Patents by Inventor Thomas MITTERLEHNER

Thomas MITTERLEHNER has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11592153
    Abstract: A lighting device (10) for a motor vehicle headlamp, which lighting device comprises the following: at least one first light source (50) for radiating light beams in a first radiation direction (X1), a first deflection device (100) with a deflection surface (110), which is set up to deflect at least a portion of the light beams of the at least one first light source (50) in a second radiation direction (X2), and a second deflection device (200) with a multiplicity of deflection elements which can be controlled and moved independently of one another for deflecting at least a portion of the light beams of the light beams deflected by the first deflection device (100) in a third radiation direction (X3) and for creating a light distribution in front of the lighting device (10), wherein the first deflection device (100) comprises at least one second light source (60), which at least one second light source (60) has a main radiation direction in which light beams of the second light source can be emitted, where
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Mitterlehner, Thomas Mitterlehner
  • Publication number: 20220065420
    Abstract: A lighting device (10) for a motor vehicle headlamp, which lighting device comprises the following: at least one first light source (50) for radiating light beams in a first radiation direction (X1), a first deflection device (100) with a deflection surface (110), which is set up to deflect at least a portion of the light beams of the at least one first light source (50) in a second radiation direction (X2), and a second deflection device (200) with a multiplicity of deflection elements which can be controlled and moved independently of one another for deflecting at least a portion of the light beams of the light beams deflected by the first deflection device (100) in a third radiation direction (X3) and for creating a light distribution in front of the lighting device (10), wherein the first deflection device (100) comprises at least one second light source (60), which at least one second light source (60) has a main radiation direction in which light beams of the second light source can be emitted, where
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan Mitterlehner, Thomas Mitterlehner
  • Patent number: 11262045
    Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit assembly (1) comprising a printed circuit board (2), at least one micromirror component (3) which is connected to the printed circuit board (2) for modulating a light beam oriented towards the micromirror component (3), a cooling body which is thermally connected to the at least one micromirror component (3), and a current regulating unit (5). The micromirror component (3) has a heating element (3a) which can be controlled by the current regulating unit (5), and the current regulating unit (5) is electrically connected to the heating element (3a) in order to actuate same. The current regulating unit (5) is additionally connected to the micromirror component (3) via a thermal connection to the cooling body (4) in order to transfer heat losses occurring on the current regulating unit (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Mitterlehner
  • Publication number: 20210018157
    Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit assembly (1) comprising a printed circuit board (2), at least one micromirror component (3) which is connected to the printed circuit board (2) for modulating a light beam oriented towards the micromirror component (3), a cooling body which is thermally connected to the at least one micromirror component (3), and a current regulating unit (5). The micromirror component (3) has a heating element (3a) which can be controlled by the current regulating unit (5), and the current regulating unit (5) is electrically connected to the heating element (3a) in order to actuate same. The current regulating unit (5) is additionally connected to the micromirror component (3) via a thermal connection to the cooling body (4) in order to transfer heat losses occurring on the current regulating unit (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas MITTERLEHNER
  • Patent number: 10801689
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a motor vehicle headlight which at least comprises a laser diode (1) and a light conversion element (8) paired with the laser diode (1). Light conversion element (8) regions corresponding to different regions of the light image (11?) can be illuminated periodically and with a varying intensity by means of a light beam (2) of the laser diode (1), and the illumination intensity in the light conversion element (8) regions corresponding to the different regions of the light image (11?) is adjusted simultaneously by both the relative illumination duration of the different regions as well as different luminous intensities of the laser diode (1) in the light conversion element (8) regions corresponding to the different regions of the light image (11?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Mitterlehner, Jan Koller, Emanuel Weber, Patrik Schantl
  • Patent number: 10670220
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a laser illumination device for a motor vehicle headlight, wherein the laser illumination device comprises two or more adjustable laser light sources (11 to 18), wherein the number of laser light sources is designated as N, and each laser light source generates a laser beam (11p to 18p) and at least one optical attachment (21 to 28) is arranged downstream of each laser light source and at least one microscanner (51, 52) is assigned, and each microscanner is arranged to guide two or more laser beams onto at least one light conversion means (60), wherein on the at least one light conversion means a luminous image is produced, and an imaging system (PS) is associated with the at least one light conversion means in order to project the luminous image as a light image onto the road, wherein the method includes the following steps: dividing at least a part of the luminous image into luminous strips, wherein the number of luminous strips is designated as n, determini
