Three-dimensional simultaneous multiple-surface method and free-form illumination-optics designed therefrom

A method designing a free-form optical system to be used in manufacturing the free-form optical system, comprising:

• defining first input and output wavefronts and a first optical path length between said first input and output wavefronts;
• defining second input and output wavefronts and a second optical path length between said second input and output wavefronts;
• defining a deflection type of a first free-form surface and a deflection type of a second free-form surface;
• defining a first spine of the first surface and defining a second spine of the second surface;
• calculating a first and second seed rib of each of the first and second surfaces, respectively, comprising simultaneously calculating dependent first and second sets of span points, respectively, defining, in part, the first and second surfaces;
• defining a first patch of the first surface that is defined by said first seed rib, where said first spine is bounded by said first patch of the first surface such that a portion of the first spine is not coincident with boundaries of the first patch;
• defining a second patch of the second surface that is defined by said second seed rib, where said second spine is bounded by said second patch of the second surface such that a portion of the second spine is not coincident with boundaries of the second patch;
• and
• defining the first surface comprising the first patch in accordance with the first seed rib;
• defining the second surface comprising the second patch in accordance with the second seed rib;
• and
• storing the defined first and second surfaces and the deflection type of the first and second surfaces to be accessed by a computer, where the defined first and second surfaces and the deflection type of the first and second surfaces are used to manufacture a free-form optical system comprising free-form surfaces as defined by the defined first and second surfaces.

A free-form optical system, comprising:

• a body comprising:
• a transparent medium;
• a first free-form surface receiving at least a first optical input wavefront and a second optical input wavefront;
• and
• a second free-form surface separated from the first surface and emitting at least a first optical output wavefront and a second optical output wavefront;
• the first and second surfaces are respectively defined at least in part according to interdependent first and second sets of span points, and the first and second surfaces are further defined according to patches dictated by the first and second sets of span points, respectively;
• the first and second surfaces are further defined by first and second set of spines that are dependent on the first and second sets of span points, respectively, and ribs extending from the first and second sets of span points associated with said first and second sets of spines, respectively, where the ribs are simultaneously generated and at least in part bound the patches and said first and second spines are bounded by first and second patches, respectively, such that a portion of the first spine is not coincident with boundaries of the first patch and a portion of the second spine is not coincident with boundaries of the second patch.