Lighted control panel and illuminated display with embedded lighting control

A method comprising:

• generating, with a controller, a control signal with alternating on and off portions;
• sending, with the controller, the control signal to a light source configured to backlight a plurality of keys, the light source turning on and off in response to the alternating on and off portions of the control signal, one or more light conductors conducting light generated by the light source when the light source is on to the plurality of keys, the plurality of keys being illuminated by the conducted light, the one or more light conductors conducting ambient light to one or more light sensors, the ambient light having been received by the one or more light conductors from the plurality of keys when the light source is off;
• detecting the ambient light with the one or more light sensors;
• generating, with the one or more light sensors, one or more sensor signals based on the detected ambient light and sending the one or more sensor signals to the controller;
• determining, with the controller, a brightness level based at least in part on the one or more sensor signals;
• and
• encoding, with the controller, the brightness level in the control signal, brightness of the light generated by the light source being based at least in part on the brightness level encoded in the control signal.

A display device comprising:

• a plurality of pixels;
• a backlight positioned behind the plurality of pixels;
• a controller configured to generate a control signal and send the control signal to the backlight, the control signal instructing the backlight when to generate light and when not to generate light;
• at least one light conductor positioned behind the plurality of pixels and configured to conduct light generated by the backlight to active ones of the plurality of pixels to thereby illuminate the active pixels, the at least one light conductor being configured to receive ambient light through at least one of the plurality of pixels when the backlight is not generating light;
• and
• at least one light sensor positioned behind the plurality of pixels, the at least one light sensor being configured to receive the ambient light from the at least one light conductor, generate one or more sensor signals based on the received ambient light, and send the one or more sensor signals to the controller, the controller implementing software compensation that determines a percentage of the plurality of pixels that are active pixels and uses the percentage to account for a portion of the ambient light blocked by the active pixels, the controller being configured to determine a brightness level based at least in part on the one or more sensor signals and encode the brightness level in the control signal, brightness of the light generated by the backlight being based at least in part on the brightness level encoded in the control signal.