays to propagate inside the solid medium
freeform prism until emission through the output surface. The
output surface emits the reflected shaped laser light rays to the
phosphor plate. The phosphor plate is coupled to the output surface
of the solid medium freeform prism to convert the reflected shaped
laser light rays into the illumination lighting to emit from the
luminaire. The lighting device further includes a laser light
source driver coupled to the laser light source to selectively
control the laser light source to emit the laser light rays.
[0007] In another example, a lighting device includes a luminaire.
The luminaire includes a laser light source configured to be driven
by electrical power to emit laser light rays and a phosphor plate.
The luminaire further includes a solid medium waveguide to confine
incoming laser light rays emitted from the laser light source
inside the solid medium waveguide until conversion into
illumination lighting by the phosphor plate. The solid medium
waveguide includes an input surface coupled to the laser light
source for incoming laser light rays emitted by the laser light
source to enter the solid medium waveguide. The solid medium
waveguide further includes an output surface and a highly
reflective internal surface to steer the laser light rays passing
through the solid medium waveguide to the phosphor plate. The
highly reflective internal surface includes an initial highly
reflective internal surface portion to initially reflect the laser
light rays to propagate inside a remainder the solid medium
waveguide. The phosphor plate is coupled to the solid medium
waveguide to convert the reflected laser light rays into the
illumination lighting. The lighting device further includes a laser
light source driver coupled to the laser light source to
selectively control the laser light source to emit the laser light
rays.
[0008] Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the
examples will be set forth in part in the description which
follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the
art upon examination of the following and the accompanying drawings
or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The
objects and advantages of the present subject matter may be
realized and attained by means of the methodologies,
instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The drawing figures depict one or more implementations, by
way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures,
like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.
[0010] FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a luminaire, including a
solid medium freeform prism with a highly reflective internal
surface positioned in between a laser light source and a
transmissive phosphor plate.
[0011] FIG. 1B is another schematic view of the luminaire of FIG.
1A with a heat sink and a temperature sensor coupled to the
transmissive phosphor plate.
[0012] FIG. 2A is a schematic view of a luminaire, including a
solid medium waveguide with a wedge-shape positioned in between the
laser light source and the transmissive phosphor plate.
[0013] FIG. 2B is another schematic view of the luminaire of FIG.
2A with the heat sink and the temperature sensor coupled to the
transmissive phosphor plate.
[0014] FIG. 3A is a schematic view of a luminaire, including the
solid medium waveguide with the wedge-shape positioned in between
the laser light source and a reflective phosphor plate.
[0015] FIG. 3B is another schematic view of the luminaire of FIG.
3A with the heat sink and the temperature sensor coupled to the
reflective phosphor plate.
[0016] FIG. 3C is another schematic view of the luminaire of FIG.
3A with a different arrangement of the heat sink and the
temperature sensor coupled to the reflective phosphor plate.
[0017] FIG. 4A is a schematic view of a luminaire, including a
solid medium waveguide with a rectangular-shape positioned in
between the laser light source and the transmissive phosphor
plate.
[0018] FIG. 4B is a schematic view of a luminaire, including a
solid medium waveguide like that of FIG. 4A, but with a different
arrangement of the laser light source coupled to an input surface
of the solid medium waveguide.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a luminaire, including the
solid medium waveguide with the rectangular-shape positioned in
between the laser light source and the reflective phosphor
plate.
[0020] FIG. 6A is a top view of a luminaire, including the solid
medium freeform prism or waveguide like that of FIGS. 1A-5 and a
laser light source matrix.
[0021] FIG. 6B is a bottom view of a luminaire, including the solid
medium freeform prism or waveguide like that of FIGS. 1A-5 and the
laser light source matrix aimed at an input surface of the solid
medium freeform prism or waveguide.
[0022] FIG. 6C is another top view of a luminaire, including the
solid medium freeform prism or waveguide like that of FIGS. 1A-5,
another laser light source matrix, and a phosphor plate matrix.
[0023] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of an example of a
lighting device or system in which a luminaire includes a laser
light source or matrix, a solid medium freeform prism or waveguide,
and a phosphor plate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] In the following detailed description, numerous specific
details are set forth by way of examples in order to provide a
thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it
should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present
teachings may be practiced without such details. In other
instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and/or
circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, without
detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the
present teachings.
[0025] In order to improve the safety and optical efficiency of
utilizing a laser light source (e.g., blue, violet, ultraviolet,
infrared, or near-infrared), a lighting device includes a solid
medium freeform prism or waveguide. The term "solid medium," as
used herein, refers to an object that is firm and stable in shape,
not hollow, and does not contain any air gaps or empty spaces
inside. In the examples herein, the solid medium can be formed of
various suitable materials, including acrylic, glass, silicone,
fused silica, or a combination thereof. Fused silica provides
excellent thermal properties for high optical power applications
that include laser light sources. The solid medium freeform prism
or waveguide confines (e.g., traps) and transports laser light rays
emitted from a laser light source inside until conversion into
illumination lighting by a phosphor plate to generate high lumen
output with a small emitting surface. In the examples herein, the
laser light is mostly confined because the index of refraction of
the solid medium is higher than air. According to Snell's law,
light travelling inside the solid medium with incident angle larger
than the critical angle, i.e. arcsine of refractive index of the
solid medium to that of air, will be totally reflected. A fiber
optic cable is an example of a cylindrical shaped solid medium,
which transports light, but is not utilized for illumination
lighting purposes.
[0026] Compared to a lighting device with light emitting diode
(LED) light sources, the laser light source lighting device can
have other unique advantages. First, because of the high power and
relatively small package of the laser light sources, fewer laser
light sources are included in the luminaire, which leads to a
smaller form factor. Second, the laser light sources have low
efficiency droop with increasing current density. In other words,
laser diodes can be operated at much higher current density without
too much sacrifice of efficiency. GaN-based LDs typically are
operated in the range of kA/cm.sup.2 while GaN-based LEDs are
typically operated in the range of A/cm.sup.2. Finally, the small
etendue of the laser light sources makes the lighting device ideal
for applications with high lumen output in a small area (e.g., for
a narrow beam pattern). The laser light source lighting device can
be utilized in different lighting applications, e.g., high bay
light, downlight, or other lighting platforms.
[0027] The term "luminaire," as used herein, is intended to
encompass essentially any type of device that processes energy to
generate or supply artificial light, for example, for general
illumination of a space intended for use of occupancy or
observation, typically by a living organism that can take advantage
of or be affected in some desired manner by the light emitted from
the device. However, a luminaire may provide light for use by
automated equipment, such as sensors/monitors, robots, etc. that
may occupy or observe the illuminated space, instead of or in
addition to light provided for an organism. However, it is also
possible that one or more luminaires in or on a particular premises
have other lighting purposes, such as signage for an entrance or to
indicate an exit. In most examples, the luminaire(s) illuminate a
space or area of a premises to a level useful for a human in or
passing through the space, e.g., of sufficient intensity for
general illumination of a room or corridor in a building or of an
outdoor space such as a street, sidewalk, parking lot or
performance venue. The actual source of illumination light in or
supplying the light for a luminaire may be any type of artificial
light emitting device, several examples of which are included in
the discussions below.
[0028] Terms such as "artificial lighting" or "illumination
lighting" as used herein, are intended to encompass essentially any
type of lighting that a device produces light by processing of
electrical power to generate the light. A luminaire for an
artificial lighting or illumination lighting application, for
example, may take the form of a lamp, light fixture, or other
luminaire arrangement that incorporates a suitable light source,
where the lighting device component or source(s) by itself contains
no intelligence or communication capability. The illumination light
output of an artificial illumination type luminaire, for example,
may have an intensity and/or other characteristic(s) that satisfy
an industry acceptable performance standard for a general lighting
application.
[0029] The term "coupled" as used herein refers to any logical,
optical, physical or electrical connection, link or the like by
which signals or light produced or supplied by one system element
are imparted to another coupled element. Unless described
otherwise, coupled elements or devices are not necessarily directly
connected to one another and may be separated by intermediate
components, elements or communication media that may modify,
manipulate or carry the light or signals.
[0030] Light output from the luminaire may carry information, such
as a code (e.g. to identify the luminaire or its location) or
downstream transmission of communication signaling and/or user
data. The light based data transmission may involve modulation or
otherwise adjusting parameters (e.g. intensity, color
characteristic or distribution) of the illumination lighting out of
the luminaire.
[0031] The orientations of the lighting device, luminaire,
associated components and/or any complete devices incorporating a
passive optical lens such as shown in any of the drawings, are
given by way of example only, for illustration and discussion
purposes. In operation for a particular variable optical processing
application, the lighting device and passive optical lens may be
oriented in any other direction suitable to the particular
application 3 of the lighting device and the passive optical lens,
for example up light or side light or any other orientation. Also,
to the extent used herein, any directional term, such as lateral,
longitudinal, left, right, up, down, upper, lower, top, bottom, and
side, are used by way of example only, and are not limiting as to
direction or orientation of any optic or component of an optic
constructed as otherwise described herein.
