Illuminator having combination refractive and TIR lens

A method for providing illumination, the method comprising:

• substantially collimating, with a lens, light that is emitted from a location on a light source, the emitted light having a central light portion and a peripheral light portion adjacent to the central light portion, the lens having a first surface that faces the light source and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface including a first convex central portion and a first total internal reflection (TIR) portion adjacent to the first convex central portion, the second surface including a second convex central portion and a second TIR portion adjacent to the second convex central portion;
• directing, via refraction at the first convex central portion, the central light portion toward the second convex central portion as central internal light;
• directing, via refraction at the second convex central portion, the central internal light out of the lens to form collimated central exiting light;
• reflecting, via total internal reflection at the first TIR portion, the peripheral light portion toward the second TIR portion as peripheral internal light;
• and
• reflecting, via total internal reflection at the second TIR portion, the peripheral internal light to form collimated peripheral exiting light that exits the lens and is substantially parallel to the collimated central exiting light.

An illumination system, comprising:

• an array of light-emitting diodes configured to emit emitted light from a location on the array of light-emitting diodes, the emitted light having a central light portion and a peripheral light portion adjacent to the central light portion;
• and
• a lens configured to substantially collimate the emitted light,
• the lens having a first surface configured to face the array of light-emitting diodes and a second surface opposite the first surface,
• the first surface including a first convex central portion and a first total internal reflection (TIR) portion surrounding the first convex central portion,
• the second surface including a second convex central portion and a second TIR portion surrounding the second convex central portion,
• the first convex central portion being configured to direct, via refraction at the first convex central portion, the central light portion toward the second convex central portion as central internal light,
• the second convex central portion being configured to direct, via refraction at the second convex central portion, the central internal light out of the lens to form central exiting light,
• the first TIR portion being configured to reflect, via total internal reflection at the first TIR portion, the peripheral light portion toward the second TIR portion as peripheral internal light,
• the second TIR portion being configured to reflect, via total internal reflection at the second TIR portion, the peripheral internal light to form peripheral exiting light that exits the lens and is substantially parallel to the central exiting light.