Light-emitting component, lamp and use of a lamp and a light-emitting component

Abstract

A light-emitting component is disclosed. In an embodiment a light-emitting component includes at least four light sources configured to emit light of different wavelength ranges in pairs and a control device configured to operate the light sources independently of one another in such a way that light from at least two of the light sources is mixed to form a mixed light and adjust an m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of the mixed light, wherein the at least four light sources include a first light source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation with a dominant wavelength of at most 450 nm, a second light source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation with a dominant wavelength of at least 480 nm and at most 520 nm or a dominant wavelength of at least 455 nm and at most 470 nm, a third light source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in a spectral range of green light, and a fourth light source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in a spectral range of yellow and/or amber light.

Claims

1. A light-emitting component comprising: at least four light sources configured to emit light of different wavelength ranges in pairs; and a control device configured to: operate the light sources independently of one another in such a way that light from at least two of the light sources is mixed to form a mixed light; and adjust an m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of the mixed light, wherein the at least four light sources comprise a first light source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation with a dominant wavelength of at most 450 nm, a second light source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation with a dominant wavelength of at least 480 nm and at most 520 nm or a dominant wavelength of at least 455 nm and at most 470 nm, a third light source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in a spectral range of green light, and a fourth light source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in a spectral range of yellow and/or amber light.

2. The light-emitting component according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to vary the m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of the mixed light in a predefinable range, wherein a color temperature of the mixed light at different m.sub.v,mel,D65 values from the predefinable range varies by at most 20% about an average value.

3. The light-emitting component according to claim 1, wherein, in order to produce mixed light with a higher m.sub.v,mel,D65 value, the first light source is operated with a lower power in comparison to the second light source than for a lower m.sub.v,mel,D65 value.

4. The light-emitting component according to claim 3, wherein the first light source is not operated and the second light source is operated in order to produce mixed light with the higher m.sub.v,mel,D65 value, and the second light source is not operated and the first light source is operated in order to produce mixed light with the lower m.sub.v,mel,D65 value.

5. The light-emitting component according to claim 1, wherein, in order to produce mixed light with a higher m.sub.v,mel,D65 value, the third light source is operated with a lower power in comparison to the second light source than for a lower m.sub.v,mel,D65 value.

6. The light-emitting component according to claim 5, wherein the third light source is not operated and the second light source is operated in order to produce mixed light with the higher m.sub.v,mel,D65 value, and the second light source is not operated and the third light source is operated in order to produce mixed light with the lower m.sub.v,mel,D65 value.

7. The light-emitting component according to claim 1, wherein a luminous flux of the mixed light is at least 500 lm.

8. A lamp comprising: at least one light-emitting component according to claim 1, wherein the lamp is configured to emit light having a luminous flux of at least 500 lm.

9. The lamp according to claim 8, wherein the lamp is configured for general lighting or for lighting the interior of a means of transport.

10. The lamp according to claim 9, wherein the means of transport is a motor vehicle, a bus, a railway wagon, an aircraft, a boat, a submarine, or a helicopter.

11. A light-emitting component comprising: at least four light sources configured to emit light of different wavelength ranges in pairs; and a control device configured to: operate the light sources independently of one another in such a way that the light from at least two of the light sources is mixed to form a mixed light; adjust an m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of the mixed light; and vary the m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of the mixed light in a predefinable range, wherein a color temperature of the mixed light at different m.sub.v,mel,D65 values from the predefinable range varies by at most 20% about an average value.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the light-emitting component described here as well as the lamp described here and the use of the light-emitting component and the lamp are explained in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments and the corresponding figures.

(2) FIGS. 1A and 1B show schematic illustrations of exemplary embodiments of light-emitting components;

(3) FIGS. 2A and 2B show schematic illustrations of exemplary embodiments of lamps; and

(4) FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A and 6B provide a more detailed illustration of exemplary embodiments of light-emitting components and lamps.

(5) Identical, similar or equivalent elements are provided with the same reference signs in the figures. The figures and the proportions of the elements depicted in the figures are not to be regarded as true to scale. Rather, individual elements may be represented exaggeratedly large for better representability and/or better comprehensibility.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1A shows a schematic top view of an exemplary embodiment of a light-emitting component 100 described here. The light-emitting component 100 comprises four light sources 1 with a first light source 11, a second light source 12, a third light source 13 and a fourth light source 14.

(7) The first light source 11 generates during operation electromagnetic radiation with a dominant wavelength of at most 450 nm, for example 445 nm.

