A lighting system emitting at least two light beams
The lighting system addresses eye safety risks and resolution issues by employing a micro-electromechanical device with a tilting mirror reflecting two light beams, ensuring high-resolution, bright images without compromising safety.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VALEO VISION SA
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing lighting systems that project light beams for decorative or safety purposes can pose a risk to eye health due to high intensity and concentration of light, and enlarging mirrors to reduce this risk compromises image resolution.
A lighting system using a micro-electromechanical device with a tilting mirror that reflects two distinct light beams from separate emission means onto different points of the mirror, allowing simultaneous projection of two lines per oscillation to maintain high resolution and brightness while reducing eye safety risks.
The system achieves high-resolution, bright images with reduced eye safety risks by using a larger mirror and two light beams, doubling the projected lines per oscillation frequency and maintaining image quality.
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Lighting system emitting at least two light beams
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optoelectronics and finds particular application in the automotive industry. More specifically, it relates to lighting systems integrated into vehicles for the performance of signaling and / or decorative lighting functions.
[0002] These lighting systems, used both inside and outside vehicles, project light onto various surfaces to form patterns, warnings, or logos. Outside, they can be used for safety signaling, for example, by projecting open door warnings or parking guidelines onto the ground. Inside, these lighting systems can be implemented to enhance the vehicle's aesthetics and generate purely decorative patterns, but they can also contribute to safety, for example, by projecting pictograms representing a risky driving situation into the driver's field of vision.
[0003] Lighting systems for projecting pictograms, signage patterns, or decorative motifs onto a projection surface may, for example, use an RGB (Red, Green, Blue) light emission system comprising three laser sources. The light beams of these three colors can be combined to form a light beam, thus providing a wide range of colors. These systems also include one or more mirrors onto which the light beam, resulting from the combination of the laser beams, is directed. These mirrors are configured to direct the light beam toward a specific projection area by oscillating between a first and a second position, thus enabling rapid scanning of the projection surface. This high speed gives the impression of a static image to the user.
[0004] However, the light beam can pose a danger to eye health. Indeed, when viewed, the beam creates a retinal image which, depending on its intensity, can cause damage. The higher the intensity of the light beam and the longer the exposure time on the retina, the greater the risk of damage. Furthermore, a smaller retinal image concentrates the intensity of the light beam onto a reduced area and increases the surface density of light power, thus increasing the risk of damage. Conversely, a larger retinal image disperses the intensity of the light beam and lowers the surface density of light power, thus reducing the risk to the eyes.
[0005] To increase the size of the retinal image, it is possible to enlarge the reflective surface of the mirrors. This makes it possible to project a larger spot onto the projection surface, thus reducing the risks to the eyes while maintaining the same light beam power, which guarantees a bright projected image.
[0006] However, enlarging the mirrors can lead to a decrease in the resolution of the projected image. Indeed, a larger projected spot results in a less precise scanning of the light beam, which reduces the resolution of the projected image. Thus, although using larger mirrors makes it possible to create an image that is less dangerous for the eyes while maintaining its brightness, it has the disadvantage of lower resolution.
[0007] There is therefore a need for a lighting system that allows the use of high powers in order to achieve high brightness of the projected image, while reducing the potential danger to the eyes and maintaining a high resolution of the projected image.
[0008] The objective of the invention described in this document is therefore to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by presenting a lighting system comprising a micro-electromechanical device, of which a mirror is configured to tilt between a first position and a second position, and at least a first light emission means and a second light emission means, distinct from each other and respectively configured to emit a first light beam and a second light beam towards the mirror of the micro-electromechanical device, said mirror reflecting each of the light beams so that the tilting of the mirror causes a sweep of said light beams on a projection surface, the first light beam being directed on the mirror of the micro-electromechanical device at a first point of the mirror, and the second light beam being directed on a second point of the mirror, distinct from the first point.
[0009] The lighting system includes a mirror configured to reflect light beams onto a projection surface. The oscillation of this mirror, controlled by the microelectromechanical device, allows the entire projection surface to be scanned with the reflected rays, creating successive lines which, through the effect of retinal persistence, form a fixed image for the observer. To achieve this effect, the mirror must oscillate at a sufficiently rapid frequency.
[0010] This oscillation frequency depends on the size of the mirror in the microelectromechanical device. For example, a mirror with a size of approximately 1 mm² oscillates at a frequency of approximately 25 kHz, allowing the formation of 700 lines per image, which corresponds to high resolution. However, if this mirror stops moving, the reflected light beam becomes dangerous because it concentrates a high power onto a The small surface area can damage the retina. Therefore, safety standards limit the laser beam power to approximately 200 lux for a 1 mm² mirror in the microelectromechanical device.