[0032] In the discussion herein, a spot lighting application means
a beam pattern with a spot lighting beam angle state, which is a
beam angle from 4.degree. to 20.degree.. A flood lighting
application means a beam pattern with a flood lighting beam angle
state, which is a beam angle from 21.degree. to 120.degree., but
can be broken down into a regular flood lighting application and a
wide flood lighting application. A regular flood lighting
application means a beam pattern with a regular flood lighting beam
angle state, which is a beam angle from 21.degree. to 45.degree.. A
wide flood lighting application means a beam pattern with a wide
flood lighting beam angle state, which is a beam angle from
45.degree. to 120.degree.. A diffuse lighting application means a
beam pattern with a diffuse lighting beam angle state, which is a
beam angle of 120.degree. or more.
[0033] Reference now is made in detail to the examples illustrated
in the accompanying drawings and discussed below.
[0034] FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a luminaire 100, including a
solid medium freeform prism 115 with a highly reflective internal
surface 125 positioned in between a laser light source 105 and a
transmissive phosphor plate 110. The terms "highly reflective" or
"high reflectance" as used herein, refers to 90% of light is
reflected. The solid medium freeform prism 115 includes three
salient surfaces in the example. Surface one is an input surface
120 (with or without an antireflective coating), Input surface 120
may be cylindrical or aspherical shaped. In an example, input
surface 120 includes a convex shape to refract incoming laser light
rays 106A-N, such as an aspherical or spherical shape (e.g., a
conic section curve). Conic section curves are made by a plane
intersecting a cone, and common conic sections include a parabola,
hyperbola, ellipse, sphere, etc. Conic sections can be rotated in
three-dimensional space to form aspherical or spherical portions
with a conical surface, such as a paraboloid, hyperboloid,
ellipsoid, oblate ellipsoid, spheroid, etc., which may be
truncated. In one example, input surface 120 shapes (e.g.,
collimates) incoming laser light rays 106A-N when the laser light
source 105 is placed at the focus of the input surface 120 into
shaped laser light rays 121A-N, such that shaped laser light rays
121A-N are collimated to control the laser beam spot size. In
another example, input surface 120 shapes (e.g., partially
collimates or converges) incoming laser light rays 106A-N when the
laser light source 105 is placed outside the focus of the input
surface 120 into shaped laser light rays 121A-N, such that shaped
laser light rays 121A-N are partially collimated or converged to
control the laser beam spot size. Shaped laser light rays 121A-N
that are partially collimated or converged instead of fully
collimated may be advantageous in controlling the beam diameter of
shaped laser light rays 121A-N to have a relatively small beam
diameter compared to collimation. Input surface 120 shapes the
incoming laser light rays 106A-N via refraction to achieve shaped
laser light rays 121A-N that are collimated, partially collimated,
or converged. In other examples, the input surface 120 can be a
planar surface.
[0035] Surface two is the highly reflective internal surface 125
where most of the steering of the shaped laser light rays 121A-N
(collimated, partially collimated, or converged) is done. Surface
three is a final output surface 130, which is an exit surface
(e.g., with or without an antireflective coating), and may be
shaped to converge or diverge the laser light beam formed of
reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N. The output surface 130
may be cylindrical, spherical, or aspherical shaped.
[0036] Highly reflective internal surface 125 is formed (e.g.,
shaped with a contour) to output a particular laser light beam
profile incident on the transmissive phosphor plate 110, and the
contour determines the area(s) where the reflected shaped laser
light rays 127A-N strike the transmissive phosphor plate 110 and
how much laser light strikes those area(s). Where and how much of
the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N strike the
transmissive phosphor plate 110 for conversion into illumination
lighting 136A-N depends on the lighting application (e.g., spot
lighting, flood lighting, regular flood lighting, wide flood
lighting, and diffuse lighting). The optical density of the
transmissive phosphor plate 110 is also selected based on the
lighting application.
[0037] In the specific example, the highly reflective internal
surface 125 is half of a total internal reflection (TIR) lens shape
so that no light exits the freeform prism 115 via the highly
reflective internal surface 125. If angles of incidence of the
shaped laser light rays 121A-N are desired which do not exceed the
TIR critical angle, the reflective internal 125 can be coated with
highly reflective metal layer(s) or films(s) (e.g. silver or
aluminum) to form a metallized surface; or a dichroic film (e.g.,
dielectric stack) for high reflectance. The highly reflective
internal surface 125 can be other shapes, which provide TIR of the
incoming laser light rays 106A-N. However, TIR may occur without a
specific TIR lens shape, in particular, TIR is a phenomenon, which
occurs when the angle of incidence of the shaped laser light rays
121A-N exceed the TIR critical angle at the interface of a high
refractive index material and a low refractive index material (air
in this case).
[0038] Laser light source 105 is configured to be driven by
electrical power to emit the laser light rays 106A-N, which strike
the input surface 120. Laser light rays 106A-N may be blue, violet,
ultraviolet, infrared, or near-infrared wavelength light. As shown
in FIG. 7, a laser light source driver 713 coupled to the laser
light source 105 selectively controls the laser light source 105 to
emit the incoming laser light rays 106A-N. Blue/ultraviolet laser
light source 105 may be a laser diode light source and can be
fabricated with aluminum-indium-gallium-nitride-based
(AlInGaN-based) semiconductors, which produce blue/ultraviolet
light without frequency doubling. The laser light source 105 emits
the incoming laser light rays 106A-N with a wavelength between 445
nanometer (nm) through 465 nm, including the "true blue" wavelength
of 445-450 nm. The 445-465 nm wavelength incoming laser light rays
106A-N are closer to the peak sensitivity of the human eye and
therefore appear brighter than 405 nm violet laser diode light
sources. However, in some examples, the laser light source 105 can
be included in the luminaire 100 that emits electromagnetic
radiation between 249-480 nm, which covers ultraviolet, violet or
blue wavelength. Electrically-pumped lasing from an AlGaInN-based
quantum-well at room temperature can occur as low as the 249 nm
wavelength. In some examples, laser light source 105 may emit
electromagnetic radiation in the infrared wavelength. Typically,
the incoming laser light rays 106A-N forming the laser light spot
incident on the input surface 120 is an oval shape with a Gaussian
distribution.
[0039] The transmissive phosphor plate 110 is a transmissive
coating or layer deposited directly or indirectly on the output
surface 130. Transmissive phosphor plate 110 includes a ceramic
phosphor or a single-crystal phosphor, which have superior heat
conduction properties for handling high heat and radiation.
However, other phosphor types can be utilized, including various
yellow phosphors. In one example, the transmissive phosphor plate
110 is sintered or high-temperature pressed-in phosphor ceramic
available under from Lumileds Holding B.V. under the trade name
Lumiramic.RTM.. Transmissive phosphor plate 110 may output
illumination lighting 136A-N with a correlated color temperature of
around 5100 Kelvin white. Other correlated color temperature, from
warm white to cool white, may be derived by tuning phosphor
formula. The luminance of the transmissive phosphor plate 110 from
utilizing the laser light source 105 as the light pumping source
can reach hundreds of candela/square millimeter, which is at least
10 times the luminance that a light emitting diode (LED) light
source generates.
[0040] Solid medium freeform prism 115 confines the incoming laser
light rays 106A-N emitted from the laser light source 105 inside
the solid medium freeform prism 115 until conversion into
illumination lighting 136A-N by the transmissive phosphor plate
110. Although incoming laser light rays 106A-N are not perfectly
parallel, incoming laser light rays 106A-N have a smaller angular
span than light beams from traditional light sources. For example,
laser light source 105 coaxes photons into the same wave state to
make a highly coherent laser light beam, in which the photons have
a well-defined phase relation. The amount that the incoming laser
light rays 106A-N diverge (e.g., spread out) depends on the laser
light source 105 design, e.g., the dimension of the laser active
region (e.g., thickness), ridge width, optical and electrical
confinement layer layout, etc. Divergence can be manifested by
shining the laser light beam on an object and observing the spot of
the laser light beam grow larger while moving away from the
object.
[0041] Solid medium freeform prism 115 includes an input surface
120 coupled to the laser light source 105. In FIG. 1A, the input
surface 120 and the laser light source 105 are depicted as being
coupled together with an air gap in between. However, enhanced
safety can be provided by having a coupling between the input
surface 120 and the laser light source 105 (either directly or
indirectly) without an air gap between. The input surface 120
includes an antireflective coating and thus excludes reflective
material. The antireflective coating is an optical coating to
reduce reflection and improve efficiency by eliminating lost light.
The antireflective coating can include transparent thin film
structures with alternating layers of contrasting refractive
indices.
