Abstract: A backlight includes a first lightguide having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion is dimensioned smaller that the first portion so as to form a rim along at least a part of the first light guide. At least one light source is positioned under the rim and separated from the first lightguide by a space, where a majority of the light emitted by the at least one light source being along a first axis of the at least one light source. The at least one light source is arranged to position the at least one axis at an angle away from a center of the lightguide in a plane parallel to the rim.

Abstract: A head-up-display (HUD) system includes at least one scanning laser projector operative to generate laser light, and a stacked array of multiple-switchable screens arranged relative to the projector to receive laser light generated by the projector, each screen of the stacked array of multiple-switchable screens spaced apart from one another and operative to switch between a transparent state and a diffusive state. A controller is operatively coupled to the stacked array of multiple-switchable screens, the controller configured to time sequentially switch each screen of the array from a transparent state to a diffusive state, wherein only one screen is switched to the diffusive state at any given time. An output of the projector is arranged at an angle or a distance from imaging optics succeeding the array of screens to prevent a specular beam emitted by the at least one scanning laser projector from intercepting the imaging optics succeeding the array of screens when all screens are in the transparent state.

Abstract: A wearable device includes a light source and a display unit. The display unit includes an image engine that controls the light source to generate image content for display, and a plurality of optical elements that direct the image content into a viewing zone. An eye monitor measures information pertaining to an eye configuration of a user wearing the wearable device, and the image content is visible to the user when the eye is aligned with respect to the viewing zone. A spatial light modulator (SLM) moves a position of the viewing zone based on the eye configuration information measured by the eye monitor. The eye monitor measures pupil size of the user, and the optical elements direct the image content into the viewing zone that is smaller in at least one dimension than twice the measured pupil size. The light source may include a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) scanning mirror.

Abstract: A head mounted display device includes a switchable light source that is switched to emit light for generating at least one viewing zone, and a panel illumination unit illuminated by the light source. The panel illumination unit converges the light onto an image panel that selectively transmits light at different pixels to generate image content. An eye monitor measures information pertaining to an eye configuration of a user, and the image content is visible to the user when the eye is aligned with respect to the viewing zone. The panel illumination unit converges the light such that light emitted by the image panel converges into the viewing zone positioned based on the eye configuration information measured by the eye monitor, with limited divergence such that when the display device is worn by the user, the image panel is located at a distance from the user's eye closer than a distance where the eye can focus the pixels.

Abstract: A head mounted display device includes a light source that emits a high coherence light beam, a beam expansion/diverging element that expands the light beam emitted by the light source, and a beam converging element that converges the expanded light beam into a viewing zone. The light beam from the beam converging element is incident onto a spatial light modulator (SLM), and the SLM is configured to add a phase pattern and/or an amplitude pattern to the light beam to generate a virtual image that is visible to a user wearing the head mounted display device. The light converging element creates a beam or scanning beam axis that converges towards the eye, which enables a large field of view for a virtual or holographic image to be displayed.

Abstract: A transparent display device includes a screen that has a plurality of light deflecting elements that are separated by transparent areas, and a projector device. The projector device is configured to direct light onto the light deflecting elements and not onto the transparent areas. The display device may include a first screen and a second screen separated longitudinally relative to the projector, wherein each screen respectively has a plurality of light deflecting elements. The projector is configured to direct light onto the light deflecting elements and not onto the transparent areas of the two screens such that light from the first and second light deflecting elements appear in different virtual depth planes. Alternatively, a single screen may have first and second pluralities of light deflecting elements of different optical powers, such that light from the first and second light deflecting elements appear in different virtual depth planes.

Abstract: An illumination system comprises a lightguide (12) having a plurality of light extraction features (LEFs); and a plurality of independently controllable light sources (11a, 11b, 11c). The LEFs have a preferred direction, with light that is incident on an LEF along the preferred direction of the LEF being extracted from the lightguide generally parallel to a reference plane, and light that is incident on an LEF not along the preferred direction of the LEF being extracted from the lightguide at an extraction angle to the reference plane, the extraction angle being related by a response function to an incidence angle between the light propagation direction and the preferred direction of LEF. The shape of the LEFs varies with distance from a reference point or respective reference point so that the response function becomes larger with increasing distance of the LEFs from the reference point.

