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The method of selecting a light redirecting film or optical panel includes the steps of providing a length of film or substrate having a pattern of optical elements that varies, then selecting an area of the film or substrate that has a pattern of the optical elements that best suits a particular ap

The method of selecting a light redirecting film or optical panel includes the steps of providing a length of film or substrate having a pattern of optical elements that varies, then selecting an area of the film or substrate that has a pattern of the optical elements that best suits a particular application, and removing the selected area from the film or substrate to provide the light redirecting film or optical panel. The pattern may be a repeating pattern that varies at different locations on the film or substrate and may comprise a roll of the film or substrate from which the selected area(s) is removed.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method of selecting a light redirecting film for a particular application comprising the steps of providing a length of film having a pattern of optical elements on or in the film that varies, selecting an area of the pattern that best suits a particular application, and re

What is claimed is: 1. A method of selecting a light redirecting film for a particular application comprising the steps of providing a length of film having a pattern of optical elements on or in the film that varies, selecting an area of the pattern that best suits a particular application, and removing the selected area from the film to provide the light redirecting film, the selected area having substantially less than a 100% of the total area of the pattern. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern varies along the length of the film. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern varies along the width of the film. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern varies along the length and width of the film. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the length of the film comprises a roll of the film from which the selected area is removed. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected area is die cut from the length of the film. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern is a repeating pattern on the film. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the length of the film comprises a roll of the film from which the selected area is removed. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the selected area is die cut from the roll of the film. 10. A method of selecting a light redirecting film for a particular application comprising the steps of providing a length of film having a pattern of individual optical elements of well defined shape on or in the film that varies, the optical elements being quite small in relation to a width and length of the film, selecting an area of the film that has a pattern of the optical elements that best suits a particular application, and removing the selected area from the film to provide the light redirecting film, the selected area having substantially less than a 100% of the total area of the pattern. 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the pattern is a repeating pattern. 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the pattern varies at different locations on the film. 13. The method of claim 10 wherein at least some of the optical elements overlap, intersect or interlock each other. 14. The method of claim 10 wherein at least some of the optical elements have different shapes. 15. The method of claim 10 wherein at least some of the optical elements have a different beam profile at different locations on the film. 16. The method of claim 10 wherein at least some of the optical elements are randomly distributed on the film. 17. The method of claim 10 wherein at least some of the optical elements are oriented at different angles on the film. 18. The method of claim 10 wherein at least some of the optical elements vary in at least one of the following characteristics: slope angle, density, position, orientation, height or depth, shape, and size. 19. The method of claim 10 wherein at least some of the optical elements are arranged in groupings across the film, with at least some of the optical elements in at least some of the groupings having a different size or shape characteristic that collectively produce an average size or shape characteristic for each of the groupings that varies across the film. 20. A method of selecting an optical panel for a particular application comprising the steps of providing a length of substrate having a pattern of optical elements on or in the substrate that varies, selecting an area of the pattern that best suits a particular application, and removing the selected area from the substrate to provide the optical panel, the selected area having substantially less than a 100% of the total area of the pattern. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the pattern varies along the length of the substrate. 22. The method of claim 20 wherein the pattern varies along the width of the substrate. 23. The method of claim 20 wherein the pattern varies along the length and width of the substrate. 24. The pattern of claim 20 wherein the length of the substrate comprises a roll of the substrate from which the selected area is removed. 25. The method of claim 20 wherein the selected area is die cut from the length of the substrate. 26. The method of claim 20 wherein the optical panel is a backlight. 27. The method of claim 20 wherein the pattern is a repeating pattern on the substrate. 28. The method of claim 27 wherein the length of the substrate comprises a roll of the substrate from which the selected area is removed. 29. The method of claim 28 wherein the selected area is die cut from the roll of the substrate. 30. A method of selecting an optical panel for a particular application comprising the steps of providing a length of substrate having a pattern of individual optical elements of well defined shape on or in the substrate that varies, the optical elements being quite small in relation to a width and length of the substrate, selecting an area of the substrate that has a pattern of the optical elements that best suits a particular application, and removing the selected area from the substrate to provide the optical panel, the selected area having substantially less than a 100% of the total area of the pattern. 31. The method of claim 30 wherein the pattern is a repeating pattern. 32. The method of claim 30 wherein the pattern varies at different locations on the substrate. 33. The method of claim 30 wherein at least some of the optical elements have different shapes. 34. The method of claim 30 wherein at least some of the optical elements have a different beam profile at different locations on the film. 35. The method of claim 30 wherein at least some of the optical elements are randomly distributed on the film. 36. The method of claim 30 wherein at least some of the optical elements are oriented at different angles on the film. 37. The method of claim 30 wherein at least some of the optical elements vary in at least one of the following characteristics: slope angle, density, position, orientation, height or depth, shape and size.