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Reinprecht, Bettina Reisinger, Thomas Mitterlehner
  • Patent number: 10344932
    Abstract: Method for producing a light distribution on a road (8) using a motor vehicle headlight, wherein at least one laser beam (2) that can be modulated in intensity is directed in at least one coordinate direction in a scanning manner to a light conversion means (5) using at least one controlled beam deflection means (3) in order to generate an illuminated image (6) on same, said illuminated image being projected as a light image (6?) onto the road using projection optics (7), wherein the image generated from the laser beam (2) using the beam deflection means (3) is split by deflecting the laser beam (2?) by means of an image convolution means (4), and the sub-images are projected in a mirror-imaged manner in relation to a division line onto the light conversion means (5) to be combined and form an entire illuminated image (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Bettina Reisinger, Markus Reinprecht, Thomas Mitterlehner
  • Patent number: 10281717
    Abstract: For measuring the oscillation amplitude of a scanner mirror in a projection system of a motor vehicle headlight, a laser beam generated by a laser source is directed onto the scanner mirror and reflected by the latter so that the laser beam thus reflected is incident on a detector device (20) that has a plurality of photodetector elements (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) and there describes a curve (P) based on the oscillation movement of the scanner mirror. The center point of the curve (P) is offset by an offset value (xoffset, yoffset) from the center of the detector device (20). The time period (tON,X, tON,Y) in which the curve passes through the specific detector region (RX, RY) that corresponds to a coordinate to be measured is determined; and the oscillation amplitude (xpp, ypp) in the direction of the specific coordinate is determined using the ratio of the time period (tON,X, tON,Y) determined in this manner to the total duration (T) of an oscillation period and the offsets (xoffset, yoffset).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Mitterlehner, Christian Kalousek
  • Patent number: 10207630
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a light scanner (7) in a headlight for vehicles, wherein the laser beam of at least one modulated laser light source (1) is directed in a scanning manner, by way of the light scanner, onto a light conversion means (8) so as to generate a light image (11) thereon, which is projected via an imaging system (12) as a light image (11?) onto the roadway, a micromirror (10) of the light scanner is pivoted according to defined characteristic control curves in at least one coordinate direction, the desired light image (11) is divided into a pixel set having n rows and/or m columns, the horizontal and/or vertical characteristic control curves for the micromirror (10) are adapted to at least one selected row and/or column in terms of the required optical power of the pixels, and the adapted horizontal and/or vertical characteristic control curves are used to control the micromirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Bettina Reisinger, Thomas Mitterlehner
  • Publication number: 20190011107
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a motor vehicle headlight which at least comprises a laser diode (1) and a light conversion element (8) paired with the laser diode (1). Light conversion element (8) regions corresponding to different regions of the light image (11?) can be illuminated periodically and with a varying intensity by means of a light beam (2) of the laser diode (1), and the illumination intensity in the light conversion element (8) regions corresponding to the different regions of the light image (11?) is adjusted simultaneously by both the relative illumination duration of the different regions as well as different luminous intensities of the laser diode (1) in the light conversion element (8) regions corresponding to the different regions of the light image (11?).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas MITTERLEHNER, Jan KOLLER, Emanuel WEBER, Patrik SCHANTL
  • Publication number: 20180224082
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a laser illumination device for a motor vehicle headlight; wherein the laser illumination device comprises two or more adjustable laser light sources (11 to 18); wherein the number of laser light sources is designated as N, and each laser light source generates a laser beam (11p to 18p) and at least one optical attachment (21 to 28) is arranged downstream of each laser light source and at least one microscanner (51, 52) is assigned, mid each microscanner is arranged to guide two or more laser beams onto at least one light conversion means (60), wherein on the at least one light conversion means a luminous image is produced, and an imaging system (PS) is associated with the at least one light conversion means in order to project the luminous image as a light image onto the road, wherein the method includes the following steps: dividing at least a part of the luminous image into luminous strips, wherein the number of luminous strips is designated as n, determini
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Markus REINPRECHT, Bettina REISINGER, Thomas MITTERLEHNER
  • Patent number: 10018319
