Patent ID: 7692784

Claim:
A non-imaging spectral measurement system comprising at least one of a spectroscope, a spectroradiometer, or a spectrophotometer, the spectral measurement system comprising: a computer-controlled illumination system comprising: a tunable light source configured to emit illumination light comprising a variable selected spectral output and a variable selected wavelength dependent intensity distribution toward a target material, wherein the tunable light source comprises: a light source; a spectrum former comprising a prism or diffraction grating configured to provide a flail spectrum from a light beam traveling along a light path from the light source without scanning the light beam across the spectrum former, a pixelated spatial light modulator (SLM) located downstream from and optically connected to the spectrum former, the pixelated SLM configured to pass substantially only a selected spectral output and wavelength dependent intensity distribution of the light from the light source, the pixelated SLM operably connected to a controller which contains computer-implemented programming that controls an on/off pattern of pixels in the pixelated SLM to pass substantially only desired wavelength distribution of illumination light, and the controller operably connected to the tunable light source and containing computer-implemented programming configured to vary a pattern of the pixelated SLM corresponding to the variable selected spectral output and the variable selected wavelength dependent intensity distribution in the illumination light to provide a desired spectral output and wavelength dependent intensity distribution configured for measuring spectral properties of the target material; and a spectral measurement sensor configured to detect light emanating from the target material and determine spectral data of the light emanating from the target material to provide target spectral data, the spectral measurement sensor operably connected to the computer-controlled illumination system to communicate the target spectral data to the computer-controlled illumination system; wherein the controller and the computer-implemented programming are configured to receive the target spectral data and incorporate the target spectral data to tune the tunable light source to vary the variable selected spectral output and the variable selected wavelength dependent intensity distribution in the illumination light to enhance the desired spectral output and wavelength dependent intensity distribution of the illumination light, wherein the controller is configured to vary the selected spectral output and wavelength dependent intensity distribution of the illumination light in response to the target spectral data to provide an enhanced dynamic range for the spectroscope, spectroradiometer, or spectrophotometer such that the spectroscope, spectroradiometer, or spectrophotometer measures more spectral properties of the target material compared to the spectral measurement sensor alone.