Directional lighting system

A directional lighting system may include a plurality of lights positioned on a singular planar surface. A plurality of stationary reflectors may also be provided, each reflector positioned adjacent to each of the plurality of lights. The stationary reflectors may be positioned on the single planar surface in an orientation so as to provide directional illumination of one of the plurality of lights in a different direction relative to another of the plurality of lights. The single planar surface may define a surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) to which the plurality of lights are mounted. The directional lighting system may further include a controller in communication with the plurality of lights. The controller may include one or more preset lighting functions, whereby a user may select one of the one or more preset buttons to illuminate specific lights of the plurality of lights.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to directional lighting systems and, more particularly, to spotlights and other directional lighting systems which may be used on vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Emergency vehicles of all types rely on lighting to alert others and to illuminate specific areas. Law enforcement commonly uses a spotlight or other lighting system as an aid to search for suspects and for the safety of the officers. One of the daily challenges of law enforcement in the pursuit of criminals is many crimes are committed and the criminals flee under the cover of darkness. Traditional spotlights are large lamps mounted to the driver's door and include an operating handle so the driver can manipulate the single beam from side to side.

Mounting a single light on the side of a vehicle has inherent limitations, foremost of which is the limited dexterity of the single light in that there is a police car on one side of the light. Mounting a light on the roof of the vehicle may allow for the user to increase the angular movement of the light, but this location typically necessitates a remote motor to actuate a transmission system that physically moves the light from side to side. The driver's door system may also include some mechanical connection from the operating handle to the lamp, but it may be manually operated. A missing bolt or a buildup of ice could inhibit the movement of the lamp by way of the operating handle, but this purely mechanical system is still likely more reliable than a electro-mechanical system where a broken wire or a burnt out motor can result in the inability of the entire system to move the light from one position to another. At this point the spotlight is of little more value than the headlights already on the vehicle. In addition, actuating a mechanical system, be that by hand or by some motor driven actuator, there is a time lapse for this to reasonably happen to move the light beam. If a series of lights are used, the light capable of being reflected in multiple directions from each light source, turning some lights off and others on to change the lighting direction can be virtually instantaneous as well as require no mechanical wear as there are no moving parts.

Law enforcement is a unique industry in that many times the persons being sought are not anxious to be found. A search and rescue mission is the opposite where the object of the search is as interested in being found as the searches are in finding the lost or injured person. With this in mind, the unwilling to be caught may act to remove or disable the light source that is being used to identify their location. If the suspect fires a weapon at, or otherwise damages, the single spotlight, the entire vehicle mounted spotlight system is useless. So, if anything goes wrong with the single light spotlight, either by the illumination source (single bulb burns out) or the ability to move the spotlight, the system may be compromised, if not completely unusable. Travelers on unfamiliar roads and hunters are some other examples of when it may be desirable to have focused light in a particular area that does not blind oncoming traffic and does not result in excessive energy draw from the power of the vehicle.

It should, therefore, be appreciated that there is a need for a directional lighting system which does not require physical movement of the light source, thereby increasing durability of the system and has more than one light source, providing light source redundancy. The present invention fulfills this need and others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention may include a directional lighting system with a plurality of lights positioned on a singular planar surface. A plurality of stationary reflectors may also be provided, each reflector positioned adjacent to each of the plurality of lights. The stationary reflectors may be positioned on the single planar surface in an orientation so as to provide directional illumination of one of the plurality of lights in a different direction relative to another of the plurality of lights. The single planar surface may define a surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) to which the plurality of lights are mounted. The directional lighting system may further include a controller in communication with the plurality of lights. The controller may include one or more preset lighting functions, whereby a user may select one of the one or more preset buttons to illuminate specific lights of the plurality of lights. The communication between the controller and the plurality of lights may be provided by a physical wire or a wireless signal such as a radio frequency signal. The controller may further include a rotating knob, whereby rotation of the rotating knob may provide movement of a lighting pattern provided by the plurality of lights. The movement of the lighting pattern may be in a direction in accordance with movement of the rotating knob. The controller may include a receiver to enable communication between the controller and a computer device such as a smart phone. The controller may include a transmitter to enable communication between the controller and a computer device.

