Projection module, lighting device, vehicle lamp system and vehicle

Abstract

A projection module (150, 900, 1000, 1100), a lighting device (1200), a vehicle lamp system and a vehicle. The projection module (150, 900, 1000, 1100) comprises: a light source module (210, 910, 1010), a relay light path module (220, 920, 1020) and a projection lens (230, 930, 1130). The projection lens (230, 930, 1130) comprises a specially-shaped aperture diaphragm. The light source module (210, 910, 1010) is used for emitting a first light beam to the relay light path module (220, 920, 1020). The relay light path module (220, 920, 1020) is used for emitting a second light beam to the projection lens (230, 930, 1130) on the basis of the first light beam. The shape of the cross section of the second light beam corresponds to the shape of the specially-shaped aperture diaphragm. The projection lens (230, 930, 1130) is used for transmitting, via the specially-shaped aperture diaphragm, the second light beam from the relay light path module (220, 920, 1020). The projection module (150, 900, 1000, 1100) has the characteristics of high contrast and high brightness, and thus, when applied to the field of intelligent driving, can improve the performance of intelligent driving vehicles, thereby improving user experience.

Description

A projection module, a lighting device, a vehicle lighting system, and a vehicle

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410502773.3, filed on April 24, 2024, entitled "A projection module, lighting device, vehicle lighting system and vehicle", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of intelligent vehicle driving, and more particularly to a projection module, lighting device, vehicle lighting system and vehicle. Background Technology

[0003] In the era of intelligent driving, the emergence of intelligent headlights has endowed them with more personalized and scenario-specific characteristics. Intelligent projection modules typically have two functions: projecting images and providing illumination. When the intelligent headlight's illumination function is activated, it participates in both low and high beam lighting. Limited by the field of view (FOV), the intelligent projection module generally acts as an auxiliary low and high beam, working in conjunction with the main headlight's high and low beam modules. In lighting scenarios, high brightness is required for the headlights. To achieve high brightness, the number of light sources is usually increased. However, with the increase in the number of light sources, stray light in the dark field may also increase, leading to a decrease in the contrast between the bright and dark fields. Therefore, how to improve contrast while further increasing the brightness of the projection module is a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a projection module, a lighting device, a vehicle lighting system, and a vehicle. The projection module provided in this application features high contrast and high brightness, which, when applied in the field of intelligent driving, can improve the performance of intelligent driving vehicles, thereby enhancing the user experience.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a projection module. The projection module includes: a light source module, a relay optical path module, and a projection lens, wherein the projection lens includes an irregular aperture stop. The light source module is used to emit a first light beam to the relay optical path module; the relay optical path module is used to emit a second light beam to the projection lens based on the first light beam, the cross-sectional shape of the second light beam corresponding to the shape of the irregular aperture stop; the projection lens is used to transmit the second light beam from the relay optical path module through the irregular aperture stop.

[0006] Based on the above solution, by setting an irregular aperture stop in the projection lens that corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the light beam entering the projection lens, all the light beam entering the projection lens can pass through, while blocking light beams that do not match the shape of the aperture stop, thereby achieving the effect of improving the contrast of the projection module.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the light source module includes multiple light sources, which form an n-row m-column array, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1, m is an integer greater than 1, and m is greater than n.

[0008] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, n equals 1.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the long side direction of the irregular aperture stop corresponds to the long side direction of the n-row m-column array, and the short side direction of the irregular aperture stop corresponds to the short side direction of the n-row m-column array.

[0010] By setting the long and short sides of the light source array to correspond to the long and short sides of the irregular aperture stop, it can be ensured that the cross-sectional shape of the second beam generated after the first beam emitted from the light source passes through the relay optical path module corresponds to the shape of the irregular aperture stop, thereby ensuring that the second beam can pass through the irregular aperture stop.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the relay optical path module specifically includes a collimation module, a reflection module, and a modulation module. The layout of the collimation module, the reflection module, and the modulation module is such that the optical path of the incident first beam after passing through the collimation module, the reflection module, and the modulation module and exiting as a second beam is a "Z" shaped optical path. Specifically, the collimation module is used to collimate the first beam from the light source module and exit the collimated first beam to the reflection module; the reflection module is used to reflect the collimated first beam to the modulation module; and the modulation module is used to generate the second beam based on the collimated first beam and exit the second beam to the projection lens.

