Lighting Systems

Abstract

A lighting system may include one or more light sources and one or more light guides. A lighting system may be integrated into a window, a skylight, an exterior light such as a headlight, a tail light, or a high center-mounted stop light, or other exterior or interior portions of a system such as a vehicle. The light guide may be embedded in an adhesive layer in a vehicle structure. The light guide may be index-matched to the adhesive layer so that unilluminated portions of the light guide are indistinguishable from the vehicle structure. The light guide may be formed from optical fibers. The optical fibers may include a light-scattering optical fiber that scatters light out of the vehicle structure. The light-scattering optical fiber may be fused to a non-scattering optical fiber that guides light from a light source to the light-scattering optical fiber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle comprising:
 a body;   a window mounted in the body, wherein the window comprises
 first and second layers, wherein at least the first layer is transparent, 
 a polymer layer interposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the polymer layer attaches the first layer to the second layer, and 
 a light guide embedded in the polymer layer; and 
   a light source configured to emit light into the light guide, wherein at least a portion of the light guide is configured to scatter the light through the first layer of the window.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer comprises polyvinyl butyral (PVB). 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the light guide comprises an edge-lit light guide film. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer is transparent. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the light guide comprises clear plastic. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an additional light guide embedded in the polymer layer;   an additional light source configured to emit additional light into the additional light guide, wherein at least a portion of the additional light guide is configured to scatter the additional light through the first layer of the window; and   a controller configured to independently control the light source and the additional light source.   
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer comprises an optically clear adhesive selected from the group consisting of: ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyurethane. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises a light-reflective material. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the light guide follows a non-linear path. 
     
     
         10 . A vehicle comprising:
 a body;   a vehicle structure mounted to the body, wherein the vehicle structure comprises a layer of adhesive and a transparent layer;   a light guide in the layer of adhesive; and   a light source configured to emit light into the light guide, wherein at least a portion of the light guide is configured to scatter the light through the transparent layer.   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the light guide follows a non-linear path. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the layer of adhesive comprises an optically clear adhesive selected from the group consisting of: polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), and polyurethane. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an additional light guide in the layer of adhesive, wherein at least a portion of the additional light guide is configured to scatter the light through the transparent layer.   
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an optical coupler in the layer of adhesive and configured to couple the light from the light guide into the additional light guide.   
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the transparent layer comprises glass. 
     
     
         16 . An illumination system comprising:
 a transparent layer;   a layer of adhesive on the transparent layer;   a light guide in the layer of adhesive; and   a light source configured to emit light into the light guide, wherein the light guide comprises an extraction feature configured to scatter the light through the transparent layer.   
     
     
         17 . The illumination system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a layer that is attached to the transparent layer by the layer of adhesive.   
     
     
         18 . The illumination system of  claim 16 , wherein the extraction feature comprises an end of the light guide with a bulged shape configured to form a lens that focuses the scattered light. 
     
     
         19 . The illumination system of  claim 16 , wherein the extraction feature comprises a cleaved end of the light guide that is configured to redirect the light through the transparent layer. 
     
     
         20 . The illumination system of  claim 16 , wherein the extraction feature comprises a roughened surface of the light guide.