Abstract: A backlight includes a first lightguide having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion is dimensioned smaller that the first portion so as to form a rim along at least a part of the first light guide. At least one light source is positioned under the rim and separated from the first lightguide by a space, where a majority of the light emitted by the at least one light source being along a first axis of the at least one light source. The at least one light source is arranged to position the at least one axis at an angle away from a center of the lightguide in a plane parallel to the rim.

Abstract: A light source system comprising projection optics, which are capable of producing a far-field image of a light source. The light source comprises a fluorescent medium that when illuminated by light from laser emitters of a first waveband emits light of a second or more wavebands of longer wavelength. The resulting light emission produces a color perceived as white. The light source is illuminated by a plurality of laser emitters arranged to illuminate the light source in an array-like manner. Control of the output of one or more of the laser emitters results in a variation of the spatial emission distribution from the light source and hence a variation of the far-field beam spot distribution via non-mechanical means.

Abstract: A light source system comprising a projection lens, which is capable of producing a far-field image of a light source. The light source comprises a photoluminescent material that when illuminated by light from laser emitters of a first waveband emits light of a second or more wavebands of longer wavelength. The resulting light emission produces a color perceived as white. The light source is illuminated by a plurality of laser emitters arranged to illuminate the light source in an array-like manner from the front side. Control of the output of one or more of the laser emitters results in a variation of the spatial emission distribution from the light source and hence a variation of the far-field beam spot distribution via non-mechanical means. An optical system is arranged to image light emitted from the photoluminescent material into the far-field, which optical system comprises a converging lens.

Abstract: A light source system comprising projection optics, which are capable of producing a far-field image of a light source. The light source comprises a fluorescent medium that when illuminated by light from laser emitters of a first waveband emits light of a second or more wavebands of longer wavelength. The resulting light emission produces a colour perceived as white. The light source is illuminated by a plurality of laser emitters arranged to illuminate the light source in an array-like manner. Control of the output of one or more of the laser emitters results in a variation of the spatial emission distribution from the light source and hence a variation of the far-field beam spot distribution. Further, fine variation of the far-field beam spot distribution may be achieved by re-direction of the laser beams by separate control methods.

Abstract: A transparent display device includes a screen that has a plurality of light deflecting elements that are separated by transparent areas, and a projector device. The projector device is configured to direct light onto the light deflecting elements and not onto the transparent areas. The display device may include a first screen and a second screen separated longitudinally relative to the projector, wherein each screen respectively has a plurality of light deflecting elements. The projector is configured to direct light onto the light deflecting elements and not onto the transparent areas of the two screens such that light from the first and second light deflecting elements appear in different virtual depth planes. Alternatively, a single screen may have first and second pluralities of light deflecting elements of different optical powers, such that light from the first and second light deflecting elements appear in different virtual depth planes.

Abstract: An illumination system comprises at least two light sources (101,102,103) having different emission spectra to one another; a detection circuit (131,132,133) for sensing a light intensity using at least one of the light sources as a photosensor; and driving means (161,162,163) for driving the light source in dependence on the sensed spectral distribution of light. The emission spectrum of a light source with the smallest bandgap overlaps the emission spectrum of a light source with the second-smallest bandgap. The illumination system is possible to measure the intensity of light emitted by the light source with the smallest bandgap by putting the light source with the second-smallest bandgap in detection mode. The illumination system may also sense the spectral distribution of ambient light, to allow the output from the illumination system to be adjusted in dependence on the ambient light.