[0012] The collimation module, reflection module, and modulation module make the optical path of the beam in the projection module present a "Z" shape, which prevents stray beams reflected by the reflection module from hitting the collimation module, thus giving the projection module a better heat dissipation effect.

[0013] For example, the collimation module can be a collimation lens group, the reflection module can be a reflector, and the projection module can be a projection lens.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the modulation module is a digital micromirror device (DMD).

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the relay optical path module is further configured to emit a third beam to the projection lens based on the first beam; the projection lens uses the irregular aperture stop to block the third beam from the relay optical path module.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the projection module further includes an extinction structure for absorbing the third light beam.

[0017] By incorporating light-absorbing components into the projection module, stray light can be further eliminated, thereby enhancing the contrast ratio.

[0018] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a lighting device. The lighting device includes a lighting module and a projection module provided in the first aspect and any implementation thereof.

[0019] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the lighting module includes a low beam lighting module and / or a high beam lighting module.

[0020] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle lighting system. It includes a control system and a projection module provided in the first aspect and any implementation thereof, wherein the control system is connected to the projection module and is used to control the projection module to operate or shut down.

[0021] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a means of transportation, including a body of the means of transportation and a projection module provided in the first aspect and any implementation thereof, wherein the projection module is arranged on the body. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic structural block diagram of a vehicle 100 applicable to an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the projection module 150 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the irregular aperture stop of the projection lens 230 provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a light source module 210 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the irregular aperture stops corresponding to four different light source modules 210.

[0027] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the relay optical path module 220 provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the working principle of DMD.

[0029] Figure 8 shows the optical path of the DMD reflected light under bright and dark conditions.

[0030] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of the first projection module 900 provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of the second projection module 1000 provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the projection module 1100 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a lighting device 1200 provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] The following description is provided to facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application.

[0036] First, the terms "first," "second," and various numerical designations used in the textual descriptions or drawings of the embodiments of this application shown below are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. For example, the first beam and the second beam are different beams, etc.

[0037] Second, the term "comprising" and any variations thereof in the embodiments of this application shown below are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, for example, a system, product or device that includes a series of units is not necessarily limited to those units that are explicitly listed, but may include other units that are not explicitly listed or that are inherent to such products or devices.

[0038] Third, in the embodiments of this application, the words "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Embodiments or designs described as "exemplarily" or "for example" should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. The use of words such as "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner to facilitate understanding.

[0039] Fourth, in the accompanying drawings of this application, the thickness, size, and shape of the various optical elements have been slightly exaggerated for ease of explanation. Specifically, the shapes of the optical elements shown in the drawings are illustrated by way of example, and the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not drawn strictly to scale.

[0040] Fifth, unless otherwise specified, all terms used in this application (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0041] With the continuous development of technology, smart projection modules are now used not only for lighting but also for projection, providing users with new entertainment experiences. To improve the brightness of projection modules, the common approach is to increase the number of light sources and enlarge the lens aperture. However, this approach leads to more stray light entering the projection lens, resulting in reduced contrast in dark scenes. Currently, in projection modules using digital micromirror devices (DMDs) as modulation devices, the light source size is relatively fixed and cannot be expanded because the flip angle of the DMD micromirrors is fixed and the light needs to be separated between the "on" and "off" states.

[0042] In view of this, this application proposes a projection module with high contrast between bright and dark fields, and also capable of expanding the size of the light source, thereby achieving high-brightness illumination.