The directional lighting system may also include the plurality of stationary reflectors to be positioned so as to provide illumination across a designated degree span. The system may further include one or more local chips in communication with the plurality of lights. The local chip may provide a controlled illumination of the plurality of lights resulting in more than one lighting pattern. A selector button may also be provided, wherein pressing the selector button communicates with the local chip to create positional information regarding orientation of one directional lighting assembly bar relative to another directional lighting assembly bar. A position light may also be provided, wherein the position light may provide a visual output as to the relative orientation of each directional lighting assembly bar.

The directional lighting system may also include the plurality of lights as being comprised of light emitting diodes. These light emitting diodes may be white light emitting diodes or color light emitting diodes, which may have the illumination colors of white, red, blue and green.

The directional lighting system may also include a controller and a positional sensor in communication with the controller. The positional sensor may provide input to the controller so as to alter the movement of a lighting pattern provided by the plurality of lights. This may cause the lighting pattern to move in a direction in accordance with movement of the positional sensor. The positional sensor may be a physical sensor fixed to a portion of a user, such as the head of the user, such that the movement of the positional sensor resulting from the movement of the portion of the user, results in movement of the lighting pattern in a similar direction. In a similar manner, the positional sensor may be comprised of visual recognition software and a video feed may be used to capture the image of a portion of a user. Visual recognition software may be used to determine movement of the portion of the user and move the lighting pattern accordingly. The plurality of lights may also be comprised of more than one light positioned adjacent to each of the plurality of the stationary reflectors and one light of the more than one light may not be positioned at the focal point of a stationary reflector. The result may be a light output from the reflector that is above or below the reflected light of an adjacent light.

For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain advantages of the invention have been described herein. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages can be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments and drawings, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the illustrative drawings and particularly toFIGS. 1-4, there is shown a directional lighting assembly24which may include a plurality of reflectors26each mounted to a reflector plate28. A printed circuit board (PCB)30may support a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED)32. Each LED32may be positioned proximate to each reflector26such that the light emitted from the LED32may be directed in a specific location by the reflector26. The PCB30may provide electrical communication between a power source (not shown) and each of the LED's32. In this embodiment, the reflectors26may be positioned such that the reflectors26on each far end of the directional lighting assembly24may direct light emitted from their associated LED32away from a center portion of the directional lighting assembly24. The reflectors26located closer to the center of the directional lighting assembly24may be positioned to direct light emitted by their associated LED32in a more forward direction, thereby not directed toward either far end of the directional lighting assembly24. In this embodiment, the inventors have selected eighteen reflectors26mounted to the reflector plate28, with each reflector26rotated 5° relative to its adjacent reflector26. It is understood that the number of reflectors26on the reflector plate28is not considered critical to the novelty of the invention and as such, the number of reflectors26on a reflector plate28may vary according to the needs of any particular application.

An alternative embodiment is shown inFIGS. 5-6. Here a shortened version of the directional lighting assembly24′ is shown still including a plurality of reflectors26each mounted to a short reflector plate28′ which may receive a short PCB30′ which supports a plurality of LEDs32. In this embodiment, as well as in the previous embodiment, each reflector26has one LED32located approximately at the center line of the ark of the reflector26. The reflector26may be shaped in the form of a parabolic arc with the LED32located at or near a focal point of that parabolic arc. In such a manner, the light emitted from the LED32may be reflected by the reflector26in a direction consistent with a center line of the parabolic arc of the reflector26. By positioning multiple reflectors26in different relative orientations, a plurality of light beams may be generated in multiple directions as determined by the orientation of the reflector26associated with each of the plurality of LEDs32which are illuminated at any time.

