Controllable high luminance illumination with moving light-sources

1. An illumination device for providing controllable illumination, said illumination device comprising:

a light-source unit comprising a plurality of individually controllable solid state light-sources;

an optical element arranged to modulate light from said solid state light-sources through a modulation area of said optical element;

an actuator connected to the light-source unit and controllable to move said light-source unit relative to said optical element in such a way that said solid state light-sources pass through said modulation area of the optical element in succession; and

a control unit configured to drive each of said solid state light-sources with a sequence of drive parameter values corresponding to an illumination configuration from when said solid state light-source enters said modulation area of the optical element until said solid state light-source leaves said modulation area of the optical element so said solid state light-source emits light with a time-varying intensity, said sequence of drive parameter values including at least three different drive parameter values.

2. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit comprises:

an input for receiving a control signal indicative of said illumination configuration;

processing circuitry configured to determine said sequence of drive parameter values corresponding to said desired illumination configuration; and

an output for providing said sequence of drive parameter values to each of said solid state light-sources depending on a position of said solid state light-source in said modulation area of the optical element.

3. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein said output of the control unit is a wireless output for wirelessly providing said sequence of at least three drive parameter values to said solid state light-sources.

4. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of individually controllable solid state light-sources comprises:

a first set of solid state light-sources each following a first trajectory when moving past said modulation area of the optical element; and

a second set of solid state light-sources, each following a second trajectory different from the first trajectory when moving past said modulation area of the optical element.

5. The illumination device according to claim 4 , wherein said first set of solid state light-sources comprises a first number of solid state light-sources and said second set of solid state light-sources comprises a second number of solid state light-sources, said first number being greater than said second number.

6. The illumination device according to claim 5 , wherein said first number is at least two times said second number.

7. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein said light-source unit is arranged to be rotated about a rotational axis by said actuator.

8. The illumination device according to claim 7 , wherein said rotational axis is substantially parallel with an optical axis of said optical element.

9. The illumination device according to claim 7 , wherein said rotational axis is substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of said optical element.

10. The illumination device according to claim 7 , wherein said solid state light-sources are arranged in a spiraling configuration.

11. The illumination device according to claim 1 , further comprising a fan arrangement being drivable by said actuator to provide an air flow in a direction substantially parallel with an illumination direction of said illumination device.

12. The illumination device according to claim 11 , wherein said fan arrangement is integrated in said light-source unit.

13. An automotive headlamp arrangement comprising an illumination device according to claim 1 , being configured to provide a substantially horizontally extending illumination configuration when mounted in a vehicle.

14. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein said control unit is further configured to drive each of said solid state light-sources with another sequence of drive parameters corresponding to another illumination configuration while said solid state light-source moves through said modulation area of the optical element.

15. A method of providing controlled illumination, comprising the steps of:

providing a light-source unit comprising a plurality of individually controllable solid state light sources;

moving said light-source unit relative to an optical element in such a way that said solid state light-sources pass through a modulation area of the optical element in succession; and

driving each of said solid state light-sources with a sequence of drive parameter values corresponding to an illumination configuration from when said solid state light-source enters said modulation area of the optical element until said solid state light-source leaves said modulation area of the optical element so said solid state light-source emits light with a time varying intensity, said sequence of drive parameter values comprising at least three different drive parameter values.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said step of driving comprises the steps of:

acquiring a control signal indicative of said illumination configuration;

determining said sequence of drive parameter values corresponding to said illumination configuration; and

providing said sequence of drive parameter values to each of said light-sources depending on a position of said light-source in said modulation area of the optical element.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising driving each of said solid state light-sources with another sequence of drive parameters corresponding to another illumination configuration while said solid state light-source moves through said modulation area of the optical element.