[0042] In the example of FIG. 1A, the input surface 120 is a
collimating type of input surface 120 with an aspherical or
spherical shape. An input surface 120 highly collimates incoming
laser light rays 106A-N (e.g., converges to have the same
direction) emitted by the laser light source 105 passing through
and entering inside the solid medium freeform prism 115, for
example, focuses the incoming laser light rays 106A-N. It should be
understood that a perfectly collimated laser beam (i.e., focused to
infinity), however, is not actually possible due to diffraction.
The incoming laser light rays 106A-N forming the laser light beam
may form an oval shaped spot. The common beam angle full-width at
half-maximum (FWHM) is around 5-7.degree. in the short axis and
19-27.degree. degree in the long axis. Again, this is mainly
determined by geometry of the laser light source 105 design. Input
surface 120 collimates the incoming laser light rays 106A-N passing
through into the shaped laser light rays 121A-N, which appear
converged. The shaped laser light rays 121A-N formed a circular
shaped spot with a smaller light ray spread than the incoming laser
light rays 106A-N.
[0043] Solid medium freeform prism 115 further includes an output
surface 130 and a highly reflective internal surface 125 (e.g.,
TIR) to reflect the shaped laser light rays 121A-N (e.g., by
undergoing TIR) to propagate inside the solid medium freeform prism
115 until emission through the output surface 130. Output surface
130 emits the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N (e.g., TIR
collimated) to the transmissive phosphor plate 110. The output
surface 130 includes an antireflective coating and excludes
reflective material to maximize optical output efficiency to
improve luminance output. Solid medium freeform prism 115 is shaped
and the highly reflective internal surface 125 formed to keep the
reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N forming the laser light
beam spot incident on the transmissive phosphor plate 110 as small
as possible to enhance luminance of the output beam of the
illumination lighting 136A-N. Transmissive phosphor plate 110 is
coupled to the output surface 130 of the solid medium freeform
prism 115 to convert the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N
into the illumination lighting 136A-N to emit from the luminaire
100.
[0044] Luminaire 100 further includes a reflector or lens 135
coupled to transmissive phosphor plate 110 on the output surface
130 to shape a beam pattern of the emitted illumination lighting
136A-N. As shown, a direction of the incoming laser light rays
106A-N entering the input surface 120 is rotated 45 degrees to 90
degrees relative to the direction of the illumination lighting
136A-N emitted from the transmissive phosphor plate 110.
[0045] FIG. 1B is another schematic view of the luminaire 100 of
FIG. 1A with a heat sink 112 and a temperature sensor 114 coupled
to the transmissive phosphor plate 110. Heat sink 112 is a passive
heat exchanger that transfers the heat generated by the
transmissive phosphor plate 110 and to a cooling medium (e.g., air)
to dissipate the heat from the luminaire 100. Heat sink 112 may be
a metal heat sink, heat pipe, etc. In the transmissive phosphor
plate 110 example, the heat sink 112 is coupled to the side
non-emission surface 117A of the transmissive phosphor plate 110
where the illumination lighting 136A-N is not emitted.
[0046] The heat sink 112 is positioned to maximize the surface area
in contact with the air-cooling medium, and therefore extends past
the side non-emission surface 117A of the transmissive phosphor
plate 110. However, the surface area of the heat sink 112 is
somewhat constrained because the heat sink 112 ideally does not
block, obstruct, or interfere with any of the illumination lighting
136A-N emitted by the transmissive phosphor plate 110. Hence, in
the example luminaire 100 of FIG. 1B, the heat sink 112 is not
positioned on the bottom emission surface 118 of the transmissive
phosphor plate 110 where the illumination lighting 136A-N is
emitted to avoid obstruction with the illumination lighting 136A-N.
In some examples, the non-emission surfaces 117A-B may be a single
continuous surface instead of discontinuous surfaces. Heat sink 112
may be coupled to both non-emission surfaces 117A-B to maximize
conduction and heat exchange with the air-cooling medium.
[0047] Solid medium freeform prism 115 has various surfaces
contoured to manipulate the beam profile, size, and angle of
incidence of the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N on the
transmissive phosphor plate 110. Size tuning is important for laser
lighting applications because the transmissive phosphor plate 110
may have a beam profile threshold, which requires a specific
incident area or luminance not to be exceeded to avoid premature
wearing out or other failure of the phosphor layer of the
transmissive phosphor plate 110.
[0048] Typically, excessive luminance manifests itself in the form
of excess thermal energy or heat on the transmissive phosphor plate
110 of the luminaire 100. Phosphor degrades with rising temperature
and usually fails due to so-called thermal quenching, i.e.,
phosphor conversion efficiency suddenly drops to zero if critical
temperature of thermal quenching is met. To detect actual phosphor
layer failure or the potential for phosphor layer failure, the
luminaire 100 includes a temperature sensor 114. Temperature sensor
114 produces a temperature feedback input (e.g.,
temperature-dependent voltage output or other temperature
measurement signal) of the transmissive phosphor plate 110. In one
example, temperature sensor 114 includes a thermocouple, which is
an electrical device that has two dissimilar electrical conductors
forming electrical junctions at differing temperatures. The
thermocouple produces the temperature-dependent voltage output
based on the difference of temperatures using the thermoelectric
effect. In other examples, the temperature sensor 114 includes a
thermistor, resistance thermometer, or silicon bandgap temperature
sensor to produce the temperature feedback input.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 7, a laser light source driver 713 is
coupled to the laser light source 105. Laser light source driver
713 selectively controls the laser light source 105 to emit the
incoming laser light rays 106A-N. The selective control of laser
light source driver 713 includes receiving the temperature feedback
input of the temperature sensor 114. In response to the temperature
feedback input exceeding a temperature threshold, laser light
source driver 713 turns off the laser light source 105. The
processing of the temperature feedback input is implemented in the
host processing system 716 or other components of the controller
711 of the lighting device or system 709 of FIG. 7, which control
the laser light source driver 713.
[0050] In the transmissive phosphor plate 110 example, the
temperature sensor 114 is coupled to the side non-emission surface
117B of the transmissive phosphor plate 110 where the illumination
lighting 136A-N is not emitted. Hence, the location of the
temperature sensor 114 on the side non-emission surface 117B avoids
blocking, obstructing, or interfering with the illumination
lighting 136A-N emitted from the bottom emission surface 118.
[0051] FIG. 2A is a schematic view of a luminaire 200, including a
solid medium waveguide 215 positioned in between the laser light
source 105 and the transmissive phosphor plate 110. As shown in the
example of FIG. 2A, the solid medium waveguide 215 is a light guide
with a wedge shape to trap and transport laser light. Solid medium
waveguide 215 confines the incoming laser light rays 106A-N emitted
from the laser light source 105 inside the solid medium waveguide
215 until conversion into illumination lighting 136A-N by the
transmissive phosphor plate 110.
[0052] Solid medium waveguide 215 includes an input surface 120
coupled to the laser light source 105 for incoming laser light rays
106A-N emitted by the laser light source 105 to enter the solid
medium waveguide 215. Although only a single light ray trace is
shown for the incoming laser light rays 106A-N in the example, it
should be understood that there are many such light rays
propagating to form the highly coherent laser light beam emitted by
laser light source 105 like that shown in FIG. 1A.
[0053] Laser light from multiple laser light sources 105 may enter
the input surface 120 from multiple directions and angles of
incidence. The laser light source 105 may emit incoming laser light
rays 106A-N from the edge to make the luminaire 200 edge lit, where
the incoming laser light rays 106A-N propagate straight into the
solid medium waveguide 215. The angles of the input surface 120,
highly reflective internal surface 225, and the output surface 130
can be tuned, so the incoming laser light rays 106A-N meet the
angle requirement for TIR, for example. In addition, the
positioning of the holographic reflective optical element 255 may
be adjusted. For example, the incoming laser light rays 106A-N may
be directed straight into the solid medium waveguide 215 to strike
the holographic reflective optical element 255 and then redirected
to the transmissive phosphor plate 110.
[0054] Input surface 120 is in an optical path between laser light
source 105 and the initial highly reflective internal surface
portion 226. As is the case with the solid freeform prism 115 of
FIG. 1A, the input surface 120 of the solid medium waveguide 215
also includes an antireflective film to minimize optical loss and
excludes reflective material. In the example of FIG. 2A, the
luminaire 200 further includes an optional collimating lens 250 for
shaping incoming laser light rays 106A-N in an optical path between
laser light source 105 and the input surface 120. Collimating lens
250 collimates the incoming laser light rays 106A-N emitted by the
laser light source 105 passing through into shaped laser light rays
121A-N prior to striking the input surface 120. As shown in the
example waveguides 215, 415, the input surface 120 may be shaped as
a relatively planar surface that does not shape the incoming laser
light rays 106A-N because the luminaires 200, 300, 400, 500 include
the collimating lens 250 for shaping purposes. In other examples
(e.g., without a collimating lens 250), input surface 120 includes
a convex aspherical or spherical shaped surface to shape (e.g.,
collimate) via refraction the incoming laser light rays 106A-N
emitted by the laser light source 105 passing through into shaped
laser light rays 121A-N that are collimated prior to striking the
initial highly reflective internal surface portion 226. Placing the
laser light source 105 at the focus of the convex aspherical or
spherical shaped input surface 120 collimates incoming laser light
rays 106A-N. Placing the laser light source 105 outside the focus
of the aspherical or spherical shaped input surface 120 partially
collimates or converges the incoming laser light rays 106A-N.
