Abstract: In one aspect, a display comprises a light source, a film-based lightguide with a light emitting region positioned adjacent to and directing light to an active area of a spatial light modulator in a thickness direction. The film may have a light mixing region positioned between a light input region and the light emitting region. In one aspect the display comprises a guide element having a surface curved in a first plane positioned along a first edge of the spatial light modulator, wherein the film is folded along the curved surface at a first fold such that the first fold positions a portion of the light mixing region above or below the active area, the light mixing region comprises the first fold, and an inner surface of the film in the light mixing region is in contact with and curved along the curved surface of the guide element.

Abstract: In one aspect, a light emitting device comprises a film-based lightguide including folded and stacked strips extending from a lightguide region of the film. In one aspect, the film comprises light extracting features defining light emitting regions that extract light from at least one light source positioned to emit light into the stacked end of strips. In one aspect, a flux of light emitted in a first direction by the light extracting features is greater than 70% of a total flux emitted from the light emitting regions, the light emitting regions have an average luminous transmittance greater than 70%, and the outermost surface of the device has an ASTM D523-89 60 degree gloss less than 50 gloss units. In one aspect, the device is a light fixture and the color of the object, such as a wall or ceiling, behind the film is unchanged when looking through the film.

Abstract: A lightguide includes a film including a body having a light emitting region and a light mixing region adjacent the light emitting region. A first bend with a first diameter in a first plane is formed in the film within the light mixing region, wherein a first portion of the light mixing region is positioned behind the light emitting region. A second bend is formed in the film within the light mixing region.

Abstract: A directional front illumination device includes a film-based lightguide, a plurality of strips of the film extended from a lightguide region of the film along one side of the film with the strips folded and stacked such that they are parallel to each other with their ends forming a light input surface, and light extraction features defining a light emitting region of the film where the light emitting region has a high optical clarity and greater than 90% of the flux is emitted in a first direction toward an object. In one embodiment, the optical clarity of the light emitting region is greater than 70%. In another embodiment, the light extraction features have a fill-factor area percentage less than 20%.

Abstract: A light emitting device disclosed herein includes at least one light source and an array of coupling lightguide strips continuous with a lightguide region of a lightguide formed from a film, light extraction features, a cladding layer in the light emitting region of the film, and a light input surface defined by the stacked bounding edges of the coupling lightguide strips, wherein an area percentage of the light input surface comprising a core region is at least 98 percent. In another embodiment, the light from the at least one light source is not directly coupled into the cladding layer at the light input surface. In a further embodiment, a total thickness of the coupling lightguide strips at the light input surface is less than (n) times a thickness of the lightguide region of the lightguide where (n) is the number of coupling lightguide strips.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lightguide includes cutting into a first region of a film using a first cutting process with a first cutting device to form a plurality of slits in the film defining lateral edges for each of a plurality of coupling lightguides extending from a body of a film, and cutting in a second region of the film different than the first region using a second cutting process different than the first cutting process with a second cutting device.

Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a component having a frame and an array of protruding teeth extending from the frame. Each tooth of the array of protruding teeth has an angled edge. The device also includes a lightguide formed from a film. The lightguide includes an array of strips extending from an area of the film. The array of strips is positioned adjacent the array of protruding teeth, and the component at least partially restrains the film when each strip of the array of strips is folded across an angled edge of a corresponding tooth of the array of protruding teeth.

Abstract: An optically redundant light emitting device includes a light transmitting film comprising an array of coupling lightguides extending from a light emitting area defined within the light transmitting film. Each coupling lightguide is bent to form a stacked array of coupling lightguides. A first group of light sources comprising at least one light source is positioned to emit light into the stacked array of coupling lightguides, and a second group of light sources comprising at least one light source is positioned to emit light into the stacked array of coupling lightguides. A first optical path of the light emitted from the first group of light sources overlaps with a second optical path of the light from the second group of light sources in each coupling lightguide.

Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a component having a frame and an array of protruding teeth extending from the frame. Each tooth of the array of protruding teeth has an angled edge. The device also includes a lightguide formed from a film. The lightguide includes an array of strips extending from an area of the film. The array of strips is positioned adjacent the array of protruding teeth, and the component at least partially restrains the film when each strip of the array of strips is folded across an angled edge of a corresponding tooth of the array of protruding teeth.

