Method and system for flexible illuminated devices having edge lighting utilizing light active sheet material with integrated light emitting diode

An edge lighting apparatus, comprising:

• a lighting device with at least one light emitting diode (LED) chip embedded therein, wherein the at least one LED chip generates light photons;
• and
• a path of the light photons within the lighting device that are emitted by the at least one LED chip from a top surface of said at least one LED chip, being redirected from a first edge of the lighting device back through the lighting device to a second edge of the lighting device opposite to the first edge, the first edge and the second edge being perpendicular to the top surface of said at least one LED chip, the photons which were redirected from the first edge of the lighting device being transmitted in a path through the second edge of the device and then being output from the lighting device at the second edge of the device.

A method of making an edge lighting apparatus, comprising:

• providing a lighting device with at least one light emitting diode (LED) chip embedded therein, wherein the at least one LED chip generates light photons when powered, the lighting device having a first edge and a second edge which is opposite to the first edge;
• and
• treating at least one of the first edge and the second edge, so that the second edge is more transmissive of the light photons than the first edge, and the first edge redirects a path of the light photons within the lighting device that are emitted by the at least one LED chip from a top surface of said at least one LED chip, from the first edge of the lighting device back through the lighting device to a second edge of the lighting device opposite to the first edge, the first edge and the second edge being perpendicular to the top surface of said at least one LED chip, the photons which were redirected from the first edge of the lighting device being transmitted in a path through the second edge of the device and then being output from the lighting device at the second edge of the device.