Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide having opposed major surfaces between which light propagates by total internal reflection and a light input edge. The light assembly also includes a light engine. The light engine has a heat conductive armature having a receptacle for a portion of the light guide that includes the light input edge and a light source retained by and thermally coupled to the armature. The armature functions as a heat sink for dissipating heat generated by the light source. The light guide is mechanically retained in the receptacle, and the light guide and the armature cooperate to align the light input edge with the light source for inputting light from the light source into the light guide through the light input edge.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light engine and a light guide. The light engine edge lights the light guide and includes a control assembly that controls light output according to one or more parameters to produce light output from the lighting assembly with a desired characteristic. Lighting assemblies are combined to form a modular lighting assembly.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes an edge-lit light guide and a light redirecting member. Light extracting elements at the light guide extract light from the light guide as intermediate light. Light redirecting elements at the light redirecting film are configured to redirect the intermediate light received from the light guide to illuminate a target surface in accordance with a defined illumination profile.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide having opposed major surfaces between which light propagates by total internal reflection and a light input edge. The light assembly also includes a light engine. The light engine has a heat conductive armature having a receptacle for a portion of the light guide that includes the light input edge and a light source retained by and thermally coupled to the armature. The armature functions as a heat sink for dissipating heat generated by the light source. The light guide is mechanically retained in the receptacle, and the light guide and the armature cooperate to align the light input edge with the light source for inputting light from the light source into the light guide through the light input edge.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide having opposed major surfaces between which light propagates by total internal reflection, a light input edge, and two light output regions of different optical characteristics and at least one of which is associated with a corresponding one of the major surfaces. The lighting assembly also includes a light source located adjacent the light input edge. The light source and the light guide variably positionable relative to one another to vary a location on the light input edge at which the light is input to the light guide such that the light is emitted from the light guide selectively apportioned between the light output regions so that a characteristic of the light output from the lighting assembly is modified based on the optical characteristics associated with the light output regions and the relative positioning of the light source and the light guide.

Abstract: Optical elements with small increments in average density are formed in a substrate by laser micromachining using a variable aperture and a pattern mask set of pattern masks each having of shape-defining elements whose density differs among the pattern masks in first density increments. A laser light beam passes through a combined mask formed by the variable aperture and one pattern mask selected from the pattern mask set. The variable aperture controls beam size and the pattern mask spatially modulates its intensity. A focusing element focuses light from the combined mask on a small averaging region of the substrate. Different combinations of the size of the aperture mask and the selected pattern mask are used in combination at respective averaging regions of the substrate. The resulting average densities of the optical elements vary among the averaging regions in increments that are small compared to the first density increments.

Abstract: A light bulb includes a base for mechanically mounting the light bulb and for receiving electrical power, a light guide, and a light source that directs output light into the light guide. The light source includes a light emitting device that emits light, and a variable spectrum adjuster that is variably positionable relative the light path of light emitted by the light emitting device. The spectrum adjuster includes a region of continuously-variable spectrum-adjusting material, usable for adjusting the spectrum of light passing through the spectrum adjuster. In some embodiments, the spectrum adjusting material is a color-attenuating material, such as a filtering material. In other embodiments, the spectrum-adjusting material is a wavelength-shifting material, such as a phosphor, or another suitable type of material that shifts the wavelength of light incident.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide and a light source. The light guide has opposed major surfaces and side surfaces extending between the major surfaces. The light source is at an apex region between two side surfaces and is configured to input light to the light guide. The side surfaces comprise a stepped reflective side surface extending from the apex region and comprising a first reflective step and a second reflective step, and an output side surface extending from the apex region and comprising a first output region and a second output region. The first reflective step is configured to reflect a first portion of input light through the first output region. The second step is configured to reflect a second portion of input light through the second output region. The second output region comprises segments oriented nominally normal to the reflected second portion of the light incident thereon.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light engine and a light guide. The light engine edge lights the light guide and includes a control assembly that controls light output according to one or more parameters to produce light output from the lighting assembly with a desired characteristic. Lighting assemblies are combined to form a modular lighting assembly.

Abstract: A light bulb includes light guides extending in a direction having a radial component with respect to a longitudinal axis, each light guide including a light input edge, opposed major surfaces, and light extracting elements at least one of the opposed major surfaces. In one embodiment, the light guides are disposed about an axial heat sink, and for each light guide, a respective light source is mounted to the axial heat sink to edge light the light guide such that light from the light source propagates in the light guide by total internal reflection. In another embodiment, a housing is at an end of the light guides, and for each light guide, a respective light source is mounted to the housing to edge light the light guide such that light from the light source propagates in the light guide by total internal reflection.

