Electro-active lens with resistive arcs

1. A tunable electro-optic lens device comprising:

a first transparent substrate comprising a transparent conductive first electrode layer operatively connected thereto, the first electrode layer being patterned and comprising a first plurality of substantially concentric ring electrodes that form a first resistive divider network;

a second transparent substrate comprising a transparent conductive second electrode layer operatively connected thereto; and

an electro-active liquid crystal material layer located between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;

wherein:

a first ring electrode from the first plurality of ring electrodes is electrically connected to a substantially adjacent ring electrode from the first plurality of ring electrodes by a substantially co-planar first resistive arc that electrically spans a gap overlap zone defined by a spiralesque insulating gap that substantially separates the first ring electrode from the adjacent ring electrode;

the spiralesque insulating gap extends more than one revolution, and less than two revolutions, substantially around a rotational axis of the at least one ring electrode to define the gap overlap zone;

the gap overlap zone defines a gap overlap zone arc length and a gap overlap zone width;

the gap overlap zone arc length defines a length of the first resistive arc and the gap overlap zone width defines a width of the first resistive arc;

the first resistive arc defines a resistive path through the gap overlap zone; and

a first sub-plurality of continuous ring electrodes from the first plurality of continuous ring electrodes is connected to a first input connection, the first input connection terminating an input line.

2. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

a resistance created by the first resistive arc is proportional to the length of the first resistive arc divided by the width of the first resistive arc.

3. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the electro-optic lens device is tunable from a first optical power to a second optical power when a first voltage is applied to the first input connection.

4. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the second electrode layer is not patterned.

5. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the second electrode layer is patterned and comprises a second plurality of ring electrodes that form a second resistive divider network.

6. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first electrode layer comprises a plurality of sets of ring electrodes, each set comprising a corresponding plurality of ring electrodes.

7. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first electrode layer comprises a plurality of sets of ring electrodes, wherein:

each set comprises a corresponding plurality of ring electrodes;

a dedicated input connection is provided for each set; and

a dedicated resistive arc is provided between each adjacent pair of ring electrodes in each set.

8. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first electrode layer comprises a plurality of sets of ring electrodes, wherein:

each set comprises a corresponding plurality of ring electrodes;

a dedicated input connection is provided for each set

each set is adapted to be individually controlled; and

a dedicated resistive arc is provided between each adjacent pair of ring electrodes in each set.

9. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

at least one ring electrode on the second transparent substrate completely covers in a planar direction at least two co-planar ring electrodes of the first transparent substrate.

10. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first electrode layer is adapted to create an index of refraction gradient in the electro-active liquid crystal material layer.

11. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first electrode layer is adapted to electrically cooperate with the second transparent conductive electrode layer to generate an electric field.

12. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are adapted to electrically cooperate to generate an electric field across the electro-active liquid crystal material layer.

13. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are adapted to electrically cooperate to generate a radially varying electric field across the electro-active liquid crystal material layer.

14. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are adapted to electrically cooperate to generate a radial gradient in an index of refraction in the electro-active liquid crystal material layer.

15. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first electrode structure is adapted to form a spherical lens.

16. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

for each of the ring electrodes from the first plurality of substantially concentric ring electrodes, applying a predetermined voltage, an amplitude of the predetermined voltage unique to each of the ring electrodes from the first plurality of ring electrodes.

17. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the spiralesque insulating gap extends more than two revolutions substantially around the rotational axis of the at least one ring electrode.

18. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the spiralesque insulating gap extends between one revolution and ten revolutions substantially around the rotational axis of the at least one ring electrode.

19. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the gap overlap length extends from approximately 1 degree to approximately 360 degrees.

20. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

the gap overlap length extends more than 360 degrees.

21. The tunable electro-optic lens device of claim 1 , wherein:

a width of the first resistive arc is between approximately 0.1 microns and approximately 10 microns.