Luminaire device
First Claim
1. An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light to a viewer, comprising:
- a wedge-shaped base layer having an optical index of refraction n1 and a first and a second surface, said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces, and the light exiting said base layer when the light being reflected therein decreases its angle relative to a normal to said second surface at a point of incidence and achieves an angle of incidence less than. a critical angle θ
c relative to the normal at the point of incidence on said second surface;
first layer means including a layer having index n2 less than n1 disposed beyond said second surface relative to said base layer and for enabling light to enter into and pass across said first layer means after output from said base layer when the light in said base layer achieves the angle of incidence less than the critical angle θ
c characteristic of an interface between the base layer and said first layer means of index n2 ;
second layer means for preferably outputting light of a first polarization state compared to a second polarization state, said second layer means being disposed beyond said second surface relative to said base layer and said second layer means further able to reflect at least part of the light having the second polarization state; and
light redirecting means at least one of overlying and underlying said first layer means, said redirecting means allowing transmission of light thereacross its thickness and for redirecting light output from said first layer means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical device for collecting light and selectively outputting or concentrating the light. A wedge layer has an optical index of refraction n1, and top, bottom and side surfaces intersecting to define an angle of inclination φ. A back surface spans the top, bottom and side surface. A first layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the layer and has an index of refraction n2. The first layer index n2 causes light input through the back surface of the layer to be preferentially output into the first layer. A second layer is coupled to the bottom of the first layer and selectively causes output of light into ambient. Additional layers, such as a light polarization layer, a polarization converting layer and a post LCD diffuser layer can be used to make preferential use of polarized light or diffuse light having passed through the LCD layer to enhance viewing of the output light.
394 Citations
82 Claims
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1. An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light to a viewer, comprising:
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a wedge-shaped base layer having an optical index of refraction n1 and a first and a second surface, said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces, and the light exiting said base layer when the light being reflected therein decreases its angle relative to a normal to said second surface at a point of incidence and achieves an angle of incidence less than. a critical angle θ
c relative to the normal at the point of incidence on said second surface;first layer means including a layer having index n2 less than n1 disposed beyond said second surface relative to said base layer and for enabling light to enter into and pass across said first layer means after output from said base layer when the light in said base layer achieves the angle of incidence less than the critical angle θ
c characteristic of an interface between the base layer and said first layer means of index n2 ;second layer means for preferably outputting light of a first polarization state compared to a second polarization state, said second layer means being disposed beyond said second surface relative to said base layer and said second layer means further able to reflect at least part of the light having the second polarization state; and light redirecting means at least one of overlying and underlying said first layer means, said redirecting means allowing transmission of light thereacross its thickness and for redirecting light output from said first layer means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light to a viewer, comprising:
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a base layer having an optical index of refraction n1 and a first and a second surface, said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces, and the light exiting said base layer when the light contained therein decreases its angle relative to a normal to said second surface at the point of light incidence and achieves an angle of incidence less than a critical angle θ
c relative to the normal at the point of light incidence on said second surface;first layer means including a layer having index n2 less than n1 disposed beyond said second surface relative to said base layer and for enabling light to enter into and pass across said first layer means after output from said base layer when the light in said base layer achieves the angle of incidence less than the critical angle θ
c characteristic of an interface between the base layer and said first layer means of index n2 ;first light redirecting means for operating on light having passed through said base layer and for redirecting the light through said base with the light also traversing said first redirecting means; second light redirecting means for operating on light having passed through said base layer and said first redirecting means and for controlling the angular range of the light output from said optical device; and means for preferably outputting light of a first polarization state compared to a second polarization state and said means for preferably outputting light reflects at least part of the light having the second polarization state. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light to a viewer, comprising:
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a base layer having an optical index of refraction n1 and a first and a second surface, said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces, and the light exiting said base layer when the light being reflected therein decreases its angle relative to a normal to said second surface at the point of light incidence and achieves an angle of incidence less than a critical angle θ
c relative to the nominal at the point of light incidence on said second surface;first layer means including a layer having index n2 less than n1 disposed beyond said second surface relative to said base layer and for enabling light to enter and pass across said first layer means after output from said base layer when the light in said base layer achieves the angle of incidence less than the critical angle θ
