Abstract: A method for fabricating an ionic liquid electrolyte such as a spiro-based ionic liquid electrolyte, the method has the steps of: synthesizing an intermediate spiro-based product, and applying an ionic exchange process to the intermediate spiro-based product to obtain the ionic liquid electrolyte. The obtained an ionic liquid electrolyte comprising an ionic liquid salt with a cation of: (I) The ionic liquid electrolyte may be used in an electrochemical energy-storage apparatus such as a supercapacitor.

Abstract: A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) light system has a plurality of LED groups connected in parallel with each of the plurality of LED groups having one or more LEDs connected in series, a power circuit having a plurality of outputs with each output of the power circuit is electrically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of LED groups, and a control subsystem electrically coupled to the power circuit for individually controlling each output of the power circuit for controlling the operation of the corresponding LED group and adapting to the characteristics thereof. In some embodiments, at least one LED group may further have a switch and/or a light-angle controlling structure connected with the one or more LEDs in series and controlled by the control subsystem for selectively enabling or disabling the LED group and/or adjusting the light angle thereof.

Abstract: A lens has an optical center and an optical axis passing through the optical center, and at least a first lens portion positioned at a distance away from the optical center for refracting light rays of a predefined polarization state impinging at right angle thereto from a first side towards the optical axis on a second side at a constant bending angle thereby defining a focal line on the second side along the optical axis.

Abstract: An optical lens for passing therethrough an incident light beam and forming an output light beam towards a target plane at a distance therefrom and perpendicular to the norm thereof. The optical lens has a smooth or piecewise-linear first surface having a cross-section profile along an axis perpendicular to the norm of the optical lens for directing the incident light beam to form the output light beam towards the target plane with a light intensity uniformly distributed in a target area of the target plane. In some embodiments, the cross-section profile of the first surface has a concave curve in the central portion thereof smoothly transitioning to a convex curve in the peripheral portion on each side of the central portion for directing the incident light beam to the target plane with the light intensity uniformly distributed in the target area of the target plane.

Abstract: Technique for large-scale manufacturing of high-efficiency light-emitting apparatuses for solid-state lighting and display applications are disclosed. The light-emission profiles of the light-emitting apparatuses may be modified through the incorporation of metasurfaces thereinto. The devices may be light-emitting diodes (LEDs), quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and passive-matrix and active-matrix OLED and QLED displays. The integrated metasurfaces are two-dimensional sub-wavelength-spaced nanostructures that enable efficient light extraction from the devices and modification of their emission profiles for desired applications. The light-emitting apparatuses may be fabricated using sheet-to-sheet, roll-to-sheet, and roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography.

Abstract: A light-emitting apparatus for facilitating the growth of one or more plants. The apparatus has a light-emitting layer comprising one or more light-emitting diodes for emitting light, and at least one optical-transformation layer having one or more optical-transformation units. Each optical-transformation unit has a metasurface for adjusting one or more parameters of the light emitted from the light-emitting layer. In some embodiments, the light-emitting apparatus may further have a polarization-control layer sandwiched between the light-emitting layer and the optical-transformation layer.

Abstract: A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) light apparatus has a housing and a printed circuit board (PCB) received in the housing. The PCB has one or more first openings and one or more LEDs on a front side thereof about the first openings. The housing has a rear-wall structure with a plurality of fins spaced from each other and one or more second openings at locations corresponding to those of the first openings for heat management. The LED light apparatus may also have a plurality of rotatable LED panels having PCBs and LEDs thereon. The LED panels are spaced from each other with gaps therebetween for heat management, and are rotatable for controlling light distribution, light angular-span, and light direction. A LED grow-light system uses a light-distribution structure such as reflectors and/or fiber-optic cables for distributing at least a portion of the light towards the plant.

Abstract: A multi-layer apparatus has a transparent or semi-transparent substrate, a solar-cell layer coupled to the substrate, an energy-storage layer coupled to the solar-cell layer, and a converter layer coupled to the energy-storage layer. The solar-cell layer has a plurality of solar cells for receiving light through the substrate and converting energy of the received light to a first electrical energy, the energy-storage layer has one or more energy-storage units for storing a second electrical energy, and the converter layer has one or more power converters electrically connected to the solar-cell layer and the energy-storage layer for receiving the first electrical energy and the second electrical energy therefrom and outputting a third electrical energy via an output thereof.

Abstract: A light-emitting apparatus for facilitating the growth of one or more plants. The apparatus has a light-emitting layer comprising one or more light-emitting diodes for emitting light, and at least one optical-transformation layer having one or more optical-transformation units. Each optical-transformation unit has a metasurface for adjusting one or more parameters of the light emitted from the light-emitting layer. In some embodiments, the light-emitting apparatus may further have a polarization-control layer sandwiched between the light-emitting layer and the optical-transformation layer.

Abstract: A thermoelectric recycling structure has a heat-conductive first component for engaging a heat source for receiving heat generated therefrom, a second component spaced from the first component, and a heat-nonconductive and electrons-and-holes-transportive thermoelectric layer sandwiched between the first and second components for receiving the heat from the first component and converting the received heat to electrical power.

