Patent ID: 7563011
Filing Date: 2009-07-21
Classification: G02B,G09F

Abstract:
1. A light panel, comprising: a panel element comprising a substantially transparent light transmitting material; at least one light source operatively connected to the panel element to introduce light into a side of the panel element; and a modulated diffractive outcoupling system arranged over a light surface of the panel element and being operative to produce a desired outcoupling of light from the panel element, the diffractive outcoupling system comprising a plurality of divergent pixels each comprising at least one periodic pattern of a plurality of divergent grooves and/or recesses, each pixel having a desired distribution of diffraction efficiency; wherein to produce the desired outcoupling direction of light, the diffraction efficiency among the pixels is varied over the outcoupling system as a function of location by varying over the outcoupling system at least one characteristic of the outcoupling system selected from the group consisting of: filling factor of the grooves and/or recesses, shape of the grooves and/or recesses, profile of the grooves and/or recesses, size of the grooves and/or recesses, orientation of the grooves and/or recesses, size of the pixels, and shape of the pixels.