[0043] The following describes the vehicles to which the projection module provided in this application can be applied, as shown in Figure 1, which is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of the vehicle provided in this application. In one embodiment, vehicle 100 is configured in a fully or partially autonomous driving mode. For example, vehicle 100 can control itself while in autonomous driving mode, and can determine the current state of the vehicle and its surrounding environment through human operation, determine the possible behavior of at least one other vehicle in the surrounding environment, and determine the confidence level corresponding to the probability of the other vehicle performing the possible behavior, and control vehicle 100 based on the determined information. When vehicle 100 is in autonomous driving mode, vehicle 100 can be set to operate without human interaction. Vehicle 100 may include various systems, each system may include multiple components. In addition, each system and component of vehicle 100 can be interconnected via wired or wireless means.

[0044] The vehicle shown in this embodiment includes a sensor system 120, which may include several sensors for sensing information about the environment surrounding the vehicle 100. For example, the sensor system 120 may include a positioning system 121 (which may be a Global Positioning System (GPS), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, or other positioning systems), an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 122, a radar 123, a laser rangefinder 124, and a camera 125. The sensor system 120 may also include sensors for the internal systems of the monitored vehicle 100 (e.g., an in-vehicle air quality monitor, fuel gauge, oil temperature gauge, etc.). Sensor data from one or more of these sensors can be used to detect objects and their corresponding characteristics (position, shape, orientation, speed, etc.). This detection and identification is a key function for the safe operation of the autonomous vehicle 100. The positioning system 121 can be used to estimate the geographical location of the vehicle 100. The IMU 122 is used to sense changes in the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 based on inertial acceleration. In one embodiment, the IMU 122 may be a combination of an accelerometer and a gyroscope. Radar 123 can use radio signals to sense objects in the surrounding environment of vehicle 100. In some embodiments, in addition to sensing objects, radar 123 can also be used to sense the speed and / or direction of travel of objects. This embodiment does not limit the specific type of radar 123; for example, radar 123 can be millimeter-wave radar or lidar, etc. Laser rangefinder 124 can use lasers to sense objects in the environment in which vehicle 100 is located. In some embodiments, laser rangefinder 124 may include one or more laser sources, laser scanners, and one or more detectors, as well as other system components. Camera 125 can be used to capture multiple images of the surrounding environment of vehicle 100. Camera 125 can be a still camera, video camera, monocular / binocular camera, or infrared imager.

[0045] Vehicle 100 also includes an advanced driving assistance system (ADAS) 110. ADAS 110 continuously senses the surrounding environment during vehicle operation, collects data, identifies, detects, and tracks static and dynamic objects, and combines this data with navigation map data to perform system calculations and analyses. This allows the driver to anticipate potential dangers, effectively increasing driving comfort and safety. For example, ADAS 110 can control the vehicle using data acquired by the sensor system 120. Alternatively, ADAS 110 can control the vehicle using in-vehicle infotainment system data, which may include key data from the vehicle's instrument panel (fuel consumption, engine speed, temperature, etc.), vehicle speed information, steering wheel angle information, or vehicle attitude data.

[0046] ADAS 110 controls the vehicle in one or more of the following ways: ADAS 110 adjusts the forward direction of vehicle 100. ADAS 110 controls the operating speed of the vehicle's engine and thus the speed of vehicle 100. ADAS 110 operates on images captured by camera 125 to identify objects and / or features in the environment surrounding vehicle 100. In some embodiments, ADAS 110 may be used to map the environment, track objects, estimate the speed of objects, etc. ADAS 110 determines the driving route of vehicle 100; in some embodiments, ADAS 110 may combine one or more predetermined map data from sensor system 120 to determine the driving route for vehicle 100. ADAS 110 may identify, assess, and avoid or otherwise traverse potential obstacles in the environment of vehicle 100.

[0047] Vehicle 100 interacts with external sensors, other vehicles, other computer systems, or users via peripheral devices 130. Peripheral devices 130 may include a wireless communication system 131, an on-board computer 132, a microphone 133, and / or a speaker 134.

