Vehicle interior lighting and illumination
One or more light sources, one or more detectors, a processor, and a controller are configured to provide spot illumination that follows a moving object, a moving occupant, or a portion of a moving occupant in the vehicle.
1. A vehicle interior lighting system comprising:
a microLED array comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel less than 500 microns in size, a spacing between pixels less than 50 microns, the plurality of pixels mounted and electrically connected to CMOS circuitry;
one or more detectors;
a processor configured to receive and process signals from the one or more detectors to detect motion of objects and occupants in the vehicle; and
a controller configured to receive signals from the processor and in response control one or more pixels of the microLED array to provide spot illumination to moving objects or occupants in the vehicle, such that the spot illumination follows the moving object or occupant.
2. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 1 , configured to provide a spot of reduced horizontal illuminance that follows the moving object or occupant for increased contrast.
3. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the spot illumination comprises a vertical illuminance on the moving object or occupant and a horizontal illuminance on the moving object or occupant, and the vertical illuminance is at least twice the horizontal illuminance.
4. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 3 , wherein the vertical illuminance is at least five times the horizontal illuminance.
5. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the microLED array provides a projection at least partially surrounding and following the object or occupant.
6. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 5 , wherein the projection is one of circular, oval, square, and rectangular.
7. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 5 , wherein the projection comprises one or more color.
8. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 5 , wherein the horizontal illuminance of the projection is at least twice the horizontal illuminance of the surrounding non-illuminated area.
9. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 5 , wherein the horizontal illuminance of the projection is at least equal to the vertical illuminance of the passenger.
10. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 5 , wherein the horizontal illuminance of the projection is less than the vertical illuminance of the passenger.
11. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the pixels are separated by a dielectric and metal that extends above a semiconductor surface of the pixel and is filled with a wavelength converter.
12. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the detector is capable of detecting an ambient lighting, and in response the controller adjust at least one of the color and intensity of the light source to preserve the night vision of at least one occupant being illuminated, other occupants, and a driver.
13. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 12 , wherein the color is red.
14. A vehicle interior lighting system comprising:
a light source comprising a microLED array comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel less than 500 microns in size, a spacing between pixels less than 50 microns, the plurality of pixels mounted and electrically connected to CMOS circuitry, or a waveguide;
one or more detectors;
a processor configured to receive and process signals from the one or more detectors to detect motion of objects or occupants in the vehicle; and
a controller configured to receive signals from the processor and in response control the light source so that light from the light source illuminates the vehicle interior and provides illumination to a moving occupant in the vehicle, such that the illumination is capable of following the moving occupant.
15. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 14 , wherein the detector is an IR light detector.
16. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 15 , comprising an IR light source.
17. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 16 , wherein the IR light detector is responsive to gesturing.
18. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 17 , configured to respond to gesturing by at least one of: changing state from one of on and off, changing illumination intensity, changing illumination color, and changing light beam location.
19. The vehicle interior lighting system of claim 16 , wherein the IR light source is one of an LED array or VCSEL.
20. The vehicle interior lighting system comprising:
a light source comprising a microLED, or a waveguide, or a microLED and a waveguide;
a detector capable of detecting the location of occupants in the vehicle;
a processor configured to receive and process signals from the detector to detect the location of occupants in the vehicle; and
a controller configured to receive signals from the processor and in response control the light source so that light from the light source illuminates the vehicle interior and reduces the glare of the light source to at least one occupant in the vehicle being illuminated.