Planar White Illumination Apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An illumination structure comprising:
- a waveguide;
a discrete light source for emitting output light; and
a phosphor material for converting some of the output light to a different wavelength, the converted light mixing with unconverted output light to form mixed light spectrally different from both the output light and the converted light,wherein the discrete light source is disposed within the waveguide and there is substantially no direct line of sight between the discrete light source and the phosphor material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one aspect, an illumination structure includes a substantially non-fiber waveguide, which itself includes a discrete in-coupling region for receiving light, a discrete propagation region for propagating light, and a discrete out-coupling region for emitting light.
147 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An illumination structure comprising:
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a waveguide; a discrete light source for emitting output light; and a phosphor material for converting some of the output light to a different wavelength, the converted light mixing with unconverted output light to form mixed light spectrally different from both the output light and the converted light, wherein the discrete light source is disposed within the waveguide and there is substantially no direct line of sight between the discrete light source and the phosphor material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An illumination structure comprising:
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a waveguide; a discrete light source for emitting output light into the waveguide; a phosphor material for converting some of the output light to a different wavelength, the converted light mixing with unconverted output light to form substantially white light; and disposed within the waveguide between the discrete light source and the phosphor material, a plurality of optical elements that deflect light out of the waveguide, wherein output light striking the optical elements is less uniform than output light striking the phosphor material. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of forming an illumination structure, the method comprising:
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providing a waveguide; providing a phosphor material within the waveguide; and providing a discrete light source within the waveguide, wherein there is no direct line of sight between the discrete light source and the phosphor material. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method of producing substantially white light, the method comprising:
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providing an illumination structure, the illumination structure comprising; a waveguide, means, disposed within the waveguide, for emitting output light, and means for converting light to a different wavelength, wherein there is no direct line of sight between the emitting means and the converting means; and emitting output light from the emitting means, wherein the converting means converts a portion of the output light to a different wavelength, the converted light mixes with unconverted output light to form the substantially white light, and the substantially white light is emitted from a surface of the waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An illumination structure comprising:
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a waveguide; a discrete light source for emitting output light; and a phosphor material for converting some of the output light to a different wavelength, the converted light mixing with unconverted output light to form substantially white light, wherein the phosphor material is disposed sufficiently remotely from the discrete light source so as to be substantially unaffected by heat emitted by the discrete light source. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification