Vehicle interior lighting and illumination

Abstract

A vehicle lighting system having a microLED array and a controller. The vehicle lighting system configured to provide illumination in the interior of a vehicle and which may follow a moving object, a moving occupant, or a portion of a moving occupant. The vehicle lighting system may also be configured to emit light of different colors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle lighting system comprising:
 a microLED array comprising a plurality of semiconductor light emitters, each semiconductor light emitter less than 500 microns in size, and a spacing between semiconductor light emitters less than 50 microns; and   a controller configured to control one or more of the semiconductor light emitters of the microLED array to provide illumination in a vehicle interior.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the one or more semiconductor light emitters to provide layer spot illumination within the vehicle interior. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the one or more semiconductor light emitters to provide beam steering. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the microLED array comprises an M×N rectangular matrix. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the microLED array comprising more than 10 semiconductor light emitters. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the microLED array is disposed in a vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein a spacing between semiconductor light emitters is less than 5 microns. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein each semiconductor light emitter less than 50 microns in size. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the microLED is mounted on and electrically connected to a silicon backplane. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the microLED array is circular or semicircular in shape. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the microLED array is configured to provide lighting on the driver side of the vehicle and comprising a second microLED array configured to provide lighting on the passenger side of the vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . A vehicle lighting system comprising:
 a microLED array comprising a plurality of semiconductor light emitters, each semiconductor light emitter less than 500 microns in size, a spacing between semiconductor light emitters less than 50 microns, and a plurality of wavelength converters, each wavelength converter disposed on a corresponding one of the semiconductor light emitters; and   a controller configured to control one or more semiconductor light emitting layers of the microLED array to provide illumination in a vehicle interior.   
     
     
         13 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 12 , wherein each semiconductor light emitter has a corresponding separate wavelength converter. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 12 , wherein the microLED is configured to emit light of a red color. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 12 , wherein the light emitted by the microLED is color adjustable. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 12 , wherein the microLED is configured to emit warm white light. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 12 , wherein the microLED array is disposed in a vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 12 , wherein the microLED is configured to emit infrared light. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 12 , wherein the microLED is configured to project an image on a headliner area of the vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle lighting system of  claim 12 , wherein the microLED is disposed within a vehicle dashboard.