3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Other

Boveda Inc.

Rolf W Biernath

John Allen Wheatley

Gilles J Benoit

David G Freier

Guanglei Du

Timothy J Nevitt

Michael F Weber

Andrew John Ouderkirk

William Ward Merrill

Martin B Wolk

Michael Alan Meis

Stephen A Johnson

Timothy J Hebrink

Michael Benton Free

Robert L Brott

James Gregory Bentsen

Kristopher J Derks

Charles David Hoyle

Claire A Jalbert

William F Edmonds

Raymond Patrick Johnston

John C Schultz

Zhaohui Yang

Neeraj Sharma

Robert L W Smithson

David T Yust

John S Huizinga

Craig R Schardt

John C Nelson

Keith Michael Kotchick

William J Bryan

Audrey A Sherman

Kenneth L Smith

Frank Y Xu

Gary Timothy Boyd

Patrick R Fleming

Wayne Scott Mahoney

Michael A Kropp

Philip Edwin Watson

Kevin R Schaffer

Eric C Lobner

Tao Liu

Wendy L Thompson

Daniel J Schmidt

James J Kobe

Owen M Anderson

David A Engler

Gary E Gaides

Edward J Kivel

Brian W Lueck

Jennifer Rebecca Yi

Steven R Anderson

Thomas R Hoffend, Jr

James Hillis

Richard J Poirier

Robert S Reylek

Myron K Jordan

Sara Suzanne Merritt

Glenn E Casner

William A Tolbert

Thomas R Corrigan

Michael J Sykora

Donald J McClure

Robert J Wolf

Taun L McKenzie

Todd A Ballen

Yufeng Liu

Robert L Esse

Martin Kristoffersen

Brian L Rice

Quinn D Sanford

Lori P Engle

Phillip E Tuma

William B Black

Kenneth A P Meyer

Vadim N Savvateev

Brian T Weber

Vincent W King

Mark S Konings

Thomas M Cherney

Willem V Bastiaens

Anthony J Piekarczyk

Wing C Chow

Joseph W Woody

Taylor J Kobe

David A Harper

Sean A Knutsen

David A Kowitz

Sherie A Kristie

Richard M Bymark

Jason L Schmitz

Matthew C Robbins

Ellyar Y Barazesh

Jordan D Whitney

Zhachui Yang

Christopher A McLaughlin

Mark P Dolan

Mark Erich Biernath

Horst Fred Biernath

An example optical filter may include an angle blocking layer having a first angular light blocking range θrelative to a normal axis, and an interference filter adjacent the angle blocking layer having a second angular light blocking range θrelative to the normal axis. θand θat least partially overlap. The example optical filter has a predetermined light transmission zone comprising angles from 0° to a maximum light transmission angle θrelative to a normal axis of the major surface. The example optical filter has a predetermined angular light blocking zone θ, a union of θand θ. An example optical filter may include an interference filter having an incidence angle-dependent reflection band and an absorbing layer having an absorption band. The incidence angle-dependent reflection band and the absorption band may overlap at at least one wavelength at at least one angle of incidence.

Optical filters complementary angular blocking regions

A technique of determining the presence of a species in a sample may include passing light through an optical filter. In an example, the optical filter may include a spatially variant microreplicated layer optically coupled to a wavelength selective filter. The wavelength selective filter may have a light incidence angle-dependent optical band. The spatially variant microreplicated layer may be configured to transmit light to a first optical region of the wavelength selective filter at a first predetermined incidence angle and to a second optical region of the wavelength selective filter at a second predetermined incidence angle.

Technique for determining presence of a species in a sample

A detector system is described that includes a detector that is sensitive to wavelengths in a detection wavelength range. The detector system further includes a light control film that is disposed on the detector and includes a plurality of alternating first and second regions. Each first region has a width W and a height H, where H/W&#x2265;1. Each first region has a substantially low transmission in a first portion of the detection wavelength range and a substantially high transmission in the remaining portion of the detection wavelength range. Each second region has a substantially high transmission in the detection wavelength range.

Angularly and spectrally selective detector and light source systems

A retroreflective system is disclosed that includes a retroreflective sheet for retroreflecting light, and a light control film disposed on the retroreflective sheet. For a first wavelength, light incident on the light control film at each of a first and second angles of incidence is retroreflected. For a second wavelength, light incident on the light control film at the first, but not the second, angle of incidence is retroreflected.

Spectrally selective retroreflective system

An example optical filter may include an angle blocking layer Slaving a first angular light blocking range &#x3b8;relative to a normal axis, and an interference filter adjacent the angle blocking layer having a second angular light blocking range &#x3b8;relative to the normal axis. &#x3b8;and &#x3b8;at least partially overlap. The example optical filter has a predetermined light transmission zone comprising angles from 0&#xb0; to a maximum light transmission angle &#x3b8;relative to a normal axis of the major surface. The example optical filter has a predetermined angular light blocking zone &#x3b8;, a union of &#x3b8;and &#x3b8;. An example optical filter may include an interference filter having an incidence angle-dependent reflection band and an absorbing layer having an absorption band. The incidence angle-dependent reflection band and the absorption band may overlap at least one wavelength at least one angle of incidence.

