Patent ID: 7808581

Claim:
A backlight apparatus, comprising: a point source of radiant electromagnetic energy; a low profile total internal reflection (TIR) lens having a central axis located along a path of the radiant electromagnetic energy to receive and evenly distribute the radiant electromagnetic energy at an output face, the radiant electromagnetic energy exiting the TIR lens being substantially collimated and defining optical paths parallel to the central axis; wherein the ratio of the focal distance to the diameter of the low profile TIR lens is in the range of about 0.2 to about 0.3; a deviator lens located along the optical path between the point source and the TIR lens to transmit the radiant electromagnetic energy from the point source to the TIR lens, the deviator lens having a hemispherically concave inner surface of greater curvature than a varying outer surface, wherein the varying outer surface is concave at the central axis and convex away from the central axis; and a first diffuser to receive the radiant electromagnetic energy from the output face of the TIR lens to spread the radiant electromagnetic energy to a predetermined first angle relative to the optical paths.