Lighting device with directable beam

Abstract

A lighting device includes a light emitter, a light source, and a first light conductor arranged to conduct light from the light source to the light emitter, the light emitter including a translucent body and a first reflector, the first reflector being connected to or integral with the translucent body, the translucent body including at least a first emitter portion, the first emitter portion being shaped to define a first emitter lens, the first reflector being arranged to reflect light emitted from the first light conductor to exit the light emitter as a beam of light via the first emitter lens, the light emitter being rotatable with at least one degree of freedom relative to the first light conductor to direct the beam, where the lighting device includes a light detector, the light detector being arranged to receive light which enters the light emitter via the first emitter lens and is reflected by the first reflector.

1 . A lighting device comprising:
 at least one light emitter, at least one light source, and at least one first light conductor arranged to conduct light from the light source to the light emitter;   the light emitter including a translucent body and a first reflector, the first reflector being connected to or integral with the translucent body;   the translucent body including at least a first emitter portion, the first emitter portion being shaped to define a first emitter lens;   the first reflector being arranged to reflect light emitted from the first light conductor to exit the light emitter as a beam of light via the first emitter lens;   the light emitter being rotatable with at least one degree of freedom relative to the first light conductor to direct the beam;   wherein the lighting device includes a light detector, the light detector being arranged to receive light which enters the light emitter via the first emitter lens and is reflected by the first reflector.   
     
     
         2 . A lighting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged to emit the beam in a first band of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the light detector is arranged to detect light in a second, different band of the electromagnetic spectrum. 
     
     
         3 . A lighting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured as a conjugate imaging system for conveying to the detector an image of a subject located in a task plane. 
     
     
         4 . A lighting device according to  claim 3 , wherein the apparatus is arranged: to process the image, and responsive to processing the image, to invoke an adjustment of a direction, wavelength, or intensity of the beam. 
     
     
         5 . A lighting device according to  claim 3 , wherein the apparatus is arranged to process the image, and to move the beam to follow a moving object. 
     
     
         6 . A lighting device according to  claim 3 , wherein the detector is located at a conjugate image plane relative to the task plane. 
     
     
         7 . A lighting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the lighting device includes an additional light conductor for conducting said light which enters the light emitter via the first emitter lens and is reflected by the first reflector to the light detector. 
     
     
         8 . A lighting device according to  claim 7 , wherein the first light conductor is arranged around the additional light conductor. 
     
     
         9 . A lighting device according to  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is configured as a conjugate imaging system for conveying to the detector an image of a subject located in a task plane, and the first light conductor is adjustable relative to both the light emitter and the additional light conductor to focus the conjugate imaging system. 
     
     
         10 . A lighting device according to  claim 8 , wherein the first light conductor is configured as a tubular waveguide or as an annular array of waveguide illumination rods. 
     
     
         11 . A lighting device according to  claim 10 , wherein respective end faces of the first light conductor and additional light conductor are arranged proximate the emitter, and the end face of the first light conductor is arranged closer to the emitter than the end face of the additional light conductor. 
     
     
         12 . A lighting device according to  claim 11 , wherein the first light conductor is arranged to stimulate fluorescence from an object by broadly illuminating it with light, and the light detector is arranged to detect fluorescent light emitted by the object. 
     
     
         13 . A lighting device according to  claim 10 , wherein respective end faces of the first light conductor and additional light conductor are coplanar and conjugate to a task plane, and the apparatus is arranged to project an annulus of light from the first light conductor onto the task plane, and the additional light conductor is arranged to receive light emitted from a central region of the task plane within the annulus. 
     
     
         14 . A lighting device according to  claim 8 , wherein the first light conductor is configured as a tubular waveguide, and the apparatus is arranged to provide independent or simultaneous adjustment of relative positions of respective ones of the emitter, the detector, and an emission face of the tubular waveguide.