# US 11,308,378 B2 · Optical articles and systems interacting with the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,308,378 B2 - Document ID: US11308378B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/486,382 - Filed: 2017-09-27 - Published: 2020-01-09 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-20 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: Michael A. McCoy; Anne C. Gold; Silvia Geciova-Borovova Guttmann; Glenn E. Casner; Timothy J. Gardner; Steven H. Kong; Gautam Singh; Jonathan T. Kahl; Nathan J. Anderson; Catherine L. Aune; Caroline M. Ylitalo; Britton G. Billingsley; Muhammad J. Afridi; Kui Chen-Ho; Travis L. Potts; Robert W. Shannon; Guruprasad Somasundaram - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308378B2 ## CPC - G06K 19/06037: {multi-dimensional coding} - G02B 5/12: Reflex reflectors - G02B 5/124: plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet - G02B 5/305: {including organic materials, e.g. polymeric layers} - G02B 5/3025: {Polarisers, i.e. arrangements capable of producing a definite output polarisation state from an unpolarised input state (G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence)} - G06K 2019/0629: {Holographic, diffractive or retroreflective recording} - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract Optical articles including a spatially defined arrangement of a plurality of data rich retroreflective elements, wherein the plurality of retroreflective elements comprise retroreflective elements having at least two different retroreflective properties and at least two different optical contrasts with respect to a background substrate when observed within an ultraviolet spectrum, a visible spectrum, a near-infrared spectrum, or a combination thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical article comprising a spatially defined arrangement of a plurality of data rich retroreflective elements, wherein the plurality of retroreflective elements comprise retroreflective elements having at least two different retroreflective properties and at least two different optical contrasts with respect to a background substrate when observed within an ultraviolet spectrum, a visible spectrum, a near-infrared spectrum, or a combination thereof; wherein the spatially defined arrangement comprises geometric arrangement in which the retroreflective elements are positioned with a distance from their neighboring retroreflective elements, and wherein the retroreflective elements have a periodicity from one element to another within the spatially defined arrangement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article according to claim 1, wherein the retroreflective elements have at least two different optical contrasts in the near-infrared region with respect to the background substrate, and wherein the difference in optical contrast is described by a bright coverage of 0.05 with weighted average bright coverage of less than 50 percent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The article according to claim 2, wherein the difference in optical contrast has a 0.05 bright coverage with weighted average bright coverage of less than 25 percent. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The article according to claim 2, wherein the difference in optical contrast has a 0.05 bright coverage with weighted average bright coverage of less than 15 percent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The article according to claim 2, wherein the difference in optical contrast has a 0.10 bright coverage with weighted average bright coverage of less than 25 percent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The article according to claim 2, wherein the difference in optical contrast has a 0.10 bright coverage with weighted average bright coverage of less than 20 percent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The article according to claim 2, wherein the difference in optical contrast has a 0.10 bright coverage with weighted average bright coverage of less than 15 percent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The article according to claim 2, wherein the difference in optical contrast has a 0.15 bright coverage with weighted average bright coverage of less than 15 percent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The article according to claim 6, wherein the retroreflectivity coefficient of the retroreflective elements at an observation angle/entrance angle 0.2°/5° is greater than 50 cd/lux-m2, greater than 100 cd/lux-m2, or greater than 200 cd/lux-m2. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The article according to claim 6, wherein the optical article comprises high visibility safety apparel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The article according to claim 6, wherein the optical article is a deformable optical article. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The article of claim 11, wherein deformation of the deformable optical article is at least one of a shrinkage or an expansion, and wherein the deformation causes a spacing change between at least two of the retroreflective elements, and further wherein the deformation is reversible. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The article according to claim 6, wherein the retroreflective property changes in response to a change in condition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The article according to claim 13 wherein the change in condition is at least one of a change in thermal, moisture, mechanical deformation, or radiation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The article according to claim 1, wherein the periodicity is a regular periodicity. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The article according to claim 1, wherein the periodicity is an irregular periodicity. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The article according to claim 1, wherein the spatially defined arrangement is rotationally insensitive.