Hence, the input surface 120 can shape the incoming laser light
rays 106A-N emitted by the laser light source 105 passing through
into shaped laser light rays 121A-N that are collimated, partially
collimated, or converged prior to striking the initial highly
reflective internal surface portion 226. Solid medium waveguide 215
further include a highly reflective internal surface 225 to steer
the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N passing through the
solid medium waveguide 215 to the transmissive phosphor plate 110.
The highly reflective internal surface 225 includes a total
internal reflection (TIR) shaped portion, at least one highly
reflective optical coating or layer, or a combination thereof. The
at least one highly reflective optical coating or layer includes a
dichroic film, a silvered mirror, or a combination thereof.
[0055] The principal purpose of the highly reflective internal
surface 225 is to redirect the shaped laser light rays 121A-N to
the transmissive phosphor plate 110, for example, utilizing TIR.
Initial highly reflective internal surface 226 can include a highly
reflective coating, such as silvered mirror or highly efficient
multi-layer dichroic mirror to reflect the shaped laser light rays
121A-N with angles of incidence that do not exceed the TIR critical
angle. Similarly, the highly reflective internal surface 225
includes the highly reflective coating to reflect the reflected
shaped laser light rays 127A-N with angles of incidence that do not
exceed the TIR critical angle. In one example, only initial highly
reflective internal surface 226 needs to have a highly reflective
coating if TIR is not valid. Shaped laser light rays 121A-N
traveling inside the waveguide 215 can follow TIR by design if the
shape of the initial highly reflective internal surface 226 is
contoured correctly. The highly reflective coating ensures
reflection of the shaped laser light rays 121A-N and the reflected
shaped laser light rays 127A-N being coupled into the solid medium
waveguide 215, and traveling inside the waveguide by TIR. A
dichroic mirror provides highly reflectivity to propagate the
reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N coupling into the solid
medium waveguide 215. In one example, the highly reflective coating
is MIRO-SILVER.RTM. manufactured by ALANOD.RTM., which is deposited
as multiple coatings or layers.
[0056] Highly reflective internal surface 225 includes an initial
highly reflective internal surface portion 226. Initial highly
reflective internal surface portion 226 initially reflects the
laser light rays 106A-N to propagate inside a remainder the solid
medium waveguide 215. In the example of FIG. 2A, the solid medium
waveguide 215 is a wedge shape and the initial highly reflective
internal surface portion 226 includes the tapered surface of the
wedge shape, which initially reflects the laser light rays 106A-N
to propagate inside the remainder of the solid medium waveguide. In
one example, the initial highly reflective internal surface portion
226 includes a TIR shape and the highly reflective internal surface
225 includes at least one highly reflective optical coating or
layer.
[0057] Highly reflective internal surface 225 includes at least one
holographic reflective optical element 255 to reflect the reflected
shaped laser light rays 127A-N. In the example of FIG. 2A, the
highly reflective internal surface 225 includes a single
holographic reflective optical element 255 to reflect the reflected
shaped laser light rays 127A-N towards the transmissive phosphor
plate 110. In other examples like that shown in FIGS. 4A and 5, the
highly reflective internal surface 225 includes multiple
holographic reflective optical elements 255A-B. Transmissive
phosphor plate 110 is is coupled to the output surface 130 of the
solid medium waveguide 215. In the example, transmissive phosphor
plate 110 absorbs the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N,
which are blue light, and outputs excited yellow light in a random
direction as illumination lighting 136A-N. Reflector or lens 135
can shape the illumination lighting 136A-N. Because the phosphor is
not 100% efficient in the example, the outputted illumination
lighting 136A-N includes a mixture of a majority of converted
excited yellow light (e.g., over 90%) and a small percentage of
unconverted light from the original light pumping source, which is
blue light (e.g., less than 10%). Moreover, a very small percentage
of the excited yellow light may also pass back inside the waveguide
215 instead of being outputted as illumination lighting 136A-N. The
luminaire 200 further includes a reflector or lens 135, which is
coupled to the output surface 130 to shape a beam pattern of the
emitted illumination lighting 136A-N from the transparent phosphor
plate 110. The highly reflective internal surface 225 and the
holographic reflective element 255 have the ability to change the
outputted beam size of the illumination lighting 136A-N. For
example, solid medium waveguide 215 is shaped and the highly
reflective internal surface 225 formed to keep the reflected shaped
laser light rays 127A-N forming the laser light beam spot incident
on the transmissive phosphor plate 110 as small as possible to
enhance luminance of the output beam pattern of the illumination
lighting 136A-N.
[0058] Holographic reflective optical element 255 is an optical
element manufactured with holographic imaging processes or
principles, such as a diffraction grating, filter, lens, or beam
splitter. For example, holographic recording materials, such as a
photoresists, silver halide, and a dichromated gelatin emulsion are
utilized to manufacture a reference mask of a particular
diffraction grating or lens (e.g., with alternating high/low
refractive indices), and that reference mask is utilized to
manufacture the holographic reflective optical element 255.
Holographic reflective optical element 255 can be in the form of a
thin flexible photopolymer film that can be applied to glass or
acrylic surfaces of the solid medium waveguide 215. Holographic
reflective optical element 255 is advantageous in terms of cost due
to simple design, small size, etc. and is easily reproducible by
embossing polymer materials. Holographic reflective optical element
255 is useful in laser lighting applications because laser is a
coherent source. Such a coherent, narrow spectral width and highly
collimated light, is a perfect match for such holographic optical
elements utilizing diffraction principles. The diffraction pattern
is highly sensitive to wavelength (light color) and uniform wave
front (light direction). Holographic reflective optical element 255
is wavelength selective and may have a high diffraction efficiency,
corresponding to large apertures of conventional lenses.
Holographic reflective optical element 255 includes a diffraction
pattern rendered as a thin film containing an index modulation
throughout the thickness of the film, or as a surface pattern on
the highly reflective internal surface 225. In FIG. 2A, holographic
reflective optical element 255 behaves as a reflective type
hologram in which incident blue light rays (shown as reflected
shaped laser light rays 127A-N) are diffracted back on the same
incident side of the holographic reflective optical element 255
towards the transmissive phosphor plate 110.
[0059] FIG. 2B is another schematic view of the luminaire 200 of
FIG. 2A with the heat sink 112 and the temperature sensor 114
coupled to the transmissive phosphor plate 110 like that of FIG.
1B. Both the heat sink 112 and the temperature sensor 114 are
identical to that of FIG. 1B and are positioned and coupled to the
transmissive phosphor plate 110 in the same manner as FIG. 1B.
[0060] FIG. 3A is a schematic view of a luminaire 300, including
the solid medium waveguide 215 with the wedge-shape positioned in
between the laser light source 105 and a reflective phosphor plate
310. The reflective phosphor plate 310 includes a phosphor layer
similar to the transmissive phosphor plate 110, but the phosphor
layer is deposited on a reflective substrate. The reflective
substrate underneath or behind the phosphor layer includes suitable
metals (e.g., aluminum), metal oxides (e.g., aluminum oxide), or
other reflective materials. For example, the reflective substrate
is a white or mirrored surface so that any illumination lighting
136A-N passing through the phosphor layer is reflected back into
the sold medium waveguide 215. A reflective substrate formed of
aluminum oxide provides good thermal conduction and reflectively.
Aluminum oxide is also generally whiter and does not have specular
reflection properties, so if the phosphor layer degrades and the
reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N start striking the
reflective substrate, very diffuse laser light is emitted instead
of a highly coherent laser light beam. Diffuse laser light has much
lower radiant intensity (i.e., optical watt per steradian) than the
original collimated laser light and forms Lambertian-like emission,
i.e. very similar with regular blue light emitting from
light-emitting diodes and scatters everywhere, which provides
enhanced safety. Input surface 120 can include an aspherical or
spherical shape to shape incoming laser light rays 106A-N into
collimated, partially collimated, or converged shaped laser light
rays 121A-N utilizing the previously described techniques, for
example, if a collimating lens 250 is not included.
[0061] The holographic reflective optical element 255 is coupled to
an output surface 130 of the solid medium waveguide 215 and behaves
as a reflective type hologram as is the case with FIG. 2A.
Reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N do not pass through the
holographic reflective optical element 255, and are reflected back
to the reflective phosphor plate 310. However, in FIG. 3A,
holographic reflective optical element 255 also behaves as a
transmissive type hologram, in which incident and diffracted
illumination lighting 136A-N are on opposite sides of the
holographic reflective optical element 255. The holographic
reflective optical element 255 is wavelength dependent and
polarization dependent. Illumination lighting 136A-N emitted from
reflective phosphor plate 310 other than blue light, can pass
through holographic reflective optical element 255 without too much
influence due to its wavelength dependency. Thus, the holographic
reflective optical element 255 is wavelength sensitive to
selectively emit illumination lighting 136A-N reflected from the
reflective phosphor plate 310 through the output surface 130 of the
solid medium waveguide 215 and substantially exclude the reflected
shaped laser light rays 127A-N from emission through the output
surface 130 of the solid medium waveguide 215. As used herein,
"substantially exclude" means 10% or less of the illumination
lighting 136A-N includes unconverted light from the original
pumping source (incoming laser light rays 106A-N), which is laser
light source 105. Holographic reflective optical element 255 is not
100% reflective to blue light, but about 90% reflective. The blue
light and yellow light that passes through holographic reflective
optical element 255 becomes illumination lighting 136A-N.
[0062] The reflective substrate underneath the phosphor layer of
the reflective phosphor plate 310 reflects back the illumination
lighting 136A-N generated by the phosphor layer through the solid
medium waveguide 215. Holographic reflective optical element 255 is
very wavelength sensitive. Reflective phosphor plate 310 transforms
most of the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N into
illumination lighting 136A-N. Holographic reflective optical
element 255 is transparent to white light, but blocks the narrow
band blue light wavelength. Thus, the holographic reflective
optical element 255 is utilized for safety so that if the phosphor
layer of the reflective phosphor plate 310 degrades, laser light
will not be observed by an observer of the luminaire 300.
Holographic reflective optical element 255 also provides optical
efficiency advantages because the reflective phosphor plate 310
generates illumination lighting 136A-N in many directions and the
holographic reflective optical element 255 recycles virtually of
the illumination lighting 136A-N out of the solid medium waveguide
215.
[0063] The holographic reflective optical element 255 lens has a
very narrow band and only emits the narrow band illumination white
light. The reflective phosphor plate 310 is broadband and absorbs
all striking blue light (e.g., 445-465 nm), and then performs a
Stokes shift to shift the blue light down. The holographic
reflective optical element 255 can have a very tiny profile size
because of the small laser light spot size, e.g., in the
submillimeter range.
[0064] FIG. 3B is another schematic view of the luminaire 300 of
FIG. 3A with the heat sink 112 and the temperature sensor 114
coupled to the reflective phosphor plate 310 like that of FIG. 1B.
Both the heat sink 112 and the temperature sensor 114 are identical
to that of FIG. 1B and are positioned and coupled to the reflective
phosphor plate 310 in the same manner as the positioning and
coupling to the transmissive phosphor plate 110 of FIG. 1B.
[0065] FIG. 3C is another schematic view of the luminaire 300 of
FIG. 3A with a different arrangement of the heat sink 112 and the
temperature sensor 114 coupled to the reflective phosphor plate
310. In the example luminaire 300 of FIG. 3C, the heat sink 112 is
positioned on the bottom non-emission surface 117C of the
reflective phosphor plate 310 (e.g., underneath the reflective
substrate on the opposing side of the phosphor layer). Temperature
sensor 114 is coupled to the side non-emission surface 117B of the
reflective phosphor plate 310. Having a reflective phosphor plate
310 can be advantageous and allow maximization of the surface area
of the heat sink 112 in contact with the air-cooling medium. The
reflective phosphor plate 310 also prevents the heat sink 112 and
temperature sensor 112 from blocking, obstructing, or interfering
with any of the illumination lighting 136A-N emitted from the
holographic reflective optical element 255. Non-emission surfaces
117A-C may be a single continuous surface instead of discontinuous
surfaces. Heat sink 112 may be coupled to all of the non-emission
surfaces 117A-C to maximize conduction and heat exchange with the
air-cooling medium.
[0066] Because the reflective phosphor plate 310 can conduct heat
from multiple non-emission surfaces 117A-C without interfering with
the illumination lighting 136A-N, placement of the heat sink 112 is
simplified. Reflective phosphor plate 310 can also provide higher
optical efficiency because most of the produced illumination
lighting 136A-N is outputted with a well-controlled beam pattern
via manipulation of the holographic reflective optical element
255.
[0067] Reflective phosphor plate 310 has safety benefits compared
to the transmissive phosphor plate 110 in the event of phosphor
layer failure. In the event of failure of the transmissive phosphor
plate 110 or the reflective phosphor plate 310, the conversion into
illumination lighting 136A-N ceases. If the temperature sensor 114,
phosphor monitoring control program 780, or other components that
check for degradation of the transmissive phosphor plate 110 fail,
then the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N shoot out of the
luminaire 300, as shown in FIGS. 2A-B. However, if the temperature
sensor 114, phosphor monitoring control program 780, or other
components that check for degradation of the reflective phosphor
plate 130 fail, then the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N
are not observed outside of the luminaire 300. Instead, the
reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N shoot are merely absorbed
as heat and can be exchanged with the air-cooling medium by the
heat sink 112, as shown in FIGS. 3A-C.
[0068] FIG. 4A is a schematic view of a luminaire 400A, including a
solid medium waveguide 415 positioned in between the laser light
source 105 and the transmissive phosphor plate 110. Transmissive
phosphor plate 110 is coupled to the output surface 130. The solid
medium waveguide 415 is a rectangular shape and includes multiple
holographic reflective optical elements 255A-B (two are shown in
the example of FIG. 4A). As shown, holographic reflective optical
element 255A reflects the shaped laser light rays 121A-N and
holographic reflective optical element 255B reflects the reflected
shaped laser light rays 127A-N.
[0069] As noted above, although depicted as having a planar
surface, the input surface 120 may have an aspherical or spherical
contour to shape (e.g., collimate, partially collimate, or
converge) the incoming light rays 106A-N into shaped light rays
121A-N, as shown in FIG. 1A, particularly if a collimating lens 250
is not utilized. As noted above, placing the laser light source 105
at the focus of the convex aspherical or spherical shaped input
surface 120 collimates incoming laser light rays 106A-N into shaped
laser light rays 121A-N. Placing the laser light source 105 outside
the focus of the aspherical or spherical shaped input surface 120
partially collimates or converges the incoming laser light rays
106A-N into shaped laser light rays 121A-N.
[0070] Both of the wedge-shaped solid medium waveguide 215 examples
of FIGS. 2A and 3A are coupled to a single holographic reflective
optical element 255. In the examples of FIGS. 4A and 5, a
rectangular-shaped solid medium waveguide 415 is coupled to two
holographic reflective optical elements 255A-B. The benefit of the
wedge-shaped solid medium waveguide 215 is higher efficiency
because a TIR type highly reflective internal surface 225 is highly
efficient, but the wedge-shaped solid medium waveguide 215 is more
difficult to manufacture. In contrast, manufacturing of the
rectangular-shaped solid medium waveguide 415 is easier because a
large rectangular solid medium can be cut into many such
rectangular-shaped solid medium waveguides 415, but the
rectangular-shaped solid medium waveguide 415 is less efficient
because two holographic reflective optical elements 255A-B are
present in the luminaires 400A, 500. Each of the two holographic
reflective optical elements 255A-B are typically only 90% optically
efficient because of light leakage, which is much less efficient
than TIR. Although the wedge-shaped solid medium waveguide 215
requires a specific mold to manufacture, which leads to higher
manufacturing costs, higher optical efficiency is achieved with
just one holographic reflective optical element 255 and mostly TIR
type reflection in the luminaires 200, 300.
[0071] In FIG. 4A, the initial highly reflective internal surface
portion 226 of the highly reflective internal surface 225 includes
a first holographic reflective optical element 255A to initially
reflect the shaped laser light rays 121A-N to propagate inside the
remainder of the solid medium waveguide 415. A different area of
the highly reflective internal surface 225 of the solid medium
waveguide 415, which excludes the area of the initial highly
reflective internal surface portion 226, is coupled to a second
holographic reflective optical element 255B. Second holographic
reflective optical element 255B opposes the transmissive phosphor
plate 110 and further reflects the propagating reflected
collimating laser light rays 127A-N towards the transmissive
phosphor plate 110.
[0072] FIG. 4B is a schematic view of a luminaire 400B, including a
solid medium waveguide 415 like that of FIG. 4A, but with a
different arrangement of the laser light source 105 coupled to an
input surface 120 of the solid medium waveguide 415. In this
example, the input surface 120 is located on the lateral surface of
the waveguide 415 and the luminaire 400B is edge lit by positioning
the laser light source 105 adjacent that lateral surface where the
input surface 120 of the waveguide 415 is located. A direction of
the incoming laser light rays 106A-N entering the input surface 120
is rotated 45 degrees to 90 degrees relative to the direction of
the illumination lighting 136A-N emitted from the transmissive
phosphor plate 110.
