Abstract: An illumination device that is relatively bright and uniform in appearance includes a light guide, which has a light guide core having an optically smooth surface for propagating light therethrough. A light emitting region, which extends along a portion of the core, includes at least one light extraction structure located along the optically smooth surface of the light guide core. The light extraction structure, which includes an optically reflective surface extending into the light guide core, is oriented to reflect light at an angle less than a critical angle necessary for light to propagate through the light guide core. A diffuse reflective material is disposed around at least a portion of the light guide. The diffuse reflective material directs at least a portion of the light reflected by the light extraction structure back through the light guide so that light is emitted through the light emitting region of the optically smooth surface.

Abstract: An optically dispersing film for a rear projection system includes reflecting surfaces disposed so as to reflect light passing therethrough into at least one dispersion plane. The reflecting surfaces are formed by structures, of a first refractive index, disposed within a layer of material having a second refractive index. The structures have light absorbing bases at the viewing side of the film. In some embodiments, the reflecting surfaces are disposed at one or more angles so as to reflect light into a number of different directions. In other embodiments, the layer of material having the second refractive index includes diffusing particles that diffuse the light. The film permits the asymmetric dispersion of image light in a rear projection system, so that the light may be selectively directed towards the viewer.

Abstract: An ergonomic headset assembly having increased comfort and convenience of use is provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a headset assembly is provided which includes a first headpiece pivotally coupled to a second flexible headpiece. The headset assembly further includes means for limiting the pivotal movement of the flexible headpiece with respect to the first headpiece. This allows the tension of the headset assembly to be suitable adjusted to the head size of the wearer. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a headset assembly which includes a headband and an electronics housing pivotally coupled to the headpiece is provided. The pivotal coupling of the electronics housing with respect to the headband allows the electronics housing to be swung away from a user's ear and provides additional comfort to the user. In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, a headset assembly having an electronics housing coupled to a clip member is provided.

Abstract: A light control device is disclosed that includes a two film construction, each film having a plurality of light absorbing regions. For example, the light absorbing elements can be a series of grooves or column-like indentations in the films that are filled or coated with a light absorbing material. The two films can be adjacently disposed so that their respective light absorbing regions form a plurality of light absorbing elements that extend along the thickness direction of the device. The light absorbing elements allow a viewer to view an image through the light control device within a range of viewing angles while blocking a view of the image outside that range of viewing angles. The two film construction allows for relative ease of manufacture as well as the ability to form light absorbing elements that can provide better viewing uniformity throughout a typical viewing range, a sharp privacy viewing cut off, and reduced ghost image formation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for seamless closed mold microreplication using a one-piece expandable mold are disclosed. The apparatus includes an expandable mold having a plurality of microstructured features on the inner surface thereof. The apparatus also includes a means for elastically expanding the mold in order to remove the finished molded article. The expandable mold may be used to make seamless articles having microstructured features, such as an illumination device comprising a fiber core having a plurality of microstructured light extraction structures on the surface thereof.

Abstract: A light distribution device having a light-redirecting surface with a plurality of light extraction structures having a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment, with adjacent light extraction structures being separated by lands. The light extraction structures improve extraction efficiency, thereby facilitating use of available light from a light source.

Abstract: A curable ceramer composition, coated articles and methods for making and curing the composition. The curable ceramer comprises a fluoro/silane, a crosslinkable silane, a curable binder precursor, and a colloidal inorganic oxide. The ceramer has a long shelf life before cure and can be used to provide cured ceramer coatings and articles having stain resistance, abrasion resistance and hardness.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light-illuminating rod, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to handle the light-illuminating rod while the rod is being deflected or install it while it is being bent. A light-illuminating rod comprising (a) a flexible rod member and (b) a light diffusible reflective film which is fixedly bonded to part of the outer periphery of the rod member along the longitudinal direction thereof and which comprises (i) a light-transmittable polymer and (ii) light diffusible reflective particles dispersed in the polymer, the light-transmittable polymer of the light diffusible reflective film having a storage modulus of 1.0×104 to 1.0×108 dyne/cm2.

Abstract: An optical film having structures that vary in height along their length where the variations have a nominal period of less than forty times the nominal height of the structures is taught. In some embodiments of the invention the variation is random.

Abstract: A wedge-shaped light extractor having a light-redirecting surface with a plurality of projections having a riser segment, a plateau segment, and a facet segment, with land segments flanking the projections. The projections improve extraction efficiency, thereby facilitating use of available light from a light source.

