Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090103166 | ADJUSTABLY TRANSMISSIVE MEMS-BASED DEVICES - Modulator devices are selectably adjustable between at least two states, wherein the transmission and/or reflection of particular wavelengths of light are modified. Certain modulator devices are substantially uniformly adjustable over a wide range of wavelengths, including visible and infrared wavelengths. Other modulator devices are adjustable over visible wavelengths without significantly affecting infrared wavelengths. In addition, the modulator devices may be used in conjunction with fixed thin film reflective structures. | 04-23-2009 |
20090201301 | INTEGRATED FRONT LIGHT SOLUTION - An integrated illumination apparatus includes a light injection portion having a first end for receiving light from a light source. The light injection portion includes material that supports propagation of said light along the length of the light injection portion. Turning microstructure is disposed on a first side of the light injection. The turning microstructure is configured to turn at least a substantial portion of light incident on the first side and to direct the portion of the light out a second opposite side of the light injection portion. A slit is disposed along the length of the light injection portion. The slit forms an optical interface on the second opposite side of the light injection portion that provides total internal reflection for light propagating along the length of the light injection portion to be guided therein. The optical interface further transmits light turned by said turning microstructure. A light distribution portion is disposed with respect to the slit to receive the light turned by said turning microstructure and transmitted out of the second side of the light injection portion and through said slit. At least one bridge is disposed between light injection portion and the light distribution portion. The bridge mechanically connects the light injection portion to the light distribution portion. | 08-13-2009 |
20090201565 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING BRIGHTNESS OF DISPLAYS USING ANGLE CONVERSION LAYERS - Various embodiments of the present invention relate to enhancing the brightness of displays that employ illumination systems. In some embodiments, the illumination systems include light guides, diffractive microstructure, and light-turning features. The diffractive microstructure may be configured to receive ambient light at a first angle and produce diffracted light at a second angle greater than the first angle and greater than the critical angle for of light guide. The light is thereby guided within the light guide. The light-turning features may be configured to turn the light guided within the light guide out of a light guide and onto, for example, a spatial light modulator at near normal incidence. | 08-13-2009 |
20090296193 | Front Light Devices and Methods of Fabrication Thereof - A illumination device comprises a light guide having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guide. A turning microstructure is disposed on a first side of the light guide configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guide, wherein the turning microstructure comprises a plurality of indentations. A cover is physically coupled to the light guide and disposed over the turning microstructure. An interlayer is between the cover and the light guide, wherein the interlayer physically couples the cover to the light guide. A plurality of open regions is between the interlayer and the plurality of indentations. Various embodiments include methods of coupling the cover to the light guide while preserving open regions between the cover and plurality of indentations. | 12-03-2009 |
20100026727 | OPTICAL LOSS STRUCTURE INTEGRATED IN AN ILLUMINATION APPARATUS - Various embodiments of a display device described herein include an optical propagation region, at least one optical loss structure, an optical isolation layer, and a plurality of display elements. The propagation region includes a light guide in which light is guided via total internal reflection and turning features configured to redirect the light out of the propagation region. The loss structure would disrupt the total internal reflection of at least some of the light guided within the propagation region if disposed directly adjacent thereto. The optical isolation layer includes a non-gaseous material between the propagation region and the loss structure, and is configured to increase an amount of light that is totally internal reflected in the propagation region. The plurality of display elements are positioned to receive the light redirected out of the propagation region. The loss structure is positioned between the plurality of display elements and the propagation region. | 02-04-2010 |
20120026576 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING BRIGHTNESS OF DISPLAYS USING ANGLE CONVERSION LAYERS - Various embodiments of the present invention relate to enhancing the brightness of displays that employ illumination systems. In some embodiments, the illumination systems include light guides, diffractive microstructure, and light-turning features. The diffractive microstructure may be configured to receive ambient light at a first angle and produce diffracted light at a second angle greater than the first angle and greater than the critical angle for of light guide. The light is thereby guided within the light guide. The light-turning features may be configured to turn the light guided within the light guide out of a light guide and onto, for example, a spatial light modulator at near normal incidence. | 02-02-2012 |
20120037790 | ADJUSTABLY TRANSMISSIVE MEMS-BASED DEVICES - Modulator devices are selectably adjustable between at least two states, wherein the transmission and/or reflection of particular wavelengths of light are modified. Certain modulator devices are substantially uniformly adjustable over a wide range of wavelengths, including visible and infrared wavelengths. Other modulator devices are adjustable over visible wavelengths without significantly affecting infrared wavelengths. In addition, the modulator devices may be used in conjunction with fixed thin film reflective structures. | 02-16-2012 |