[0011] To mitigate this risk, a larger mirror in the microelectromechanical device, for example 4 mm², can be used. This allows the use of a light beam with a power of 700 lux, producing a brighter projected image. However, a larger mirror oscillates at a lower frequency, for example around 15 kHz. This lower frequency results in a longer exposure time on the retina, which is negative, but this is largely offset by the larger size of the retinal image resulting from the increased mirror size, which then reduces the power density and thus the ocular risk.
[0012] Furthermore, the decrease in oscillation frequency reduces the number of lines per image, going in this example from 700 to 400, which decreases the resolution of the projected image.
[0013] Therefore, according to the invention, at least two light beams, the first and second beams, are reflected by different areas of the same mirror in order to be projected onto the projection surface. Thus, during each oscillation of the mirror between the first and second positions, two lines are formed, and two different pixels are generated with one oscillation of the mirror. This makes it possible to double the number of projected lines for the same oscillation frequency. For example, for a 4 mm² mirror, this translates to 800 lines per image, with a light intensity of 700 lux. A brighter projected image is thus obtained, while reducing the risks to eye safety thanks to the use of a larger mirror, and without compromising the resolution of the projected image.
[0014] These two beams are emitted simultaneously by the separate light emission means and reflected simultaneously by the mirror common to the two light emission means.
[0015] The first light emission means and the second light emission means can use various technologies enabling the emission of a light beam. However, they must be configured to emit their light beams at two distinct points on the mirror.
[0016] By directing the first and second light beams onto different points on the mirror's reflecting surface, for a given mirror position, they are projected onto distinct areas of the projection surface, such that the beam sweep during the mirror's movement forms two separate lines. This increases the resolution because, instead of producing a single line per mirror oscillation, two lines are created simultaneously.
[0017] This approach can also be extended to the reuse of more than two light beams reflected by a single mirror, which is particularly useful when using a large microelectromechanical device mirror. Indeed, as the size of the mirror increases, its oscillation frequency decreases, which, without the use of additional beams, would lead to a significant reduction in the resolution of the projected image.
[0018] According to an optional feature of the invention, for a given tilting of the mirror between the first position and the second position, the first light beam sweeps a first area of the projection surface and the second light beam sweeps a second area of the projection surface distinct from the first area.
[0019] This distinct scanning of the two zones by the light beams results from the oscillation of the mirror, as well as from the fact that the first and second light beams are directed towards two different points on the mirror of the microelectromechanical device and sufficiently far apart, which is made possible by the sufficient size of the mirror. Consequently, the line formed by the first light beam during the oscillation of the mirror is traced in the first zone of the projection surface, while the line formed by the second light beam is traced in the second zone.
[0020] According to an optional feature of the invention, the first point on which the first light beam is directed and the second point on which the second light beam is directed are arranged on either side of a median axis of the mirror parallel to the direction of a tilting axis of said mirror.
[0021] In other words, the mirror is configured to pivot around a given tilting axis to move from the first position to the second position, and a median axis of the mirror is defined as the axis parallel to this tilting axis which separates the reflecting surface into two equal parts, the two points on which the light beams are directed being arranged in each of the parts of the mirror separated by this median axis.
[0022] According to an optional feature of the invention, the tilting of the mirror is configured so that the first light beam and the second light beam respectively reflected by the mirror form parallel lines on the projection surface.
[0023] In particular, the tilting axis of the mirror of the micro-electromechanical device can be oriented perpendicular to the principal direction of propagation of the light beams towards the mirror. Thanks to this configuration, the two lines formed by the reflection of the light beams during the oscillation of the mirror are parallel to each other, which makes it possible to create the same image as with a single beam, but with twice the resolution.
[0024] According to an optional feature of the invention, the first zone of the projection surface and the second zone of the projection surface are adjacent zones.
[0025] It is understood that the two lines created are thus adjacent in the final projected image, producing an alternation of lines from the first and second light beams in the final image. This final image is notably produced by a stepwise shift in the orientation of the mirror so that the reflected light beam is shifted along a direction perpendicular to the direction of the line formed by the light beam during an oscillation of the mirror. In this context, the shift of a line formed by the reflection of the first light beam, by a given step, is accompanied by the shift of the line formed by the reflection of the second light beam, by the same given step, and thus ensures that the beams emitted simultaneously are projected side by side.In other words, the offset step for the mirror between each oscillation is determined as a function of the thickness, or number of pixels, of two lines formed respectively by the reflection of the two light beams.