Abstract: An excimer laser projection ablation system provides less than the necessary amount of illumination to a substrate to completely ablate a structure. The system then moves the substrate a distance less than the image field at the substrate and provides an additional level of illumination. The system continues to move the substrate and provide additional illumination until the structures are fully ablated. The method and system for performing an improved step and repeat process preferably are used to create uniform repeating structures or three-dimensional structures.

Abstract: A brightness enhancement article that includes: (a) a transparent, flexible substrate; (b) a first major surface having an array of prisms with blunted or rounded peaks characterized by a chord width, cross-sectional pitch width, and radius of curvature in which the chord width is equal to about 20-40% of the cross-sectional pitch width and the radius of curvature is equal to about 20-50% of the cross-sectional pitch width; and (c) a second major surface characterized by a plurality of light scattering protrusions. The article has a haze value between about 20-60% and a transmission value no greater than about 94% when measured under conditions in which the first surface has a substantially planar topography.

Abstract: An antisoiling coating for an antireflective surface, particularly the outer surface of an antireflective film stack, wherein the antisoiling coating includes a fluorinated siloxane, preferably prepared by applying a coating composition of a fluorinated silane, having a number average molecular weight of at least about 1000, of the following formula: Rƒ—[—R1—SiY3−xR2x]y  (I) wherein: Rƒ is a monovalent or divalent polyfluoropolyether group; R1 is a divalent alkylene group, arylene group, or combinations thereof, R2 is a lower alkyl group; Y is a halide, a lower alkoxy group, or a lower acyloxy group; x is 0 or 1; and y is 1 or 2.

Abstract: A curable ceramer composition, coated articles and methods for making and curing the composition. The curable ceramer comprises a fluoro/silane, a crosslinkable silane, a curable binder precursor, and a colloidal inorganic oxide. The ceramer has a long shelf life before cure and can be used to provide cured ceramer coatings and articles having stain resistance, abrasion resistance and hardness.

Abstract: A self-contained lighted marking device that is a directionally dependent line light source has a substantially transparent housing. The housing has a narrow cross-section, preferably rectangular in shape. A thin, flexible film having a smooth surface on one side and a plurality of linear substantially right angled isosceles prisms on the other side is located along the periphery of the interior of the housing. A light source, preferably a plurality of light emitting diodes, are located at at least one end of the housing.

Abstract: A classification neural network for piecewise linearly separating an input space to classify input patterns is described. The multilayered neural network comprises an input node, a plurality of difference nodes in a first layer, a minimum node, a plurality of perceptron nodes in a second layer and an output node. In operation, the input node broadcasts the input pattern to all of the difference nodes. The difference nodes, along with the minimum node, identify in which vornoi cell of the piecewise linear separation the input pattern lies. The difference node defining the vornoi cell localizes input pattern to a local coordinate space and sends it to a corresponding perceptron, which produces a class designator for the input pattern.

Abstract: An optical modulator (19) utilizes a variable beam splitter arrangement having two separate plano-periodic cylindrical lens arrays (20 and 22) arranged as a sandwiched air-spaced assembly with the plano surfaces facing outwardly from the assembly. The assembly further includes a means (26) for controllably translating or moving one of the lenses relative to the other. The periodic array is formed as alternating concave and convex cylindrical structures. In a nominal setting, the optical axes of the concave structures of one of the lens arrays are aligned with the optical axes of the convex structures of the other so that the assembly acts as an afocal window having little impact when placed in an optical system. To adjust the beam splitting properties, one lens array is slightly translated with respect to the other to cause controlled misalignment of the two lens array surfaces.

Abstract: The luminance control film includes a periodic array of optical structures which are small with respect to the wavelength of light. Scattering and diffractive effects result in improved off-axis illumination intensity in comparison with brightness enhancement optical devices having larger scale optical structures.

Abstract: A metal-coated multilayer mirror having high reflectivity and high specularity. The mirror comprises a multilayered polymer film and a reflective metal layer. The multilayered polymer film preferably comprises layers of a crystalline, semi-crystalline, or liquid crystalline material, such as a naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester, having an average thickness of not more than 0.5 microns and layers of a second polymer having an average thickness of not more than 0.5 microns. Preferably, the layers of semi-crystalline naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester have a positive stress optical coefficient. The reflective metal layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, aluminum, nickel, copper, and titanium, with silver and aluminum being particularly preferred. The metal-coated multilayer mirrors are useful in applications requiring broad bandwidth reflection, high specularity, low manufacturing costs, and high reflectivity.