Illumination apparatus
AssigneeRealD Spark, LLC
InventorsGraham J. Woodgate, Jonathan Harrold
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Abstract
An illumination apparatus comprises an array of micro-LEDs, an aligned plurality of directional catadioptric optical elements, light redirecting micro-optics and a reflective polariser. The directional illumination apparatus is arranged to provide a uniform spatial distribution across its output area by recirculating reflected high luminous intensity regions into low luminous intensity regions of the catadioptric optical element. A thin and efficient illumination apparatus with high spatial uniformity may be provided for illumination in environmental lighting, display backlighting or direct display.
Claims60
An illumination apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of micro-LEDs, the plurality of micro-LEDs being arranged in a micro-LED array;
- a plurality of catadioptric optical elements arranged in a catadioptric optical element array, wherein each of the catadioptric optical elements of the plurality of catadioptric optical elements is aligned in correspondence with a respective one or more of the micro-LEDs of the plurality of micro-LEDs, each of the micro-LEDs of the plurality of micro-LEDs being aligned with only a respective one of the catadioptric optical elements of the plurality of catadioptric optical elements;
- the alignment being such that some of the light output from each of the micro-LEDs exits its respective catadioptric optical element with a first light output distribution;
- one or more reflective members, the one or more reflective members arranged relative to the first light output distribution such that some of the light that exits the respective catadioptric optical element is reflected by the one or more reflective members back into the catadioptric optical element;
- and
- a plurality of light recycle systems, the plurality of light recycle systems being arranged in an array, wherein each of the light recycle systems of the plurality of light recycle systems are aligned in correspondence with a respective micro-LED of the plurality of micro-LEDs, each of the light recycle systems being arranged relative to the catadioptric optical element and the one or more reflective members such as to further reflect some of said light that has been reflected back into its respective catadioptric optical element to provide recycled light that exits its respective catadioptric optical element with a second light output distribution, thereby providing a combined light output distribution comprising in combination the first light output distribution and the second light output distribution, the combined light output distribution having increased spatial uniformity compared to the spatial uniformity of the first light output distribution alone.
An illumination apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of micro-LEDs, the plurality of micro-LEDs being arranged in a micro-LED array;
- a plurality of catadioptric optical elements arranged in a catadioptric optical element array, wherein each of the catadioptric optical elements of the plurality of catadioptric optical elements is aligned in correspondence with a respective one or more of the micro-LEDs of the plurality of micro-LEDs, each of the micro-LEDs of the plurality of micro-LEDs being aligned with only a respective one of the catadioptric optical elements of the plurality of catadioptric optical elements;
- and
- a plurality of light recycle systems, the plurality of light recycle systems being arranged in an array, wherein each of the light recycle systems of the plurality of light recycle systems is aligned in correspondence with a respective micro-LED of the plurality of micro-LEDs;
- wherein each light recycle system comprises at least a first part and a second part, the first part having a different reflection characteristic compared to the second part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.