Patent ID: 6960872

Claim:
An illumination system, comprising: a light source, wherein said light source comprises at least one light-emitting diode that emits light, wherein said at least one light-emitting diode is further comprised of an emitting layer that emits said light and a reflecting layer that reflects said light, wherein the reflectivity of said reflecting layer is reflectivity R S , wherein the total light-emitting area of said light source is area A S and wherein said light emitted by said light source has a maximum intrinsic source radiance; a light-recycling envelope, wherein said light-recycling envelope at least partially encloses said light source, wherein said light-recycling envelope has reflectivity R E and wherein said light-recycling envelope reflects and recycles part of said light back to said reflecting layer of said at least one light-emitting diode; and at least one light output aperture, wherein said at least one light output aperture is located in a surface of said light-recycling envelope, wherein the total light output aperture area is area A O , wherein said area A O is less than said area A S , wherein said light source and said light-recycling envelope direct at least a fraction of said light out of said light-recycling envelope through said at least one light output aperture and wherein said fraction of said light exits said at least one light output aperture as incoherent light having a maximum exiting radiance.