Patent ID: 7887227

Claim:
A transreflector and backlight system comprising a backlight including a light emitting panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from a light source and at least one panel surface for emitting light, and a transreflector for transmitting light emitted by the panel surface incident on at least one side of the transreflector and for reflecting ambient light incident on at least the opposite side of the transreflector, at least one of the sides of the transreflector having reflective surfaces for reflecting ambient light incident on at least the opposite side of the transreflector and light transmissive surfaces for transmitting light emitted by the panel surface incident on at least the one side of the transreflector, and the panel member having a pattern of optical deformities that are projections or depressions on or in the panel member that vary and are quite small relative to the length and width of the panel member, the optical deformities being shaped to cause light to be emitted from the panel surface at low angles away from the light source such that the emitted light passes through the light transmissive surfaces of the transreflector at low loss.