20130118547 | PHOTOVOLTAIC WINDOW WITH LIGHT-TURNING FEATURES - This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for directing light incident on a window towards photovoltaic cells. In one aspect, photovoltaic cells are arranged the perimeter of a window pane. The pane also includes light-turning features that divert a portion of the incident light towards the photovoltaic cells on the perimeter, while simultaneously transmitting a portion of incident light through the pane. The dimensions and arrangement of the light-turning features can be adjusted to change the amount of light diverted to the photovoltaic cells, and consequently the amount of light transmitted through the glass. | 05-16-2013 |
20130169606 | LIGHT DIRECTION DISTRIBUTION SENSOR - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for measuring the direction distribution of light. In some implementations, an ambient light direction distribution sensor device can include, for example, a light steering layer that is designed to steer light from different incident angles toward associated locations on a light detector. The light detector can then output one or more signals that are indicative of the amount of light that is incident upon the sensor device from different incident angles. These measurements can be used to control various parameters of a display in response to the detected ambient lighting conditions. | 07-04-2013 |
20130181896 | INTEGRATED LIGHT EMITTING AND LIGHT DETECTING DEVICE - Methods and systems for providing a light device that can emit light and sense light are disclosed. In one embodiment, a lighting device includes a light guide having a planar first surface, the light guide configured such that at least some ambient light enters the light guide through the first surface and propagates therein, and at least one light detector disposed along an edge of the light guide, the at least one detector optically coupled to the light guide to receive light propagating therein. The light detector can be configured to produce a control signal. In some embodiments, the lighting device also includes at least one light turning feature disposed on the first surface, the at least one light turning feature configured to direct light incident into the light guide through the first surface. | 07-18-2013 |
20140158197 | TRI-FUNCTIONAL LIGHT AND ENERGY GENERATING PANEL SYSTEM - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus that can generate PV power and simultaneously provide artificial lighting. The devices disclosed herein include a first optical structure having a plurality of focusing elements that can collect and focus ambient light onto a first set of light redirecting elements that is optically coupled to one or more photovoltaic (PV) cells. The devices also include one or more illumination sources that are optically coupled to a light guide including a second set of light redirecting elements that can direct light from the one or more illumination sources out of the device to provide artificial lighting. The devices further include a second optical structure disposed below the first optical structure such that the one or more illumination sources and the one or more PV cells are disposed along the edges of the first or the second optical structure. | 06-12-2014 |
20140159636 | SOLAR ENERGY HARVESTING SKYLIGHTS AND WINDOWS WITH INTEGRATED ILLUMINATION - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus that can generate PV power and simultaneously provide artificial lighting. The devices disclosed herein include a first optical structure having a plurality of focusing elements that can collect and focus ambient light onto a first set of light redirecting elements that is optically coupled to at least photovoltaic (PV) cell. The devices also include at least one illumination source that is optically coupled to a first edge of a second optical structure including a second set of light redirecting elements that can direct light from the at least one illumination source out of the device to provide artificial lighting. The at least one photovoltaic cell is coupled to a second edge of the second optical structure. | 06-12-2014 |
20140253427 | GESTURE BASED COMMANDS - Techniques described herein enable a computing device to detect a user hand gesture in near field using less expensive hardware by capturing enough information in coarse resolution. Furthermore, techniques described herein detect an object, such as a hand by characterizing the object without fully reconstructing the object. In one embodiment, embodiments of the invention performed by the computing device detect the number of unfurled fingers passing through the detectable region of the field of view of the detection surface of a computing device and the direction of the movement of the user's hand. The computing device may determine a user command in response to detecting the user gesture and provide feedback to the user. | 09-11-2014 |
20140261622 | SUN-TRACKING PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR CONCENTRATOR PANEL - Systems, methods and apparatus are disclosed, including a light collector having a plurality of focusing elements and a plurality of light redirecting features that is optically coupled to one or more photovoltaic (PV) cells. In one aspect, the light collector includes half-cylinder shaped lenses that can focus light incident at various angles onto an elongate v-groove in the light guide such that a first portion of the incident light is diverted to one or more PV cells and a second portion of the incident light is transmitted through the light collector to provide illumination. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267875 | IMAGING METHOD AND SYSTEM WITH OPTICAL PATTERN GENERATOR - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for imaging. In one aspect, the imaging system can include a light sensor, a light guide, an optical pattern generator, and a processor. The light guide can include light turning features configured to receive ambient light and to direct the ambient light out through an output surface of the light guide to the light sensor. The optical pattern generator can be configured to generate a light intensity pattern upon the passage of the ambient light through the optical pattern generator and project the light intensity pattern onto the light sensor. The processor can be configured to construct an image based on the light intensity pattern. | 09-18-2014 |