Alphamicron, Inc.

Immobileyes Inc.

Essilor International (compagnie Generale D'optique)

Kent State University

Aplphamicron Incorporated

Essilor International

Bahman Taheri

Tamas Kosa

Ludmila Sukhomlinova

Eui-Yeul Park

Roy E Miller, Iv

Roy Miller

Pedro Coutino Soto

Christine Martincic

Antonio Munoz

Peter Palffy-Muhoray

Paul Luchette

Linli Su

Volodymyr Bodnar

Christine Baker

William Ryan

Damien P Burt

Jonathan Figler

Yoan Kim

Jean-Paul Cano

Timothy J Bunning

Timothy J White

Antal Jakli

Bernard Mark Heron

Stuart Aiken

Christopher David Gabbutt

Joseph Angelo

Sandip Bhatta

Tim Smith

Michael C Prechel

Ysabel Price

David Baker

Elliott Bardun

Bill Ryan

Erin Pike

Damien Burt

Jean Paul Cano

Christoper David Gabbutt

A multi-color variable transmission optical device (“MC-VTOD”) includes a first cell having a first electro-optic material provided between a first pair of substrates and a second cell having a second electro-optic material provided between a second pair of substrates. The first electro-optic material can changing from a state of higher light transmittance to a state of lower light transmittance in a first wavelength region upon a change in an electric field applied across the first electro-optical material. The second electro-optic material is capable of changing from a state of higher light transmittance to a state of lower light transmittance in a second wavelength region different from the first wavelength region upon a change in an electric field applied across the second electro-optical material. The MC-VTOD is switchable between i) a clear state wherein the first cell and second cell are in the state of higher light transmission, ii) a first tinted state wherein the first cell is in a state of lower light transmittance and the second cell is in a state of higher light transmittance, and iii) a colorimetrically neutral darkened state wherein at least the second cell is in a state of lower light transmittance. At least the first cell is characterized by a narrow band absorption of 175 nm or less in its state of lower light transmittance.

Multi-color variable transmission optical device

A variable transmission optical device ('VTOD') includes first and second cells in optical communication, each cell having an electro-optic material capable of changing from a state of higher light transmittance to a state of lower light transmittance upon a change of an electric field applied across the electro-optic material. The VTOD is switchable between i) a clear state having chromaticity Cand a photopic transmission PTof at least 20% wherein the first cell and second cell are each in the state of higher light transmission, ii) a first darkened state having chromaticity Cand a photopic transmission PTlower than PT, and iii) a second darkened state having chromaticity Cand a photopic transmission PTthat is lower than PT. Cand Ceach fall within chroma 2 when their respective PT values correspond to a Munsell value of 5 or less.

Color-preserving variable transmission optical device

A laser protection variable transmission optical device ('LP-VTOD') includes first and second cells, each capable of changing from a state of higher light transmittance to a state of lower light transmittance. The first cell is characterized by a narrow band absorption having a first peak absorption wavelength and a first FWHM of 175 nm or less, and the second cell is characterized by a narrow band absorption having a second peak absorption wavelength and a second FWHM of 175 nm or less. The first peak absorption wavelength may be the same or different than the second peak absorption wavelength. The LP-VTOD is capable of switching from a clear state to a darkened state having a darkened state transmittance % Tthat is equal to or less than 10% for at least one of the first or second peak absorption wavelengths.

Laser-protection variable transmission optical device

A variable transmission optical device includes a cell having d/p ratio of greater than 0.01. The cell includes a pair of substrates each having an electrically conductive layer and a guest-host mixture having both photochromic and dichroic properties provided between the substrates. The cell may be switched between at least three states including: a first state having a first optical transmission when the optical device is not exposed to UV radiation and no voltage is applied to the cell; a second state having a second optical transmission different from the first optical transmission when the optical device is exposed to UV radiation and no voltage is applied to the cell; and a third state having a third optical transmission different from the first or second optical transmission when the optical device is exposed to UV radiation and a voltage is applied to the cell.

Hybrid variable transmission optical device

An optical device with one or more spatially variable optical response characteristics is disclosed. The optical device includes a cell including a liquid crystal material contained between a pair of substrates, each substrate having a transparent conductive layer provided thereon. An electrode connection contacts each transparent conductive layer. A driving signal source is in electrical communication with each electrode connection for application of a driving signal to the cell. An applied driving signal to the electrode connections from the driving signal source creates a voltage gradient in a gradient direction along the pair of transparent conductive layers leading away from the electrode connections. The voltage gradient is received by the liquid crystal material to produce a gradient in at least one optical response characteristic across at least a portion of the device.

Graduated electro-optic device and method

A visual impairment device includes a power supply, an intense light source having two or more beams of intense light with different peak wavelengths and a wavelength bandwidth less than 50 nm, a modulator and a control circuit. The modulator operates to modulates the two or more beams of intense light to produce a spatial array such that at least one of the beams used to produce the spatial array has the requisite irradiance to cause visual impairment. In some examples, the beams of intense light are laser beams. Also included are methods of using the device to cause visual impairment of an intruder who enters a visual impairment zone created by said device.

