# US 10,502,981 B2 · Optical filter with color enhancement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,981 B2 - Document ID: US10502981B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/894,999 - Filed: 2018-02-13 - Published: 2018-06-28 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-23 - Assignees: Gary Sharp Innovations, LLC - Applicants: Gary D. Sharp - Inventors: Gary D. Sharp - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502981B2 ## CPC - G02C 7/12: Polarisers - G02B 5/3083: {Birefringent or phase retarding elements (G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001)} - G02B 27/288: {Filters employing polarising elements, e.g. Lyot or Solc filters (G02B5/3016 takes precedence)} - G02C 7/104: {having spectral characteristics for purposes other than sun-protection} - G02C 2202/16: Laminated or compound lenses - G02C: SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES (trial frames for testing the eyes A61B3/04; goggles or eyeshields not having the same features as spectacles A61F9/00) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An eyewear lens is described that provides polarization filtering and spectral filtering using polarization interference. The lens produces enhanced saturation and colorfulness, increasing enjoyment when observing commonly encountered imagery. The lens can be configured to optimize accuracy/efficiency when performing a task involving colored imagery, and can improve performance in sports. The lens can further be helpful for color discrimination by those with certain types of color vision deficiency. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An eyewear lens, comprising: a lens having a spectral transmission with a sinusoidal shape having a peak at each of the colors of long-wavelength blue, green, and red and a valley at each of the colors of high-energy blue, cyan, and yellow/orange, wherein the lens includes a retarder stack that generates only two output impulses from a polarized impulse input. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, wherein long-wavelength blue is in the wavelength range of 455-480 nm, green is in the wavelength range of 520-555 nm, red is in the wavelength range of 610-680 nm, high-energy blue is in the wavelength range of 400-450 nm, cyan is in the wavelength range of 485-515 nm, and yellow/orange is in the wavelength range of 565-590 nm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, wherein the lens is a clip-on lens for wearing over and attaching to a pair of eyeglasses. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, wherein the lens includes a polarization interference filter (PIF), including at least: an input polarizer; one or more retarders; and an output polarizer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, wherein the lens includes a polarization interference filter (PIF), including at least: an input polarizer having an axis of polarization at a first angle; an input chromatic uniaxial retarder with an optical axis that is offset by +45 degrees from the first angle, and having a retardance value of Γ; a pair of zero-order have-wave retarders forming an achromatic rotator, with angles of substantially +21.5 degrees and substantially −21.5 degrees therebetween; an output chromatic uniaxial retarder with an optical axis that is offset by −45 degrees from the first angle, and having a retardance value of Γ; and an output polarizer having an axis of polarization at a second angle that is either parallel to or perpendicular to the first angle; wherein the eyewear lens has a wide field of view with a Δxy color shift at 30 degrees off-axis of 0.05 or less. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, wherein a substantially neutral white-point is achieved. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the valleys in the spectral transmission is less than 20% of each of peaks. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, wherein there is at least one valley in the 700 nm to 1400 nm range. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, including a retarder stack, wherein at least one retarder in the retarder stack includes solvent bonded retarder films. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, including a retarder stack, wherein at least one retarder in the retarder stack includes at least one uniaxial stretched retarder film. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 10, wherein the film includes polycarbonate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 10, wherein the film includes polyolefin. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, including a pair of polarizers, wherein at least one of the polarizers include a chromatic dye that controls a color balance and overall hue of the eyewear lens. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, wherein the eyewear lens is arranged as a laminated stack of layers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 14, including a pair of polarizers, wherein the polarizers include polyvinyl alcohol. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 14, including a retarder stack, wherein the retarder stack is formed on glass. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 14, including a retarder stack, wherein the retarder stack is formed on isotropic plastic. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 14, wherein each of the layers of the laminated stack lie substantially in their own plane. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 14, wherein each of the layers of the laminated stack is curved. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the components of the eyewear lens is thermoformed. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 1, wherein the eyewear lens is arranged for use as a sunglass lens. ### Claim 22 An eyewear lens, comprising: a lens having a spectral transmission with a sinusoidal shape having a peak at each of the colors of long-wavelength blue, green, and red and a valley at each of the colors of high-energy blue, cyan, and yellow/orange; wherein the transmission at the peaks is greater than four times the transmission at the valleys. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 22, wherein the transmission at the peaks is greater than ten times the transmission at the valleys. ### Claim 24 An eyewear lens, comprising: a stack of layers, including: a first protective substrate; a polarizer; a retarder stack that generates only two output impulses from a polarized impulse input, wherein the retarder stack provides only four to six waves of retardation in the green wavelength range; a second polarizer; and a second protective substrate. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein the retarder stack has been wide-fielded by including a pair of multi-order retarders that are placed with their respective optic axes orthogonal to each other and the pair of multi-order retarders are separated by one or more zero-order half-wave plates. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein the retarder stack provides five to five and one-half waves of retardation in the green wavelength range. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein the lens has a transmission across the 400 nm to 700 nm spectrum that is substantially sinusoidal having minimums and maximums, and with a single maximum in the 610 nm to 680 nm range, a single maximum in the 520 nm to 555 nm range, and at least one maximum in the 455 nm to 480 nm range, and with a single minimum in the 485 nm to 515 nm range, a single minimum in the 565 nm to 590 nm range, and at least one minimum in the 400 nm to 450 nm range. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 27, wherein each of the minimums in the transmission spectrum is less than 20% of each of maximums. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 28, wherein the lens provides color enhancement to a person with color vision deficiency. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 27, wherein there is at least one minimum in the 700 nm to 1400 nm range. ### Claim 31 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein the lens has a transmission across the 400 nm to 700 nm spectrum that is substantially sinusoidal having minimums and maximums, and with a single maximum in the 555 nm to 610 nm range, a single maximum in the 400 nm to 480 nm range, and at least one minimum in the 480 nm to 515 nm range. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein a substantially neutral white-point is achieved. ### Claim 33 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein at least one retarder in the retarder stack includes solvent bonded retarder films. ### Claim 34 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein at least one retarder in the retarder stack includes at least one uniaxial stretched retarder film. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 34, wherein the film includes polycarbonate. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 34, wherein the film includes polyolefin. ### Claim 37 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein at least one of the polarizers include a chromatic dye that controls a color balance and overall hue of the eyewear lens. ### Claim 38 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein the eyewear lens is arranged as a laminated stack of layers. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 38, wherein the polarizers include polyvinyl alcohol. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 38, wherein the retarder stack is formed on glass. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 38, wherein the retarder stack is formed on isotropic plastic. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 38, wherein each of the layers of the laminated stack lie substantially in their own plane. ### Claim 43 (depends on 38) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 38, wherein each of the layers of the laminated stack is curved. ### Claim 44 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein each of the components of the eyewear lens is thermoformed. ### Claim 45 (depends on 24) An eyewear lens as defined in claim 24, wherein the eyewear lens is arranged for use as a sunglass lens.