[0073] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a luminaire 500, including the
solid medium waveguide 415 with the rectangular-shape positioned in
between the laser light source 105 and the reflective phosphor
plate 310. As shown, the output surface 130 is coupled to a
holographic reflective optical element 255B, which is wavelength
sensitive, to selectively emit the illumination lighting 136A-N
emitted from the reflective phosphor plate 310 and substantially
exclude the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N from emission
through the output surface 130 of the solid medium waveguide 415.
The luminaire 500 further includes a reflector or lens 135 coupled
to the reflective phosphor plate 310 on the output surface 130 to
shape a beam pattern of the emitted illumination lighting 136A-N.
Input surface 120 can include an aspherical or spherical shape to
shape incoming laser light rays 106A-N into collimated, partially
collimated, or converged shaped laser light rays 121A-N utilizing
the previously described techniques, for example, if a collimating
lens 250 is not included.
[0074] FIG. 6A is a top view of a luminaire 600A, including the
solid medium freeform prism or waveguide 615, like that of FIGS.
1A-5 and a laser light source matrix 660. Laser light source matrix
660 includes multiple laser light sources 105A-H, of which there
are eighth in the example. Each of the laser light sources 105A-H
is configured to be driven by electrical power to emit laser light
rays. As shown, a heat sink 655 surrounds the luminaire 600A to
heat exchange the heat generated from eighth laser light sources
105A-H and the phosphor plate 610 with an air-cooling medium. The
reflector or lens 135 annularly surrounds the phosphor plate
610.
[0075] In an example, a subset or all of the laser light sources
105A-H in the laser light source matrix 660 emit laser light rays
106A-N, which enter into the solid medium freeform prism or
waveguide 615. Solid medium freeform prism or waveguide 615 may be
glass, acrylic, or silicon, but glass may be more reliable for the
high power density of the incoming laser light rays 106A-N. Once
the incoming laser light rays 106A-N are collimated, solid medium
freeform prism or waveguide 615 directs the shaped laser light rays
121A-N to the phosphor plate 610. Luminaire 600A may include a
secondary optic, such as the reflector or lens 135 to obtain
different light distributions and beam patterns.
[0076] In one example, when the solid medium is a freeform prism,
the freeform prism has a collimating ability and several different
surfaces, including a collimating input 120 surface to collimate
the laser light rays so that once the laser light rays 106A-N enter
the freeform prism, the freeform prism behaves as a waveguide. In
another example, when the solid medium is a waveguide, the input
surface 120 of the waveguide is integrated into the waveguide to
avoid the cost of a collimating lens 250. The collimating lens 250
is shaped as a section of a sphere or a conic surface. An
antireflective coating is deposited or layered on the input surface
120 or lens 250 of the solid medium freeform prism or waveguide
615.
[0077] FIG. 6B is a bottom view of a luminaire 600B, including the
solid medium freeform prism or waveguide 615 like that of FIGS.
1A-5 and the laser light source matrix 660. Laser light source
matrix 660 is coupled to the input surface 120 of the solid medium
freeform prism or waveguide 615. The laser light source matrix 660
is coupled directly or indirectly to the input surface 120 without
an air gap for improved safety, however, in some examples, an air
gap may exist. As shown, the laser light sources 105A-H of the
laser light source matrix 660 are annularly arranged around the
input surface 120.
[0078] Hence, the laser light rays 106A-N emitted by the laser
light source matrix 660 are aimed at the input surface 120 of the
solid medium freeform prism or waveguide 615. The multiple laser
light sources 105A-H are in different locations of the laser light
source matrix 660 to emit the laser light rays 106A-N directed
towards the input surface 129. In the example, the multiple laser
light sources 105A-H are arranged in a ring, for example, in a
circular or oval shaped array; however, in some examples, the
multiple laser light sources 105A-H may be arranged as a
rectangular or square grid or as two or more concentric rings.
[0079] FIG. 6C is another top view of a luminaire 600C, including
the solid medium freeform prism or waveguide 615 like that of FIGS.
1A-5. In the example of FIG. 6C, the luminaire 600C includes a
laser light source matrix 660 with six laser light sources 105A-F
positioned to form a hexagon shape. The luminaire 600C further
includes a phosphor plate matrix 670 with six phosphor plates
610A-F (e.g., transmissive or reflective) positioned to form a
hexagon shape. Each of the laser light sources 105A-F is optically
coupled through the freeform prism or waveguide 615 to a
corresponding phosphor plate 610A-F in the phosphor plate matrix
670. The polygon shape of the phosphor plate matrix 670 may vary
depending on the number of phosphor plates 610A-N and the polygon
shape of the laser light source matrix 660 may vary depending on
the number of laser light sources 105A-F, for example, shaped like
a triangle, rectangle, pentagon, octagon, etc.
[0080] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of an example of a
lighting device or system 709 in which a luminaire 700 includes a
laser light source 105 or matrix 660, a solid medium freeform prism
or waveguide 615, and a phosphor plate 710. The depicted components
of the luminaire 700 may be coupled without air gaps. The drawing
(FIG. 7) shows the inclusion of the luminaire 700 in a system 709,
together with a suitable controller 711. As shown in FIG. 7, the
controller 711 includes a laser light source driver 713 coupled to
the luminaire 700 and a host processing system 716. The controller
711 may also include one or more communication interfaces 717 and
one or more sensors 726.
[0081] Luminaire 700 provides illumination lighting in response to
lighting control signals received from the driver system, shown as
laser light source driver 713, for example, based on an
illumination application (stored as program(s) 727). Laser light
source driver 713 selectively controls the laser light source 105
or matrix 660 to emit the laser light rays 106A-N for conversion
into artificial illumination lighting. Laser light source driver
713 is configured and coupled to supply suitable power to drive the
particular implementation of the laser light source 105 or matrix
660. The illumination lighting 136A-N emitted from the luminaire
700 has an intensity and/or other characteristic(s) that satisfy an
industry acceptable performance standard for a general lighting
application.
[0082] In an example, the luminaire 700 includes a laser light
source 105 or matrix 660, which emits incoming laser light rays
106A-N. The laser light source 105 or matrix 660 are coupled
directly or indirectly to the input surface 120 of the solid medium
freeform prism or waveguide 615, for example, without an air gap.
As described above, the laser light source matrix 660 is comprised
of multiple laser light sources. In the example, the luminaire 700
further includes an optional input surface or lens 750 coupled to
the laser light source 105 or matrix 660 for incoming laser light
rays 106A-N emitted by the laser light source 105 or matrix 600.
Input surface or lens 750 collimates, partially collimates, or
converges the incoming laser light rays 106A-N passing through and
entering inside the solid medium waveguide freeform prism or
waveguide 615 into shaped laser light rays 121A-N via refraction.
As noted above, input surface or lens 750 may be an input surface
120 formed integrally as part of the solid freeform prism or
waveguide 615. Alternatively, input surface or lens 750 may be a
collimating lens 250 that is separately formed from the solid
freeform prism or waveguide 615, as shown in the example of FIG. 7.
The solid medium freeform prism or waveguide 615 confines (e.g.,
traps) and then transports the shaped laser light rays 121A-N
inside the solid medium freeform prism or waveguide 615 until
conversion into illumination lighting 136A-N by the phosphor plate
710. In addition, the luminaire may include various holographic
reflective optical elements 255 like the luminaire arrangements
described in FIGS. 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5. Although not shown, the solid
medium freeform prism or waveguide 615 includes an output surface
130, a highly reflective internal surface 125, 225 to reflect the
shaped laser light rays 121A-N to propagate inside the solid medium
freeform prism or waveguide 615 until emission through the output
surface 130. Output surface 130 emits the reflected shaped laser
light rays 127A-N to the phosphor plate 710.
[0083] As described earlier, the phosphor plate 710 can be
transmissive or reflective. Phosphor plate 710 is coupled to the
output surface 130 of the solid medium freeform prism or waveguide
615 to convert the reflected shaped laser light rays 127A-N into
the illumination lighting 136A-N to emit from the luminaire
700.
