Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

University of Michigan

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Toyota Motor Corporation

Ningbo Inlight Technology Co., Ltd.

Chengang Ji

Debasish Banerjee

Kyu-Tae Lee

Lingjie Jay Guo

Songtao Wu

Mayu Takagi

Taizo Masuda

Yuki Kudo

Stephen Maldonado

Saurabh Acharya

A colored visibly opaque, highly efficient NIR-transmitting optical filter displaying angle insensitivity is based on one-dimensional photonic crystals. The filter comprises a photonic crystal stack comprising at least one high refractive index layer and two low refractive index layers respectively disposed along a first side and a second side of the high refractive index layer. The photonic crystal stack may have 10 or fewer layers. The filter transmits a first portion of an electromagnetic spectrum having a first range of predetermined wavelengths in an infrared light range or near infrared light range, while reflecting a second portion of the electromagnetic spectrum having a second range of predetermined wavelengths in a visible light range to generate a reflected output. In certain aspects, a refractive index contrast between the at least one high refractive index layer and at least one of the two low refractive index layers is &#x2265; about 40%.

Decorative near-infrared transmission optical filter devices

A method of forming a structural color filter includes: depositing a first metal layer on a surface of a substrate by applying an electric potential to the substrate; depositing a first dielectric layer on the first metal layer by contacting the first metal layer with a second electrolyte; and depositing a second metal layer on the first dielectric layer. The surface of the substrate is in contact with a first electrolyte; the first electrolyte comprises a first precursor, an electrochemical reaction of the first precursor at the surface of the substrate is driven by the electric potential; the depositing the first metal layer on the surface of the substrate is performed at a temperature of less than or equal to 50&#xb0; C. The second electrolyte comprises a second precursor of a first dielectric material of the first dielectric layer.

Method for manufacturing structural color filter by electrodeposition of metal/dielectric layer/metal

Angle insensitive/angle-robust colored filter assemblies are provided for use with a photovoltaic device to create a decorative and colored photovoltaic device assembly. The filter may be passive or active with an ultrathin reflective layer of high refractive index material, like amorphous silicon (a-Si). A passive filter may have transparent first and second pairs of dielectric materials surrounding the ultrathin reflective layer. An active filter may have transparent first and second electrodes and first and second doped hole/electron transport layer surrounding the ultrathin reflective layer. The filter can transmit a portion and reflect a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to generate a reflected color output with minimal angle dependence. Angle insensitive colored photovoltaic device assemblies having high power conversion efficiencies (e.g., &#x2265;18%) including a passive or active colored reflective filter and a photovoltaic device are also contemplated. The photovoltaic device may include a photoactive layer comprising crystalline silicon (c-Si).

Colored filter assemblies for highly-efficient and angle-robust photovoltaic devices

According to one or more embodiments described herein, a cloaking device may comprise a first mirror, a second mirror, a third mirror, and a fourth mirror. The cloaking device may further comprise a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, and a fourth lens. Each of the first lens, the second lens, the third lens, and the fourth lens may be achromatic cylindrical lenses, or each of the first lens, the second lens, the third lens, and the fourth lens may be acylindrical lenses.

Cloaking devices

A cloaking device includes an object-side, an image-side, a cloaked region (CR) between the object-side and the image-side. An object-side CR reflection boundary and a plurality of object-side color filters are positioned on the object side and an image-side CR reflection boundary and a plurality of image-side color filters are positioned on the image-side. The plurality of object-side color filters are spaced apart from and positioned generally parallel to the object-side CR reflection boundary, and the plurality of image-side color filters are spaced apart from and positioned generally parallel to the image-side CR reflection boundary. The plurality of object-side color filters and the plurality of image-side color filters may be co-planar and light from an object located on the object-side of the cloaking device propagates via at least two optical paths to form an image of the object on the image-side of the cloaking device.

Cloaking devices constructed from reflection boundaries and color filters and vehicles comprising the same

A cloaking device includes an object-side, an image-side, a cloaked region between the object-side and the image-side, and a reference optical axis extending from the object-side to the image-side. A plurality of object-side Fresnel mirrors, a plurality of image-side Fresnel mirrors and a planar reflection boundary positioned between the plurality of object-side Fresnel mirrors and the plurality of image-side Fresnel mirrors are included. Each of the Fresnel mirrors comprises an outward facing reflection surface. Light from an object positioned on the object-side of the cloaking device and obscured by the cloaked region is redirected around the cloaked region by the plurality of object-side Fresnel mirrors, the planar reflection boundary and the plurality of image-side Fresnel mirrors to form an image of the object on the image-side of the cloaking device such that the light from the object appears to pass through the cloaked region.

Cloaking devices with fresnel mirrors and plane mirrors and vehicles comprising the same

An anti-glare panel includes a panel with a length and a plurality of alternating black color and non-black color strips extending along the length of the panel. A plurality of lenticular lenses extend along the length of the panel and over the plurality of alternating black color strips and non-black color strips. A single lenticular lens array extends over a pair of a black color strip and a non-black color strip. The plurality of lenticular lenses reflect light from the black color strips within a veiling glare range and reflect light from the non-black color strips outside of the veiling glare range.

Anti-glare panels

A cloaking device includes an object-side, an image-side, a cloaked region (CR) between the object-side and the image-side. An object-side CR reflection boundary, an object-side half-mirror, and an object-side multiband dichroic color filter are positioned on the object side and an image-side CR reflection boundary, an image-side half-mirror, and an image-side multiband dichroic color filter are positioned on the image-side. The object-side half-mirror and the object-side multiband dichroic color filter are spaced apart from and positioned generally parallel to the object-side CR reflection boundary, and the image-side half-mirror and the image-side multiband dichroic color filter are spaced apart from and positioned generally parallel to the image-side CR reflection boundary. Light from an object located on the object-side of the cloaking device and obscured by the CR propagates via three optical paths to form an image of the object on the image-side of the cloaking device.

Cloaking devices constructed from reflection boundaries, half-mirrors and multiband dichroic color filters and vehicles comprising the same

A cloaking device includes an object-side, an image-side, a cloaked region (CR) between the object-side and the image-side, and a reference optical axis extending from the object-side to the image-side. An object-side CR reflection boundary, an object-side half-mirror, and an object-side color filter are positioned on the object side and an image-side CR reflection boundary, an image-side half-mirror, and an image-side color filter are positioned on the image-side. The object-side half-mirror and the object-side color filter are spaced apart from and positioned generally parallel to the object-side CR reflection boundary, and the image-side half-mirror and the image-side color filter are spaced apart from and positioned generally parallel to the image-side CR reflection boundary. Light from an object located on the object-side of the cloaking device and obscured by the CR propagates via three optical paths to form an image of the object on the image-side of the cloaking device.

Cloaking devices constructed from reflection boundaries, half-mirrors and color filters and vehicles comprising the same

A cloaking device includes an object-side, an image-side, and a cloaked region (CR) between the object-side and the image-side. An object-side CR reflection boundary, an object-side half-mirror, and an object-side external reflection boundary are positioned on the object-side, and an image-side CR reflection boundary, an image-side half-mirror, and an image-side external reflection boundary are positioned on the image-side. The object-side half-mirror and the object-side external reflection boundary are spaced apart and generally parallel to the object-side CR reflection boundary, and the image-side half-mirror and the image-side external reflection boundary are spaced apart and generally parallel to the image-side CR reflection boundary. Light from an object located on the object-side of the cloaking device and obscured by the CR is redirected around the CR via two optical paths to form an image of the object on the image-side of the cloaking device.

Cloaking devices constructed from reflection boundaries and half-mirrors and vehicles comprising the same

A cloaking device includes an object-side, an image-side and a cloaked region between the object side and image-side. An object-side half Fresnel lens, an image-side half Fresnel lens and a planar reflection boundary positioned between the object-side half Fresnel lens and the image-side half Fresnel lens are included. The object-side half Fresnel lens and the image-side half Fresnel lens each comprise an inward facing surface and an outward facing Fresnel surface. The planar reflection boundary comprises an inward facing mirror surface. Light from an object positioned on the object-side of the cloaking device and obscured by the cloaked region is redirected around the cloaked region by the object-side half Fresnel lens, planar reflection boundary and image-side half Fresnel lens to form an image of the object on the image-side of the cloaking device such that the light from the object appears to pass through the cloaked region.

Cloaking devices with half Fresnel lenses and plane mirrors and vehicles comprising the same

A cloaking device includes an object-side, an image-side and a cloaked region between the object-side and the image-side. An object-side polyhedron with an entrance side and an exit side parallel to the entrance side is positioned on the object-side and an image-side polyhedron with an entrance side and an exit side parallel to the entrance side is positioned on the image-side. The entrance side of the object-side polyhedron is oriented relative to a reference optical axis extending between the object-side and the image-side at an acute angle &#x3b1; and the exit side of the image-side polyhedron is oriented relative to the reference optical axis at an oblique angle equal to 180&#xb0;&#x2212;&#x3b1;. Light from an object positioned on the object-side of the cloaking device is redirected around the cloaked region, without total internal reflection of the light within the object-side polyhedron or the image-side polyhedron.

Cloaking devices constructed from polyhedrons and vehicles comprising the same

A cloaking device includes an object-side, an image-side, a cloaked region (CR) between the object-side and the image-side, and a reference optical axis extending from the object-side to the image-side. An object-side CR reflection boundary and an object-side optical component sub-assembly are positioned on the object-side and an image-side CR reflection boundary and an image-side optical component sub-assembly are positioned on the image-side. The object-side optical component sub-assembly includes an object-side outward-positioned half-mirror, an object-side inward-positioned half-mirror, and at least one of an object-side outward-positioned reflection boundary and an object-side half-wave plate. The image-side optical component sub-assembly includes an image-side outward-positioned half-mirror, an image-side inward-positioned half-mirror, and at least one of an image-side outward-positioned reflection boundary and an image-side half-wave plate. Light from an object located on the object-side of the cloaking device and obscured by the cloaked region is redirected around the cloaked region via three optical paths.

A cloaking device includes object-side and image-side curved cloaking region boundaries with outward facing mirror surfaces and inward facing opaque surfaces. A cloaking region is bounded by the inward facing opaque surfaces of the object-side and image-side curved CR boundaries. An object-side curved reflection boundary with an inward facing mirror surface is positioned proximate to the object-side curved cloaking region boundary and an image-side curved reflection boundary with an inward facing mirror surface is positioned proximate to the image-side curved cloaking region boundary. Light from an object located on the object-side of the cloaking device and obscured by the cloaking region is redirected around the cloaking region by the outward facing mirror surfaces of the object-side and image-side curved cloaking region boundaries and the inward facing mirror surfaces of the object-side and image-side curved reflection boundaries.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Chengang Ji