[0026] According to an optional feature of the invention, the first light-emitting means is configured to receive a first control instruction for the emission of the first light beam, and the second light-emitting means is configured to receive a second control instruction for the emission of the second light beam, said control instructions being synchronized. In other words, the control instruction sent to the first light-emitting means, which may in particular consist of an instruction to activate and set the operating intensity of the light source(s) comprising the light-emitting means, is an instruction that, for a given oscillation of the mirror, depends on the control instruction sent to the second light-emitting means, so that the first and second zones of the projection surface are scanned appropriately to form the desired image.Depending on its shape, and the shape to be given to each of the pixels formed by the reflection of the first and second light beams, the instruction sent to the first means of light emission for a given oscillation of the mirror can be similar to that sent to the second means of light emission.
[0027] According to an optional feature of the invention, the first light emission means and the second light emission means each comprise at least one laser source.
[0028] According to an optional feature of the invention, each of the light emission means comprises several laser sources emitting light beams, as well as a mixing means for combining the light beams in order to form respectively the first light beam and the second light beam.
[0029] By way of example, the first light-emitting means comprises a plurality of laser sources and a first mixing means, while the second light-emitting means comprises a plurality of laser sources and a second mixing means. The first light beam is thus created by mixing the light rays from the plurality of laser sources and combining them with the first mixing means, while the second light beam is formed by mixing the light rays from the plurality of laser sources and combining them with the second mixing means. By using a plurality of laser sources, it is possible to adjust the color of the light beam according to the laser sources selected and the percentage of their light rays in the final light beam.A command instruction sent to one of the light-emitting means then includes information on the laser source(s) to be activated, at what intensity, and on the configuration to be given, if applicable, to the mixing means.
[0030] According to an optional feature of the invention, the mixing means each comprise at least one dichroic mirror.
[0031] Dichroic mirrors selectively reflect certain wavelengths while allowing others to pass through, thus enabling the light rays to be combined into a light beam efficiently.
[0032] According to an optional feature of the invention, the mirror of the microelectromechanical device has a size between 4 and 10 mm2.
[0033] This preferred mirror size allows for the projection of a sufficiently large spot to minimize the risk of eye damage when observing the light beam. For this size range, the luminous intensity is generally between 700 and 2000 lux.
[0034] According to an optional feature of the invention, the mirror of the microelectromechanical device flips between the first position and the second position at a flip frequency between 3 and 15 kHz.
[0035] This frequency is influenced by the size of the mirror, which is between 4 and 10 mm², and tends to reduce the oscillation frequency. However, it is possible, thanks to the system described by the invention, to maintain high resolution even with lower frequencies, particularly those between 3 and 15 kHz.
[0036] According to an optional feature of the invention, the first light emission means and the second light emission means each comprise a red laser source, a blue laser source and a green laser source.
[0037] In this case, both means of light emission use RGB technology. The use of RGB technology allows for dynamic color control for each beam while being energy efficient.
[0038] Other features, details and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description on the one hand, and the illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given with reference to the accompanying drawings on the other hand, in which:
[0039] [Fig-1] is a schematic diagram of a lighting system according to the invention;
[0040] [Fig.2] is a schematic diagram of the operating principle of a mirror of a device micro-electromechanical of the light system of the [Fig.l].
[0041] The features and variants of the invention can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be conceived comprising only a selection of the features described below, isolated from the other described features, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage and / or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.
[0042] In the figures, the elements common to several figures retain the same reference.
[0043] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a lighting system 1 according to the invention.
[0044] The lighting system 1 comprises a light-emitting device 2 configured to simultaneously emit at least two distinct light beams, here a first light beam FL1 and a second light beam FL2, and a micro-electromechanical device 26.
[0045] More particularly here, the light emission device 2 comprises a first light emission means 4 and a second light emission means 6. The first light emission means 4 is configured to emit the first light beam FL1, and the second light emission means 6 is configured to emit the second light beam FL2.
