Abstract: A light-emitting diode (LED) backlight unit includes first and second curved bottom floor reflectors exhibiting mirror image symmetry along a center line extending in a latitudinal direction, first and second sides disposed along a longitudinal direction, the first and second bottom floor reflectors disposed therebetween, first and second back reflectors disposed on distal ends of the first and second bottom floor reflectors, respectively, away from the center line, and LEDs disposed in or adjacent to the first and second back reflectors. A curvature of the first and second bottom floor reflectors respectively reach a maximum near the center line.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes LEDs arranged at a surface of a substrate, and optical elements proximate the LEDs such that each optical element overlies a single LED and each LED underlies a single optical element. Each optical element includes a first part, a second part intersecting the first part such that a normal to surface of the second part intersects a normal to the surface of the first part, and a third part extending away from the associated LED beyond a region between the first and second part. The LEDs and optical elements are configured such that light from each LED is directed towards an area to be illuminated in a uniform pattern covering the area.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes LEDs arranged at a surface of a substrate. Each optical element of a number of optical elements is proximate an associated LED such that each optical element overlies a single LED and each LED underlies a single optical element. Each optical element includes a first part, a second part and a third part. The first part includes a first curved surface and the second part includes a second curved surface that intersects with the first curved surface at a region between the first part and the second part. The first part and the second part each have a peak relative to the substrate, the peak being spaced from the region between the first part and the second part. The third part extends beyond the region between the first part and the second part in a direction away from the associated LED. Each optical element is configured to direct light from the associated LED so that the lighting assembly can illuminate a substantially rectangular region.

Abstract: An LED lighting assembly includes a circuit board, a number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) overlying the circuit board, and optical element is proximate each LED and separate from other optical elements. Each optical element includes a first portion and a second portion that intersects with the first portion in a region between the first and second portions. The first and second portions are shaped so that at least one surface normal of the first portion intersects with at least one surface normal of the second portion, and the first and second portions are configured so that light from the associated LED exits the associated optical element through the first and the second portions. Each optical element also includes a third portion extending beyond the region between the first portion and the second portion in a direction away from the associated LED.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a display surface having a substantially rectangular region with a width of twenty-four feet. The region of the display surface has visual media content displayed thereon. A first lighting unit includes a number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and optical elements arranged over the plurality of LEDs such that each optical element overlies only one associated LED. The first lighting unit is configured to illuminate the region of the display surface so that the visual media content on the region of the display surface can be viewed without additional lighting. A second lighting unit is laterally spaced from the first lighting unit along the width of region of the display surface. The second lighting unit includes a number of LEDs and optical elements arranged over the plurality of LEDs such that each optical element overlies only one associated LED.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes an assembly body. A first lighting unit is attached to the assembly body. The first lighting unit includes a number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and optical elements arranged over the LEDs such that each optical element overlies only one associated LED. The first lighting unit is configured to illuminate a substantially rectangular region. A second lighting unit is attached to the assembly body and spaced from the first lighting unit. The second lighting unit includes a number of LEDs and optical elements arranged over the plurality of LEDs such that each optical element overlies only one associated LED. The lighting assembly is configured to illuminate the region so that the region can be illuminated without additional lighting and so that areas beyond edges of the region of the substantially rectangular region receive minimum illumination.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a substantially planar substrate and a number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in rows on a first surface of the substrate. The rows extend along a longitudinal axis of the substrate. The lighting assembly also includes a number of optical elements, each including a three-part lens. Each optical element is proximate an associated LED such that each optical element overlies a single LED and each LED underlies a single optical element. A heat sink is thermally coupled to a second surface of the substrate that is opposite the first surface. The heat sink has a first section substantially parallel to the substrate and a number of fins extending away from the first section and substantially perpendicular thereto. A longitudinal axis of each fin is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the substrate.

Abstract: A billboard includes a support structure and first and second lighting assemblies. Each lighting assembly includes a number of circuits boards arranged in a common orientation. Each circuit board of the first lighting assembly is planar and has a number of LEDs and optical elements attached thereto. The LEDs are thermally coupled to a first heat sink. The LEDs are arranged in rows on each circuit board, with each row including a number of LEDs mounted so that all of the LEDs are arranged in a common orientation. Each optical element is disposed over only one associated LED. The optical elements are arranged to direct the light across a portion of the display surface.

Abstract: Visual media content on a billboard display surface can be illuminated using a lighting assembly that includes a lighting unit that includes a circuit board, LEDs arranged on the circuit board, and optical elements overlying the LEDs. The method includes directing light from the lighting unit toward a portion of the billboard display surface such that the light from the lighting unit illuminates the visual media content on the portion of the billboard display surface with an illumination level and a uniformity. The optical elements are configured so that failure of one or more LEDs of the lighting assembly will cause the illumination level of light impinging the portion of the billboard display surface to decrease while the uniformity of light impinging the portion of the billboard display surface remains substantially the same.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a circuit board and a number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) overlying the circuit board. An optical element is proximate each LED. Each optical element is separate from other optical elements and each optical element includes a first element and a second element that intersects with the first element in a region between the first element and the second element. The first element and the second element are shaped so that surface normals of the first element intersect with surface normals of the second element and the first and second elements are configured so that light from the associated LED exits the associated optical element through the first and the second elements. A third element extends beyond the region between the first element and the second element in a direction away from the associated LED.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a substantially planar substrate and a number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in rows on a first surface of the substrate. The rows extend along a longitudinal axis of the substrate. The lighting assembly also includes a number of optical elements. Each optical element is proximate an associated LED such that each optical element overlies a single LED and each LED underlies a single optical element. A heat sink is thermally coupled to a second surface of the substrate that is opposite the first surface. The heat sink has a first section substantially parallel to the substrate and a number of fins extending away from the first section and substantially perpendicular thereto. A longitudinal axis of each fin is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the substrate.

