| imax500 (Australia) New Automotive Reflector 1. The first part is a modulated retro-reflector structure where current or charge is used to modulate say, a MEMS retro-reflector structure. These devices are known in the literature having being proposed solely for optical communications where they need to operate at very high frequencies. See, for example, 2. The second part is a device that drives the modulating feature of the modulating retro-reflector. Typically this will be a MEMS structure that requires current or power modulated by a semiconductor device built into the structure or in a separate board. The power source can be either: a. a low power long-life battery and a photodiode that is used to detect (1) nightime/dark conditions and (2) incoming incident light, such that the modulating feature is only used when necessary to conserve power, or, b. more advantageously a built in photovoltaic solar cell that uses some of the incident light to drive the MEMS switching structure to enable modulation. This device can also include a rechargeable battery to store power during daylight periods. This invention is made by a number of means: 1. The Modulating MEMS structure is made in a typical MEMS fab 2. The control electronics are made in various semico fabs and them fabricated into printed circuit boards - as per typical electronic devices 3. The whole lighting device is then packaged in a plastic housing, typically in Chine where this is done manually The invention is used very simply where it replaces current static light reflectors. |