c characteristic of an interface between the base layer and said first layer means of index n2 ;light redirecting means for operating on light having passed through said base layer and said first layer means and for controlling the angular range of the light output from said optical device; means for preferably outputting light of a first polarization state compared to a second polarization state and reflecting at least part of the light having the second polarization state; and a liquid crystal display layer positioned to receive the light output from said light redirecting means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light to a viewer, comprising:
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a base layer having an optical index of refraction n1 and a first and a second surface, said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces, and the light exiting said base layer when the light being reflected therein decreases its angle relative to a normal to said second surface at the point of incidence and achieves an angle of incidence less than a critical angle θ
c relative to the normal at the point of incidence on said second surface;first layer means including a layer having index n2 less than n1 disposed beyond said second surface relative to said base layer and for enabling light to enter and pass across said first layer means after output from said base layer when the light in said base layer achieves the angle of incidence less than the critical angle θ
c characteristic of an interface between the base layer and said first layer means of index n2 ;second layer means for preferably outputting light of a first polarization state compared to a second polarization state, said second layer means being disposed beyond said second surface relative to said base layer and said second layer means further able to reflect at least part of the light having the second polarization state; and a liquid crystal display layer positioned to receive the light of first polarization state and output the light to the viewer. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An optical device for collecting light from a source and outputting the light, comprising:
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a first layer having an optical index of refraction n1 said layer having a back surface and first and second surfaces spanning said back surface; at least one second layer with an optical index of refraction n2 and light being input through said back surface of said first layer entering and crossing through said second layer when the light being reflected in said first layer achieves an angle of reflection less than the critical angle of incidence θ
c relative to a normal with said second surface at the point of incidence, the θ
c being characteristic of the interface between said first layer and said second layer;third layer means disposed adjacent said at least one second layer acting cooperatively with said first layer and said at least one second layer to control angular distribution of the light of said optical device and for outputting the light from said optical device after passing across said third layer means; and a diffuser layer at least one of (a) disposed between said first layer and a source of light for said optical device, (b) beyond said first layer relative to said base layer and (c) beyond said third layer means relative to said second layer with said diffuser layer providing broadened light within an angular distribution. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light to a viewer, comprising:
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a base layer having an optical index of refraction n1 and a first and second surface, said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces, and the light exiting said base layer when the light being reflected therein decreases its angle relative to a normal to at least one of said first and second surfaces at the point of light incidence and achieves an angle of incidence less than a critical angle θ
c relative to the normal at the point of light incidence on said surfaces;first layer means of index of refraction n2 disposed beyond at least one of said first and second surfaces relative to said base layer and for enabling light to enter and pass across said first layer means after output from said base layer when the light in said base layer achieves the angle of incidence less than the critical angle θ
c characteristic of an interface between said base layer and said first layer;second layer means for preferably outputting light of a first polarization state compared to a second polarization state, said second layer means disposed beyond at least one of said first and second surfaces relative to said base layer and said second layer means further enabling reflection of at least part of the light having the second polarization state; light control layer means for at least one of redirecting and diffusing light output from said first layer means, thereby providing light of controlled angular distribution; and imaging layer means for forming an image from the light of the first polarization state for display to the viewer. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light to a viewer, comprising;
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a base layer having an optical index of refraction n1 and a first and a second surface with said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces, and the light exiting said base layer when the light achieves an angle of incidence less than a critical angle θ
c relative to a normal at the point of light incidence on one of said first and second surfaces;first layer means at least one of disposed above said first surface and below said second surface relative to said base layer and having an optical index of refraction n2 for allowing transmission of light received from said base layer, the light being output from said base layer upon achieving the θ
c characteristic of the interface between said base layer and said first layer means;second layer means for preferably outputting light of a first polarization state compared to a second polarization state, said second layer means disposed beyond said second surface relative to said base layer and said second layer means further enabling reflection of at least part of the light having the second polarization state; a liquid crystal display layer positioned to receive the light of first polarization state; and light diffuser means for diffusing light output from said first layer means and said liquid crystal display layer to broaden the light in a controlled angular distribution thereby outputting light to the viewer without distorting image quality. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light to a viewer, comprising:
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a base layer having an optical index of refraction n1 and a first and a second surface, said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces and the light exiting said base layer when the light achieves an angle of incidence less than a critical angle θ
c relative to a nominal at the point of incidence on said second surface;first layer means at least one of disposed beyond said first surface relative to said base layer and beyond said second layer surface relative to said base layer and having an optical index of refraction n2 for allowing transmission of light received from said base layer, the light being output from said base layer upon achieving the θ
c characteristic of the interface between said base and said first layer means;second layer means for preferably transmitting light of a first polarization state relative to a second polarization state and reflects at least a portion of the light of second polarization state, said second layer means disposed at least one of (a) further from said first surface than said first layer means;
(b) nearer said first surface than said second surface and said first layer means relative to said base layer;
(c) nearer said second surface than said first surface but further from said base layer than said first layer means; and
(d) nearer said second surface than said first layer means;light redirecting means at least one of overlying and underlying said first layer means for operating on the light reflected by said second layer means and redirecting it back toward said second layer means; third layer means for convening at least part of the light of the second polarization state to light of the first polarization state; and a display layer positioned to receive the light of first polarization state output from said third layer means. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light to a viewer, comprising:
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a base layer having an optical index of refraction n1, and a first and a second surface, said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces; means for incrementally changing an angle of light propagation in said base layer of said optical device, the light achieving an angle of incidence less than a critical angle θ
c relative to a normal to at least one of said first and second surfaces at the point of incidence, the light thereby exiting said base layer;layer means for receiving the light from said base layer and preferably outputting light of a first polarization state compared to a second polarization state, said layer means including means for preferably passing said light of first polarization state and reflecting at least part of the light of second polarization state and said layer means further including converting means for changing said light of second polarization state to said light of first polarization state; and a liquid crystal display layer positioned to receive said light of first polarization state. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. An optical device for collecting light from a source and outputting the light, comprising:
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a first layer having an optical index of refraction n1 said layer having a back surface and first and second surfaces spanning said back surface; at least one second layer with an optical index of refraction n2 and light being input through said back surface of said first layer entering and crossing through said second layer when the light being reflected in said first layer achieves an angle of reflection less than the critical angle of incidence θ
c relative to a normal with said second surface at the point of incidence, the θ
c being characteristic of the interface between said first layer and said second layer;third layer means disposed adjacent said at least one second layer acting cooperatively with said first layer and said at least one second layer to control angular distribution of the light of said optical device and for outputting the light from said optical device after passing across said third layer means; converting means for changing light of the second polarization to the first polarization state; and means for preferably outputting light of first polarization state relative to a second polarization state, said means for preferably outputting light able to reflect at least part of the light having the second polarization state. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light to a viewer, comprising:
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a base layer having an optical index of refraction n1 and a first and second surface, said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces, and the light exiting said base layer when the light being reflected therein decreases its angle relative to a normal to at least one of said first and second surfaces at the point of light incidence and achieves an angle of incidence less than a critical angle θ
c relative to the normal at the point of light incidence on said surfaces;first layer means of index of refraction n2 disposed beyond at least one of said first and second surfaces relative to said base layer and for enabling light to enter and pass across said first layer means after output from said base layer when the light in said base layer achieves the angle of incidence less than the critical angle θ
c characteristic of an interface between said base layer and said first layer, said first layer means outputting substantially collimated light;a light redirecting layer disposed adjacent said first layer means receiving said collimated light output from said base layer with said light redirecting layer having facets with faceted face portions, each of said faceted portions being at least partly illuminated by the light and being oriented spatially to redirect the light along a selected direction in cooperation with said first layer means and said base layer; second layer means for preferably outputting light of a first polarization state compared to a second polarization state, said second layer means disposed beyond at least one of said first and second surfaces relative to said base layer and said second layer means further enabling reflection of at least part of the light having the second polarization state; and light control layer means for at least one of redirecting and diffusing light toward a viewer wherein the light has been output from said base layer and said light redirecting layer thereby providing light of controlled angular distribution to the viewer. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82)
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Specification