A controller34may be used to control the electrical input to one or more LEDs32at any time. By example, a controller34is shown inFIGS. 7-8. In this embodiment, the controller34may include a plurality of buttons36and a rotary knob38. An on/off button40may be provided such that pressing the on/off button40may turn the controller34on or off, the outcome being the opposite of the previous state prior to pressing the on/off button40. When turned on, the controller34may be used to illuminate one or more of the LEDs32alone or in a pattern with other LEDs32. For example, one button36on the controller34may be pressed causing all of the LEDs32to be illuminated at once. This may result in a broad lighting of an entire area as opposed to a directed light associated with a spotlight. To simulate a spotlight, a different button36may be pressed which may result in anywhere from one to four or more adjacent LEDs32to be illuminated. Rotating the rotary knob38in one direction may provide movement of that illumination pattern of the directional lighting assembly24in the same direction as the rotation of the rotary knob38. More specifically, if for example the four left most LEDs32are eliminated when one of the buttons36is pressed, by rotating the rotary knob38to the right, one or more of the left most LEDs32may be turned off and at the same time one or more additional adjacent LEDs32toward the right may be illuminated.

InFIG. 9a more detailed illustration is shown of the previous example. In this figure, there are eighteen reflectors26in a directional lighting assembly24. A representation of the light beams generated by the LED's32on the left half of the directional lighting assembly24is designated by L1through L9. In a similar manner, the light beams generated by the LEDs32and their associated reflectors26on the right half of the directional lighting assembly24are designated by R1through R9. So, being consistent with the previous example, if a button36on the controller34is pressed, to which a program provides power from the power source42to one or more of the LEDs32of the directional lighting assembly24so as to generate a focused resultant light beam, the position of this light beam may be altered by the rotation of the rotary knob38. For example, when the appropriate button36is pressed a combination of light beams may include L2+L1+R1+R2. A more intense resultant light beam may be provided by increasing the pulse width modulation of the four LEDs32which produce the individual light beams. This may be controlled by the controller34. Alternatively an additional individual one or more light beams, such as L3and/or R3may be added to the four beams as previously noted. The difference may be the greater the number of LEDs32that are eliminated at any time, but also the wider the resultant light beam becomes.

If searching in a specific area, such as what has been done with a traditional spotlight, it may be desirable to focus the light in a specific location as opposed to blanket the light over a larger area. So a smaller number of individual lights may be desired, such as for example the resultant sum of L2+L1+R1+R2. To move the direction of the resultant light beam to the left or to the right, a user may rotate the rotary knob38. If the user rotates the rotary knob38slightly to the right, the left most LED32, which produces light beam L2, may be turned off and at the same time the LED32which produces light beam R3may be turned on. This process may continue to the right or to the left cycling the appropriate LEDs32to produce a resultant light produced by four adjacent LEDs32. As noted, the use of four LEDs32, and therefore four individual light beams to produce a resultant light beam is a matter of choice by the user. A single LED32may be used or a multitude of five, six or more adjacent LEDs32may be used to produce the desired resultant light beam.

The total angle between L9and R9is shown inFIG. 9to be represented by an angle of illumination (Φ). This angle of illumination (Φ) may be any angle deemed appropriate but it may be considered optimal that this angle be 90°. By using a 90° coverage angle, multiple directional lighting assemblies24may be positioned at right angles to one another to obtain fluid coverage from one directional lighting assembly24to the next directional lighting assembly24. By using four directional lighting assemblies24in this manner, a coverage of 360° of potential lighting capability may be achieved. The value of this may be more apparent later in this disclosure.

Another detail shown inFIG. 9includes the use of a computer, or in this case a handheld device such as a cell phone44. Through Bluetooth or other wireless technology, the cell phone44may communicate with the controller34to provide similar input to the controller34as if the user physically interacts with the controller34directly, or by way of the cell phone44. In a similar manner, the directional lighting assembly24may include a local receiver46on the PCB30of the directional lighting assembly24. The local receiver46may provide a method of communication between the cell phone44, or the controller34directly, without the need for wired communication between the cell phone44or the controller34and the directional lighting assembly24.

