Headlight system incorporating adaptive beam function

摘要

A light source system comprising a projection lens, which is capable of producing a far-field image of a light source. The light source comprises a photoluminescent material that when illuminated by light from laser emitters of a first waveband emits light of a second or more wavebands of longer wavelength. The resulting light emission produces a color perceived as white. The light source is illuminated by a plurality of laser emitters arranged to illuminate the light source in an array-like manner from the front side. Control of the output of one or more of the laser emitters results in a variation of the spatial emission distribution from the light source and hence a variation of the far-field beam spot distribution via non-mechanical means. An optical system is arranged to image light emitted from the photoluminescent material into the far-field, which optical system comprises a converging lens.

主权项

1. A light source system operable in at least first and second modes to provide at least first and second different far field illumination patterns, the system comprising:
a photoluminescent material; an optical system arranged to image light emitted from the photoluminescent material into the far field, the optical system comprising a converging lens; and a light beam generator for generating at least first and second independently controllable sets of one or more light beams for illuminating respective regions of the photoluminescent material, wherein the light beam generator comprises at least one semiconductor light emitting device spatially separated from the photoluminescent material; and a plurality optical components for directing the output from a respective light emitting device onto a respective region of the photoluminescent material; wherein the light source system is arranged so that the at least first and second independently controllable sets of one or more light beams are incident, in use, on a surface of the photoluminescent material facing the converging lens and which illuminate, in use, respective different regions on the surface of the photoluminescent material with no overlap or only partial overlap; and wherein the one or more optical components are fixed in their position such that the respective illuminated regions on the photoluminescent material have a fixed position.