Abstract: A billboard includes a support structure and first and second lighting assemblies. Each lighting assembly includes a number of circuits boards arranged in a common orientation. Each circuit board of the first lighting assembly is planar and has a number of LEDs and optical elements attached thereto. The LEDs are thermally coupled to a first heat sink. The LEDs are arranged in rows on each circuit board, with each row including a number of LEDs mounted so that all of the LEDs are arranged in a common orientation. Each optical element is disposed over only one associated LED. The optical elements are arranged to direct the light across a portion of the display surface.

Abstract: Visual media content on a billboard display surface can be illuminated using a lighting assembly that includes a lighting unit that includes a circuit board, LEDs arranged on the circuit board, and optical elements overlying the LEDs. The method includes directing light from the lighting unit toward a portion of the billboard display surface such that the light from the lighting unit illuminates the visual media content on the portion of the billboard display surface with an illumination level and a uniformity. The optical elements are configured so that failure of one or more LEDs of the lighting assembly will cause the illumination level of light impinging the portion of the billboard display surface to decrease while the uniformity of light impinging the portion of the billboard display surface remains substantially the same.

Abstract: A billboard includes a support structure and first and second lighting assemblies. Each lighting assembly includes a number of circuits boards arranged in a common orientation. Each circuit board of the first lighting assembly is planar and has a number of LEDs and optical elements attached thereto. The LEDs are thermally coupled to a first heat sink. The LEDs are arranged in rows on each circuit board, with each row including a number of LEDs mounted so that all of the LEDs are arranged in a common orientation. Each optical element is disposed over only one associated LED. The optical elements are arranged to direct the light across a portion of the display surface.

Abstract: A forty-eight foot wide outdoor billboard can be illuminated at night using only two lighting assemblies. First and second areas of a display surface of the billboard are simultaneously illuminated by emitting light from a number of LEDs mounted in a common plane and redirecting the light toward the display surface using a plurality of optical elements. Each optical element is disposed over only one associated LED and includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion arranged to direct the light toward the first area of the display surface so that visual media content of the display surface is visible without any additional light.

Abstract: A hollow backlight unit preserves the benefits of a conventional backlight based on a solid light guide, but has lower weight and cost. The hollow cavity of the unit has a flat reflective bottom, three reflective side surfaces, LEDs placed in a hollow edge reflector on the fourth side, and a top layer with light extracting features that covers the entire viewing area of the hollow backlight unit. The hollow backlight can be used together with an additional diffuser on the top to avoid cross-talk between the light extracting features and LCD pixels. It can also be combined with optical films like BEF/DBEF to enhance efficiency and control view angle performance.

Abstract: A light-emitting diode (LED) backlight unit includes first and second curved bottom floor reflectors exhibiting mirror image symmetry along a center line extending in a latitudinal direction, first and second sides disposed along a longitudinal direction, the first and second bottom floor reflectors disposed therebetween, first and second back reflectors disposed on distal ends of the first and second bottom floor reflectors, respectively, away from the center line, and LEDs disposed in or adjacent to the first and second back reflectors. A curvature of the first and second bottom floor reflectors respectively reach a maximum near the center line.

Abstract: Light reflectors and flood lighting systems for illumination and lighting. Each light reflector may include a housing having a plurality of facets, each of the plurality of facets having a shape that is a portion of separate ellipses sharing a common focus. First and second surfaces are defined by first and second planes intersecting along a line within a volume of the body. A light source is positioned near the first surface, at the common focus, and is angularly oriented thereto such that light emitted by the light source is directed into the housing, reflected by at least one of the plurality of facets, and exits the light reflector out of either the first plane or the second plane. The body of the light reflector may include a free-form surface that is generated as the best fit to the plurality of facets.

Abstract: Optical elements, color combiners using the optical elements, and image projectors using the color combiners are described. The optical element includes light recycling stacks, a polarizing beam splitter, and a color-selective stacked retardation polarizing filter. The polarizing beam splitter includes a first reflective polarizer aligned to a first polarization direction. Each light recycling stack includes a second reflective polarizer aligned to the first polarization direction, and a retarder aligned at 45 degrees to the first polarization direction. The color combiner includes partially reflective light sources coupled to the optical element. Un-polarized light having different colors can enter the color combiner through the light recycling stacks, and combined light of a desired polarization state can exit the color combiner. Light having an undesired polarization state can be recycled to the desired polarization state within the color combiner, so that light utilization efficiency is increased.

Abstract: A head-up display (HUD) system is provided. The HUD system comprises a microdisplay-based projection system, a diffuser, a relay optical system, and a combiner. The microdisplay-based HUD system includes aberration correction capabilities and may easily and effectively replace a CRT-based HUD system in aircrafts while providing light-weight, multi-color, superior imaging capabilities with a large field-of-view.