Light source with light sensor

• US 9,247,611 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pance, Aleksandar, Kerr, Duncan, Bilbrey, Brett, Slack, Brandon Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, THAI N
• Application Number:
  US12/476,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20100301755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,430 Days
• Field of Search: 315/308, 315/149, 315/150, 315/158, 315/159, 315/291, 315/307
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

There are provided systems, devices and methods for operating a light source with a light sensor to provide a desired light output. In particular, in one embodiment, there is provided a light control system. The light control system includes a light source and a light sensor that share a common light pathway. Additionally, the light control system includes a controller electrically coupled to the light source and the light sensor. The controller operates the light source and the light sensor alternatively during a periodic cycle having a frequency of approximately 60 Hz or greater to achieve a desired visual effect based on ambient lighting conditions.

Claims

1. A light control system for an electronic device, comprising:

a light source;

a light sensor separate from the light source and configured to sense ambient light levels;

a light pathway shared by the light sensor and the light source;

a controller communicatively coupled to the light source and the light sensor, the controller configured to alternately activate the light source and the light sensor during a periodic cycle to illuminate at least a portion of the electronic device, wherein the controller activates the light sensor after a predetermined delay following deactivation of the light source and wherein the controller dynamically adjusts an output of the light source during the periodic cycle based on a sensed amount of ambient light present after the predetermined delay; and

the light source and light sensor are disposed on a planar surface of a common substrate.

2. The light control system of claim 1 wherein dynamically adjusting the output of the light source comprises adjusting the brightness of the light source by reducing a length of time the light source is activated.

3. The light control system of claim 2 wherein the controller adjusts the brightness of the light source to match the sensed amount of ambient light.

4. The light control system of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a top-firing LED.

5. The light control system of claim 1 wherein the light source is a side firing LED and the light sensor and light source are located in different axes relative to a longitudinal axis of light pathway.

6. The light control system of claim 1 wherein the controller adjusts the brightness of the light source so that the surface of the light source appears painted in the sensed ambient light conditions.

7. The light control system of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a multicolored LED.

8. The light control system of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises two or more LEDs and wherein at least one of the two or more LEDs function as the light sensor.

9. The light control system of claim 1 wherein the light sensor comprises one of a photodiode, a phototransistor, or a photodiode and an amplifier.

10. The light control system of claim 1 wherein the light sensor comprises one or more narrowband photosensitive devices.

11. The light control system of claim 1 wherein the light sensor comprises a broadband photosensitive device.

12. The light control system of claim 1 comprising a master controller, wherein the master controller is configured to provide control signals to the controller.

13. The light control system of claim 1 wherein the light source and light sensor are component parts of a single package.

14. A method of operating a light control system for an electronic device, comprising:

providing a periodic control signal;

activating a light source positioned on a planar surface of a substrate during a first portion of the control signal;

activating a light sensor that is separate from the light source and positioned on the planar surface of the substrate during a second portion of the control signal to determine lighting conditions surrounding the electronic device, the light source and the light sensor positioned beneath a surface of the electronic device and sharing a common light pathway, wherein activating the light sensor during a second portion of the control signal comprises;

providing a first predetermined time delay before actuation of the light sensor and after deactuation of the light source; and

providing a second predetermined time delay after deactuation of the light sensor and before actuation of the light source; and

during the first portion of the control signal, dynamically adjusting an output of the light source based on the determined lighting conditions.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising pulse width modulating the actuation of the light source during the first portion of the control signal to adjust the brightness of the light output by the light source.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein actuation of the light sensor generates an analog signal correlative to the amount of ambient light, the method comprising converting the analog signal to a digital signal for determination of the amount of ambient light and actuating the light source to correspond with the determined amount of ambient light.

17. The method of claim 14 comprising determining a color of the ambient light and actuating the light source to match the color of the ambient light.

18. A method comprising:

measuring ambient light conditions by a light sensor positioned on a planar surface of a substrate and contained within a housing of a computing device;

adjusting a light output by one or more light sources positioned on the planar surface of the substrate to provide a visual effect for a surface of the computing device based on the corresponding measured ambient light conditions, wherein at least one of the one or more the light sources and light sensor share a common, non-reflected light pathway and at least one of the one or more light sources is separate from the light sensor;

recording the measured ambient light conditions and the corresponding adjusted light output; and

programming a device to;

determine ambient light conditions; and

actuate the one or more light sources during an actuation cycle shared by the one or more light sources and the light sensor to provide a light output that visually appears as a constant light and corresponds to the determined ambient light conditions based on the recorded data, wherein the ambient light conditions are determined by actuating a light sensor during the actuation cycle after a predetermined delay from when the one or more light sources are no longer actuated during the actuation cycle, such that the one or more light sources appear to be continuously actuated for a time period.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein adjusting the light output comprises pulse width modulating the one or more light sources to obtain a desired color and brightness output that corresponds to the ambient light conditions.

20. A light control system for a portable electronic device, comprising:

a light source;

a light sensor separate from the light source and configured to sense ambient light levels, wherein the light sensor and the light source are co-located on a single planar substrate and a light pathway is shared by the light sensor and the light source, the light pathway being substantially perpendicular to the single planar substrate;

a cover having an optically transmissive aperture disposed over the single planar substrate, wherein light received at the light sensor passes through the optically transmissive aperture and light emitted from the light source passes through the optically transmissive aperture to create an optical effect for the portable electronic device; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the light source and the light sensor and adapted to alternately actuate the light source and the light sensor during a periodic cycle that includes a light source portion and a light sensor portion, wherein the controller dynamically adjusts an output of the light source during the light source portion of the periodic cycle based on a sensed amount of ambient light that is detected after a first predetermined delay following the light source portion and before a beginning of the light sensor portion.

21. The package as in claim 20, wherein the light source is actuated after a second predetermined delay following a de-actuation of the light sensor.

22. The package as in claim 20, wherein the light source is used as a status indicator of a computing device.