Methods and systems for maintaining the illumination intensity of light emitting diodes

A method comprising:

• sensing, via a thermal sensor, a temperature proximal to the LED;
• determining whether a sensed temperature exceeds a pre-defined set-point temperature that correlates to a minimal intensity level of the LED;
• responsive to a determination that the sensed temperature exceeds the pre-defined set-point temperature, transmitting a first signal from the thermal sensor to a current regulator;
• transmitting a second signal from the current regulator to a voltage source in response to the first signal;
• and
• increasing, in a step-wise manner, current level applied to the LED from a nominal level to an increased current level;
• responsive to a determination that the sensed temperature is less than a second pre-defined temperature, transmitting a third signal from the thermal sensor to the current regulator, the second pre-defined temperature being less than the pre-defined set-point temperature;
• transmitting a fourth signal from the current regulator to the voltage source in response to the third signal;
• and
• decreasing, in a step-wise manner, current level applied to the LED from the increased current level to the nominal current level.

A circuit comprising:

• a voltage source;
• a light-emitting diode (LED) having a desired minimal intensity level associated therewith, the desired minimal intensity level being correlated to a pre-defined LED set-point temperature;
• a thermal sensor in proximity to the LED and adapted to sense a temperature proximal to the LED, the thermal sensor comprises a switch adapted to activate responsive to the pre-defined LED set-point temperature being exceeded, the activation of the switch results in transmission of a signal to the current regulator;
• a current regulator interoperably coupled to the voltage source, the thermal sensor, and the LED;
• wherein, responsive to a sensed temperature greater than the pre-defined LED set-point temperature, current supplied to the LED is increased in a step-wise manner from an original current level to an increased current level;
• and
• wherein, responsive to a sensed temperature less than a second pre-defined LED temperature, current supplied to the LED is decreased in a step-wise manner from the increased current level to the original current level, the second pre-defined LED temperature being less that the pre-defined LED set-point temperature.