Light shield device

A visual impairment device includes a light source, a modulator, and a controller. The light source capable of generating two or more high intensity light beams having different peak wavelengths, wherein at least one of the light beams has a wavelength bandwidth of less than 100 nm. The modulator modulates the two or more beams of intense light to produce a spatial array comprising a first array of first light beams having a first peak wavelength and a second array of second light beams having a second peak wavelength different from the first wavelength. The controller includes control circuitry for controlling the light source, the modulator, or both. The spatial array is projected into a space such that a lateral distance of at least one first light beam to a second light beam is in a range of 40-110 mm within at least one area of the space.

Device for disrupting binocular vision

Disclosed is an optical assembly having a first variable transmission layer comprising a first electro-optically active material between a first pair of substrates, a second variable transmission layer comprising a second electro-optically active material between a second pair of substrates, and an electronically switchable birefringent layer, that is capable of altering the phase of incident light, situated between the first and second variable transmission layers. The layers are arranged such that light passing through the optical assembly can be altered based on the voltage applied to each layer. The light transmission levels can be altered between maximally transmissive, minimally transmissive, and semi-transparent levels between the maximally and minimally transmissive levels.

Variable transmission optical assembly having a pixelated switchable birefringent layer

Provided is a flexible cell unit and a method of manufacturing the same. The cell unit includes first and second substrates separated by a controlled distance maintained by spacers, filled with an electro-optic material and enclosed by a border seal. The method includes providing two sheets to form the first and second substrates, where at least one of the sheets is flexible, depositing an electro-optic material on at least one substrate, and roll-filling the cell by using one or more lamination rollers to pair the first and second substrates to within the controlled distance of each other and filling the controlled distance with the electro-optic material.

Method for producing a flexible electro-optic cell

A switchable one-way mirror device dividing first and second spaces includes a switchable electro-optic layer facing the second space and configured to be electronically switchable between a transmissive state and one or more opaque states, and a partial reflector incorporated within or adjacent the switchable electro-optic layer and facing the first space and configured to partially reflect light. The switchable one-way mirror partially transmits a first light going from the first space to the second space, and a second light going from the second space to the first space. When the switchable electro-optic layer is in an opaque state, transmission of light through the device is reduced thereby changing the ratio between the transmission of the second light to the first space and the reflection of the first light by the partial reflector resulting in reduced visibility of the second space by a viewer in the first space.

Switchable one-way mirror

Provided is a method of producing a flexible cell unit enclosed by a border seal and filled with an electro-optic material. The flexible cell includes a first and a second substrate separated by a controlled distance maintained by spacers. The method includes providing two continuous sheets of flexible plastic material to form the first and second substrates and depositing an electro-optic material on at least one substrate. The electro-optic material is non-encapsulated, non-polymeric, and contains less than 1% polymerizable material. The method also includes pairing the first and second substrates while roll-filling the flexible cell with the electro-optic material using one or more lamination rollers so that the electro-optic material completely fills the controlled distance between the first and second substrates.

A non-polarizer based variable light attenuating device includes a guest-host solution having a liquid crystal host and a guest dichroic dye disposed between first and second conducting layers provided on first and second transparent substrates. The guest-host solution has a low-haze while the guest dye orientation alters between a low light transmitting orientation and a high light transmitting orientation in response to a first voltage supplied to the first and second conducting layers. In response to a second voltage supplied to the first and second conducting layers, the guest-host solution changes to a focal conic light scattering orientation to achieve a high-haze translucent state.

Variable light attenuating devices and arrangements

An electronically controllable eyewear device having a cell filled with a liquid crystal material that can be electronically operated in an auto or a manual mode. The device contains a photosensor for generating a light input signal to trigger an automatic application of voltage to the cell when the device is in an auto mode, one or more switches capable of being actuated in a series of actuation sequences each to select a distinct function, and a control circuit responsive to each actuation sequence and light input signal to operate the cell in a corresponding one of a plurality of functions, including: (i) a first sequence for affecting an ON/OFF function, (ii) a second sequence for affecting a system change from the manual mode to the auto mode, and (iii) a third sequence for changing the threshold value for triggering the automatic application of voltage.

Electronically switchable optical device with a multi-functional optical control apparatus and methods for operating the same

Described is a kit, an optical insert assembly and a method for attaching an optical insert to a viewing lens of an eye-shielding device. The kit includes an optical insert with an outer perimeter, and a flexible border attachment element with an inner periphery area extending inward of the outer perimeter of the optical insert, and an outer periphery area extending outward of the outer perimeter of the optical insert, and having a first adhesive area for attachment to the optical insert and a second adhesive area for attachment to the viewing lens. When attached, the border attachment element defines a buffer zone spanning the inner periphery and outer periphery areas. The optical insert assembly includes the elements of the kits described herein, attached to a viewing lens of an eye-shielding device.

Attachable optical element arrangements and methods

Growing community of inventors

Shaker Heights, OH, United States of America

Bahman Taheri