Abstract: A radio-frequency (RF) remote control (10) has a user interface and transmits an RF signal (11) which designates a device (14) to be controlled and a command for that device. The RF signal is received by an intermediary device (12). The intermediary device, in turn, generates and broadcasts a plurality of high-power IR signals (13A-13F). These signals may be received directly by a controlled device (14A) or may be received indirectly by a controlled device (14B, 14C) after one or more reflections from objects (16A, 16B) and/or room surfaces (18). Thus, reliable control of the devices (14) is obtained even in situations where merely transmitting a typical IR signal may not provide reliable control of the device (14).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a light emitting device comprises an array of legs extending from a body of film with the bounding edges of the legs stacked, a first light source emitting light of a first color and a second light source emitting light of a second color into the stacked bounding edges where the light emitting region defined within the body is configured to extract light of a third color. In another embodiment, a light emitting device comprises three light sources positioned to direct light into a stacked array of bounding edges. In one embodiment, a method of generating light of adjustable color exiting a surface of a film is disclosed.

Abstract: In embodiments of this invention, light emitting devices comprise film-based lightguides comprising at least one light input coupler and an array of coupling lightguides that are folded or bent and disposed substantially above one another. The edges of the coupling lightguides may form part of a light input surface. The light emitting device may comprise more than one light input coupler and the film may be less than 500 microns in thickness. In embodiments of this invention, methods of manufacturing lightguides and light input couplers comprise steps that translate linear fold regions of the coupling lightguides relative to each other such that the coupling lightguides are bent or folded above each other. In other embodiments of this invention, an electroluminescent sign, light fixture, frontlight for a reflective display, or a backlight for a transmissive display comprises a lightguide and light input coupler comprising coupling lightguides.

Abstract: A solar energy system for collecting light includes at least one stretchable lightguide film configured to optically couple light into a lightguide condition in the at least one stretchable lightguide film. Also disclosed is a method for collecting light with a lightguide film that includes stretching or contracting the lightguide film having one or more coupling features to optically couple light into the lightguide film.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a device includes a light transmitting film defining a body and having opposing faces with a thickness between the opposing faces not greater than 0.5 millimeters. A first region is defined within the body representing a region of one or more of a pattern, an indicia, a graphic, and an image that is visible by light extraction when illuminated by light propagating within the film in a waveguide condition. The first region includes a plurality of light extraction features that redirect a portion of light traveling within the film in a waveguide condition that mixes within the legs and the body out of one or more of the opposing faces of the film in the first region. A method of producing a device is also disclosed.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides light emitting devices, including light fixtures and luminaires. In some embodiments, a light emitting device comprises at least one light source, a lightguide operable to receive light from the at least one light source at a first location on the lightguide, at least one light extraction region optically coupled to the lightguide and a substantially non-scattering region along a portion of the lightguide.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides light emitting devices, including light fixtures and luminaires. In some embodiments, a light emitting device comprises at least one light source, a lightguide operable to receive light from the at least one light source at a first location on the lightguide, at least one light extraction region optically coupled to the lightguide and a substantially non-scattering region along a portion of the lightguide.

Abstract: In one embodiment of this invention, a device comprises an arcuate lightguide with an arcuate light emitting surface and light extracting features wherein the arcuate light emitting surface intersects the optical axis of a light source when disposed on the input edge of the lightguide. The light emitting surface of the lightguide may be in the shape of a elliptic paraboloid or parabolic cylinder or tapered. In another embodiment of this invention, a device comprises an arcuate lightguide wherein the wherein the ratio of the sagittal depth of the lightguide to the thickness of the first input edge is greater than 2. In another embodiment of this invention, the device is a light emitting device comprising the aforementioned lightguide and a light source.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides light emitting devices, including light fixtures and luminaires. In some embodiments, a light emitting device comprises at least one light source, a lightguide operable to receive light from the at least one light source at a first location on the lightguide, at least one light extraction region optically coupled to the lightguide and a substantially non-scattering region along a portion of the lightguide.

Abstract: A lightguide includes a plurality of coupling lightguides extending from a body of film. The plurality of coupling lightguides are folded and arranged in a stack, wherein a region of the film is wrapped around at least one side of the stack of the plurality of coupling lightguides.

Abstract: A device includes a film-based lightguide and a film adjustment mechanism configurable to adjust an orientation of a region of the film-based lightguide such that an angular light output profile from the device changes when a light source emits light that travels in a waveguide condition through the film-based lightguide.