Vehicle Lighting Device With Segmented Imaging And Light-Guiding Optics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-resolution lighting devices for motor vehicles face challenges in adapting to vehicle-specific dimensions and designs without incurring significant manufacturing costs or complexity, as traditional imaging components are produced in fixed sizes and shapes.
Innovation Solution
The use of light-guiding optics with adjustable entry and exit surfaces allows for the adaptation of light emission shape and size to vehicle-specific requirements, enabling the combination of multiple active surfaces into a single or adjacent exit surfaces, utilizing Transversal Anderson Localization for precise light propagation and image formation, and incorporating materials like plastic, glass, or ceramic fibers with varying refractive indices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional imaging components (SLM, LCD, DLP, LCoS) are used with fixed manufacturing dimensions, then manufacturing complexity and cost increase, but the ability to adapt to different vehicle headlamp designs decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging component is divided into multiple separately placeable imaging elements (such as LED arrays or mini-SLM modules) that can be independently manufactured and then combined. Each element has a smaller active surface that can be individually produced using standard manufacturing processes, avoiding the need for large custom-made imaging components. These segmented elements are arranged in a matrix pattern and can be positioned at different locations within the headlamp assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple imaging elements with smaller active surfaces are nested within a larger optical system structure. Each imaging element is contained within its own optical module that includes light-guiding optics, and these modules are collectively integrated into the headlamp assembly. This nesting approach allows standard-sized imaging components to be housed within a larger adaptive lighting system.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple imaging components are placed close together to form a continuous light field, then image quality improves, but heat dissipation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system is segmented into multiple independently placeable imaging elements that can be distributed across different locations within the headlamp. This segmentation creates natural thermal zones between elements, allowing heat to dissipate from each element independently rather than accumulating in a densely packed continuous array. The gaps between segmented elements serve as thermal management channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging elements are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix pattern with controlled spacing, transitioning from a traditional single-plane dense array to a multi-zone distributed configuration. This spatial reconfiguration in multiple dimensions allows maintaining optical continuity while creating thermal separation zones for effective heat dissipation.
3Manufacturing precision
If custom-sized imaging components are manufactured to match specific headlamp designs, then design precision improves, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Each imaging element is designed with a standardized active surface size suitable for conventional manufacturing, while the overall light emission characteristics are customized through selective arrangement and optical transformation. The light-guiding optics associated with each element are designed to transform the standardized input into vehicle-specific output patterns, achieving local quality adaptation without custom manufacturing of imaging components.
Solution Approach 2:
Light-guiding optics serve as an intermediary between the standardized imaging elements and the vehicle-specific light emission requirements. These optical components (including lenses, reflectors, or waveguides) transform the light from fixed-dimension imaging elements into customized emission patterns, acting as a mediator that decouples the imaging component manufacturing from the final light emission geometry.
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
This solution allows for cost-effective design flexibility in headlamp lighting, enabling precise adaptation to vehicle-specific dimensions while maintaining image quality and facilitating separate placement of imaging components for improved cooling and heat dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
light-guiding optics having at least one entry surface and one exit surface, wherein during operation of the lighting device the light emanating from the at least one active surface enters the light-guiding optics through the at least one entry surface and exits the light-guiding optics through the exit surface
Implementation Method 2
utilizing Transversal Anderson Localization for precise light propagation and image formation
Implementation Method 3
incorporating materials like plastic, glass, or ceramic fibers with varying refractive indices
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting device is provided for a motor vehicle. The lighting device comprises at least one imaging component with at least one active surface, on which imaging elements for the generation of pixels of a light distribution are arranged matrix-like. The lighting device further comprises a light-guiding optics having at least one entry surface and one exit surface. During operation of the lighting device, the light emanating from the at least one active surface enters the light-guiding optics through the at least one entry surface and exits the light-guiding optics through the exit surface. The exit surface has a different shape and/or a different size than the at least one active surface, and/or a plurality of active surfaces and only one exit surface or a plurality of adjacent exit surfaces are provided.