OPTICAL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING BRIGHTNESS CONTRASTS BETWEEN HIGH BRIGHTNESS LIGHT SOURCES AND SURROUNDING SURFACES

摘要

An optical system and method provides at least one, and preferably an array ofrelatively small, high brightnesslight sources with a surrounding surface that exhibits brightness, therebyreducing the contrast between the high brightnessproduced by the light sources and the brightness of their surroundingsurfaces. The optical system includes a light waveguidestructure (25) that captures a portion of the light from the individual high-brightness light sources (29), and then re-emits the sourcelight to create brightness in the light sources' surrounding surfaces (35).The optical system is particularly adapted for use withLEDs, but could be used with other high brightness light sources.