    Abstract: In order to determine a zero position of the actuating drive (14) of a luminous range adjustment of a light module (10) in a headlamp for vehicles, light coming from the light source (1) is directed onto an absorber surface (12). The absorber surface (12) has an opening, through which light passes as a delimited light beam (17). By means of the actuating drive (14), the light module (10) is pivoted in terms of its angle position, an intensity of the light beam (17) passing through the opening being detected by means of a light-sensitive sensor (15) which is arranged behind the absorber surface (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Mayer, Thomas Mitterlehner
  • Publication number: 20180147978
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a light scanner (7) in a headlight for vehicles, wherein the laser beam of at least one modulated laser light source (1) is directed in a scanning manner, by way of the light scanner, onto a light conversion means (8) so as to generate a light image (11) thereon, which is projected via an imaging system (12) as a light image (11?) onto the roadway, a micromirror (10) of the light scanner is pivoted according to defined characteristic control curves in at least one coordinate direction, the desired light image (11) is divided into a pixel set having n rows and/or m columns, the horizontal and/or vertical characteristic control curves for the micromirror (10) are adapted to at least one selected row and/or column in terms of the required optical power of the pixels, and the adapted horizontal and/or vertical characteristic control curves are used to control the micromirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Bettina REISINGER, Thomas MITTERLEHNER
  • Publication number: 20180135824
    Abstract: In order to determine a zero position of the actuating drive (14) of a luminous range adjustment of a light module (10) in a headlamp for vehicles, light coming from the light source (1) is directed onto an absorber surface (12). The absorber surface (12) has an opening, through which light passes as a delimited light beam (17). By means of the actuating drive (14), the light module (10) is pivoted in terms of its angle position, an intensity of the light beam (17) passing through the opening being detected by means of a light-sensitive sensor (15) which is arranged behind the absorber surface (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Peter MAYER, Thomas MITTERLEHNER
  • Publication number: 20170329130
    Abstract: For measuring the oscillation amplitude of a scanner mirror in a projection system of a motor vehicle headlight, a laser beam generated by a laser source is directed onto the scanner mirror and reflected by the latter so that the laser beam thus reflected is incident on a detector device (20) that has a plurality of photodetector elements (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) and there describes a curve (P) based on the oscillation movement of the scanner mirror. The center point of the curve (P) is offset by an offset value (xoffset, yoffset) from the center of the detector device (20). The time period (tON,X, tON,Y) in which the curve passes through the specific detector region (RX, RY) that corresponds to a coordinate to be measured is determined; and the oscillation amplitude (xpp, ypp) in the direction of the specific coordinate is determined using the ratio of the time period (tON,X, tON,Y) determined in this manner to the total duration (T) of an oscillation period and the offsets (xoffset, yoffset).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas MITTERLEHNER, Christian KALOUSEK
  • Publication number: 20170321857
    Abstract: Method for producing a light distribution on a road (8) using a motor vehicle headlight, wherein at least one laser beam (2) that can be modulated in intensity is directed in at least one coordinate direction in a scanning manner to a light conversion means (5) using at least one controlled beam deflection means (3) in order to generate an illuminated image (6) on same, said illuminated image being projected as a light image (6?) onto the road using projection optics (7), wherein the image generated from the laser beam (2) using the beam deflection means (3) is split by deflecting the laser beam (2?) by means of an image convolution means (4), and the sub-images are projected in a mirror-imaged manner in relation to a division line onto the light conversion means (5) to be combined and form an entire illuminated image (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Bettina REISINGER, Markus REINPRECHT, Thomas MITTERLEHNER
  • Patent number: 9625113
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight having at least one laser light source (2), of which the laser beam (3) is deflected onto a lighting surface (6) having a light-conversion phosphor via a micromirror (1) that can be pivoted about at least one axis in order to generate a light image on said lighting surface in a scanning manner, which light image can be projected onto a roadway via an optics unit (7). In this headlight at least one photosensor (9) is positioned with respect to the lighting surface (6) having the light-conversion phosphor such that the photosensor detects a secondary laser beam (8) emitted from the lighting surface in predetermined deflection positions of the micromirror (1) and is designed to emit a signal (s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Mitterlehner
  • Publication number: 20160153632
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight having at least one laser light source (2), of which the laser beam (3) is deflected onto a lighting surface (6) having a light-conversion phosphor via a micromirror (1) that can be pivoted about at least one axis in order to generate a light image on said lighting surface in a scanning manner, which light image can be projected onto a roadway via an optics unit (7). In this headlight at least one photosensor (9) is positioned with respect to the lighting surface (6) having the light-conversion phosphor such that the photosensor detects a secondary laser beam (8) emitted from the lighting surface in predetermined deflection positions of the micromirror (1) and is designed to emit a signal (s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventor: Thomas MITTERLEHNER