Bright View Technologies Corporation

Luna Innovations Inc.

Kenneth L Walker

Bing A Shen

Matthew K Pope

Juhyun J Lee

Jennifer Aspell

Stephen R Wilson

Thomas Alan Rinehart

Robert P Lenk

Zhiguo Zhou

Darren K Macfarland

Jing Zhang

Rajesh Shukla

An edge-lit back light unit includes a specular reflector and an edge-lit light guide film positioned above the specular reflector, both configured to provide peak optical distribution and FWHM angle of diffusion along a light propagation direction. A diffuser film above the edge-lit light guide film has a bottom-side that faces the edge-lit light guide film and a top-side that faces away from the edge-lit light guide film, and has a plurality of parallel prism microstructures on the bottom-side, some have an apex direction that is generally along the light propagation direction. The diffuser film has a plurality of parallel prism microstructures on the top-side having an apex direction that is rotated with respect to the apex direction of the plurality of parallel prism microstructures on the bottom-side such that the apex direction of the parallel prism microstructures on the top-side is generally perpendicular to the light propagation direction. A pair of crossed BEFs above the diffuser film have a plurality of parallel prism microstructures on one side and face away from the diffuser film, wherein the plurality of parallel micro prisms of one of the BEFs is oriented perpendicular to the plurality of micro prisms of the other BEF. The apex direction of the plurality of parallel prism microstructures on the bottom side of the diffuser film is substantially aligned with the plurality of parallel micro prisms of at least one of the brightness enhancement films.

Edge-lit back light unit using prism microstructures

A BLU includes a 2D array of LEDs, wherein a number of rows in the two-dimensional array is less than a number of columns in the two-dimensional array, and at least one LED in the two-dimensional array produces light with an angular distribution of nominally ±90 degrees around a center of the at least one LED. A transparent solid material layer is positioned with a bottom surface over the 2D array of LEDs that is configured to transform the light produced by the 2D array of LEDs into light having an angular distribution of nominally less than ±90 degrees around the center of the at least one LED at a top surface of the transparent solid material layer. A diffuser film is positioned over the top surface of the transparent solid material layer and is configured to provide a FWHM of greater than 60 degrees and configured to diffuse the light produced at the top surface of the transparent solid material layer to produce diffused light at a top surface of the diffuser film. A pair of cross BEFs is positioned over the top surface of the diffuser film and includes a plurality of prism microstructures where at least some prism microstructures have an apex angle of approximately ninety degrees. A polarizer reflector film is positioned over the pair of cross BEF and is configured to transmit one polarization and to reflect another polarization.

Back light unit for backlit displays

A back light unit includes a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned on a substrate and a plurality of flat lenses. A respective one of the plurality of flat lens are positioned a distance above a respective one of the plurality of light emitting diodes. Each of the plurality of flat lenses includes a plurality of annular segments having a common center. Each of the plurality of annular segments includes a prism shape microstructure having a first facet configured to refract the light in a desired direction and a second facet oriented in a plane that is parallel to a plane of an emitting surface of respective ones of the plurality of light emitting diode.

A color conversion film for a backlight unit comprising an array of light emitting diodes includes a substantially planar base portion configured to receive light from a light source positioned below the substantially planar base portion. A plurality of three-dimensional structures are configured to extend from the substantially planar base portion in a direction away from the light source, where each of the plurality of three-dimensional structures having at least one sloped surface at an angle Θ relative to the substantially planar base portion such that each of the plurality of three-dimensional structures comprises a decreasing cross-section as light travels away from the light source.

Color conversion film for backlight unit

A BLU includes a 2D array of LEDs producing light with an angular distribution of nominally ±90 degrees around a center. A transparent solid material layer is positioned with a bottom surface over the 2D array of LEDs and configured to transform the light produced by the 2D array into light having an angular distribution of nominally less than ±90 degrees around the at a top surface of the transparent solid material layer. A diffuser film is positioned over the top surface of the transparent solid material layer configured to provide a FWHM of greater than 60 degrees and configured to diffuse the light produced at the top surface of the transparent solid material layer to produce diffused light at a top surface of the diffuser film. A BEF positioned over the top surface of the diffuser film and comprising a plurality of prism microstructures, where at least some prism microstructures have an apex angle of approximately ninety degrees. The BEF configured to narrow an angular optical distribution of the diffused light produced at the top surface of the diffuser film, thereby providing uniform and high brightness light output from the back light unit.

An edge-lit back light unit for a backlit display includes a reflector, an edge-lit light guide film, a diffuser film, and a pair of crossed brightness enhancement films with increased efficiency. The diffuser film has an angular light distribution output that is matched to light acceptance angles of the pair of crossed brightness enhancement films to provide increased on-axis brightness without having to increase power to the edge-lit back light unit.

Edge-lit back light unit with improved efficiency

An optical film for a back light unit that includes an array of light emitting diodes. The optical film includes a substrate, and a plurality of regions of spatially modulated microstructures on at least one side of the substrate. The spatially modulated microstructures have different sizes and/or shapes configured to create a gradient structure within each region. The gradient structure within each region is constructed and arranged to cause more spreading of light when positioned directly above an individual light emitting diode and less spreading of light at locations not directly above an individual light emitting diode. Within the back light unit, the gradient structure converts light beams emitted by the respective light emitting diode at different angles into a more uniform and higher on-axis luminance upon exiting the back light unit.

Optical film for back light unit and back light unit including same

A back light unit includes an array of LEDs positioned in rows and columns that emit light from a top surface. A light splitting optical film includes a plurality of inverted pyramids positioned on a first side facing the top surface of the array where each of the plurality of inverted pyramids forms an apex oriented in a direction away from the top surface of the array. A plurality of linear prisms is positioned in a parallel configuration on a second side facing away from the top surface of the array where at least some of the linear prisms form an apex being oriented such that a direction of the apex forms a desired angle with respect to a direction of a row of the array of light emitting diodes.

Document holder

A back light unit includes an array of light emitting diodes, at least two optical films positioned above the array of light emitting diodes, and a pair of brightness enhancement films positioned above the at least two optical films. A majority of the optical films are light splitting optical films having a plurality of light splitting microstructures on at least one surface thereof.

A color conversion film for a backlight unit that includes an array of light emitting diodes. The color conversion film includes a substantially planar base portion, and a plurality of three-dimensional structures extending from the substantially planar base portion. Each of the three-dimensional structures has at least one sloped surface with a base angle of about 55&#xb0;-75&#xb0; relative to the substantially planar base portion. The color conversion film includes a material having a refractive index of about 1.5-1.7.

Color conversion film back light unit for backlit displays

A light transmissive substrate for transforming a Lambertian light distribution includes a base film having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a plurality of first microstructures disposed on the first side of the base film and a plurality of first valleys. Each of the first valleys is defined by a pair of adjacent first microstructures. A filler material is disposed in the plurality of first valleys and defines a substantially planar surface spaced from and substantially parallel to the first side of the base film. The substrate also includes a plurality of second microstructures disposed on the substantially planar surface of the filler material and a plurality of second valleys. Each of the second valleys is defined by a pair of adjacent second microstructures.

Growing community of inventors

Durham, NC, United States of America

Kenneth L Walker