[0048] In some embodiments, peripheral device 130 provides a means for a user of vehicle 100 to interact with a user interface. For example, on-board computer 132 may provide information to a user of vehicle 100. The user interface may also operate on-board computer 132 to receive user input. On-board computer 132 may be operated via a touchscreen. In other cases, peripheral device 130 may provide a means for vehicle 100 to communicate with other devices located within the vehicle. For example, microphone 133 may receive audio (e.g., voice commands or other audio input) from a user of vehicle 100. Similarly, speaker 134 may output audio to a user of vehicle 100.

[0049] The wireless communication system 131 can communicate wirelessly with one or more devices directly or via a communication network. For example, the wireless communication system 131 can use third-generation (3G) cellular communication technologies, such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), or General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). The wireless communication system 131 can use fourth-generation (4G) cellular communication technologies, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The wireless communication system 131 can also use fifth-generation (5G) cellular communication technologies. The wireless communication system 131 can communicate using a wireless local area network (WLAN). In some embodiments, the wireless communication system 131 can communicate directly with devices using an infrared link, Bluetooth, or ZigBee. The wireless communication system 131 may also utilize various vehicle communication systems. For example, the wireless communication system 131 may include one or more dedicated short range communications (DSRC) devices, which may include public and / or private data communications between vehicles and / or roadside stations.

[0050] Some or all of the functions of vehicle 100 are controlled by computer system 140. Computer system 140 can control the functions of vehicle 100 based on input received from various systems (e.g., sensor system 120, ADAS 110, peripheral devices 130) and from a user interface. Computer system 140 may include at least one processor 141 that executes instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as memory 142. Computer system 140 may also be multiple computing devices controlling individual components or subsystems of vehicle 100 in a distributed manner.

[0051] This embodiment does not limit the type of processor 141. For example, the processor 141 may be one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), system-on-chips (SoCs), central processing units (CPUs), network processors (NPs), digital signal processors (DSPs), microcontroller units (MCUs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), or other integrated chips, or any combination of the above chips or processors. The processor 141 may be located inside the vehicle, or it may be located away from the vehicle and wirelessly communicate with it.

[0052] In some embodiments, memory 142 may contain instructions (e.g., program logic) that can be executed by processor 141 to perform various functions of vehicle 100. In addition to instructions, memory 142 may also store data such as map data, route information, vehicle position, direction, speed, and other vehicle data. The information stored in memory 142 can be used by vehicle 100 and computer system 140 during operation of vehicle 100 in autonomous, semi-autonomous, and / or manual modes.

[0053] The vehicle 100 shown in this embodiment also includes a projection module 150, which may be, for example, a headlight module. In this application, the projection module 150 can reduce stray light in the dark field of the system, improve the contrast between the bright and dark fields, and realize a high-brightness, high-contrast intelligent headlight system. The specific structure of the projection module 150 will be described below with reference to various embodiments. The lighting module shown in this embodiment can be applied not only to vehicles, but also to driving tools such as ships, airplanes, and helicopters.

[0054] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the projection module 150 provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 2, the projection module 150 includes a light source module 210, a relay optical path module 220, and a projection lens 230. The projection lens 230 includes an irregular aperture stop. Specifically, when the projection module 150 operates in a bright field (e.g., in a projection or lighting scene), the light source module 210 emits a first light beam to the relay optical path module 220. The relay optical path module 220 emits a second light beam to the projection lens 230 based on the first light beam, the cross-sectional shape of which corresponds to the shape of the irregular aperture stop. The projection lens 230 transmits the second light beam from the relay optical path module 220 through the irregular aperture stop. When the projection module 150 operates in a dark field (e.g., for evaluating the contrast of the projection module 150), the light source module 210 emits a first light beam to the relay optical path module 220. The relay optical path module 220 is used to emit a third beam from the first beam to the projection lens 230. The projection lens 230 uses an irregular aperture stop to block the third beam from the relay optical path module 220.