(8) The second light source 12 generates during operation electromagnetic radiation with a dominant wavelength that is greater than the dominant wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation of the first light source 11. For example, the second light source generates electromagnetic radiation with a dominant wavelength of at least 480 nm and at most 505 nm or electromagnetic radiation with a dominant wavelength of at least 455 nm and at most 470 nm.

(9) The third light source 13 generates green light during operation. The fourth light source 14 generates yellow and/or amber light during operation.

(10) The light-emitting component 100 of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1A further comprises a control device 2, which is configured to operate the light sources 1 independently of one another in such a way that the light from at least two of the light sources 1 is mixed to form a mixed light. The mixed light is generated by additive light mixing.

(11) By using at least four light sources which emit light with different wavelength ranges in pairs during operation, a particularly large dynamic is made possible, i.e., white mixed light in particular can be produced from a large color temperature range. It has been shown that the stimulation of melanopsin production can be varied by using two different light sources, each producing blue light, the first light source and the second light source.

(12) This is made possible by the fact that the control device 2 is configured to operate the light sources 1 independently of one another in such a way that the light from at least two of the light sources is mixed to form a mixed light, the m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of which is adjustable by means of the control device.

(13) The control device 2 can be located within the light-emitting component, for example, on a carrier or in a housing. In addition, it is possible that the control device 2 is located remote from the light sources.

(14) The sectional view of FIG. 1B illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a light-emitting component 100 described here. In this exemplary embodiment it is shown that the light sources 1 can be light-emitting diodes. The third light source 13 comprises a semiconductor body followed by a first converter 13a. Electromagnetic radiation generated in the semiconductor body is converted into green light by the converter 13a, for example.

(15) The fourth light source 14 comprises a semiconductor body with a second converter 14a, whereby yellow or amber light is emitted from the fourth light source 14.

(16) The control device 2 can, for example, be integrated into a housing 3 of the light-emitting component. For example, the control device is then an integrated circuit or a microprocessor. The housing 3 can be, for example, a connection board, a printed circuit board and/or a component housing, which can be formed, for example, with a ceramic or plastic material.

(17) FIG. 2A shows a schematic representation of a lamp described here with two of the light-emitting components 100 described here. The lamp can be used, for example, for general lighting or interior lighting in a means of transport such as a motor vehicle. This is shown schematically in FIG. 2B.

(18) The graphic application of FIG. 3A shows the spectrum of the light sources 1 for an exemplary embodiment of a light-emitting component described here. The normalized intensity of the light generated by each light source is plotted against the wavelength λ in nm. The curve λ11 shows the light generated by the first light source with a dominant wavelength P.sub.11. The dominant wavelength P.sub.11, for example, is in the short-wave blue range at about 445 nm.

(19) Curve λ.sub.12 with a dominant wavelength P.sub.12 shows that of the second light source, where the dominant wavelength P.sub.12 is, for example, at 465 nm.

(20) The light-emitting component further comprises a third light source that emits green light with the wavelength λ.sub.13 and a fourth light source that emits light with the wavelength λ.sub.14.

(21) FIG. 3A also shows the S.sub.mel(λ) curve and the eye sensitivity curve V(λ). It can be seen that the short-wave blue light of the curve λ11 lies outside the stimulation curve S.sub.mel(λ). The long-wave blue light of the curve λ.sub.12 is close to the maximum of the stimulation curve S.sub.mel(λ). This allows, by different control of the first and the second light sources 11, 12, the generation of mixed light with a different m.sub.v,mel,D65 value. This in turn allows different levels of melanopsin stimulation without changing the brightness and white point of the mixed light of the light-emitting component produced by additive mixing.

(22) FIG. 3B illustrates a light-emitting component in which, unlike the light-emitting component in FIG. 3A, the fourth light source, marked by the curve λ.sub.14, is a light source which emits amber light.

(23) In contrast to the light source in FIG. 3A, FIG. 3C describes a light-emitting component in which the second light source, marked by the curve λ.sub.12, emits blue-green light (also called verde), which has a dominant wavelength P.sub.12 of 505 nm. It can be seen that the long-wave green light of the curve λ.sub.13 lies outside the stimulation curve S.sub.mel(λ). The shorter wavelength blue-green light of the curve λ.sub.12 is close to the maximum of the stimulation curve S.sub.mel(λ). This allows, by different control of the third and the second light sources 13, 12, the generation of mixed light with a different m.sub.v,mel,D65 value. This in turn allows different levels of melanopsin stimulation without changing the brightness and white point of the mixed light of the light-emitting component produced by additive mixing.

(24) Unlike FIG. 3C, FIG. 3D describes a light-emitting component in which the fourth light source, marked by the curve λ.sub.14, emits amber light.