[0046] The first light-emitting means 4 comprises at least one laser source, and in this embodiment, a plurality of laser sources. More particularly, it uses RGB (Red, Green, Blue) technology with a blue laser source 8, a green laser source 10, and a red laser source 12. Each of these laser sources produces a light beam corresponding to its specific color: the blue laser source 8 therefore produces a blue light beam, the red laser source 12 produces a red light beam, and the green laser source 10 produces a green light beam. The activation of at least one laser source, here of the three laser sources, is achieved via a control means (not shown here) that is configured to generate, depending on the need to emit a pictogram or a specific signal beam, a control instruction for the operation of the light-emitting means. This control instruction includes, in particular, data relating to the activation and operating intensity of each of the laser sources for a given configuration of the electromechanical device as detailed below.
[0047] The light rays emitted by the laser sources of the first light-emitting means 4 are directed to a first mixing means 14, configured to combine these light rays and form the first light beam FL1. The first mixing means 14 comprises, for this purpose, a plurality of dichroic mirrors. Although other mixing technologies can be used, dichroic mirrors are particularly effective at combining the three light rays into a single light beam and directing them in a specific direction.
[0048] In this embodiment, the first mixing means 14 comprises a blue dichroic mirror 141, a green dichroic mirror 142 and a red mirror 143. These mirrors are positioned to intercept the light rays emitted respectively by the blue laser source 8, the green laser source 10 and the red laser source 12. The dichroic mirrors selectively reflect certain wavelengths while allowing others to pass through, making it possible to combine the light rays into a single light beam.
[0049] In the embodiment shown in [Fig. 1], the blue dichroic mirror 141 and the green dichroic mirror 142 must reflect blue and green light respectively, while allowing other wavelengths to pass through. The red mirror 143, on the other hand, does not need to be dichroic, since it only reflects red light.
[0050] It should be noted that in other embodiments, the red mirror 143 could, however, be dichroic. Indeed, the red mirror 143 can be positioned so as to allow blue and green light to pass through it, while reflecting the red light. In this case, the red mirror 143 must then be dichroic to allow these wavelengths to pass through. This configuration is particularly advantageous in the generation of white light, where red light often constitutes the limiting component since it represents approximately 50% of the total energy intensity of the light beam FL. Positioning the red mirror 143 so as to allow blue and green light to pass through thus prevents the red light from passing through other dichroic mirrors, thereby minimizing the losses in light intensity due to attenuation caused by passing through the blue dichroic mirror 141 and the green dichroic mirror 142.
[0051] Similarly, the second light emission means 6 also uses RGB technology and therefore comprises a blue laser source 16 producing a blue light beam, a green laser source 18 producing a green light beam and a red laser source 20 producing a red light beam.
[0052] Each of the light beams emitted by the laser sources of the second light-emitting means 6 is directed to a second mixing means 22 configured to combine the light beams to form the second light beam FL2. The second mixing means 22 also consists of a plurality of dichroic mirrors, although other mixing technologies may be used to efficiently combine the three light beams into a single light beam.
[0053] In this embodiment, the second mixing means 22 comprises a blue dichroic mirror 221, a green dichroic mirror 222 and a red mirror 223 which are positioned so as to intercept the light rays emitted respectively by the blue laser source 16, the green laser source 18 and the red laser source 20 of the second light emission means 6. These mirrors thus make it possible to combine the three light rays in order to form the second light beam FL2.
[0054] Similar to the first mixing means 14, the blue dichroic mirror 221 and the green dichroic mirror 222 of the second mixing means 22 are dichroic because they must reflect blue light and green light respectively, while allowing other wavelengths to pass through, whereas the red mirror 223 does not need to be dichroic, since it only has to reflect red light.
[0055] The first light beam FL1 and the second light beam FL2 are both directed respectively by the first mixing means 14 and the second mixing means 22 towards the same mirror 24 of a micro-electromechanical device 26.
[0056] This mirror 24 reflects the first light beam FL1 and the second light beam FL2 towards a projection surface 28, thus allowing the light beams FL1, FL2 to be projected onto this projection surface 28. It should be noted that the micro-electromechanical device 26 can comprise a plurality of mirrors 24, and that the description given for a single mirror also applies to this plurality of mirrors.
[0057] Thus, according to the invention, at least one mirror of a microelectromechanical device is common to two distinct light emission means, it being understood that the light emission means can be considered distinct provided that at least some of their components are distinct. More specifically, it could be envisaged that dichroic mirrors could be common to the two light emission means provided that laser sources are specific to each of the light emission means and that this distinction allows for distinct light beams to be emitted simultaneously onto a common mirror.
[0058] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating principle of mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26. This figure helps to better understand how the Two light beams FL1, FL2 interact with this mirror 24 in order to form an image projected onto the projection surface 28.