[0055] It is understandable that the aperture, as the light-passing aperture of a lens, plays a limiting role in the optical system, both allowing and blocking light. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the irregular aperture aperture of the projection lens 230 provided in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, when the second light beam from the relay optical path module 220 enters the projection lens 230, the second light beam will exit the projection lens 230 from the light-passing part of the irregular aperture aperture. When the third light beam from the relay optical path module 220 enters the projection lens 230, the third light beam will be blocked by the light-blocking area of ​​the irregular aperture aperture, and thus cannot exit the projection lens 230.

[0056] Understandably, in order to allow the second beam to pass through the irregular aperture stop with minimal loss, the shape of the irregular aperture stop must correspond to the shape of the cross-section of the second beam. Ideally, when the shape of the irregular aperture stop is exactly the same as the shape of the cross-section of the second beam, the second beam can pass through the irregular aperture stop completely, achieving high light utilization.

[0057] It should be noted that the second beam is generated by the relay optical path module 220 based on the first beam. Therefore, the shape of the cross-section of the second beam is related not only to the shape of the first beam emitted from the light source module 210, but also to the optical elements included in the relay optical path module 220. The light source module 210 and the relay optical path module 230 in this application will be described next.

[0058] In this application, the light source module 210 includes multiple light sources arranged in an n x m array, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1, m is an integer greater than 1, and m is greater than n. That is, the light source module 210 is an array of multiple light sources capable of distinguishing between long and short sides. It is understood that when the light source module 210 emits a first beam, because the light source array has long and short sides, the diffusion angle (also called the spread angle) of the first beam along the long side of the light source array is greater than the diffusion angle along the short side of the light source array. After the first beam passes through the relay optical path module 220, the generated second beam still retains the diffusion angle characteristics of the first beam along both the long and short sides. That is, the second beam also has the characteristic that the diffusion angle along the long side is greater than the diffusion angle along the short side; that is, the long side of the cross-sectional shape of the second beam corresponds to the long side of the light source array, and the short side of the cross-sectional shape of the second beam corresponds to the short side of the light source array. Since the shape of the cross-section of the second beam also corresponds to the shape of the irregular aperture stop, in this application, the long side of the light source array corresponds to the long side of the irregular aperture stop, and the short side of the light source array corresponds to the short side of the irregular aperture stop. For example, Figure 5 shows schematic diagrams of irregular aperture stops corresponding to four different light source modules 210. Specifically, in Figure 5(a), multiple light sources form a row and multiple columns, and the centers of each light source are aligned, meaning the centers of each light source are located on the same straight line. In this case, the long side of the light source corresponds to the long side of the irregular aperture stop, and the short side of the light source corresponds to the short side of the irregular aperture stop. In Figure 5(b), multiple light sources are arranged adjacently, and the centers of each light source are aligned. In Figure 5(c), multiple light sources form a row and multiple columns, and the centers of each light source are aligned, meaning the centers of each light source are located on the same straight line. Compared to Figure 5(a), Figure 5(c) reduces the short side of the irregular aperture stop, which can further reduce stray light entering the projection lens, thereby achieving a further improvement in contrast. Compared to Figure 5(a), Figure 5(b) and Figure 5(c), in Figure 5(d), the multiple light sources are not strictly arranged in a row, and the center of each light source has a slight movement. This layout can compensate for aberrations in the optical path, thereby improving the projection clarity of the projection module.

[0059] It is understood that Figure 5 is only a schematic illustration of the light source array included in the light source module 210 being a single row, and does not limit the scope of protection of this application. For example, in some other embodiments, the light source module corresponding to the irregular aperture stop shown in Figure 5(a) can also be a two-row multi-column structure, etc.

[0060] It should be noted that this application does not limit the number of n rows and m columns of light source arrays included in the light source module 210. Optionally, the n rows and m columns of light source arrays may be n rows and m columns of light-emitting diode (LED) light source arrays, or n rows and m columns of laser diode (LD) light source arrays, etc.

