LED Brightness via Spatial and Angular Light Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LEDs are not bright enough to effectively illuminate large projection television screens or small imaging panels at a reasonable cost, necessitating a method to increase their brightness without adding more light sources.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a light recycling system using spatial and angular recycling devices, such as light pipes with reflective coatings or tapered designs, to reflect and re-emitting light back into the LED source, enhancing its brightness output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If multiple light sources are added to increase brightness, then illumination intensity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recycles light that would otherwise be wasted by capturing it with a light pipe and reflector system, then redirecting it back to the LED chip. This recovers unused light energy and converts it into useful illumination, effectively increasing brightness without adding more light sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a light pipe and reflector as intermediary components between the LED chip and the environment. These intermediaries capture, transport, and redirect light, enabling the recycling process that increases brightness while maintaining a single light source.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple light sources are integrated to increase brightness, then illumination intensity is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recycles light that would otherwise be wasted by capturing it with a light pipe and reflector system, then redirecting it back to the LED chip. This recovers unused light energy and converts it into useful illumination, effectively increasing brightness without adding more light sources.
3Device complexity
If a single light source is used to reduce cost, then device complexity is reduced, but illumination intensity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a light pipe and reflector as intermediary components between the LED chip and the environment. These intermediaries capture, transport, and redirect light, enabling the recycling process that increases brightness while maintaining a single light source.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a feedback loop where light emitted by the LED chip is captured, redirected back to the chip, and re-emitted. This feedback mechanism continuously recycles light energy, increasing the effective brightness of the single light source through repeated utilization of the same photons.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly increases the brightness of the LED illumination system, allowing for effective illumination of larger screens or smaller panels without the need for additional LEDs, thereby reducing costs and improving performance.
Implementation Method 1
covering a portion of the output end of the light pipe with a reflective medium or coating so that the light from the light source is reflected by the reflective medium back into the light source through the light pipe
Implementation Method 2
an angular recycling device for transmitting small angle light and recycling high angle light to increase the brightness of the light output
Data Source
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AI summary
An illumination system for increasing the brightness of a light source comprises an optical recycling device (200) coupled to the light source (100), preferably light emitting diode (LED), for spatially and/or angularly recycling light. The optical recycling device (200) spatially recycles a portion of rays of light emitted by the LED back to the light source (100) using a reflector or mirror (400) and/or angularly recycles high angle rays of light and transmits small angle rays of light, thereby increasing the brightness of the light source's (100) output.