[0059] The mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 is designed to oscillate between a first position A and a second position B, this oscillation being controlled by the micro-electromechanical device 26.
[0060] The oscillation of the mirror 24 of the microelectromechanical device 26 allows the projection surface 28 to be scanned with a reflected light beam. Thanks to the effect of retinal persistence, these lines can contribute to forming a fixed image for the observer, by the addition of different successive lines offset from one another. In order to avoid generating discomfort due to this retinal persistence, the size of the mirror 24 of the microelectromechanical device 26 is between 4 and 10 mm², which results in an oscillation frequency of approximately 3 to 15 kHz.
[0061] According to the invention, an oscillation or tilting of the mirror 24 between these two positions A, B helps to generate two distinct lines, respectively formed by the reflection of the first light beam FL1 and the second light beam FL2.
[0062] This method makes it possible to maintain a high resolution even with a large mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26, as will be explained in more detail in the following sections of the description.
[0063] When it oscillates between the first position A and the second position B, the first light beam FL1 and the second light beam FL2 are projected onto different places on the projection surface 28.
[0064] More particularly, the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 directs the first light beam FL1 towards a first zone 30 of the projection surface 28, while the second light beam FL2 is projected by the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 onto a second zone 32 of the projection surface 28.
[0065] To ensure that the first beam FL1 and the second beam FL2 are projected onto two distinct areas of the projection surface 28, the light-emitting device 2 directs the light beams FL1, FL2 to two different locations on the mirror 24 of the microelectromechanical device 26. More specifically, the light-emitting device 2 directs the first light beam FL1 onto a first point 241 of the mirror 24 and the second light beam FL2 onto a second point 242 of the mirror 24. These two points on the mirror 24 of the microelectromechanical device 26 are ray focal points that are sufficiently far apart so that when a beam reaches them, the beams reflected by each point of the mirror are directed towards different areas of the projection surface 28. By way of example, the two focal points of the distinct light beams are arranged respectively in a half of the mirror which is their own, on either side of a median axis parallel to the orientation of the tilting axis of the mirror.
[0066] It should be noted that when the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 oscillates from the first position A to the second position B, the first light beam FL1 sweeps the first area 30 of the projection surface 28, and the second light beam FL2 sweeps the second area 32 of the projection surface 28.
[0067] To scan the first zone 30 of the projection surface 28, the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 reflects, in the first position A, the first light beam FL1 onto a first location 301 of the first zone 30. In the second position B, the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 reflects the first light beam FL1 onto a second location 302 of the first zone 30.
[0068] It is therefore understood that, when the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 oscillates between the first position A and the second position B, the first light beam FL1 moves between the first place 301 and the second place 302 of the first zone 30 of the projection surface 28. The rapid oscillation of the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 creates the illusion of a first continuous line 304 on the projection surface 28 due to the retinal persistence of the human eye.
[0069] Similarly, in the first position A, the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 reflects the second light beam FL2 onto the second zone 32 of the projection surface 28 at a first location 321. When the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 is positioned in the second position B, it reflects the second light beam FL2 onto a second location 322 of the second zone 32. Thus, when the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 moves from the first position A to the second position B, the second light beam FL2 moves from the first location 321 to the second location 322 of the second zone 32, and the rapid oscillation of the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 forms a second continuous line 324 between this first location 321 and this second location 322.
[0070] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first light beam FL1 and the second light beam FL2 scan the projection surface 28 in parallel. This means that, when the mirror 24 of the microelectromechanical device 26 moves from the first position A to the second position B, the first light beam FL1 moves from the first location 301 to the second location 302 of the first zone 30 of the projection surface 28, and the second light beam FL2 moves from the first location 321 to the second location 322 of the second zone 32 of the projection surface 28, such that the first continuous line 304 and the second line 324 are parallel. It is also understood that that in this embodiment, the first continuous line 304 and the second continuous line 324 are therefore formed simultaneously.
[0071] In this embodiment, the first zone 30 and the second zone 32 of the projection surface 28 are adjacent. Thus, when the light beams FL1, FL2 are projected and the mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 oscillates between the first position A and the second position B, the first continuous line 304 and the second continuous line 324, formed respectively by the first light beam FL1 and the second light beam FL2, are also adjacent.
[0072] By using both the first light beam FL1 and the second light beam FL2, reflected by the same mirror 24 of the micro-electromechanical device 26 and projected onto the projection surface 28, the total number of projected lines is therefore doubled for a given oscillation frequency since each oscillation thus forms two distinct lines, namely the first continuous line 304 and the second continuous line 324.
