# US 11,906,153 B2 · Enhanced lighting

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- Number: US 11,906,153 B2
- Document ID: US11906153B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/136,494
- Filed: 2023-04-19
- Published: 2023-08-10
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-05
- Assignees: Wangs Alliance Corporation
- Applicants: Wangs Alliance Corporation
- Inventors: Shelley S. Wald; Wai Ho Choy; Derrick A. Wald
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906153B2

## CPC

- F21V 3/049: {Patterns or structured surfaces for diffusing light, e.g. frosted surfaces}
- F21V 5/002: {using microoptical elements for redirecting or diffusing light}
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED

## Abstract

Apparatus and methods for enhanced lighting. The apparatus may include a light-transmitting body. The apparatus may include a light projector. The projector may be configured to propagate into the light-transmitting body an incoming incoherent light. The projector may be configured to propagate into the light-transmitting body an incoming visible coherent light. Emerging coherent light within a visible wavelength rage attributable to the incoming visible coherent light may have a first intensity. The first intensity may be greater than a second intensity. The second intensity may be an intensity of any emerging coherent light that is within the wavelength range and is attributable to the incoming incoherent light. Emerging light may be light that emerges from the light-transmitting body.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Apparatus comprising:
an LED light source configured to emit a beam of light; and
a diffusive element that includes faceted grains, each having a diameter that is in a range from 3.0-3.2 mm;
wherein, in operation, the beam is incident on the diffusive element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the grains are not grains that are connected to each other by grain boundaries of a polycrystalline material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the grains are not grains that are connected to each other by grain boundaries of a monolithic polycrystalline body.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein grain-to-grain contacts between the grains do not include material excluded from the grains during solidification of the grains.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein space between the grains is occupied only by a fluid.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a bonding material; wherein space between the grains is occupied by the bonding material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the space is occupied by a fluid.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, on average, a minimum distance between neighboring grains is in the range 2.7-3.3 mm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the diffusive element comprises a substrate that is configured to retain the grains.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the grains are not bonded to the substrate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein:
the substrate is translucent;
each of the grains is translucent;
the grains have facets that are arranged to diffuse light;
the diffusive element is a first diffusive element; and
the apparatus includes no second diffusive element.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:
the first diffusive element has a first side and a second side; and
the LED light source in operation emits light that is incident on the first side and transmitted through the second side.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the substrate defines the first side and the second side.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:
a surface of the substrate defines the first side; and
the grains define the second side.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:
the grains define the first side; and
a surface of the substrate defines the second side.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9 further including a bonding material that fixes the grains to the substrate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein:
the grains define a layer that has an average thickness; and
the bonding material, in a liquid phase, whets the grains, on average, to height that is:
no less than 0.1 of the thickness; and
no more than 0.3 of the thickness.

### Claim 18 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the grains and the substrate are translucent.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the diffusive element includes a bed of grains.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the bed is disposed in a substrate.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the grains are not bonded to each other.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, in operation:
the diffusive element has an LED-facing side and illuminating side; and
an intensity of a light exiting the illuminating side, as measured across the illuminating side, has an amplitude that does not exceed 5% of an average intensity of a light entering the LED-facing side, as measured across the LED-facing side.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the grains include glass material.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the grains include non-crystal material.

### Claim 25

Apparatus comprising:
an LED light source configured to emit a beam of light; and
a diffusive element that includes faceted grains, each having a diameter that is in a range from 3.2-3.3 mm;
wherein, in operation, the beam is incident on the diffusive element.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the grains are not grains that are connected to each other by grain boundaries of a polycrystalline material.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the grains are not grains that are connected to each other by grain boundaries of a monolithic polycrystalline body.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein grain-to-grain contacts between the grains do not include material excluded from the grains during solidification of the grains.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein space between the grains is occupied only by a fluid.

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising a bonding material; wherein space between the grains is occupied by the bonding material.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the space is occupied by a fluid.

### Claim 32 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein, on average, a minimum distance between neighboring grains is in the range 2.7-3.3 mm.

### Claim 33 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the diffusive element comprises a substrate that is configured to retain the grains.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The apparatus of claim 33 further including a bonding material that fixes the grains to the substrate.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The apparatus of claim 34 wherein:
the grains define a layer that has an average thickness; and
the bonding material, in a liquid phase, whets the grains, on average, to height that is:
no less than 0.1 of the thickness; and
no more than 0.3 of the thickness.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the grains and the substrate are translucent.

### Claim 37 (depends on 33)

The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the grains are not bonded to the substrate.

### Claim 38 (depends on 33)

The apparatus of claim 33 wherein:
the substrate is translucent;
each of the grains is translucent;
the grains have facets that are arranged to diffuse light;
the diffusive element is a first diffusive element; and
the apparatus includes no second diffusive element.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The apparatus of claim 38 wherein:
the first diffusive element has a first side and a second side; and
the LED light source in operation emits light that is incident on the first side and transmitted through the second side.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the substrate defines the first side and the second side.

### Claim 41 (depends on 39)

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein:
a surface of the substrate defines the first side; and
the grains define the second side.

### Claim 42 (depends on 39)

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein:
the grains define the first side; and
a surface of the substrate defines the second side.

### Claim 43 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the diffusive element includes a bed of grains.

### Claim 44 (depends on 43)

The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the bed is disposed in a substrate.

### Claim 45 (depends on 43)

The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the grains are not bonded to each other.

### Claim 46 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein, in operation:
the diffusive element has an LED-facing side and illuminating side; and
an intensity of a light exiting the illuminating side, as measured across the illuminating side, has an amplitude that does not exceed 5% of an average intensity of a light entering the LED-facing side, as measured across the LED-facing side.

### Claim 47 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the grains include glass material.

### Claim 48 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the grains include non-crystal material.

### Claim 49

Apparatus comprising:
an LED light source configured to emit a beam of light; and
a diffusive element that includes faceted grains, each having a diameter that is in a range from 2.8-2.9 mm;
wherein, in operation, the beam is incident on the diffusive element.

### Claim 50 (depends on 49)

The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the grains include glass material.

### Claim 51 (depends on 49)

The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the grains include non-crystal material.