[0084] FIG. 7 also provides an example of an implementation of the
high layer logic and communications elements to control luminaire
operations to provide selected illumination light, e.g., for a
general illumination application. As shown, the controller 711
includes a host processing system 716, one or more sensors 726 and
one or more communication interface(s) 717. Other implementations
of the circuitry of the controller 711 may be utilized. For the
purpose of illumination operation, the circuitry of the controller
711, in the example, is coupled to the laser light source 105 or
matrix 660 to drive and control operation of the laser light source
105 or matrix 660. The circuitry of the controller 711 may be
configured to operate the laser light source 105 or matrix 660 to
generate the illumination light at least during an illumination
state of the luminaire 700. The controller 711 may implement a
number of different illumination state configurations (e.g., on/off
and dimming levels)
[0085] The host processing system 716 provides the high level logic
or "brain" of the controller 711 and thus of the lighting device or
system 709. In the example, the host processing system 716 includes
memories/storage 725, such as a random access memory and/or a
read-only memory, as well as programs 727 stored in one or more of
the memories/storage 725. The programming 727, in one example,
configures the lighting device or system 709 to implement
illumination states of the controlled luminaire 700. As an
alternative to distinct states, the programming 727 may configure
the lighting device or system 709 to implement a step-wise or
substantially continuous adjustment of the relative intensities of
the illumination light outputs of the controlled luminaire 700,
encompassing settings to achieve the relative intensity levels of
the states.
[0086] The memories/storage 725 may also store various data,
including luminaire configuration information 728 or one or more
configuration files containing such information, in addition to the
illustrated programming 727. The host processing system 716 also
includes a central processing unit (CPU), shown by way of example
as a microprocessor (.mu.P) 723, although other processor hardware
may serve as the CPU.
[0087] As shown, one of the programs 727 is a phosphor monitoring
control program 780 and one of the sensor(s) 726 is the temperature
sensor 114. Execution of the phosphor monitoring program 780 in the
memory 725 by the microprocessor 723 configures the lighting device
or system 709 to perform various functions described herein. The
temperature sensor 114 coupled to the phosphor plate 710 produces a
temperature measurement, shown as temperature feedback input, which
is based on a temperature-dependent voltage output of the phosphor
plate 710. Microprocessor 723 receives the temperature feedback
input based on the produced temperature-dependent voltage output of
the temperature sensor 114 and stores the temperature feedback
input in the memory 725. In response to detecting that the
temperature feedback input exceeds a temperature threshold (e.g.,
constant or adjustable setting stored in the memory 725), the
microprocessor 723 causes the laser light source driver 713 to turn
off the laser light source 105 or matrix 660 of the luminaire 700.
Microprocessor 723 constantly monitors temperature of the phosphor
plate 710 at predetermined time intervals to prevent overheating or
premature burnout of the phosphor plate 710 of the luminaire 700.
Thus, the microprocessor 723 constantly receives updates to the
temperature feedback input from temperature sensor 114 and
temporarily turns off the laser light source 105 or matrix 660
during overheating. Once microprocessor 723 detects that the
temperature feedback input is below the temperature threshold, the
microprocessor 723 enables the laser light source driver 713 to
turn on the laser light source 105 or matrix 660 of the luminaire
700 once again, if that is the desired illumination lighting state
setting.
[0088] As shown, the microprocessor 723 produces an input drive
signal, which is conveyed to the laser light source driver 713 to
ultimately switch the laser light source 105 or matrix 660 on/off
or set a dim level. The laser light source driver 713 produces an
output drive signal, which switches the laser light source 105 or
matrix 660 on/off or sets a dim level based on the input drive
signal. As further shown, in some examples, for high safety levels,
the microprocessor 723 sets a disable setting signal once the
temperature feedback input exceeds the temperature threshold to
halt the luminaire 700 from operating on a more permanent basis.
The disable setting signal is a flag, variable, or other setting
stored in the configuration data/file(s) 728, which permanently
disables the luminaire 100 once the temperature feedback input of
the phosphor plate 710 exceeds the temperature threshold. Each time
the user attempts to operate the luminaire 700, the microprocessor
723 checks if the setting of the disable setting signal is switched
on and, if so, stops the luminaire 700 from outputting any light.
If the phosphor plate 710 is replaced by an operator (e.g., service
technician or user), then that operator can utilize the
microprocessor 723 via the phosphor monitoring control program 780
to switch the disable setting signal back to off.
[0089] The ports and/or interfaces 729 couple the processor 723 to
various elements of the lighting device or system 709 logically
outside the host processing system 716, such as the laser light
source driver 713, the communication interface(s) 717 and the
sensor(s) 726. For example, the processor 723 by accessing
programming 727 in the memory 725 controls operation of the laser
light source driver 713 and thus operations of the luminaire 700
via one or more of the ports and/or interfaces 729. In a similar
fashion, one or more of the ports and/or interfaces 729 enable the
processor 723 of the host processing system 716 to use and
communicate externally via the communication interface(s) 717; and
the one or more of the ports 729 enable the processor 723 of the
host processing system 716 to receive data regarding any condition
detected by a sensor 726, such as temperature sensor 114 for
further processing.
[0090] In the operational examples, based on its programming 727,
the processor 723 processes data retrieved from the memory 725
and/or other data storage, and responds to light output parameters
in the retrieved data to control the light generation by the
luminaire 700, particularly the laser light source 105 or matrix
660. The light output control also may be responsive to sensor data
from a sensor 726. The light output parameters may include light
intensity and light color characteristics of light from light
sources. The light output parameters may also control modulation of
the light output, e.g., to carry information on the illumination
light output of the luminaire 700.
[0091] As noted, the host processing system 716 is coupled to the
communication interface(s) 717. In the example, the communication
interface(s) 717 offer a user interface function to interact with
the phosphor monitoring control program 780 to switch the disable
setting signal back to off after the user replaces a degraded
phosphor plate 710, or communication with hardware elements
providing a user interface for the system 709. The communication
interface(s) 717 may communicate with other control elements, for
example, a host computer of a building control and automation
system (BCAS). The communication interface(s) 717 may also support
device communication with a variety of other equipment of other
parties having access to the lighting device or system 709 in an
overall/networked lighting system encompassing a number of lighting
devices or systems 709, e.g., for access to each lighting device or
system 709 by equipment of a manufacturer for maintenance or access
to an on-line server for downloading of programming instruction or
configuration data for setting aspects of luminaire operation.
[0092] As outlined earlier, the host processing system 716 also is
coupled to the laser light source driver 713. The laser light
source driver 713 is coupled to the laser light source 105 or
matrix 660. Laser light source driver 713 may be a single integral
unit or implemented in a variety of different configurations having
any number of internal driver units. The separate drivers may be
circuits configured to provide signals appropriate to the
respective type of laser light source 105 or matrix 660 utilized in
the particular implementation of the luminaire 700, albeit in
response to commands or control signals or the like from the host
processing system 716.
[0093] The host processing system 716 and the laser light source
driver 713 provide a number of control functions for controlling
operation of the luminaire 700, including in the illumination
states. In a typical example, execution of the programming 727 by
the host processing system 716 and associated control via the laser
light source driver 713 configures the luminaire 700 to perform
functions, including functions to operate the laser light source
105 or matrix 660 to provide light output from the lighting device
or system 709, e.g., based on the lighting device configuration
information 728.
[0094] In an example of the operation of the luminaire 700, the
processor 723 receives a configuration file 728 via one or more of
communication interfaces 717. For illumination control, the
configuration information in the configuration file 728 may specify
operational parameters of the luminaire 700, such as light
intensity, light color characteristic, and the like for light from
the laser light source 105 or matrix 660. Configuration file 728
may also specify which of the laser light sources in the laser
light source matrix 660 to turn off, on, or dim (e.g., outer,
inner, middle, left, right) along with light intensity and color
setting to achieve particular beam angles and lighting
distributions via the solid medium freeform prism or waveguide 615.
The processor 723 by accessing programming 727 and using software
configuration information 728, from the storage/memories 725,
controls operation of the laser light source driver 713, and
through that driver 713 controls the laser light source 105 or
matrix 660, e.g., to achieve a predetermined illumination light
output intensity and/or color characteristic for a general
illumination application of the luminaire 700, including settings
for the laser light source 105 or matrix 660 appropriate to the
current one of the luminaire states.
[0095] A software configurable lighting device or system such as
700 may be reconfigured, e.g., to change one or more parameters of
the illumination light output, by changing the corresponding
aspect(s) of the configuration data file 728, by replacing the
configuration data file 728, or by selecting a different file from
among a number of such files already stored in the data
storage/memories 725.
[0096] In other examples, the lighting device or system 709 may be
programmed to transmit information on the light output from the
luminaire 700. Examples of information that the lighting device or
system 709 may transmit in this way include a code, e.g., to
identify the luminaire 700 and/or the lighting device or system 709
or to identify the luminaire location. Alternatively or in
addition, the light output from the luminaire 700 may carry
downstream transmission of communication signaling and/or user
data. The information or data transmission may involve adjusting or
modulating parameters (e.g., intensity, color characteristic or the
like) of the illumination light output of the luminaire 700.
Alternatively, user data may be received via one of the
communication interface(s) 717 and processed in the controller 711
to transmit such received user data via light output from the
luminaire 700.