[0073] As mentioned previously, the control instruction sent to a light-emitting means includes, in particular, data relating to the activation and operating intensity of each of the laser sources, and this control instruction is linked to an orientation of the mirror of the electromechanical device. By way of example, a different control instruction may be sent to the light-emitting means when the mirror performs a new oscillation, so as to form a continuous line of a different color or size and contribute to forming a visual object of the appropriate shape and color. The control instructions sent simultaneously to the two light-emitting means are independent of each other and, depending on the shape to be projected onto the projection area by the light system, they may be similar or distinct from one another.In other words, if the two light beams are said to be distinct, forming two different pixels in the projected image for the same mirror oscillation, it is because they are emitted simultaneously from two distinct points on the mirror.
[0074] The new oscillation of the mirror is achieved by shifting its orientation so that the new lines formed on the projection area are offset by a given step, perpendicular to the direction of the lines. It should be noted that, according to the invention, shifting the orientation of the mirror by a given step affects the formation of two continuous lines, respectively formed by the reflection of the two light beams.
[0075] This approach is particularly advantageous when using a large mirror 24 in the microelectromechanical device 26, as it allows for maintaining high resolution. For example, with a 4 mm² mirror, the invention makes it possible to project up to 800 lines per image at a frequency of 15 kHz with a light intensity of 700 lux. In comparison, using a single light beam with a mirror of this size would produce only 400 lines per image for the same frequency and light intensity. Thus, this solution not only preserves high image resolution while maintaining high projection brightness, but also reduces risks to eye safety thanks to the use of a larger mirror.
[0076] As described above, the present invention achieves its intended purpose by providing a light-emitting device that emits at least two light beams directed towards a mirror, which then projects these beams onto a projection surface. Indeed, by using at least two light beams, the invention makes it possible to obtain a high-resolution image, regardless of the size of the mirror used. This allows the use of a large mirror to ensure eye safety while maintaining a high resolution of the projected image.
[0077] The present invention is not limited to the means and configurations described and illustrated herein and also extends to any equivalent means and configuration as well as to any technically operative combination of such means.
Claims
Demands
1. A lighting system (1) comprising a microelectromechanical device (26), in which a mirror (24) is configured to tilt between a first position (A) and a second position (B), and at least one first light-emitting means (4) and a second light-emitting means (6), distinct from each other and respectively configured to emit a first light beam (FL1) and a second light beam (FL2) towards the mirror (24) of the microelectromechanical device (26), said mirror (24) reflecting each of the light beams (FL1, FL2) such that the tilting of the mirror causes said light beams to be swept onto a projection surface (10), the first light beam (FL1) being directed onto the mirror (24) of the microelectromechanical device (26) at a first point (241) of the mirror (24), and the second light beam (FL2) being directed onto a second point (242) of the mirror (24), distinct from the first point (241).
2. Light system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, for a given tilting of the mirror between the first position (A) and the second position (B), the first light beam (FL1) sweeps a first area (30) of the projection surface (28) and the second light beam (FL2) sweeps a second area (32) of the projection surface (28) distinct from the first area.
3. Lighting system (1) according to claim 2, wherein the first zone (30) of the projection surface (28) and the second zone (32) of the projection surface (28) are adjacent zones.
4. Light system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first point (241) on which the first light beam (FL1) is directed and the second point (242) on which the second light beam (FL2) is directed are arranged on either side of a median axis of the mirror (24) parallel to the direction of a tilting axis of said mirror.
5. Light system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the tilting of the mirror (24) is configured so that the first light beam (FL1) and the second light beam (FL2) respectively reflected by the mirror (24) form parallel lines on the projection surface (28).
6. Light system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first light-emitting means (4) and the second light-emitting means (6) comprise at least one laser source (8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 20).
7. Light system (1) according to claim 6, wherein each of the light emission means (4, 6) comprises several laser sources (8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 20) emitting light beams, and a mixing means (14, 22) for combining the light beams to form respectively the first light beam (FL1) and the second light beam (FL2).
8. Lighting system (1) according to claim 7, wherein the mixing means (14, 22) each comprise at least one dichroic mirror (141, 142, 143, 221, 222, 223).
9. Light system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the mirror (24) of the micro-electromechanical device (26) has a size between 4 and 10 mm2.
10. A lighting system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the mirror (24) of the micro-electromechanical device (26) switches between the first position (A) and the second position (B) at a switching frequency between 3 and 15 kHz.