(25) Curve 4A shows the spectrum of a mixed light, for example of a light-emitting component, according to the spectrum of FIG. 3A as a curve “Mix”. Furthermore, the curve of the spectrum of the mixed light p weighted with the eye sensitivity curve V(λ) is shown, and finally the curve of the mixed light m weighted with the stimulation curve S.sub.mel(λ) is shown.

(26) The curve Mix shown in FIG. 4A represents white mixed light with a color temperature of 4000 K and a color rendering index of 82 at an m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of 0.54. This is achieved by operating the first light source 11 and not operating the second light source 12.

(27) For example, the DTC value of the PWM circuit with which the light sources 1 are operated has the following values for the light sources 1:

(28) TABLE-US-00001 light source 11 12 13 14 PWM DTC (%) 26 0 68 100

(29) The third light source 13 produces green light and the fourth light source 14 produces yellow light.

(30) In contrast, FIG. 4B shows the spectra for white mixed light corresponding to FIG. 4A at a color temperature of 4000 K and a color rendering index of 89 at an m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of 0.68. Here the first light source 11 is not operated and the second light source 12 is operated.

(31) For example, the DTC value of the PWM circuit with which the light sources 1 are operated has the following values for the light sources 1:

(32) TABLE-US-00002 light source 11 12 13 14 PWM DTC (%) 0 22 67 100

(33) With the light-emitting component described here, a maximum change in melanopsin stimulation is therefore possible. The stimulation efficiency at the same brightness is increased and an individual white point setting is possible so that the m.sub.v,mel,D65 value can be changed without the white point shifting noticeably for the human viewer. The result is a different level of melanopsin stimulation with the same color temperature of the white mixed light. A good light mixture is achieved in particular with a narrow packing density of the light sources, for example the light-emitting diode chips of the component.

(34) FIG. 5A shows a spectrum of mixed light for white light at a color temperature of 2700 K and a color rendering index of 81 according to the spectrum of FIG. 3A as a curve “Mix”. An m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of 0.35 is set here.

(35) For example, the DTC value of the PWM circuit with which the light sources 1 are operated has the following values for the light sources 1:

(36) TABLE-US-00003 light source 11 12 13 14 PWM DTC (%) 15 0 39 100

(37) The spectrum of FIG. 5B shows white light at a color temperature of 6400 K and a color rendering index of 72. Here, an m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of 0.99 is set.

(38) For example, the DTC value of the PWM circuit with which the light sources 1 are operated has the following values for the light sources 1:

(39) TABLE-US-00004 light source 11 12 13 14 PWM DTC (%) 0 100 100 78

(40) This means that in the event that the color temperature is not kept constant, it is possible with a light-emitting component described here to vary the m.sub.v,mel,D65 value over a very wide range; in this example a dynamic factor of 2.8 is possible from the cold white light to the warm white light.

(41) Curve 6A shows the spectrum of a mixed light, for example of a light-emitting component, according to the spectrum of FIG. 3C as a curve “Mix”. Furthermore, the curve of the spectrum of the mixed light p weighted with the eye sensitivity curve V(λ) is shown, and finally the curve of the mixed light m weighted with the stimulation curve S.sub.mel(λ) is shown.

(42) The curve Mix shown in FIG. 6A represents white mixed light with a color temperature of 2700 K and a color rendering index of 81 at an m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of 0.35.

(43) This is achieved by not operating the second light source 12 and operating the third light source 13.

(44) For example, the DTC value of the PWM circuit with which the light sources 1 are operated has the following values for the light sources 1:

(45) TABLE-US-00005 light source 11 12 13 14 PWM DTC (%) 8 0 35 100

(46) The third light source 13 produces green light and the fourth light source 14 produces yellow light.

(47) In contrast, FIG. 6B shows the spectra for white mixed light corresponding to FIG. 6A at a color temperature of 6400 K and a color rendering index of 72 at an m.sub.v,mel,D65 value of 1.17. Here the third light source 13 is not operated and the second light source 12 is operated.

(48) For example, the DTC value of the PWM circuit with which the light sources 1 are operated has the following values for the light sources 1:

(49) TABLE-US-00006 light source 11 12 13 14 PWM DTC (%) 35 100 0 100

(50) This means that in the event that the color temperature is not kept constant, it is possible with a light-emitting component described here to vary the m.sub.v,mel,D65 value over a very wide range; in this example a dynamic factor of 3.3 is possible from the cold white light to the warm white light. A blue-green light source is used as the second light source.

(51) The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments by the description on the basis of the same. Rather, the invention includes any new feature and any combination of features, which in particular includes any combination of features in the patent claims, even if that feature or combination itself is not explicitly mentioned in the patent claims or exemplary embodiments.