Abstract: An optical lens for passing therethrough an incident light beam and forming an output light beam towards a target plane at a distance therefrom and perpendicular to the norm thereof. The optical lens has a smooth or piecewise-linear first surface having a cross-section profile along an axis perpendicular to the norm of the optical lens for directing the incident light beam to form the output light beam towards the target plane with a light intensity uniformly distributed in a target area of the target plane. In some embodiments, the cross-section profile of the first surface has a concave curve in the central portion thereof smoothly transitioning to a convex curve in the peripheral portion on each side of the central portion for directing the incident light beam to the target plane with the light intensity uniformly distributed in the target area of the target plane.

Abstract: A computerized network system for facilitating e-commerce for multiple users. The system has at least one sewer computer; a plurality of client-computing devices used by the users; and a network coupling the server computer with the client-computing devices. The server computer has a database and an artificial intelligence (AI) module coupled to each other and both coupled to a data input/output interface in communication with the client-computing devices for repeatedly collecting e-commerce related data from a plurality of data sources, weighting the collected data from each data source based on the frequency of the data collection from the data source, repeatedly training the AI module using the collected data for optimizing one or more data-analysis models, analyzing the collected data using the one or more data-analysis models, generating predictions and identifying pre-verified users, and outputting the generated predictions and/or the pre-verified users to a graphic user interface (GUI).

Abstract: A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) light system has a plurality of LED groups connected in parallel with each of the plurality of LED groups having one or more LEDs connected in series, a power circuit having a plurality of outputs with each output of the power circuit is electrically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of LED groups, and a control subsystem electrically coupled to the power circuit for individually controlling each output of the power circuit for controlling the operation of the corresponding LED group and adapting to the characteristics thereof. In some embodiments, at least one LED group may further have a switch and/or a light-angle controlling structure connected with the one or more LEDs in series and controlled by the control subsystem for selectively enabling or disabling the LED group and/or adjusting the light angle thereof.

Abstract: A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) system for facilitating the growth of a plant includes at least one LED array having one or more LEDs for emitting colored light spectra absorbable by a plant, a light detector for detecting light reflected from the plant, and a LED light driver electrically coupled to the at least one LED array and the light detector. The LED light driver receives electrical power from a power source and drives the at least one LED array using the received electrical power; receives from the light detector a signal indicative of the reflected light spectra, and controls the at least one LED array to adjust at least one of the intensities and the spectra of the light emitted from the at least one LED array, based on the received signal.

Abstract: A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) apparatus has a power source outputting a source DC power at a source DC voltage, a plurality of LEDs drivable at a driving DC voltage lower than the source DC voltage, and an electrical path connecting the power source to each LED for powering the LED by the power source. Each electrical path comprises a first portion connected to the power source at the source DC voltage and a second portion connected to the LED at the driving DC voltage, and the length of the first portion is longer than that of the second portion.

Abstract: A thermoelectric recycling structure has a heat-conductive first component for engaging a heat source for receiving heat generated therefrom, a second component spaced from the first component, and a heat-nonconductive and electrons-and-holes-transportive thermoelectric layer sandwiched between the first and second components for receiving the heat from the first component and converting the received heat to electrical power.

Abstract: A multi-layer apparatus has a transparent or semi-transparent substrate, a solar-cell layer coupled to the substrate, an energy-storage layer coupled to the solar-cell layer, and a converter layer coupled to the energy-storage layer. The solar-cell layer has a plurality of solar cells for receiving light through the substrate and converting energy of the received light to a first electrical energy, the energy-storage layer has one or more energy-storage units for storing a second electrical energy, and the converter layer has one or more power converters electrically connected to the solar-cell layer and the energy-storage layer for receiving the first electrical energy and the second electrical energy therefrom and outputting a third electrical energy via an output thereof.

Abstract: A multi-layer apparatus has a transparent or semi-transparent substrate, a solar-cell layer coupled to the substrate, an energy-storage layer coupled to the solar-cell layer, and a converter layer coupled to the energy-storage layer. The solar-cell layer has a plurality of solar cells for receiving light through the substrate and converting energy of the received light to a first electrical energy, the energy-storage layer has one or more energy-storage units for storing a second electrical energy, and the converter layer has one or more power converters electrically connected to the solar-cell layer and the energy-storage layer for receiving the first electrical energy and the second electrical energy therefrom and outputting a third electrical energy via an output thereof.

Abstract: A light-emitting apparatus for facilitating the growth of one or more plants. The apparatus has a light-emitting layer comprising one or more light-emitting diodes for emitting light, and at least one optical-transformation layer having one or more optical-transformation units. Each optical-transformation unit has a metasurface for adjusting one or more parameters of the light emitted from the light-emitting layer. In some embodiments, the light-emitting apparatus may further have a polarization-control layer sandwiched between the light-emitting layer and the optical-transformation layer.

Abstract: A multi-layer apparatus has a transparent or semi-transparent substrate, a solar-cell layer coupled to the substrate, an energy-storage layer coupled to the solar-cell layer, and a converter layer coupled to the energy-storage layer. The solar-cell layer has a plurality of solar cells for receiving light through the substrate and converting energy of the received light to a first electrical energy, the energy-storage layer has one or more energy-storage units for storing a second electrical energy, and the converter layer has one or more power converters electrically connected to the solar-cell layer and the energy-storage layer for receiving the first electrical energy and the second electrical energy therefrom and outputting a third electrical energy via an output thereof.