Abstract: An article of manufacture includes first and second micro-features of well-defined shape. In some embodiments, the article of manufacture is a light guide or redirecting film and the second micro-features are micro-optical elements configured to disrupt a specular optical path that includes the second micro-optical element. In other embodiments, the article of manufacture is a patterning tool for use in making an optical substrate. Embodiments of the optical substrate are formed by injection molding or embossing using the patterning tool.

Abstract: An article of manufacture includes first and second micro-features of well-defined shape. In some embodiments, the article of manufacture is a light guide or redirecting film and the second micro-features are micro-optical elements configured to disrupt a specular optical path that includes the second micro-optical element. In other embodiments, the article of manufacture is a patterning tool for use in making an optical substrate. Embodiments of the optical substrate are formed by injection molding or embossing using the patterning tool.

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 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: An article of manufacture includes first and second micro-features of well-defined shape. In some embodiments, the article of manufacture is a light guide or redirecting film and the second micro-features are micro-optical elements configured to disrupt a specular optical path that includes the second micro-optical element. In other embodiments, the article of manufacture is a patterning tool for use in making an optical substrate. Embodiments of the optical substrate are formed by injection molding or embossing using the patterning tool.

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 liquid crystal display apparatus (500) including a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel (502), a light emitting assembly (501) arranged to illuminate the LCD panel, and a light conditioning element (510) between the light emitting assembly and the LCD panel. The light emitting assembly includes a planar optical conductor (158) characterized by a length and a width. The optical conductor has a light input surface (225), light transmission control elements (151) and well defined light extracting optical elements (157) configured to redirect light received at the light input surface out from the optical conductor. The light transmission control elements divide the optical conductor into independently operable light emitting regions (152). An LED light source (156) is optically coupled to each of the light emitting regions adjacent the light input surface of the optical conductor. Each LED light source is small relative to the length and width of the optical conductor.

Abstract: A light emitting assembly (100) has independently operable, planar light emitting modules (400a, 400b), each including an optical conductor (401a, 401b) having a planar front major surface (153), a back major surface (155) opposite the front major surface, a light input surface (422), and a pattern of well defined light extracting optical elements (411). The optical conductor tapers distally from a thicker proximal end (402a, 402b) adjacent the light input surface to a thinner distal end (404a, 404b). An LED light source (420a) located adjacent the light input surface is small relative to the length and width of the optical conductor. The light emitting modules are arranged in tandem with the thinner end of the optical conductor of one light emitting module adjacent the thinner or thicker end of the optical conductor of the next light emitting module, and have front major surfaces that are nominally coplanar.

Abstract: A method of forming a varying pattern of optical elements on or in at least one side of an optical panel member involves cutting or forming a pattern or patterns of cavities in a cylindrical or curved substrate or in a sleeve or sleeve segment of the substrate that corresponds to a desired pattern and shape of optical elements to be formed on or in the optical member. The substrate or sleeve or sleeve segment containing the desired pattern or patterns of optical element shaped cavities or depositions or mirror copies or inverse copies thereof is used in production tooling or as a master for production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of optical elements on or in at least the one side of the optical panel member.

Abstract: A light emitting assembly has a LED light source illuminated optical conductor having a pattern of well defined light extracting optical elements configured to redirect light from an LED light source out from the optical conductor. The optical elements are additionally configured to define elongate higher brightness regions on the major surface of the optical conductor, and a lower brightness region outside of the higher brightness regions.

Abstract: A method of forming a varying pattern of optical elements on or in at least one side of an optical panel member involves cutting or forming a pattern or patterns of cavities in a cylindrical or curved substrate or in a sleeve or sleeve segment of the substrate that corresponds to a desired pattern and shape of optical elements to be formed on or in the optical member. The substrate or sleeve or sleeve segment containing the desired pattern or patterns of optical element shaped cavities or depositions or mirror copies or inverse copies thereof is used in production tooling or as a master for production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of optical elements on or in at least the one side of the optical panel member.

Abstract: The method involves cutting or forming one or more patterns of optical element shapes in the exterior surface of a sleeve or one or more curved substrates or films on a roll during rotation of the roll. Then at least a portion of the sleeve or substrates or films containing at least one pattern of optical element shapes is removed from the roll and the pattern of optical element shapes or a copy or inverse copy thereof is used to form a corresponding pattern of optical elements on or in an optical substrate.