[0097] Although specially configured circuitry may be used in place
of microprocessor 723 and/or the entire host processing system 716,
the drawing depicts an example of the controller 711 in which
functions relating to the controlled operation of the lighting
device or system 709, including operation of the luminaire 700, may
be implemented by the programming 727 and/or configuration data 728
stored in a memory device 725 for execution by the microprocessor
723. The programming 727 and/or data 728 configure the processor
723 to control system operations so as to implement functions of
the system 709 described herein.
[0098] Aspects of the software configurable lighting device or
system 709 example therefore include "products" or "articles of
manufacture" typically in the form of software or firmware that
include executable code of programming 727 and/or associated
configuration data 728 that is/are carried on or embodied in a type
of machine readable medium. For example, programming code could
include code for phosphor monitoring control program 780 to
temporarily switch off or permanently disable the luminaire 700
during burnout of the phosphor layer of the phosphor plate 710.
Until the luminaire 700 is serviced by a technician, the luminaire
700 is stopped from outputting laser light rays to an observer of
the luminaire 700. "Storage" type media include any or all of
storage devices that may be used to implement the memory 725, any
tangible memory of computers or the like that may communicate with
the lighting device or system 709 or associated modules of such
other equipment. Examples of storage media include but are not
limited to various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives
and the like, which may provide non-transitory storage at any time
for the software or firmware programming 727 and/or the
configuration data 728. All or portions of the programming and/or
data may at times be communicated through the Internet or various
other telecommunication networks. Such communications, for example,
may enable loading of the programming and/or data from a computer
or the like into the host processing system 716 of the controller
711, for example, from a management server or host computer of the
lighting system service provider into a lighting device or system
709. Thus, another type of media that may bear the programming 727
and/or the data 728 includes optical, electrical and
electromagnetic waves, such as used across physical interfaces
between local devices, through wired and optical landline networks
and over various air-links. The physical elements that carry such
waves, such as wired or wireless links, optical links or the like,
also may be considered as media bearing the software. As used
herein, unless restricted to non-transitory, tangible or "storage"
media, terms such as computer or machine "readable medium" refer to
any medium that participates in providing instructions to a
processor for execution.
[0099] Apparatuses implementing functions like those of
configurable lighting device or system 709 may take various forms.
In some examples, some components attributed to the lighting device
or system 709 may be separated from the luminaire 700. For example,
a lighting device or system 709 may have all of the above hardware
components on or within a single hardware platform as shown in FIG.
7 or in different somewhat separate units. In a particular example,
one set of the hardware components may be separated from one or
more instances of the controllable luminaire 700, e.g., such that
one host processing system 716 may run several luminaires 700 each
at a somewhat separate location wherein one or more of the
luminaires 700 are at a location remote from the one host
processing system 716. In such an example, a laser light source
driver 713 may be located near or included in a combined platform
with each luminaire 700. For example, one set of intelligent
components, such as the microprocessor 723, may control/drive some
number of driver systems 713 and associated controllable luminaires
700. Alternatively, there may be one overall laser light source
driver 713 located at or near the host processing system 716 for
driving some number of luminaires 700. It also is envisioned that
some lighting devices may not include or be coupled to all of the
illustrated elements, such as the sensor(s) 726 and the
communication interface(s) 717. For convenience, further discussion
of the lighting device or system 709 of FIG. 7 will assume an
intelligent implementation of the lighting device or system 709
that includes at least the illustrated components.
[0100] In the previous examples, one or more electrical-to-optical
transducers are included (e.g., laser light source 105 or matrix
660) in the luminaires, in which electrical power is used to emit
light. The electrical-to-optical transducers are coupled to a
driver, such as laser light source driver 713, to selectively
control the electrical-to-optical transducers to emit the light
rays. Various optical-to-electrical transducers that are light
emitters or point light sources can be utilized in the luminaires
100A-B, 200, 300, 400A-B, 500, 600A-B, 700, in which the emitted
light may be in the visible spectrum or in other wavelength ranges,
such as infrared or near-infrared. Suitable light generation
sources for use include various conventional lamps, such as
incandescent, fluorescent or halide lamps; one or more light
emitting diodes (LEDs) of various types, such as planar LEDs, micro
LEDs, micro organic LEDs, LEDs on gallium nitride (GaN) substrates,
micro nanowire or nanorod LEDs, photo pumped quantum dot (QD) LEDs,
micro plasmonic LED, micro resonant-cavity (RC) LEDs, and micro
photonic crystal LEDs; as well as other sources such as micro super
luminescent Diodes (SLD) and micro laser diodes. Of course, these
light generation technologies are given by way of non-limiting
examples, and other light generation technologies may be used. For
example, it should be understood that non-micro versions of the
foregoing light generation sources can be used.
[0101] In addition, the luminaire 700 of each lighting device or
system 709 is not size restricted. For example, each luminaire 700
may be of a standard size, e.g. 2-feet by 2-feet (2.times.2),
2-feet by 4-feet (2.times.4), or the like, and arranged like tiles
for larger area coverage. Alternatively, one luminaire 700 may be a
larger area device that covers a wall, a part of a wall, part of a
ceiling, an entire ceiling, or some combination of portions or all
of a ceiling and wall.
[0102] Any of the phosphor degradation monitoring and temperature
feedback input functions described herein for the luminaire 700 and
lighting device or system 709 can be embodied in on one or more
methods as method steps or in one more programs, like phosphor
monitoring control program 780, as described previously. According
to some embodiments, program(s) execute functions defined in the
program, such as logic embodied in software or hardware
instructions. Various programming languages can be employed to
create one or more of the applications, structured in a variety of
manners, such firmware, procedural programming languages (e.g., C
or assembly language), or object-oriented programming languages
(e.g., Objective-C, Java, or C++). The program(s) can invoke API
calls provided by the operating system to facilitate functionality
described herein. The programs can be stored in any type of
computer readable medium or computer storage device and be executed
by one or more general-purpose computers. In addition, the methods
and processes disclosed herein can alternatively be embodied in
specialized computer hardware or an application specific integrated
circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA) or a complex
programmable logic device (CPLD).
[0103] Hence, a machine-readable medium may take many forms of
tangible storage medium. Non-volatile storage media include, for
example, optical or magnetic disks, such as any of the storage
devices in any computer(s) or the like, such as may be used to
implement the client device, media gateway, transcoder, etc. shown
in the drawings. Volatile storage media include dynamic memory,
such as main memory of such a computer platform. Tangible
transmission media include coaxial cables; copper wire and fiber
optics, including the wires that comprise a bus within a computer
system. Carrier-wave transmission media may take the form of
electric or electromagnetic signals, or acoustic or light waves
such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared
(IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readable media
therefore include for example: a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard
disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD or
DVD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards paper tape, any
other physical storage medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM
and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a
carrier wave transporting data or instructions, cables or links
transporting such a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a
computer may read programming code and/or data. Many of these forms
of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more
sequences of one or more instructions to a processor for
execution.
[0104] The scope of protection is limited solely by the claims that
now follow. That scope is intended and should be interpreted to be
as broad as is consistent with the ordinary meaning of the language
that is used in the claims when interpreted in light of this
specification and the prosecution history that follows and to
encompass all structural and functional equivalents.
Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intended to embrace subject
matter that fails to satisfy the requirement of Sections 101, 102,
or 103 of the Patent Act, nor should they be interpreted in such a
way. Any unintended embracement of such subject matter is hereby
disclaimed.
[0105] Except as stated immediately above, nothing that has been
stated or illustrated is intended or should be interpreted to cause
a dedication of any component, step, feature, object, benefit,
advantage, or equivalent to the public, regardless of whether it is
or is not recited in the claims.
[0106] It will be understood that the terms and expressions used
herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and
expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of
inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise
been set forth herein. Relational terms such as first and second
and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action
from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual
such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The
terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," or any
other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive
inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that
comprises or includes a list of elements or steps does not include
only those elements or steps but may include other elements or
steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method,
article, or apparatus. An element preceded by "a" or "an" does not,
without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional
identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus
that comprises the element.
[0107] Unless otherwise stated, any and all measurements, values,
ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications
that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims
that follow, are approximate, not exact. Such amounts are intended
to have a reasonable range that is consistent with the functions to
which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which
they pertain. For example, unless expressly stated otherwise, a
parameter value or the like may vary by as much as .+-.10% from the
stated amount.
[0108] In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can
be seen that various features are grouped together in various
examples for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This
method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an
intention that the claimed examples require more features than are
expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims
reflect, the subject matter to be protected lies in less than all
features of any single disclosed example. Thus the following claims
are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each
claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject
matter.
[0109] While the foregoing has described what are considered to be
the best mode and/or other examples, it is understood that various
modifications may be made therein and that the subject matter
disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples,
and that they may be applied in numerous applications, only some of
which have been described herein. It is intended by the following
claims to claim any and all modifications and variations that fall
within the true scope of the present concepts.
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