Automotive Adaptive Lighting with Phosphor Substrate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current adaptive lighting systems for automotive vehicles face challenges in providing optimal road visibility while complying with regulations, maintaining low glare for other drivers, and efficiently utilizing light sources, often resulting in thermal performance issues and significant light losses due to complex projector designs and phosphor element inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive lighting system featuring a primary light source, a scanning system, and a wavelength conversion device with a phosphor surface on a thermally conducting substrate, where the scanning system and optical imaging system are positioned to modulate light intensity and distribution, forming a precise lighting beam that adjusts to road conditions and vehicle parameters without disturbing other drivers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If complex projector designs with phosphor elements are used to achieve adaptive lighting functions, then lighting adaptability is improved, but thermal performance deteriorates and light losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the phosphor conversion layer from the traditional projector design and replaces it with direct LED emitters that have integrated wavelength conversion. This removes the thermal management burden from complex multi-element projectors while maintaining adaptive lighting capabilities through electronically controllable LED arrays.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental operating parameters by using LED technology with adjustable spectral output instead of traditional halogen or xenon sources with phosphor conversion. This allows independent control of light intensity and wavelength distribution, achieving adaptive lighting with superior thermal efficiency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex projector designs with phosphor elements are used to achieve adaptive lighting functions, then lighting adaptability is improved, but light losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the inefficient phosphor conversion step from the light generation process and replaces it with direct LED emission. This eliminates the inherent light losses associated with wavelength conversion while preserving adaptive lighting control through electronic modulation of LED elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention maintains continuous efficient light generation by using LED elements that directly emit the required wavelengths without intermediate conversion steps. The electronically controllable LED array provides uninterrupted adaptive lighting with minimal energy loss throughout operation.
3Illumination intensity
If high beam lighting is used to provide long-distance visibility, then road visibility is improved, but glare to other drivers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality control by using individually controllable LED elements within the headlight assembly. Each LED or group of LEDs can be independently modulated to create localized high-intensity zones for long-distance visibility while maintaining low-intensity zones to prevent glare, achieving spatially differentiated lighting characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements dynamic lighting control where the intensity and distribution of light from different LED elements can be rapidly adjusted based on detected road conditions and presence of other vehicles. This allows the system to transition between high-visibility and low-glare modes in real-time.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If low beam lighting with upper cut-off is used to prevent dazzling other drivers, then glare reduction is improved, but long-distance visibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic intensity modulation of LED elements to overcome the fixed cut-off limitation of traditional low beam projectors. The system can dynamically adjust which LED elements are active and at what intensity, providing extended long-distance visibility when safe while maintaining glare reduction capabilities when other vehicles are present.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses local quality control through selective activation of LED elements positioned to illuminate different vertical zones. Elements directed toward long-distance road areas can operate at high intensity while elements that would cause glare to other drivers remain inactive or operate at low intensity, achieving both extended visibility and glare reduction simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides optimal road illumination that complies with regulations, adjusts to instantaneous traffic conditions, and minimizes glare, achieving efficient light distribution and thermal management while ensuring safety and compliance with various lighting functions.
Implementation Method 1
a wavelength conversion device (20) receiving the light radiation from said at least one primary source and re-emitting white light radiation
Implementation Method 2
a phosphor surface on a thermally conducting substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An adaptive lighting system for an automotive vehicle. The adaptive lighting system has a wavelength conversion device for receiving the light radiation (L) from the primary source and re-emitting white light radiation (B). An optical imaging system receives the white light (B) re-emitted by the wavelength conversion device and projects this light (B) in front of the vehicle to form a lighting beam, the wavelength conversion device being situated close to a focal plane of the optical imaging system, and the scanning system and the optical system being situated on the same side or on opposite sides of the wavelength conversion device. An intensity of the white light radiation (B) emitted by the wavelength conversion device is capable of being modulated between a minimum value and a maximum value, and the scanning is performed at variable speed.