[0061] In this application, the relay optical path module 220 includes one or more optical elements 610 for transmitting light beams and modulation elements 620, as shown in Figure 6. This application does not limit the number of optical elements 610 for transmitting light beams; for example, they may include one or more of a collimating lens group, a relay lens, and a reflector. Depending on the display technology, the modulation module 620 may be a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS), a DMD, or a transmissive spatial light modulator liquid crystal display (LCD).

[0062] For example, this application uses a DMD as an example for illustration. First, the working principle of the DMD is introduced with reference to Figure 7. A DMD is a reliable, efficient, and high-speed micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) spatial light modulator driven by purely digital signals. It can be used to modulate the amplitude, direction, and phase of incident light, integrating a reflective micromirror array onto a chip. Each micromirror unit on the DMD is an independent entity, which can be considered as an optical switch. Each small mirror can achieve positive and negative angle reversal along the diagonal (e.g., typically 12°), so the light reflected by the micromirror unit can present different angles. Each micromirror unit has three steady states: +12 degrees or +10 degrees (on state), 0 degrees (no signal), and -12 degrees or -10 degrees (off state). When a signal "1" is given to the micromirror, it deflects by +12 degrees or +10 degrees, and the reflected light can be used to light up pixels or for illumination. When the reflector deviates from its equilibrium position by -12 degrees or -10 degrees (signal "0"), the reflected beam will not be able to light up the pixel or provide illumination.

[0063] Specifically, in the scheme of this application, when the micromirror is in the open state, the reflected light passes through the irregular aperture stop of the projection lens 230 and is thus transmitted by the lens to achieve illumination or projection. When the micromirror is in the closed state, the reflected light cannot pass through the irregular aperture stop of the projection lens 230, thus no illumination or projection is achieved, resulting in a dark field state.

[0064] Figure 8 illustrates the optical path of the DMD reflected light in bright and dark scenes. Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, in a bright scene, after the first beam is reflected by the DMD, the second beam generated by the reflection enters the through-hole of the irregular aperture stop. The second beam then transmits through the projection lens 230 to achieve illumination or projection. In a dark scene, after the first beam is reflected by the DMD, the third beam generated by the reflection is blocked by the obstruction area of ​​the irregular aperture stop and cannot pass through the irregular aperture stop, thus forming a dark scene. It should be noted that the third beam generated by the DMD reflection in a dark scene includes the reflected light from the DMD in its "closed state" and the stray light generated by the first beam being reflected when it reaches the cover plate or other structures of the DMD during transmission. Therefore, the solution of this application uses an irregular aperture stop to block and weaken the third beam, thereby improving the contrast of the projection module in the dark scene.

[0065] It should be noted that in this application, if the modulation element 620 in the relay optical path module 220 is a DMD, the flip direction of the DMD can be parallel to the long side direction of the light source array or parallel to the short side direction of the light source array. For example, if the light source array is a 1x1x1 array located in the XOY plane as shown in Figure 4, the flip direction of the DMD can be either the y-direction or the x-direction. It should also be noted that when the flip direction of the DMD is parallel to the short side direction of the nxm light source array, this application can further increase the number of light sources in the light source module 210 by increasing the number of columns in the light source array, thereby improving the brightness of the projection module 150.

