×

NON-INVASIVE INJECTION OF LIGHT INTO A TRANSPARENT SUBSTRATE, SUCH AS A WINDOW PANE THROUGH ITS FACE

  • US 20130044498A1
  • Filed: 10/24/2012
  • Published: 02/21/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An apparatus for non-invasively injecting light from a source into a light transmitting medium, the medium comprising a first surface portion and a second surface portion directly opposite the first surface portion,the apparatus comprising:

  • a circular or toroidal optic surrounding the source and having an exit face in a plane, and at least one coupling material adjacent to the plane having a refractive index greater than air and placed for optically coupling and physically connecting the exit face to the light transmitting medium, the optic being configured such that, when the optic is optically coupled to the medium, the optic redirects a first amount of the light from the source through the first surface portion and into the medium within a range of angles between a critical angle of the second surface portion and a complementary angle to the critical angle, and the optic being configured for redirecting most or all of a remaining amount of the light at angles greater than the complementary angle,wherein the optic comprises an input surface configured to receive light from the source, and wherein the input surface is subdivided into one or more regions or zones, each region or zone having a constant or smoothly changing surface tangent, and each region or zone being bounded by a discontinuity in the surface tangent.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×