In an example, an example article may include a spatially variant microreplicated layer optically coupled to a wavelength selective filter. The wavelength selective filter may have a light incidence angle-dependent optical band. The spatially variant microreplicated layer may be configured to transmit light to a first optical region of the wavelength selective filter at a first predetermined incidence angle and to a second optical region of the wavelength selective filter at a second predetermined incidence angle.

Optical filters having spatially variant microreplicated layers

A light control film is disclosed that includes a plurality of spaced apart first regions. Each first region has a substantially low transmission in one or two of a first wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 400 nm, a second wavelength range from about 400 nm to about 700 nm, and a third wavelength range from about 700 nm to about 1200 nm, and a substantially high transmission in the remaining wavelength ranges. The light control film has a viewing angle of less than about 70 degrees along a predetermined first direction.

Spectrally selective light control film

An optical filter including a polarizer and a visible light blocking filter is described. The polarizer is configured to transmit at least 60 percent of light in a first infrared wavelength range that is incident on the polarizer at normal incidence in a first polarization state, to transmit less than 30 percent of light in a second infrared wavelength that is incident on the polarizer at normal incidence in a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state, and to transmit less than 30 percent of light in a third infrared wavelength range that is incident on the polarizer with a 50 degree angle of incidence in the second polarization state. The visible light blocking filter configured to transmit at least 60 percent of light in the first infrared wavelength range at normal incidence in the first polarization state.

Optical filter

An optical stack including an oriented polymeric multilayer optical film and a non-birefringent optical filter is described. The oriented polymeric multilayer optical film has a first reflection band with a first band edge and the non-birefringent optical filter has a first blocking band. In some cases, the first blocking band contains the first band edge and the first blocking band provides a reduction in variation of a band edge of an overall blocking band of the optical stack.

Optical stack

The invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring and providing humidity control for an asset within a closed environment such as a storage container, with transmission of sensed humidity levels to at least one server that stores current and historical humidity levels and comprises a processor and stored executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, may recommend an optimal humidity controller to use for the asset, determine when the recommended humidity controller requires replacement and predictively recommend an optimal replacement humidity controller based on at least historical humidity data and trending thereof, execution of a sales transaction, that may be pre-scheduled based on asset type, asset size and/or historical data, for the optimal replacement humidity controller, and providing the proper replacement humidity controller to the user.

Systems, methods and devices for controlling humidity in a closed environment with automatic and predictive identification, purchase and replacement of optimal humidity controller

A multilayer optical film has a packet of microlayers that selectively reflect light by constructive or destructive interference to provide a first reflective characteristic. At least some of the microlayers are birefringent. A stabilizing layer attaches to and covers the microlayer packet proximate an outer exposed surface of the film. Heating element(s) can physically contact the film to deliver heat to the packet through the stabilizing layer by thermal conduction, at altered region(s) of the film, such that the first reflective characteristic changes to an altered reflective characteristic in the altered region(s) to pattern the film. The stabilizing layer provides sufficient heat conduction to allow heat from the heating elements to change (e.g. reduce) the birefringence of the birefringent microlayers disposed near the outer exposed surface in the altered region(s), while providing sufficient mechanical support to avoid substantial layer distortion of the microlayers near the outer exposed surface in the altered region(s).

Patterned marking of multilayer optical film by thermal conduction

The inventors of the present application developed novel optically active materials, methods, and articles. One embodiment of the present application is an optically active article, comprising: an infrared-reflecting material positioned adjacent to an optically active substrate such that the infrared-reflecting material forms a pattern that can be read by an infrared sensor when the optically active substrate is illuminated by an infrared light source. Another embodiment of the present application relates to a method of manufacturing an optically active article, comprising: obtaining an optically active sheeting; and positioning an infrared-reflecting material on the optically active sheeting to form a pattern. The optically active article may be, for example, a license plate.

Optically active materials and articles and systems in which they may be used

A projection system capable of projection alignment includes a projector, a shaped projection screen, an image sensor, and a processing unit. The projector is configured to project a series of alignment content to the shaped projection screen. The image sensor is configured to capture a series of projected alignment content. The processing unit is electronically coupled to the image sensor and configured to receive the series of captured alignment content and determine at least part of general boundary of the shaped projection screen based on the series of captured alignment content.

Alignments for a projection system with a shaped projection screen using alignment content

Growing community of inventors

Wyoming, MN, United States of America

Rolf W Biernath