Referring toFIG. 10, a directional lighting assembly24is shown with a plurality of reflectors26each with an adjacent LED32on mounted to a PCB30. In this figure, a frame48may be provided as a physical protection for the directional lighting assembly24. The frame48may provide a barrier to the elements and other physical objects that may otherwise damage structurally sensitive items such as reflectors26the LEDs32and the PCB30. The use of the frame48may then allow the directional lighting assembly24to be mounted externally to a vehicle or other structure, such as a police car or other emergency vehicle. An example of which is shown inFIG. 11.

InFIG. 11and further diagrammed inFIGS. 12-13, a plurality of directional lighting assemblies24may be provided and oriented orthogonal to one another, thus together comprising the shape of a parallelogram. The directional lighting assemblies24may each include a frame48so as to equip the directional lighting assemblies24to be mounted to the top of a vehicle50. In that a driver of the vehicle50is facing forward most of the time, it may be desirable to position more than one directional lighting assembly24facing forward, as is shown inFIG. 11. The two forward facing directional lighting assemblies24may be stacked one on top of the other, as shown here, or in any other desired orientation. These two directional lighting assemblies24may be synchronized to illuminate together, thus automatically doubling the light output toward the front of the vehicle50.

This is only one example of a use of stacking multiple directional lighting assemblies24. Another example may be to position two facing the rear of the vehicle50. In that situation the top directional lighting assembly24may be used to display a running colored pattern such as a red or yellow line from one far end or the other an then back in a continuous loop, thereby alerting oncoming traffic to the presence of the vehicle50which may be stopped or moving slowly. The left and right sides may be desired to be have additional light, such as may be the case for security of a fence or other area of interest that would be on the side of the vehicle50as the vehicle50is in motion.

Referring toFIG. 13, when multiple directional lighting assemblies24are used in conjunction with one another, it may be desirable to program the positioning of each directional lighting assembly24relative to the other directional lighting assembly24. To do this, a local chip52may be provided on each PCB30. A program button54and an indicator light56may also be provided on the PCB30. This combination may allow a novice user to place multiples of the same directional lighting assembly24randomly in a square, rectangle, parallelogram or virtually any other configuration as shown inFIGS. 11 and 12. Once positioned, the directional lighting assemblies24may be programmed to their relative positions by pressing the program button54a set number of times or pressing and holding the program button54down until a desired light color is displayed or a specific number of flashes are produced by the indicator light56. For example, pressing the program button54and holding it until the indicator light56flashes once (or turns a specific color) may indicate that directional lighting assembly24is facing forward. A similar process may be done providing two flashes or three flashes from the indicator light56, etc. before releasing the program button54to program the local chip52in each directional lighting assembly24to provide positional orientation as to front, rear, left and right.

When this is completed, all four directional lighting assemblies24may work as one system and controlled by the controller34. For example, rotation of the rotary knob38of the controller34to move the lighting pattern from right to left as previously disclosed, may continue past the 90° angle of illumination (Φ) of one directional lighting assembly24but continue to an adjacent directional lighting assembly24and to another to eventually come back to the original illumination position. The lighting pattern produced by the directional lighting assemblies24may provide a lighting pattern that may pass through a full 360° without any physical movement of any mechanism of any of the directional lighting assemblies24.

It is understood that three directional lighting assemblies24may be used and each directional lighting assembly24may then have an angle of illumination (Φ) of 120° as opposed to 90°, so that three directional lighting assemblies24may be used to cover a full 360° of potential illumination. As such, the number of directional lighting assemblies24used in any orientation may be subject to the needs of any particular application and not limited to the specific detail of this disclosure.