Abstract: A light source system operable in at least first and second modes to provide at least and first and second different far field illumination patterns, the system comprising: a photoluminescent material; and a light beam generator for generating, in the first mode, a first set of light beams for illuminating respective first regions of the photoluminescent material and for generating, in the second mode, a second set of light beams for illuminating respective second regions of the photoluminescent material, the first and second sets of light beams being independently controllable. In the first mode, the light beam generator generates the first set of light beams such that a first beam of the first set of light beams illuminates a first illumination region of the photoluminescent material having one side that is inclined with respect to another side of the illumination region.

Abstract: A lighting device includes a transparent optical cavity having an exit surface including a specularly reflective material arranged to reflect light into the cavity, the exit surface having a plurality of apertures formed therein, a base surface including a specularly reflective material arranged to reflect light into the cavity, and at least one light receiving surface arranged relative to the base surface and configured to receive light from a light source. The plurality of apertures are arranged to maximize at least one of uniformity, angular distribution, efficiency or luminous intensity of light exiting the exit surface, and a distribution of light received at the light receiving surface is altered by at least one of a combination of the exit surface and the base surface, or the light receiving surface.

Abstract: A backlight is provided for a direct-view display. The backlight comprises a plurality of discrete light sources (11), such as light emitting diodes, spaced from a diffuser (5). The light sources are arranged as sets cooperating with a mirror structure (101), which surrounds the set to form a region. The regions substantially tessellate the area of the backlight. Each mirror structure (101) comprises a plurality of mirror segments which are curved and concave in cross-section perpendicular to the diffuser (5). The mirror segments extend from around the light sources (11) towards the diffuser (5). The edges of adjacent mirror segments of adjacent regions meet at a meeting line such that all of the meeting lines are at the diffuser (5) or between the diffuser (5) and the light sources (11).

Abstract: A lamp comprises a thin layer of phosphor (105,113) which is irradiated (46), for example by ultraviolet radiation, by a source which typically comprises a laser diode and a condenser (101,111). This causes the phosphor (105,113) to emit visible light with a Lambertion-type emission pattern. An optical system such as a reflector (102,115) concentrates the light from the phosphor (105,113). The phosphor (105,113) is thermally connected to a heatsink (103,116), of example by a plate (114) of sapphire glass, so as to dissipate the heat produced by the phosphor (105,113). The phosphor (105) may be mounted on a plane reflector (104) disposed on or comprising the heatsink (103) and facing a curved reflector (102) and the radiation source. Alternatively, the optical system may have an optical axis and the phosphor (113) may be substantially flat and inclined with the respect to the optical axis.

Abstract: A light source system comprising projection optics, which are capable of producing a far-field image of a light source. The light source comprises a fluorescent medium that when illuminated by light from laser emitters of a first waveband emits light of a second or more wavebands of longer wavelength. The resulting light emission produces a colour perceived as white. The light source is illuminated by a plurality of laser emitters arranged to illuminate the light source in an array-like manner. Control of the output of one or more of the laser emitters results in a variation of the spatial emission distribution from the light source and hence a variation of the far-field beam spot distribution via non-mechanical means.

Abstract: A light source system comprising an optical system which is arranged to project light from a light source into the far-field. The light source comprises a mixture of fluorescent materials which are sensitive to one of two wavebands in either the UV or blue part of the spectrum. The combination of the light emitted from both sets of fluorescent materials combined such that the resulting colour is perceived as white. The light source is illuminated by a plurality of laser emitters comprised of both emitters (35) in the UV waveband and emitters (36) in the blue waveband. The resultant light emitted has an improved eye safety by the reduction of laser light content.

Abstract: A light source system comprising projection optics, which are capable of producing a far-field image of a light source. The light source comprises a fluorescent medium that when illuminated by light from laser emitters of a first waveband emits light of a second or more wavebands of longer wavelength. The resulting light emission produces a colour perceived as white. The light source is illuminated by a plurality of laser emitters arranged to illuminate the light source in an array-like manner. Control of the output of one or more of the laser emitters results in a variation of the spatial emission distribution from the light source and hence a variation of the far-field beam spot distribution. Further, fine variation of the far-field beam spot distribution may be achieved by re-direction of the laser beams by separate control methods.