A structure and method for utilizing natural light indoors or in the interior in a moving space are disclosed. The method includes: determining, by a controller, whether or not current indoor information is confirmable; determining, by the controller, whether or not the current indoor information coincides with a user request signal, upon determining that the current indoor information is confirmable; controlling, by the controller, radiation amounts of the natural light and artificial light, upon determining that the current indoor information does not coincide with the user request signal; and adjusting, by the controller, a position value of a smart lamp unit.

A device for converting electromagnetic radiation into electricity comprises an expander that includes a conical shape having an axis and a curved surface that is configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation away from the axis to expand a beam of the electromagnetic radiation; and one or more energy conversion components configured to receive a beam of electromagnetic radiation expanded by the expander, and to generate electricity from the expanded beam of electromagnetic radiation. With the expander's curved surface, a beam of electromagnetic radiation that is highly concentratedhas a large radiation fluxmay be converted into a beam that has a larger cross-sectional area. Moreover, one can configure, if desired, the curved surface to provide a substantially uniform distribution of radiation across the expanded cross-sectional area. With such an expanded beam the one or more energy conversion components can efficiently convert some of the electromagnetic radiation into electricity.

Lighting devices and methods for providing daylight to the interior of a structure are disclosed. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide a daylighting device including a tube having a sidewall with a reflective interior surface, a light collecting assembly, and a light reflector positioned to reflect daylight into the light collector. In some embodiments, the light collector is associated with one or more light-turning and/or light reflecting structures configured to increase the amount of light captured by the daylighting device. Optical elements may allow for the absorption and/or selective transmission of infrared light away from an interior of the daylighting device.

A flexible sheet-form optical system, referenced to as a light redirecting fabric, which has a fabric-like behavior and light redirecting properties. The light redirecting fabric comprises a soft and flexible sheet of optically transmissive material, such as plasticized polyvinyl chloride. A surface of the flexible sheet includes a plurality of parallel slits having spaced-apart walls configured to reflect light by means of a total internal reflection. At least a portion of daylight incident onto the sheet is internally redirected at bend angles greater than the angle of incidence. Disclosed also are a method and apparatus for making the light redirecting fabric. The method includes steps of mechanical slitting of the flexible sheet with a blade, elastic stretch-elongation of the sheet along a direction perpendicular to the slits, and making at least a portion of the sheet elongation irreversible.

A display device comprising at least: (a) a plurality of photovoltaic active areas and a plurality of holes, two neighboring photovoltaic active areas forming an opening; (b) one or more artificial light sources; (c) a plurality of light concentrators and reflective opaque disposed between said light sources and said photovoltaic active areas. This device wherein said hubs of light are arranged so that the light emitted from artificial light sources is directed by the light concentrators through the holes.

A light energy conveyance and control system uses a multiple of separately arranged light energy conveyance lenses to define a conveyance path for passing light energy from front to rear, and each light energy conveyance lens has a scatter region for scattering light energy to provide illumination, and the light energy scattered by the scatter region of each light energy conveyance lens is controlled to distribute the light energy on the conveyance path, and the scattered light energy is determined by a scatter area and/or a scatter level.

A device for converting electromagnetic radiation into electricity comprises an expander that includes a conical shape having an axis and a curved surface that is configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation away from the axis to expand a beam of the electromagnetic radiation; and one or more energy conversion components configured to receive a beam of electromagnetic radiation expanded by the expander, and to generate electricity from the expanded beam of electromagnetic radiation. With the expander's curved surface, a beam of electromagnetic radiation that is highly concentratedhas a large radiation fluxmay be converted into a beam that has a larger cross-sectional area. Moreover, one can configure, if desired, the curved surface to provide a substantially uniform distribution of radiation across the expanded cross-sectional area. With such an expanded beam the one or more energy conversion components can efficiently convert some of the electromagnetic radiation into electricity.

A device for converting electromagnetic radiation (e.g., nonuniform laser light) into electricity comprises an expander that includes a conical shape having an axis and a curved surface that is configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation away from the axis to expand a beam of the electromagnetic radiation; and one or more energy conversion components configured to receive a beam of electromagnetic radiation expanded by the expander, and to generate electricity from the expanded beam of electromagnetic radiation. With the expander's curved surface, a beam of electromagnetic radiation that is highly concentratedhas a large radiation fluxmay be converted into a beam that has a larger cross-sectional area. Moreover, one can configure, if desired, the curved surface to provide a substantially uniform distribution of radiation across the expanded cross-sectional area. With such an expanded beam the one or more energy conversion components can efficiently convert the electromagnetic radiation into electricity.

A shutter includes a plurality of light-guiding devices each of which includes a light collector and a beam expander. The light collector includes a light-guiding plate that has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion in a first direction, and a plurality of light-collecting members that are disposed on the first end portion and that are arranged in the first direction. Each of the light-collecting members has a curved surface that is adapted for reflecting light beams that travel into the light-collecting member so that the light beams travel into the light-guiding plate. The beam expander is disposed on the second end portion of the light-guiding plate. When the light beams travel into the light-guiding plate, the light-guiding plate is adapted for the light beams to reflect therein, and to travel through the second end portion into the beam expander.