Abstract: An optically transmissive light directing sheeting and a method of making the same are disclosed. The light directing sheeting includes a core sheet of an elastic material that can be laminated onto other surfaces or sandwiched between sheets of various rigid materials. The core sheet includes a plurality of deep and narrow parallel channels configured to direct light by means of a total internal reflection. The method includes a step of slitting of a soft, optically transmissive plastic sheet with a blade and forming at least one array of substantially parallel linear slits in a surface of the sheet, a step of stretching the sheet in a direction perpendicular to the linear slits, and a step of bonding the sheet to a different sheet of an optically transmissive, rigid material. Various light directing devices employing the light directing sheeting are also disclosed.

Abstract: A flexible illumination panel having a layered sheet-form configuration and including a bottom flexible sheet of a rigid material, a top flexible sheet formed by an optically transmissive, elastic material, and a two-dimensional array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted to the bottom flexible sheet and encapsulated between the top and bottom flexible sheets. The LEDs may further include rigid substrates (submounts) attached to the bottom flexible sheet.

Abstract: A face-lit waveguide illumination system employing a planar slab or plate of an optically transmissive material. A light source is optically coupled a linear optical element which is attached to a face of the waveguide and is configured to inject light at an angle permitting for light propagation by means of a total internal reflection. Light is propagated through the waveguide towards a predetermined direction in response to optical transmission and total internal reflection. Light extraction features located along the prevailing path of light propagation extract light from the waveguide and emit such light towards a surface perpendicular. In one embodiment, the planar waveguide includes a window pane which provides light transport from one location, where light is injected through the face of the pane, to another location where light is extracted. Additional embodiments of the face-lit waveguide illumination system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A flexible sheet-form optical system, referenced to as a light redirecting fabric, which has a fabric-like behavior and light redirecting properties. The light redirecting fabric comprises a soft and flexible sheet of optically transmissive material, such as plasticized polyvinyl chloride. A surface of the flexible sheet includes a plurality of parallel slits having spaced-apart walls configured to reflect light by means of a total internal reflection. At least a portion of daylight incident onto the sheet is internally redirected at bend angles greater than the angle of incidence. Disclosed also are a method and apparatus for making the light redirecting fabric. The method includes steps of mechanical slitting of the flexible sheet with a blade, elastic stretch-elongation of the sheet along a direction perpendicular to the slits, and making at least a portion of the sheet elongation irreversible.

Abstract: An apparatus for distributing light from a planar waveguide through a collimating array. Light received within a waveguide is propagated transmissively and retained by total internal reflection, except in response to impinging upon deflector elements which sufficiently redirect the light to escape the waveguide into a collimator array that further aligns and distributes the light.

Abstract: An optical article for directing and distributing light including an optically transmissive layer having one or more arrays of TIR channels and a light diffusing element disposed in optical communication with the optically transmissive layer. The TIR channels define reflective surfaces extending perpendicular or near-perpendicular to a prevailing plane of the optically transmissive layer. The TIR channels and the light diffusing element operate concurrently to redirect and redistribute a beam of light received from a light source such as daylight or an LED over a broad angular range.

Abstract: An occupancy sensing load control system is disclosed. The occupancy sensing load control system includes a detector unit, an occupancy/vacancy signal generator and a load control circuit. The detector unit detects RF signals emitted by cell phones or similar mobile communication devices within an area being monitored. The occupancy/vacancy signal generator generates a control signal for the load control circuit based on the detection of a qualified RF signal or the absence of such signal within a predetermined time interval. The occupancy sensing load control system may also include a signal-generating unit for generating a pseudo base station signal based on zone information of neighboring base stations for transmission to a mobile phone in the detection area.