US6354709B1 — Optical film

Claim 1

Independent Claim 63 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface, said structured surface having a plurality of structures thereon, each of the structures having a nominal height and an actual height, said actual heights of at least some of said structures varying along the length of said structures, said variations having a nominal period of less than forty times said nominal height.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 63 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface, said structured surface having a plurality of structures thereon, each of the structures having a nominal height and an actual height, said actual heights of at least some of said structures varying along the length of said structures, said variations having a nominal period of less than forty times said nominal height.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

The optical film of claim 1 wherein said nominal period is between four and forty times said nominal height.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 19 words

The optical film of claim 1 wherein said nominal period is between five and sixteen times said nominal height.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 12 words

The optical film of claim 1 wherein said structures are linear prisms.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

The optical film of claim 4 wherein said prisms have included angles in the range of 70° to 110°.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 11 words

The optical film of claim 5 wherein said prisms are symmetric.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 19 words

The optical film of claim 6 wherein said nominal period is between four and forty times said nominal height.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 19 words

The optical film of claim 4 wherein said prisms have included angles in the range of 60° to 72°.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 19 words

The optical film of claim 8 wherein said nominal period is between four and forty times said nominal height.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 35 words

The optical film of claim 1 wherein said actual heights of at least some of said structures vary along the length of said structures by an amount between 2% and 12% of said nominal height.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The optical film of claim 10 wherein said nominal period is between four and forty times said nominal height.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 35 words

The optical film of claim 10 wherein said actual heights of at least some of said structures vary along the length of said structures by an amount between 4% and 8% of said nominal height.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 14 words

The optical film of claim 1 wherein said opposing surface is a matte surface.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 52 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface, said structured surface having a plurality of structures thereon, said structures having a nominal height and an actual height, said actual heights of at least some of said structures having a random variation of at least 2% of said nominal height.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 52 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface, said structured surface having a plurality of structures thereon, said structures having a nominal height and an actual height, said actual heights of at least some of said structures having a random variation of at least 2% of said nominal height.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 75 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface, said structured surface having a plurality of structures thereon, said structures having a nominal height and an actual height, said actual height of at least some of said structures varying by an amount and with a nominal period such that the combination of said height variation and said nominal period thereof mask small cosmetic defects that would otherwise be observable in said optical film.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 75 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface, said structured surface having a plurality of structures thereon, said structures having a nominal height and an actual height, said actual height of at least some of said structures varying by an amount and with a nominal period such that the combination of said height variation and said nominal period thereof mask small cosmetic defects that would otherwise be observable in said optical film.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 49 words

The optical film according to claim 15 wherein said actual height of at least some of said structures varies by an amount and with a nominal period sufficient to substantially mask cosmetic defects having maximum dimensions equal to or less than eight times said nominal height of said structures.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 54 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface said opposing surface having a plane associated therewith, said structured surface having a plurality of structures thereon said structures having a nominal height, said structures varying in distance from said plane with a nominal period of less than forty times said nominal height.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 54 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface said opposing surface having a plane associated therewith, said structured surface having a plurality of structures thereon said structures having a nominal height, said structures varying in distance from said plane with a nominal period of less than forty times said nominal height.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 154 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface, said opposing surface having a plane associated therewith, said structured surface having thereon a plurality of structures, said structures reflecting light entering said film through said opposing surface while making an angle in a first predetermined group of angles with a normal to said plane associated with said opposing surface and refracting light entering said optical film while making an angle in a second predetermined group of angles to said normal to said plane associated with said opposing surface such that a majority of the light exiting said optical film through said structured surface will exit in an output wedge that is smaller than the input wedge and said structures have a nominal height and an actual height, said actual height of at least some of said structures continuously varying with a nominal period of variation less than forty times said nominal height.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 154 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface, said opposing surface having a plane associated therewith, said structured surface having thereon a plurality of structures, said structures reflecting light entering said film through said opposing surface while making an angle in a first predetermined group of angles with a normal to said plane associated with said opposing surface and refracting light entering said optical film while making an angle in a second predetermined group of angles to said normal to said plane associated with said opposing surface such that a majority of the light exiting said optical film through said structured surface will exit in an output wedge that is smaller than the input wedge and said structures have a nominal height and an actual height, said actual height of at least some of said structures continuously varying with a nominal period of variation less than forty times said nominal height.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 180 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface, said opposing surface having a plane associated therewith, said structured surface having thereon a plurality of structures, said structures reflecting light entering said film through said opposing surface while making an angle in a first predetermined group of angles with a normal to said plane associated with said opposing surface and refracting light entering said optical film while making an angle in a second predetermined group of angles to said normal to said plane associated with said opposing surface such that a majority of the light exiting said optical film through said structured surface will exit in an output wedge that is smaller than the input wedge and said structures have a nominal height and an actual height, said structures having a nominal height and an actual height, said actual height of at least some of said structures varying by an amount and with a period sufficient to substantially mask cosmetic defects having maximum dimensions equal to or less than eight times said nominal height in said optical film.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 180 words

An optical film comprising a structured surface and an opposing surface, said opposing surface having a plane associated therewith, said structured surface having thereon a plurality of structures, said structures reflecting light entering said film through said opposing surface while making an angle in a first predetermined group of angles with a normal to said plane associated with said opposing surface and refracting light entering said optical film while making an angle in a second predetermined group of angles to said normal to said plane associated with said opposing surface such that a majority of the light exiting said optical film through said structured surface will exit in an output wedge that is smaller than the input wedge and said structures have a nominal height and an actual height, said structures having a nominal height and an actual height, said actual height of at least some of said structures varying by an amount and with a period sufficient to substantially mask cosmetic defects having maximum dimensions equal to or less than eight times said nominal height in said optical film.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 108 words

A display comprising: an area source of light; an optical film including a structured surface having a light exit wedge associated therewith and an opposing surface having a light entry wedge associated therewith said exit wedge being narrower than said entry wedge, said opposing surface facing said area light source, and said structured surface having structures thereon, said structures having an actual height and a nominal height, said actual height of at least some of said structures continuously varying with a nominal period of variation less than forty times said nominal height; and a light gating device separated from said area source of light by said optical film.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 108 words

A display comprising: an area source of light; an optical film including a structured surface having a light exit wedge associated therewith and an opposing surface having a light entry wedge associated therewith said exit wedge being narrower than said entry wedge, said opposing surface facing said area light source, and said structured surface having structures thereon, said structures having an actual height and a nominal height, said actual height of at least some of said structures continuously varying with a nominal period of variation less than forty times said nominal height; and a light gating device separated from said area source of light by said optical film.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 21 words

A display according to claim 20 further including an optical diffuser between said structured surface material and said area light source.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 16 words

A display according to claim 20 wherein said light gating device includes a liquid crystal device.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 24 words

A display according to claim 20 further including a reflector on a side of said area source of light opposite said structured surface material.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 16 words

A display according to claim 23 wherein said light gating device includes a liquid crystal device.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 21 words

A display according to claim 24 further including an optical diffuser between said structured surface material and said area light source.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-03-11	2005-09-10	2006-03-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-03-11	2009-09-10	2010-03-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-03-11	2013-09-10	2014-03-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Optical film

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