IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0622413
(2009-11-19)
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등록번호 |
US-7762704
(2010-08-13)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
16 인용 특허 :
5 |
초록
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An edge-lit panel features extractor patterns that produce uniform illumination. The effective density of extractor pattern pixels is adjusted to achieve uniform illumination. A method of adjusting the effective pixel density of extractor pattern pixels to achieve uniform illumination entails adjust
An edge-lit panel features extractor patterns that produce uniform illumination. The effective density of extractor pattern pixels is adjusted to achieve uniform illumination. A method of adjusting the effective pixel density of extractor pattern pixels to achieve uniform illumination entails adjusting areas of darkness of a grayscale image, then producing a binary image by dithering the grayscale image, and applying an extractor pattern corresponding to the binary image to a surface of the panel. The extractor pixels correspond to pixels of the binary image derived from a dithered grayscale image, with the darkness of the grayscale image increasing with distance from the light source. Effective pixel density is increased to compensate for attenuated output in dim areas. By adjusting gray shading darkness of a grayscale image, pixel density can be adjusted to achieve uniform light emission. The extractor pixels may be applied using a radiation curable ink, which can be used in high speed inkjet printers that can achieve production speeds. The resulting print is waterproof, embossed and vibrant.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. An edge-lit sign comprising a solid panel of optical transmission medium having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of edges; the plurality of edges including at least one illuminated edge and at least one unlit edge; each of the at l
What is claimed is: 1. An edge-lit sign comprising a solid panel of optical transmission medium having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of edges; the plurality of edges including at least one illuminated edge and at least one unlit edge; each of the at least one unlit edge being coated with a coating that prevents light emission therefrom; a light source provided along the at least one illuminated edge, said light source transmitting light into the panel through the at least one illuminated edge; an extractor pattern formed on at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the panel, said extractor pattern comprising extractor pixels, said extractor pixels causing light transmitted in the panel to emit from the panel; the extractor pixels per unit area varying with distance from the at least one illuminated edge to achieve a substantially spatially uniform intensity of light emitted from the panel; the extractor pixels corresponding to pixels of a binary image derived from a dithered grayscale image, the darkness of the grayscale image increasing with distance from the light source. 2. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, said at least one unlit edge being coated with a reflective coating. 3. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, said light source comprising a light generator from the group consisting of a fluorescent lamp, incandescent lamp, and light emitting diode. 4. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, each extractor pixel comprising an area of surface roughness. 5. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, each extractor pixel comprising a recessed area. 6. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, each extractor pixel comprising a protruding area. 7. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, each extractor pixel comprising an ink coated area on the second surface, said ink coated area causing light to emit from an area of the first surface opposite the ink coated area. 8. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, each extractor pixel comprising a radiation-cured ink coated area on the second surface, said ink coated area causing light to emit from an area of the first surface opposite the ink coated area. 9. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, each extractor pixel comprising a radiation-cured ink coated area on the second surface, said ink coated area causing light to emit from an area of the first surface opposite the ink coated area, said ink coated area comprising a binary image. 10. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, each extractor pixel comprising a radiation-cured ink coated area on the second surface, said ink coated area causing light to emit from an area of the first surface opposite the ink coated area, said ink coated area comprising a binary pixelated image. 11. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, each extractor pixel comprising a radiation-cured ink coated area on the second surface, said ink coated area causing light to emit from an area of the first surface opposite the ink coated area, said ink coated area comprising a binary image derived from a dithered grayscale image. 12. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, each extractor pixel comprising a radiation-cured ink coated area on the second surface, said ink coated area causing light to emit from an area of the first surface opposite the ink coated area, said ink coated area comprising a binary image derived from a dithered grayscale image and colored portions. 13. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, each extractor pixel comprising a radiation-cured ink coated area on the second surface, said ink coated area causing light to emit from an area of the first surface opposite the ink coated area, said ink coated area comprising a dithered grayscale image, said dithered grayscale image produced using a dithering algorithm from the group consisting of a Floyd-Steinberg, Jarvis, Judice, Ninke, Stucki, and Burkes dithering. 14. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, further comprising a reflective cover disposed over the second surface of the panel, said reflective cover reflecting light emitted from the second surface back into the panel. 15. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, further comprising an image applied over the extractor pattern. 16. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1, said solid panel of optical transmission medium being a first solid panel of optical transmission medium; said edge-lit sign further comprising a second solid panel of optical transmission medium having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of edges; the second solid panel of optical transmission medium being coextensive with and parallel to the solid panel of optical transmission medium; the plurality of edges of the second solid panel including at least one illuminated edge and at least one unlit edge; each of the at least one unlit edge of the second solid panel being coated with a coating that prevents light emission therefrom; a light source provided along the at least one illuminated edge of the second solid panel, said light source transmitting light into the second panel through the at least one illuminated edge; an extractor pattern formed on at least one of the front surface or back surface of the second panel, said extractor pattern comprising extractor pixels, said extractor pixels causing light transmitted in the second panel to emit from the second panel into the first panel; the extractor pixels per unit area varying with distance from the at least one illuminated edge to achieve a substantially spatially uniform intensity of light emitted from the panel. 17. An edge-lit sign according to claim 1 the extractor pattern including a plurality of zones, including a first zone and a second zone, the first zone being closer than the second zone to the at least one illuminated edge; and the extractor pixels per unit area in the second zone being greater than the extractor pixels per unit area in the first zone. 18. A method for forming an edge-lit sign comprising providing a solid panel of optical transmission medium having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of edges, the plurality of edges including at least one illuminated edge and at least one unlit edge, and each of the at least one unlit edge being coated with a coating that prevents light emission therefrom; forming an extractor pattern on at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the panel, said extractor pattern comprising extractor pixels, said extractor pixels causing light transmitted in the panel to emit from the panel, the extractor pixels per unit area varying with distance from the at least one illuminated edge to achieve a substantially spatially uniform intensity of light emitted from the panel, said step of forming an extractor pattern further comprising forming a grayscale image for the extractor pattern, with gray shading of the grayscale image increasing in darkness with increasing distance from the at least one illuminated edge, generating a binary image by dithering the grayscale image, and forming the extractor pattern on the at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the panel from the binary image. 19. A method for forming an edge-lit sign according to claim 18, wherein the step of forming the extractor pattern on the at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the panel from the binary image includes printing the binary image on the at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the panel. 20. A method for forming an edge-lit sign according to claim 18, wherein the step of forming the extractor pattern on the at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the panel from the binary image includes printing the binary image on the at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the panel using radiation curable ink.
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