Just as it may be desirable to move a lighting pattern from right to left, it may be desirable to move the illumination vertically. With reference toFIGS. 14-18c, a solution to this is provided. InFIG. 14, a directional lighting assembly24″ is provided with a plurality of reflectors26mounted to a reflector plate28″ and a plurality of LED's32may be supported by a PCB30″. The difference in this embodiment is for every reflector26there may be more than one LED32. In this embodiment, three LED's32are may be positioned along a line which includes a focal point of the reflector26. In this embodiment, the middle LED32may be positioned at a focal point of the reflector26. This LED26may produce a light beam58that is somewhat straight forward, as illustrated inFIG. 18band graphically represented inFIG. 16.

Light reflects off a surface with the angle of incidence (α) being equal to the angle of reflection (β). So placing a light source, such as the LED32that is not positioned at the focal point of a reflector26, may result in a light output from the reflector26that is above or below the reflected light generated from an adjacent LED32. An LED positioned closer to the reflector26may provide a smaller angle α, which may in turn result in a smaller angle β, thus providing an elevated light beam58. This is illustrated inFIG. 18aand graphically presented inFIG. 17. The opposite may be true when the LED32is also not at the focal point, but now positioned farther away from the reflector26. There as the angle α increases so does angle β, as depicted inFIG. 18c, thus producing a lower positioned light beam58as graphically illustrated inFIG. 15.

A more detailed frame48for the directional lighting assembly24is shown inFIGS. 19-21. The frame48may also include end caps60and a clear lens62so as to completely encase the directional lighting assembly24and further protect it from the elements and damage from debris. The frame48may also include mounting holes64to enable easy replacement of a directional lighting assembly24within a frame48. If a frame48or a lens62of a frame48gets damaged, the directional lighting assembly24contained therein may be removed and placed in a new frame48with minimal effort or reprogramming of the directional lighting assembly24.

The use of the controller34to move the location of the light beam up or down, or from right to left by use of the rotary knob38has been previously disclosed. It may be desirable in some situations to operate hands free. In the case of a first responder assessing a situation or looking for a suspect or victim, the user may need to concentrate on driving the vehicle50and observing the surroundings. In this situation a hands free form of communication between the user and the directional lighting assembly24may be desired. InFIG. 22such a system is shown. The user66may have a sensor68mounted to their head70by way of a head strap72or the sensor may be incorporated into the uniform of the user66, such as by securing the sensor68to the hat or glasses of the user66. In this way, movement of the head70of the user66may result in movement of the sensor68.

Movement of the sensor68to the right, toward indicator “A”74may act in a similar manner to rotating the rotary knob38of the controller34to the right, thus causing illumination of LED's32toward the right end, designated by “A”76, of the directional lighting assembly24. In a similar manner, movement of the sensor68to the left, or toward indicator “C”78may result in illumination of LED's32more toward the left end, designated by “C”80, of the directional lighting assembly24. When the sensor68is positioned relatively straight ahead with respect to the vehicle50or the directional lighting assembly2b4, as designated by the indicator “B”82, the LED's24near the center, as noted by indicator “B”84of the directional lighting assembly24may be illuminated.

The indicators (76,80and84) of the directional lighting assembly24are shown for illustration purposes only. It is understood that more than one LED32may be illuminated in a group and that a slight movement of the sensor68may result in a slight displacement of the resultant light beam in that direction, not necessarily to the far extreme of the directional lighting assembly24as illustrated. In addition, movement up and down of the sensor68may result in a vertical displacement of any resultant beam. This may be accomplished by the method to produce vertical movement of a resultant light beam as previously disclosed.

Another method to sense movement of the head70of the user66may be to use a form of facial recognition software and a camera86. The camera86may be mounted to the vehicle50, thus providing a x-y-z coordinate reference. As the user66moves his head70left, right, up or down, the software may recognize that movement and as previously disclosed, adjust the output of the directional lighting assembly24accordingly to follow the movement of the head70of the user66. This may accomplish the same result without the need for a specific sensor68mounted to the head70of the user66, as the facial features of the user66and the software combine to make the sensor68.

The foregoing detailed description of the present invention is provided for purpose of illustration, and it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the particular embodiment shown. The embodiments may provide different capabilities and benefits, depending on the configuration used to implement key features of the invention.