[0066] Next, taking a single-row multi-column LED light source array as an example, the specific structures of the two projection modules 150 provided in this application will be described in conjunction with Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first projection module 900 provided in the embodiment of this application. It can be understood that the projection module 900 shown in Figure 9 is an example applied to the projection module 150 shown in Figure 1. In Figure 9(a), it is a side view of the projection module 900, and in Figure 9(b), it is a front view of the projection module 900. The front view is a schematic diagram of the structure of the projection module 900 viewed in the opposite direction along the first beam transmission direction. Specifically, the projection module 900 includes a light source module 910 composed of a single-row multi-column LED light source array, a relay optical path module 920 composed of a collimating lens group 921, a reflector 922, and a DMD 923, and an irregular aperture aperture lens 930. When the projection module 900 is used in a bright field environment, the first beam output from the multi-row LED light source array is collimated by the collimating lens group 921 and then incident on the reflector 922. The beam is then reflected by the reflector 922 onto the DMD 923. The microlens on the DMD 923 is adjusted to the "open" state and reflects the first beam to generate a second beam. This second beam passes through the irregular aperture diaphragm projection lens 930, enabling the projection module 900 to be used in bright field scenarios. When the projection module 900 is used in a dark field environment, the first beam output from the multi-row LED light source array is collimated by the collimating lens group 921 and then incident on the reflector 922. The beam is then reflected by the reflector 922 onto the DMD 923. The microlens on the DMD 923 is adjusted to the "closed" state and reflects the first beam. The reflected beam is then blocked by the irregular aperture diaphragm of the projection lens 930, thus achieving a dark field effect.

[0067] It is understandable that, compared to the second beam, the cross-sectional shape of the stray light generated by the DMD 923 reflection has a larger diffusion angle in the direction of the short side of the irregular aperture stop. Therefore, in Figure 9(c), the stray light can be blocked by reducing the length of the short side of the irregular aperture stop, thereby further improving the contrast of the projection module.

[0068] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second projection module 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. It can be understood that the projection module 1000 shown in Figure 10 is an example applied to the projection module 150 shown in Figure 1. In Figure 10(a), it is a side view of the projection module 1000, and in Figure 10(b), it is a front view of the projection module 1000. Unlike the projection module shown in Figure 9, in the projection module 900 shown in Figure 9, the single-row multi-column LED light source array and the DMD 1023 are arranged in different directions. In the projection module 1000 shown in Figure 10, the single-row multi-column LED light source array and the DMD 1023 are arranged in the same direction, and the light path of the second beam emitted after the first beam passes through the collimating lens 1021, the reflector 1022, and the DMD 1023 is a "Z"-shaped light path. The front view is still a schematic diagram of the projection module 1000 viewed in the opposite direction to the transmission direction of the first beam. Specifically, the projection module 1000 includes a light source module 1010 composed of a row of multiple LED light source arrays, a relay optical path module 1020 composed of a collimating lens group 1021 and a reflector 1022, a DMD 1030, and an irregular aperture stop lens 1040. When the projection module 1000 is used in a bright field environment, the first beam output from the row of multiple LED light source arrays is collimated by the collimating lens group 1021 and then incident on the reflector 1022. The beam is then reflected by the reflector 1022 onto the DMD 1023. The microlenses on the DMD 1023 are adjusted to an "on" state and reflect the first beam to generate a second beam. This reflected second beam then passes through the irregular aperture stop lens 1030, achieving the bright field application. When the projection module 1000 is used in a dark environment, the illumination beam output by the multi-row LED light source array is collimated by the collimating lens group 1021 and then incident on the reflector 1022. The beam is then reflected by the reflector 1022 onto the DMD 1023. The microlens on the DMD 1023 is adjusted to the "closed state" and reflects the first beam. The reflected beam is blocked by the irregular aperture stop of the lens 1023, thus achieving a dark field effect.

[0069] It is understandable that, in Figure 10(c), the contrast of the projection module can be further improved by reducing the length of the short side of the irregular aperture stop to block stray light. It should also be noted that both the light source 1010 and the DMD 1023 generate heat during use. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, the third beam reflected by the DMD 923, including the beam reflected in the "closed state" and stray light generated by components such as the DMD 923 cover plate, will also heat the collimating lens group, leading to a deterioration in collimation performance. Therefore, compared to the optical path in Figure 9, in the projection module 1000 shown in Figure 10, placing the light source 1010 and the DMD 1023 close together, or even on the same side of the projection module 1000, not only avoids interference from the third beam on the components but also facilitates the installation of a unified heat dissipation module in the projection module 1000, simultaneously dissipating heat for both the light source 1010 and the DMD 1023. This results in better heat dissipation and lower cost for the projection module 1000.