Abstract: A method and a system for displaying images are provided. In the method, a pixel is provided that includes a layer of ferroelectric material and a layer of liquid crystal material. A first electric field is momentarily applied to the pixel to electrically polarize the ferroelectric layer to a first polarization. The first polarization is then used to maintain the liquid crystal material in a first orientation corresponding to a first apparent brightness of the pixel.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes an edge-lit light guide and a light redirecting member. Light extracting elements at the light guide extract light from the light guide as intermediate light. Light redirecting elements at the light redirecting film are configured to redirect the intermediate light received from the light guide to illuminate a target surface in accordance with a defined illumination profile.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide and a light source. The light guide has opposed major surfaces and side surfaces extending between the major surfaces. The light source is at an apex region between two side surfaces and is configured to input light to the light guide. The side surfaces comprise a stepped reflective side surface extending from the apex region and comprising a first reflective step and a second reflective step, and an output side surface extending from the apex region and comprising a first output region and a second output region. The first reflective step is configured to reflect a first portion of input light through the first output region. The second step is configured to reflect a second portion of input light through the second output region. The second output region comprises segments oriented nominally normal to the reflected second portion of the light incident thereon.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light engine and a light guide. The light engine edge lights the light guide and includes a control assembly that controls light output according to one or more parameters to produce light output from the lighting assembly with a desired characteristic. Lighting assemblies are combined to form a modular lighting assembly.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide having opposed major surfaces between which light propagates by total internal reflection and a light input edge. The light assembly also includes a light engine. The light engine has a heat conductive armature having a receptacle for a portion of the light guide that includes the light input edge and a light source retained by and thermally coupled to the armature. The armature functions as a heat sink for dissipating heat generated by the light source. The light guide is mechanically retained in the receptacle, and the light guide and the armature cooperate to align the light input edge with the light source for inputting light from the light source into the light guide through the light input edge.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide having a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, a light input edge, and an end edge distal the light input edge. Light input to the light guide through the light input edge propagates by total internal reflection toward the end edge. The lighting assembly further includes light extracting elements at least one of the major surfaces of the light guide, the light extracting elements configured to extract light through the first major surface in a direction away from the light input edge and away from the first major surface, and a banding reduction element at the end edge configured to redirect light incident thereon in a direction away from the light input edge.

Abstract: A light bulb includes a base, a light source and a light guide having opposed major surfaces and a light input edge that receives light from the light source, the light propagating along the light guide by total internal reflection and the light guide including a light output region on one of the major surfaces. An optical adjuster has a first region having a light modifying characteristic and a second region. The optical adjuster and light output region are variably positionable relative to one another to selectively apportion light emitted from the light output region between the first region and the second region, the light apportioned to the first region being modified by the light modifying characteristic thereof so that light output from the light bulb is modified based on relative positioning of the optical adjuster and the light guide.

Abstract: A light bulb includes a base for mechanically mounting the light bulb and for receiving electrical power, a light guide, and a light source that directs output light into the light guide. The light source includes a light emitting device that emits light, and a variable spectrum adjuster that is variably positionable relative the light path of light emitted by the light emitting device. The spectrum adjuster includes a region of continuously-variable spectrum-adjusting material, usable for adjusting the spectrum of light passing through the spectrum adjuster. In some embodiments, the spectrum adjusting material is a color-attenuating material, such as a filtering material. In other embodiments, the spectrum-adjusting material is a wavelength-shifting material, such as a phosphor, or another suitable type of material that shifts the wavelength of light incident.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide having opposed major surfaces between which light propagates by total internal reflection, a light input edge, and two light output regions of different optical characteristics and at least one of which is associated with a corresponding one of the major surfaces. The lighting assembly also includes a light source located adjacent the light input edge. The light source and the light guide variably positionable relative to one another to vary a location on the light input edge at which the light is input to the light guide such that the light is emitted from the light guide selectively apportioned between the light output regions so that a characteristic of the light output from the lighting assembly is modified based on the optical characteristics associated with the light output regions and the relative positioning of the light source and the light guide.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide and light source. The light guide includes light input regions, at least one of the light input regions associated with an optical modifying characteristic, and the light guide is configured to propagate light by total internal reflection. The light source is located adjacent the light input regions. The light source and light input regions are variably positionable relative to one another to vary a location at which light is incident on the light input regions such that light emitted from the light source is selectively apportioned between the light input regions. A characteristic of the light output from the lighting assembly is modified based on the optical modifying characteristic of the at least one of the light input regions and the relative positioning of the light source and the light input regions.