A lighting device comprises a light-emitting module with light-emitting elements, wherein the light-emitting elements are arranged adjacent to each other and are configured to emit light towards a light-emitting side. The light-emitting module is configured such that the light-emitting elements can be addressed partially independently of each other, such that some may be brought into a switched-on state while others are brought into a switched-off state. A top layer is disposed on the light-emitting module at the light-emitting side. Further comprising a switching material capable of a reversible change in transmittance for the light emitted by changing to a higher transmittance in regions where the top layer situated on light-emitting elements in the switched-on state or to a lower transmittance in regions of the top layer situated in the switched-off state. The invention further refers to methods for producing and operating a lighting device and using a lighting device.

A vehicle head lamp includes a spatial light modulator and a control device. The vehicle head lamp forms a desired light distribution pattern by radiating light forward via the spatial light modulator, a high luminous intensity region and a low luminous intensity region adjacent to an outer edge of the high luminous intensity region are formed in the desired light distribution pattern to be irradiated by controlling the spatial light modulator, the low luminous intensity region is configured such that the luminous intensity decreases gradationally from the outer edge of the high luminous intensity region toward an outside of the low luminous intensity region, and the control device controls the spatial light modulator so as to relatively change at least one of sizes, luminous intensities, and positions of the high luminous intensity region and the low luminous intensity region based on a traveling condition of a vehicle.

A light emitting module of an embodiment comprises: (1-1).sup.th to (1-M).sup.th (where M is a positive integer equal to or greater than 2) light emitting elements connected with each other; (2-1).sup.th to (2-N).sup.th (where N is a positive integer equal to or greater than 1) light emitting elements connected in parallel with a (1-m).sup.th (1≦m≦M) light emitting elements which is one of the (1-1).sup.th to (1-M).sup.th light emitting elements; and an on/off controller controlling to turn the (1-1).sup.th to (1-M).sup.th light emitting elements and (2-1).sup.th to (2-N).sup.th light emitting elements on or off according to a level of an operation signal. The on/off controller comprises a first on/off control unit controlling to turn the (1-m).sup.th light emitting element and (2-1).sup.th to (2-N).sup.th light emitting elements on or off, and a second on/off control unit controlling to turn the remaining light emitting elements on or off, excluding the (1-m).sup.th light emitting element from the (1-1).sup.th to (1-M).sup.th light emitting elements, wherein the first on/off control unit compensates for a change in a second current flowing in the (2-1).sup.th to (2-N).sup.th light emitting elements, depending on the temperature, in conjunction with a first current flowing in the (1-m).sup.th light emitting element.

A liquid crystal element includes a first substrate, a second substrate arranged to face the first substrate, a first pixel electrode corresponding to a first pixel region arranged on the first substrate on the second substrate side, a second pixel electrode corresponding to a second pixel region arranged on the first substrate on the second substrate side, a common electrode arranged on the first substrate side of the second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer arranged between a group of the first and second pixel electrodes and the common electrode, where the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode are provided on different layers on the first substrate, and their ends are arranged so as to partially overlap each other in a plan view.

Reliability of an in-vehicle headlight is improved by changing a light distribution pattern without using any mechanical configuration. The in-vehicle headlight includes a laser light source, a spatial light modulator, a spatial-light-modulator controller, and a projection lens. The laser light source emits a laser light beam. The spatial light modulator modulates a phase distribution of the laser light beam emitted by the laser light source. The spatial-light-modulator controller is provided in a headlight controller, and controls the spatial light modulator. The spatial-light-modulator controller controls the spatial light modulator so as to modulate the phase distribution of the laser light beam, and changes the light distribution pattern projected from the projection lens.

Reliability of an in-vehicle headlight is improved by changing a light distribution pattern without using any mechanical configuration. The in-vehicle headlight includes a laser light source, a spatial light modulator, a spatial-light-modulator controller, and a projection lens. The laser light source emits a laser light beam. The spatial light modulator modulates a phase distribution of the laser light beam emitted by the laser light source. The spatial-light-modulator controller is provided in a headlight controller, and controls the spatial light modulator. The spatial-light-modulator controller controls the spatial light modulator so as to modulate the phase distribution of the laser light beam, and changes the light distribution pattern projected from the projection lens.

There is provided a mobile object including an imaging unit configured to capture a perimeter of the mobile object, a speaker configured to be capable of controlling directivity, a determination unit configured to determine whether the mobile object is in a driving mode, and a speaker control unit configured to control the speaker in the driving mode in a manner that predetermined audio is output toward a warning target that is recognized based on a captured image captured by the imaging unit, and to control the speaker in a non-driving mode in a manner that the predetermined audio is output in a non-directional way.

A headlight (1) includes a lamp unit (20) including: light sources (52R,52G,52B) that emit laser light; and phase modulation elements (54R,54G,54B) that diffract the laser light emitted from the light sources (52R,52G,52B) with a phase modulation pattern that is changeable, and emit light of a light distribution pattern based on the phase modulation pattern. The lamp unit (20) adjusts a total luminous flux amount of light emitted from the lamp unit (20) according to the light distribution pattern.

An illuminating device for vehicles, including a first light unit, which contains a first light source having a number of first light pixels for generating a first partial light distribution including a second light unit, which contains a second light source having a number of second light pixels for generating a second partial light distribution. The second light pixels are arranged in a boundary region of the second light source and are controllable as a group in such a way that a number of the second light pixels controlled as a group in the boundary region of the second light source per unit of surface area increases from a first end of the boundary region in the direction of a second end of the boundary region.

Light-based devices may be provided that emit light. The light-based devices may be incorporated into systems such as vehicles. The light-based devices may include light sources such as light-emitting diodes and lasers. Mirrors may be used to collimate light from the light sources. Light modulators may be used to pattern light from the light sources. The light sources may include light sources of different colors. Arrays of pixels may be used to provide dynamically varying patterns of emitted light. A light source may produce light that is diffracted by an array of diffractive elements on a window. Mechanical and electrical shutters may obscure light sources, mirrors, and light-emitting components mounted on windows.