[0070] [Corrected according to Rule 91 06.05.2025] Figure 11 is a structural schematic diagram of the third projection module 1100 provided in the embodiments of this application. It can be understood that the projection module 1100 shown in Figure 11 is an example applied to the projection module 150 shown in Figure 1. Compared with the projection module 1000 shown in Figure 10, the projection module 1100 also includes an extinction structure 1140. The extinction structure 1140 can absorb the third beam emitted from the DMD 1123, thereby further reducing the stray light of the projection module 1100 and achieving a further improvement in contrast. It can be understood that the functions of the light source 1110, collimating lens group 1121, reflector 1122, DMD 1123, and projection lens 1130 in the projection module 1100 shown in Figure 11 under bright and dark fields can be referred to the description in Figure 11, and will not be repeated here.

[0071] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a lighting device 1200 provided in an embodiment of this application. The lighting device 1200 includes a projection module 1210 and a lighting module 1220.

[0072] The projection module 1210 can be any one of the projection modules 150 in the above embodiments, as detailed above, and will not be repeated here. The lighting module 1220 can include at least one of a low beam lighting module and a high beam lighting module. The projection module 1210 can work in conjunction with the lighting module 1220. For example, when the lighting module 1220 is used for low beam lighting, the projection module 1210 can enhance the brightness of the low beam lighting.

[0073] This application also provides a vehicle lighting system, including a control system and a projection module as described in the above embodiments. The control system is connected to the projection module and is used to control the projection module to operate or shut down. In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed.

[0074] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A projection module, characterized in that, include: The system includes a light source module, a relay optical path module, and a projection lens, wherein the projection lens includes an irregularly shaped aperture stop. The light source module is used to emit a first beam of light to the relay optical path module; The relay optical path module is used to emit a second beam to the projection lens based on the first beam, wherein the shape of the cross-section of the second beam corresponds to the shape of the irregular aperture stop. The projection lens is used to transmit the second beam from the relay optical path module through the irregular aperture stop.

2. The projection module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light source module includes multiple light sources, which form an n-row m-column array, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1, m is an integer greater than 1, and m is greater than n.

3. The projection module according to claim 2, characterized in that, n equals 1.

4. The projection module according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The long side of the irregular aperture stop corresponds to the long side of the n-row m-column array, and the short side of the irregular aperture stop corresponds to the short side of the n-row m-column array.

5. The projection module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The relay optical path module specifically includes a collimation module, a reflection module, and a modulation module. The arrangement of the collimation module, the reflection module, and the modulation module ensures that the optical path of the incident first beam, after passing through the collimation module, the reflection module, and the modulation module, and exiting as the second beam is a "Z" shaped optical path. The collimation module is used to collimate the first beam from the light source module and output the collimated first beam to the reflection module. The reflection module is used to reflect the collimated first beam to the modulation module; The modulation module is used to generate the second beam based on the collimated first beam and to emit the second beam toward the projection lens.

6. The projection module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The modulation module is a digital micromirror device (DMD).

7. The projection module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The relay optical path module is also used to emit a third beam to the projection lens based on the first beam; The projection lens uses the irregular aperture stop to block the third beam from the relay optical path module.

8. The projection module according to claim 7, characterized in that, The projection module also includes an anti-glare structural component. The extinction structure is used to absorb the third light beam.

9. A lighting device, characterized in that, The lighting device includes a lighting module and a projection module as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The lighting device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The lighting module includes a low beam lighting module and / or a high beam lighting module.

11. A vehicle lighting system, characterized in that, It includes a control system and a projection module as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control system is connected to the projection module. The control system is used to control the projection module to work or be turned off.

12. A means of transportation, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a body and a projection module as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, the projection module being disposed on the body.

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