Method and system for adjusting light output from a light source

Abstract

A system having a light guide adapted to collect light from a light source, a light detector attached to the light guide, a controller electrically connected to an output of the light detector, and a driver for driving the light source detachably connected to an output of the controller. The driver includes a memory that stores a calibration value for the light source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a light-detector configured to detect a property of a light emitted from a light source; and   a controller configured to:
 analyze the property of the emitted light; and 
 instruct, based on a result of the analyzed property of the emitted light, a driver to supply an amount of electrical power to the light source such that the property of the light emitted by the light source matches a predefined threshold. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising: the driver configured to supply the amount of electrical power to the light source. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the driver is configured to supply the amount of electrical power even if the controller is disconnected from the driver. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller instructs the driver by instructing the driver to supply the amount of electrical power according to a calibration value, and wherein the controller updates the calibration value based on the result of the analyzed property of the emitted light. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising an electronic memory storage, wherein the calibration value is stored in the electronic storage. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the property of the light includes at least one of: intensity of the light, color of the light, color temperature of the light, and spectral distribution of the light. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least the light-detector and the controller are implemented within a hand-held, portable device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a component configured to collect and guide the emitted light to the light-detector. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the component includes an optical fiber, a light pipe, or a covered trench in a substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the light source, wherein the light source contains one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs). 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the light source includes a backlighting plate in a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the light-detector and the controller are free of being in direct physical contact with the LCD panel. 
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising:
 a light source configured to emit light, the light source containing one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs);   a portable electronic device that is external to the light source, wherein the portable electronic device includes:
 a light-detector configured to detect a characteristic of a light emitted from the light source, wherein the characteristic includes at least one of: intensity of the emitted light, color of the emitted light, color temperature of the emitted light, and spectral distribution of the emitted light; and 
 a controller configured to:
 analyze the characteristic of the emitted light; and 
 update a calibration value; and 
 
   a driver that is configured to supply an amount of electrical power to the light source based on the updated calibration value such that the characteristic of the light emitted by the light source meets a predefined criteria.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the light source includes an LED backlighting plate in a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel; and   the portable electronic device is free of being in direct physical contact with the LCD panel.   
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 detecting a light emitted from a light source;   analyzing a property of the light emitted from the light source;   updating a calibration value in response to the analyzing; and   instructing a driver to supply an amount of electrical power to the light source according to the calibration value such that the property of the light emitted by the light source matches a predefined threshold;   wherein the detecting, the analyzing, the updating and the instructing are performed by a hand-held portable device that is physically separate from the light source.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: disconnecting the hand-held portable device from the driver, wherein the driver is configured to continue supplying the amount of electrical power to the light source according to the calibration value after the disconnecting. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the property of the light includes at least one of: intensity of the light, color of the light, color temperature of the light, and spectral distribution of the light. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving an initial value of the calibration value; and   storing the initial value of the calibration value in an electronic storage, wherein the updating comprises storing the updated calibration value in the electronic storage.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in a backlighting plate of a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel as the light source. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the detecting, the analyzing, the updating, and the instructing are performed without the hand-held portable device coming into direct physical contact with the LCD panel.